A quiet village on the edge of Soluna, surrounded by fields of glowing Solar wheat and shimmering Lunar flowers.
The peaceful scene didn't last.
The ground erupted as razor-sharp vines burst from the earth, slicing through homes and markets like knives.
In the center of the chaos stood the Thorn Reaper - its scythe carving the air with deadly precision.
The villagers screamed and scattered, some falling as the creature's vines lashed out.
That's when the Black Lunar Warrior emerged from the shadows.
She didn't speak.
Her Lunar Crescent Hatchets were already glowing softly.
The Thorn Reaper didn't wait.
It lunged - a blur of thorns and speed - its scythe swinging with terrifying accuracy.
Rei dodged - barely - the blade slicing through a stone pillar behind her, splitting it in half.
The battle was different this time.
The Thorn Reaper was fast - maybe even faster than Rei.
Every dodge felt closer than the last.
Every swing of its scythe brought her closer to death.
Moments later...
Jim arrived.
But instead of jumping into the fight -
He saw the Solunar villagers - many of whom had insulted him for his green hair - cowering behind debris.
A vine lashed toward a young Solar boy -
Jim blocked it with his Solun Lance - the impact sending him sliding back.
He gritted his teeth and shouted, "Run!"
But the people just stared at him - a mix of fear and confusion.
The Solar woman - Zala - clutched her swollen belly, clearly pregnant with twins.
Her Lunar husband, Larry - held her protectively, both watching Jim.
"Isn't he... the son of Heatsun and Moonsalt?" Zala whispered.
Larry nodded. "The one with the... green hair."
They didn't move.
They just watched.
Jim fought off more vines, focusing only on keeping the villagers safe - even as they muttered behind him.
"Why is he helping us?"
"Isn't he a little... different?"
Rei heard everything - but she didn't react.
She didn't have time to.
The Thorn Reaper moved like a shadow - circling her, its scythe a deadly blur.
Rei's mind raced.
"It's too fast."
"I can't get close."
Then - she noticed something.
Every time the Thorn Reaper swung its scythe -
There was a split-second delay before the vines reacted.
A gap.
A weakness.
Rei moved.
She didn't dodge this time -
She stepped forward - closing the distance just as the Thorn Reaper swung again.
The scythe's blade missed by inches - but Rei was already inside its range.
Her hatchets glowed -
"Lunar Crescent Storm."
She slashed once -
twice -
three times.
The Thorn Reaper's body seemed untouched for a moment - before deep slashes of lunar light appeared across its chest.
The creature staggered back - its vines writhing wildly - but Rei didn't stop.
She struck again - and again - faster than the eye could follow.
Her hatchets became a blur - the Lunar Phantom Strikes cutting through the monster's core.
With one final swing -
She severed its head.
The Thorn Reaper's body froze - its vines withering - before collapsing into a pile of dead thorns.
Silence.
Rei stood there - breathing hard - her hatchets still glowing faintly.
The Solunar people didn't cheer.
They didn't approach her.
But... something was different.
They weren't mocking her this time.
They weren't sneering.
They just... watched.
Jim noticed.
He felt it too.
The shift.
It wasn't acceptance - but it was no longer rejection either.
Then -
A small voice spoke:
"She saved us... again."
Jim stepped forward, standing beside Rei.
He saw the way some of the villagers still eyed his green hair but he ignored them.
He looked at Rei - who was still silent, her gaze cold and distant.
Jim clenched his fist.
"If anyone bothers her," he said firmly, "they'll deal with me."
The villagers fell quiet.
Even Zala and Larry observed them from a distance smiling.
Rei just stood there - beside Jim - saying nothing, but... staying.
At Dark Void's Base...
The room crackled with tension.
Hellfire, his body flickering like a living flame, grinned wide.
"Looks like it's my turn again."
Toxica crossed her arms, still fuming from her last failure. Aquadrown remained silent, his cold stare fixed on the burning figure before him.
Dark Void, lounging on his obsidian throne, didn't bother to hide his amusement.
"Do not disappoint me, Hellfire," he said with a dark chuckle. "Let's see if Rei can handle true devastation."
Hellfire raised his hand, a swirling vortex of flames forming before him.
"Inferno Titan," he whispered.
The flames burst outward, twisting and shaping into a colossal flaming golem - standing taller than any of the previous monsters. Its molten body seethed with energy, flames dripping from its limbs like lava. Its core, a swirling mass of Solar and Lunar energy, pulsed violently within its chest.
"Let's see her try to cut through this."