Tim stood outside the base, his arms crossed, his mind sharper than ever.
Fully healed at last, the only thing he could think about now was Rei.
The last battle with her still burned in his memory - her icy demeanor, her overwhelming power, and the undeniable connection they shared, though wrapped in darkness.
He gritted his teeth. "I need to fight her again," he muttered. "This time... I won't lose."
Meanwhile, far away in a dark chamber aboard Dark Void's baseship, Sunburn paced back and forth. His fiery aura flared with each step, a look of disdain on his face as he stared at Rei.
"I still don't get why Dark Void favors you," Sunburn sneered. "But fine. If you want to destroy Soluna, you'll need something powerful. I have a monster - my best creation yet."
Rei, standing calmly, her black hair flowing like a shadow behind her, simply tilted her head. "Is it strong?"
Sunburn's lips curled into a mocking grin. "Strong enough to rip through that pathetic Solar Warrior. Even that 'Grey Warrior' won't stand a chance."
At that moment, Robokamen marched in, his mechanical frame clanking with every step. His glowing red eyes locked onto Sunburn. "The monster is ready," Robokamen announced.
From the darkness, the beast emerged - a towering, twisted creature. Its body was a swirling mass of both molten flames and eerie dark mist, a product of Sunburn's fiery touch combined with Rei's lingering aura. Its claws sparked with a mix of burning heat and freezing cold - a terrifying balance of Solar and Lunar destruction.
Rei studied the creature for a long moment. Then, with an expressionless nod, she said, "It will do."
Sunburn chuckled. "You'll see. It's more than enough."
But even as the plan unfolded, Sunburn's mind was elsewhere. After Rei left, he stepped into a hidden communication chamber. With a sly grin, he contacted Moonsalt.
Her voice echoed through the communicator, cold and distant. "What do you want, Sunburn?"
His smirk deepened. "I have my eyes on a big planet - one with plenty of resources and a perfect position for conquest. If we take it, it'll make both of us unstoppable."
Moonsalt didn't respond immediately, her silence heavy with suspicion. "Why would I trust you?"
Sunburn leaned closer to the communicator, his voice a low growl. "What's wrong? Afraid I might kill you?"
That jab hit its mark. Moonsalt's pride flared. "Don't be ridiculous. I don't fear you."
"Then prove it," Sunburn taunted. "Join forces with me. We conquer that planet together - more territory, more power."
After a long pause, Moonsalt finally said, "Fine. But this better not be a trick."
Sunburn grinned wickedly. "Good choice."
Without wasting time, he guided Moonsalt to his spaceship. As they boarded, Sunburn leaned back in his chair. "First stop - an isolated planet. We need to pick up my sister. Her help is... necessary."
Moonsalt narrowed her eyes. "Your sister?"
Sunburn didn't explain further, simply flashing another smirk.
Meanwhile, back on Soluna, the monster Sunburn had given to Rei was already wreaking havoc on a nearby city.
Buildings collapsed under its claws, flames and dark mist swirling together, burning and freezing everything in its path. Solar and Lunar citizens ran in panic as the creature roared, sending shockwaves through the streets.
Jim's communicator buzzed which was now entrusted to Tim. He checked the signal - a distress call from the city. His expression hardened.
Tim checked it and immediately stepped forward. "I'm going."He said to Henry and Marie.
Marie raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're not going to be fine?"
Tim grinned. "Please. I'm back at full strength. And if I am going to beat her, I need to battle."
The city was in chaos. Flames roared through the streets, spirals of dark mist twisting alongside the heat - a cruel combination of Sunburn's fiery rage and Rei's cold, destructive power.
The monster stood at the heart of the destruction, a towering beast of solar and lunar powers. Its eyes blazed like twin suns, and its claws crackled with energy hot enough to melt steel.
Tim skidded to a stop at the edge of the destruction. His Solar Saber gleamed in his hand, the only weapon he had.
Henry and Marie caught up moments later, panting.
"Tim," Marie said, alarmed. "That thing's too strong - you need backup!"
Henry's expression was equally serious. "We should call Heatsun."
Tim tightened his grip on the Solar Saber, his white hair flickering in the monster's fiery glow. "I don't need Heatsun. I can handle this."
The monster let out a deafening roar, the heat intensifying as the ground beneath it scorched and cracked. Then, with a sudden lunge, it sent a wave of molten energy straight at Tim.
"MOVE!" Henry shouted.
Tim leapt to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding the blast as it melted a chunk of the street behind him. He clenched his jaw. "Guess you're not just all bark."
The beast charged at him again, and Tim dashed forward, his Solar Saber glowing brighter.
With a swift, precise swing, he slashed at its leg - but the creature barely flinched. The fiery surface of its skin was too hot, too durable.
"Great," Tim muttered. "Slicing you's like cutting through a volcano."
The monster swiped at him with a molten claw, but Tim expertly ducked and countered with a rapid strike to its arm. Sparks flew, but again, it barely made a mark.
Marie and Henry exchanged worried glances.
"Tim!" Marie yelled. "It's too strong - you need a plan!"
Tim dodged another burning claw and muttered, "Yeah, I know."
The monster roared again, this time summoning a swirling inferno around itself - a fiery vortex that began to spread, threatening to engulf the entire street.
Tim's eyes narrowed.
He planted his feet firmly, raising the Solar Saber above his head. His golden aura flared, his connection to his Solar powers glowing stronger.
"Solar Radiant Strike!" he shouted.
The blade blazed with radiant energy as Tim slashed forward, releasing a wave of solar light. It cut through the fiery vortex, splitting it in half and extinguishing the flames in its path.
The monster staggered, roaring in fury. Tim smirked.
"Not so tough now, are you?"
But the creature wasn't finished. Its molten skin began to crack, and beneath it, a core of black flame pulsed dangerously - Rei's signature dark influence. It unleashed a blast of black fire straight at Tim.
"TIM, LOOK OUT!" Henry yelled.
Tim's eyes widened, but he reacted instantly. He crossed the Solar Saber in front of him, creating a radiant shield of light. The black flames clashed against his solar barrier, the sheer force pushing Tim back several feet.
"Ngh... this thing... doesn't quit."
Sweat dripped down his face - not just from the heat, but from the strain of holding back the dark flames.
Marie bit her lip. "Tim, you have to end this quickly!"
Tim growled under his breath. "I'm trying!"
As the dark flames finally died down, Tim saw his opening - the monster's molten chest was still glowing, the black core exposed.
He gripped the Solar Saber tightly, his aura flaring once again.
"This ends now."
Charging forward, Tim's blade ignited with golden light. He slashed in a wide arc, his Solar Saber slicing straight through the monster's core.
A deafening roar echoed through the city as the creature convulsed, the dark flames flickering wildly - before finally collapsing into a pile of molten rock and dissipating shadows.
Tim stood there, his Solar Saber still glowing faintly, his breathing heavy. His white hair was a mess, his clothes singed - but he had won.
Henry and Marie ran to him.
"Are you okay?" Marie asked, checking him for burns.
Tim wiped sweat from his brow. "I'm fine... Just another day saving the world."
Henry grinned. "You actually pulled it off."
Tim smirked. "What, you doubted me?"
Marie rolled her eyes playfully. "Let's just say we were... concerned."
As the three of them stood there, Tim glanced back at the pile of molten remains. His smile faded.
"That was Sunburn's creation," he muttered. "But I could feel Rei's power in it too."
Henry's face darkened. "Which means they had collaborated."
Tim clenched his jaw. "I have to face her soon."
But for now, the city was safe - and Tim, with only his Solar Saber, had proven that even without his full arsenal, he was more than capable of protecting Soluna.
The molten remains of the defeated monster still smoldered at Tim's feet, steam rising into the darkening sky.
_ _ _
The city lay in ruins, but the battle was over - at least for now. Tim stood firm, his Solar Saber still glowing faintly, when a chilling voice echoed behind him.
"You've grown... stronger."
Tim's heart clenched at the familiar voice.
He spun around to see Rei standing at the edge of the destruction, her long black hair cascading over her dark Lunar armor. Her eyes, now glimmered with icy resolve. A faint aura of shadow and moonlight surrounded her.
Tim's grip on his blade tightened. "Rei..."
She tilted her head slightly, a cold smile playing at her lips. "I wasn't expecting you to handle my beast so... efficiently. Looks like training with Heatsun wasn't a complete waste."
He ignored the jab. "What are you doing, Rei? Don't you see the destruction you're causing? Are you really satisfied about it because somehow I get the feeling you are not like the other bad guys?"
Her smile vanished instantly. "And what exactly am I supposed to be, Tim?" she said, her voice a dangerous whisper. "Weak? Gullible? The girl who once let others bully her?"
A sudden memory flashed in Tim's memory where he was following a girl who was preferring solitude having a gloomy look in her eyes.
He couldn't understand what it was but knew she, the one standing in front of him, had a tough life.
Tim stepped closer. "No, you're not weak. But this... this path you're on, it's not the answer. You don't have to destroy to fix things."
Rei's eyes flared with dark energy. "How dare you," she spat. "How dare you touch my decisions, my purpose, with your naive ideals?"
Tim's heart ached, but he held his ground. "I know the world may not been kind to you. But we can still change it...Together. We can bring you back to the right path."
For a moment - just a flicker of a second - there was something in Rei's eyes. A flash of pain.
Then, a sudden memory where he found a White haired boy trying show her the joy in everything around the World.
But it was gone fast as Rei forced herself to ignore that feeling.
She scoffed. "The right path?" she repeated mockingly. "Tell me what exactly is there to protect? The people who betray others the moment they stand out? The same people who laugh behind your back when you're different?"
Tim's fists clenched at her words.
Rei's voice grew colder. "I've learned something," she said, her tone like ice. "The world doesn't reward the kind. It rewards the powerful. That's why I'm going to change the system by becoming the ruler of Soluna."
Tim's heart sank. "Rei... but...you can't fix the world with fear."
Her lips curled into a cruel smile. "And you can't fix it with hope."
Silence hung between them - a battlefield of words more painful than the fight Tim had just endured.
"You're being manipulated," Tim said softly. "By Moonsalt. By Dark Void."
At the mention of Moonsalt, Rei's aura flared dangerously. "Moonsalt is the only one who's ever understood me," she snapped. "She's seen the truth how people shun and discriminate. She taught me how to stop being a victim."
Tim's voice cracked. "But you're not a victim anymore, Rei. You're becoming the very thing that hurt you."
Her cold laughter sent a shiver down his spine. "Spare me the lecture, Mr Sun Shine."
She stepped forward, raising a hand. From the darkness around her, four glowing orbs of dark energy appeared, each one swirling with elemental power - fire, ice, thunder, and wind.
"Enough talk," she said, her voice calm but firm. "I have a game for you."
Tim's eyes narrowed. "A game?"
Rei smiled darkly. "Tomorrow, I will send four beasts to four different cities across Soluna."
Tim's heart pounded. "What?"
"Your task is simple," she continued. "Defeat all four of them... in a single day."
Tim's jaw tightened. "You're risking innocent lives!"
Rei's gaze didn't waver. "If you pass, you're welcome to infiltrate our base. I'll even let you try to stop me."
He took a step forward. "And if I fail?"
Her smile darkened. "Then more cities will burn. And you'll prove you're not strong enough to stop me."
Tim's hands shook - with anger, with sadness.
"Rei... you don't have to do this."
She met his gaze - cold, unfeeling. "I already have."
And just like that, the shadows wrapped around her, and she vanished into the night, leaving Tim standing there - alone, the weight of tomorrow's battle already pressing down on his shoulders and yet he couldn't shake the feeling that she was proceeding with resolve just like him.