The scene opened with Mexus leaning against the trunk of a twisted, dreamscape tree, watching Taro with an amused glint in his eyes.
"So, Taro," Mexus began, a smirk playing on his lips. "How does it feel? Your first real victory. Against a Night Crusader, no less."
Taro couldn't help but smile, though it was tempered with honesty. "It feels... good. But I have to say, a huge part of it was because she was off-guard. She didn't know about my abilities. She must have thought I was just some normal Dremapol with a big ego or something."
Mexus chuckled. "Hah, I guess so. But don't let that make you think you're stronger than her now."
"Huh?" Taro asked, his smile fading into curiosity.
"Kazuishi is the type who reflects on everything. A loss like today? It won't break her. It'll fuel her. She'll pick apart every second of that fight and come back stronger tomorrow because of it."
"You really think so?" Taro wondered, impressed by Mexus's certainty.
"I know so. I'm sure she'll probably be in the running to become the next Drenor one day..." Mexus paused, reaching out to roughly ruffle Taro's hair. "...Well, that is, if you don't keep growing at this absurd rate."
Taro swatted his hand away, but he was smiling. "Hey, thanks. But... I really am grateful for this training. Before I met you, right now I'd probably be playing ping pong with a wall or something. Seriously. You... you saved me from all that. Thank you for that."
Mexus's smirk softened into a genuine smile for a fraction of a second before he quickly hid it, clearing his throat and standing up. "Ahem. Anyway. Enough sentiment. We really should proceed with your training now..."
Taro stood up, brushing himself off. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Taro," Mexus said, his tone shifting to that of an instructor. "There's a basic concept you haven't trained at all."
Taro raised a brow. "Like what?"
"Really?" Mexus exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "I don't know—your sword!"
It hit Taro like a needle passing straight through his brain. "That's... true. This entire time... my basic weapon. A sword." He'd been so focused on flashy energy blasts and absorption that he'd completely neglected the elegant blade that had first appeared with his transformation.
Mexus looked at him, seeing the realization dawn. "The sword, or more properly known as a 'Reibone,' is the innate weapon of every Dremapol. Though, not all Reibone are swords. They can be different, reflecting the wielder. And they have different states."
"States?" Taro asked.
In response, Mexus summoned his Reibone from the air. A sleek, vibrant yellow sword of average length appeared in his hand, humming with latent power. "This is my Reibone in its base form. State #1. But it can ascend. We call the ascended states Koji no Jotai—or just Jotai for short."
Mexus then took a stance, his voice ringing with command. "Koji no Jotai: Kogane no Ken!" (Ascended State: Golden Blade)
A light erupted—not a blinding flash, but a deep, pervasive gold that saturated the entire dreamscape before slowly condensing and receding.
As Taro's eyes adjusted, he gasped. Where the yellow sword had been was now a magnificent, translucent blade that looked as if it had been crafted from solidified sunlight and starlight. It was larger, its edge seeming to sing with a silent, razor-sharp frequency.
Taro was in awe. "Woahhhhhh! Can I do this too?!"
Mexus dismissed the glorious blade with a casual wave. "Of course not. You think some random kid who's only been a Dremapol for like twenty-one days can pull that off? Be realistic, Taro."
Taro grunted in frustration but pressed on. "But, what were those words you said after Koji no Jotai?"
"Oh, that was my chant: 'Kogane no Ken.' You usually need a personal chant to draw out your Reibone's second state."
"I see," Taro said, his mind already racing with possibilities. "But is there a state even higher than Koji no Jotai?"
Mexus's expression grew uncharacteristically serious. "Yes. There is. Shinka Jotai. The final state of your Reibone. It is the ultimate expression of a Dremapol's power. So far, it's a level only unlocked by the Gatecrasher and the Drenors."
Taro was instantly hooked. "Really? Can I see it?"
"Absolutely not," Mexus refused flatly. "I think you really shouldn't be exposed to that much concentrated power yet. It could break your mind. Focus on the foundation. Focus on your base Reibone training."
"Ugh, alright, Goldie," Taro relented. "So, what brutal, soul-crushing training do you have for me now? Six thousand swings with my Reibone while world-ending beasts try to eat me?"
Mexus chuckled. "Well, I guess, but you seem to take to such concepts a little too easily. So, we're skipping right to practical experience. Your Reibone is a sword, after all. You'll be learning by doing."
"Really?" Taro's eyes lit up. "So, which Drenor am I going to be fighting?"
"Hey, get your head out of your ass," Mexus said, though he was still amused. "Don't start thinking you're on that level just because you beat Kazuishi. Remember, she is three full ranks below a Drenor."
"Okay okay,I get it you guys are damn strong" Taro said, holding up his hands. "So then, who will I be fighting another night crusade perhaps?"
In answer, Mexus snapped his fingers. The air shimmered, and a figure materialized. It was an average-sized, sleek, humanoid robot with a featureless face.
Taro couldn't help it. He burst out laughing. "Pfft... This? This is my practical experience? Hahahahaha!"
Mexus was deeply amused. "Say, Taro. You should know by now who I am. Do you honestly think anything I give you is going to be easy?"
Taro's laughter died instantly as the memories of orb-blastings and endless Nightdax hordes flashed in his mind. "Hmmm," he said, his expression turning serious and wary.
Mexus explained, "Let's call it Toei. Toei here is going to be your sparring partner. And the rule is simple: while training with Toei, you can't use any of your other powers. No energy blasts, no absorption, no super speed. Strictly your Reibone and your skill."
Taro smiled, a competitive glint in his eye. "I see. A handicap. Alright then." He summoned his own Reibone, the green blade materializing in his hand with a soft hum. "Can I attack first?"
"Sure. Go ahead," Mexus said, stepping aside to observe.
Taro didn't hesitate. He rushed forward, closing the distance in a heartbeat, and swung his blade in a powerful, straightforward arc aimed at Toei's torso.
Right before the blade connected, two pinpricks of red light glowed where Toei's eyes should be.
In a movement almost too fluid to follow, Toei's own Reibone—a simple, unadorned blade—appeared. It didn't parry with force; it simply tapped the tip of Taro's sword with impossible precision, redirecting its entire trajectory harmlessly to the side. Then, in the same motion, Toei's blade slid seamlessly along the length of Taro's, its edge gliding from the steel to Taro's chest.
A sharp, stinging pain flared. Taro stumbled backward, falling to one knee. He looked down to see a clean, shallow cut on his chest, a few drops of blood welling up and falling to the dreamscape floor.
Taro touched the wound, his eyes wide with shock. "What the...?"
Mexus looked down at him, his expression a mix of pity and "I-told-you-so." "Thought it was gonna be easy, eh?"
Taro pushed himself back to his feet, his jaw set with newfound determination. "I guess I've got my work cut out for me, Toei."
But Toei, obviously, didn't answer. It just stood there, its featureless face and dormant red eyes utterly impassive.
"Right," Taro muttered to himself. "It's a bot."
He firmly re-gripped the hilt of his Reibone, settling into a more cautious stance.
"Come at me, then."
Toei advanced. Not with a rush, but with a single, perfectly measured step that was somehow more terrifying than a charge.