The night was cloaked in silence when Sogen summoned Supira and Doraibu to his study. A single candle lit the room, its flame flickering against the walls lined with old scrolls and maps.
Sogen's gaze was sharp, heavier than usual. "Listen closely, both of you. There is an organization moving in the shadows—The Dark Nexus. Their leader, Zankoku, is not to be underestimated. Fortunately for us, he is away. That creates an opportunity."
Supira leaned forward, curious. "Opportunity… for what?"
Sogen's hand tightened around his staff. "They hold a relic. A scroll that enhances Nexus beyond their natural limit. If it falls into the wrong hands, the world will drown in chaos. I need you two to retrieve it. This is an in-and-out mission. Do you understand?"
Doraibu grinned confidently, cracking his knuckles. "Sneak in, grab the scroll, get out. Easy."
Supira frowned, ever cautious. "It won't be that simple. If this scroll is as powerful as you say, it's bound to be heavily guarded."
Sogen nodded solemnly. "Which is why I chose you both. Together, your teamwork will determine whether you succeed… or perish."
The brothers set off under the cover of darkness, trekking across barren fields and cliffs until the looming fortress of The Dark Nexus revealed itself, jagged towers piercing the clouds.
Inside, the air reeked of decay and burning energy. The faint glow of Nexus sigils lined the halls as they crept toward the vault chamber. But just as they neared the gates, two familiar figures stepped into their path.
Rai and Mizu.
But they were not the same as before. Their eyes burned with unnatural light, their bodies thrumming with unstable power.
Mizu smirked, spinning water into serrated whips. "Surprised? We've joined The Dark Nexus. And thanks to the scroll, our Nexus has evolved."
Rai slammed his fist into the wall, the impact cracking stone. "We'll crush you before you even touch it."
Supira's grip tightened. "So… you chose this path."
Doraibu stepped forward, teeth clenched. "Then we'll stop you—even if it means fighting for real this time."
The chamber erupted into chaos.
Rai dashed forward, his movements now monstrously fast, trading blows with Doraibu that shook the ground. Mizu unleashed torrents of water sharpened into blades, forcing Supira into a defensive dance of spiraling energy.
Supira's Spiral Nexus whirled around him, forming vortexes to deflect Mizu's attacks, but each strike grew heavier, sharper, as if her Nexus was feeding on something unnatural.
Doraibu's lungs burned as he fought Rai, his own Nexus of Velocity straining to keep up. "He's… too fast—!"
Rai's fist crashed against Doraibu's chest, sending him flying into the wall. "Pathetic. Is this the best you've got?"
But in that moment of despair, something stirred within both brothers.
Supira's spiral aura began condensing into his hand, not scattering like before but focusing—reshaping. His Nexus energy twisted into form, coiling until a long staff appeared, glowing with spiraling patterns that pulsed like a heartbeat.
Supira gasped, gripping it. "This… is my Nexus weapon?"
Meanwhile, Doraibu's energy concentrated around his fists, crystallizing into blazing velocity gauntlets, sleek and heavy, each punch now distorting the air. He raised his fists, a grin breaking across his bruised face. "Now we're talking."
The battle reignited with fury. Supira spun his Spiral Staff, creating vortex shields that bent Mizu's attacks, then countered with spiraling blasts that forced her back. Doraibu launched forward, his Velocity Gauntlets amplifying every strike until his punches blurred like sonic booms, finally knocking Rai off balance.
But the enhanced Nexus within Rai and Mizu began to backfire. Their bodies trembled, Nexus energy crackling violently.
Supira's eyes widened. "They're overloading—!"
Indeed, Rai roared in frustration as unstable energy tore through his veins, Mizu's water whips collapsing into chaotic floods around her. Their Nexus burned beyond control, forcing them to retreat deeper into the fortress, leaving destruction in their wake.
The chamber quieted, the storm of battle finally passing.
Doraibu, chest heaving, flexed his gauntlets. "Tch. Guess that's what happens when you take shortcuts."
Supira walked forward, Spiral Staff glowing gently as he retrieved the scroll from its pedestal. He held it carefully, feeling the power radiating from the ancient parchment. "…We've got it. But if the Dark Nexus can twist Nexus this way… the real fight hasn't even begun."
As they turned to leave, the fortress groaned, shadows whispering with the promise of a greater threat.
This was only the beginning.