The chamber still pulsed faintly with energy from the last conversation, like echoes of a thunderstorm rumbling behind a sealed door.
Vantres smirked and tapped Mike's shoulder.
Vantres: "Ahh, it's OK. Just get stronger and I'll call him, OK?"
Mike blinked, still overwhelmed.
Mike: "Hmm… OK. But how are we getting strong?"
White's eyes gleamed, the crystal walls around them reflecting his power.
White: "Ohh… about that… have you ever heard about the White Craptle Tower?"
---
🌌 The Tower Revealed
Flux tilted his head, ruby eyes narrowing.
Flux: "White Crap–what?"
White raised one hand and a miniature illusion formed•a towering, endless spire coiled in white chains and floating islands.
White: "The White Craptle Tower. It's a place created by me and currently controlled by Ixia. A place where fragments of lost history float like stars. Inside it, every step tests your soul."
Flux and Mike stared at the vision, mesmerized as thunder rolled inside their ears.
White (continuing): "It is a place where you must walk on two paths."
The illusion split into two glowing paths.
White:
"First, the Hard Path:
Find your true nature,,your Sector, your true power.
Second, the Easy Path:
Accept a mentor. Borrow your teacher's power to power up.
Most choose the second path… because finding your true nature, your true power, is almost impossible for regular beings."
White's eyes glimmered at Flux and Mike.
White: "But both of you… can try to walk the first path. If you can't, you can still receive my powers"just like Fruxiya, Ixia, and Hidori once did."
Flux swallowed hard.
Flux: "But… if it's like that… what happens if we die in there?"
White folded his arms.
White: "I knew you'd ask that. Don't worry. If anyone dies in the Tower, they revive without consequence. Even Hidori and Fruxiya died almost 100 times. So don't fear death there."
Flux's jaw dropped.
Flux: "One hundred times… but you only said Hidori and my sis. What about my mom,,Ixia?"
White smiled faintly.
White: "Hmm… well… she doesn't die. Or even better!!she's never received a single scratch. Not one drop of blood."
Flux and Mike exclaimed at once:
Flux & Mike (together): "WHAT!! How-does that mean she's the strongest except for the Legends!?"
White nodded slowly.
White: "Well, yeah. In her specialty, she's the strongest person I know."
Flux blinked.
Flux: "Specialty?"
Before White could answer, Alicia stepped in, her voice proud.
Alicia: "Flux, she's the strongest Tamer."
Flux tilted his head.
Flux: "Tamer?"
Alicia smiled softly.
Alicia: "She can tame any being. She even tamed the Heaven Guardian pet Shikimo and the Hell Controller pet Zinki. And she tamed them not by power… but by love."
Flux and Mike shouted together, their voices echoing through the hall:
Flux & Mike (together): "WHOOAA!! What the-just how strong is Flux's mom?! Mike's aunt?!"
Ixia turned red, hiding her face behind her sleeve.
Ixia: "Stop it… you're making me blush 🤭🤭. I'm not that great…"
Alicia placed a hand on Ixia's shoulder, her own eyes soft.
Alicia: "You are, Ixia. You are. 🤗"
White cleared his throat, regaining the room's focus.
White: "Hmm… OK. Now you have one week. Do anything you need to prepare. After one week, you'll be sent to the White Craptle Tower."
Flux and Mike stood straight, determination flaring.
Flux & Mike (together): "Hmm! OK, sir! 🙋♂️🙋♂️"
White gave a small nod.
White: "Bow. Meeting dismissed."
---
🌟 The Week of Preparation
The room dissolved into movement. Everyone began heading to their own destinations, but Flux and Mike remained, standing awkwardly in the middle of the great hall.
Alicia noticed, tilting her head.
Alicia: "Ho? What happened? Let me guess_you don't know where you want to go or what to do for the one week, right?"
Flux scratched his hair.
Flux: "Y–YEAH…"
Alicia smiled warmly.
Alicia: "Hmm… let me suggest something."
Flux blinked.
Flux: "???"
Alicia: "Flux, you come with me. I want to spend time with you. We've met again after… almost, I think, 700 trillion years.
And Mike...I suggest you spend more time with White, Hidori, and Fruxiya, since you're walking on the same path as them."
Flux frowned slightly.
Flux: "A...and me?"
Alicia: "You… well, you're walking the first path."
Flux's eyes widened.
Flux: "Why? I want Mike to also walk the first path with me!"
Alicia's tone grew serious.
Alicia: "Because walking the first path is no joke. You need to be born a genius''not just in mind, but in everything. Like you.
Without any exercise, you have quite a strong body. You also have a high IQ, and your potential even surpasses the ten living Legends. You're… special, Flux."
Flux looked at Mike, worry creeping into his eyes.
Flux: "B,,bu,"
Mike raised his hand, smiling gently.
Mike: "It's OK, Flux. I know I can't be as strong as you or walk toe to toe with you… but as your best friend, I'll try my hardest to get stronger and stand with you in the end. So don't worry, my best friend. 👊"
Flux's lips trembled. Then he lifted his fist.
Flux: "Bu!!!ugh… OK. But do you promise a thousand percent to get stronger? OK!boom! 👊"
Mike grinned, clashing fists with Flux.
Mike: "HEH. OK. Bye for now. Our training arc begins. Let's go!"
Flux grinned.
Flux: "Yep. Let's goo!"
Mike turned to leave.
Mike: "For now, bye. I'm going to meet Hidori and Fruxiya. Bye 👋"
Flux, Ixia, and Alicia waved back.
Flux & Ixia & Alicia (together): "Bye!"
As Mike walked away, two voices whispered telepathically.
Alicia (telepathic): "Hoho… he's got a very nice friend, right bestie?"
Ixia (telepathic): "Hmm… yeah. And I'm glad for that."
Alicia (telepathic): "OK. Let's go now."
The scene closed with Flux standing beside Alicia and Ixia, their eyes turning toward the distant horizon where the White Craptle Tower shimmered faintly like a mirage of destiny.