(3rd OMN. POV)
[A/N: So, I am going to be changing the names for different realities to layers for ease of understanding, i.e. A level 10 Reality = 10th layer so on and so forth]
Although the atmosphere hinted at looming trouble, Leo couldn't help but admire the tight security employed by his new hosts.
If he still had access to his full range of abilities before arriving in the 10th Layer, he might have been able to pierce through whatever was blocking his senses. But, considering the risks, any attempt to do so might well have been fatal.
Despite his high potential, Leo understood that in his current state he was almost indistinguishable from any local being on this layer.
The advantages he gained from his higher-layer birth were mostly nullified, and the pressure during his arrival signaled that he needed to prove himself worthy of ascension.
His power had been condensed, tempering his base abilities even as he struggled to adapt to the local rules of reality.
After probing his escorts for a while, Leo decided it was time to address the situation directly. Playing the fool had its uses, but he was ready to assert himself if it became necessary.
"So, if I may ask, what exactly do you all plan on doing with me once we reach that building?" Leo's tone was casual, his stride steady, yet Claire felt a shift in his demeanor—a subtle tension, like a Dragonite masking its predatory intent behind a laid-back facade.
Her senses tingled as Leo's threatening shift registered. Acting on training and instincts, Claire summoned her Kingdra. The Pokémon emerged in a flash of blue, its regal posture hiding a fierce battle spirit.
As Kingdra materialized, the air grew heavy with mist, and Claire's anti-teleportation barrier snapped into place, causing bright sparks to crackle around her armor.
Her aura blazed with sapphire flame, illuminating the fog and intensifying the sense of impending conflict. Kingdra's arrival signaled that Claire was not taking chances.
She gripped her stun baton, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. Caroline watched quietly, her gentle smile giving way to a glimmer of impish amusement as the tension mounted.
Leo, noticing Caroline's reaction, felt his own playful instincts stir. He partially activated his domain, turning his focus to the trainer before him. The chains in his eyes began to glow with a silver light behind his glasses, and although his energy was limited, he had a plan for the situation at hand.
With a mental cue to Saphira, Leo layered psychic and dark energy into a chain manifested from his father's bloodline, readying it for action.
As Claire advanced, the chain shot from Leo's hand and wrapped around her wrist. She halted, surprised that he could reach her—if only through a special ability.
"Your little tricks won't work on me, but I'll give you credit for finding me," Claire taunted, pride and challenge in her voice. Her confidence was unwavering; she expected Leo to admit defeat.
"Alright, I gave you a chance. Now I'll show you the difference between us," she declared, stepping deeper into the mist alongside Kingdra. Suddenly, Claire sensed something amiss. Kingdra's mental nudge cut through her focus, warning her of a subtle shift in their surroundings.
Claire's helmet slid into place, her armor responding to her instinct for caution. She narrowly escaped Leo's trap, which impressed him more than he'd anticipated—he hadn't realized a trainer's bond could amplify combat effectiveness so dramatically.
Leo straightened, the tribal markings on his body glowing violet as his eyes, now visible behind his father's sunglasses, shimmered with silver. The sound of chains grew louder.
As he assessed Claire, adrenaline surged within him. Though generally calm, Leo had a stubborn streak that had cost him dearly in his past life, but he didn't regret it.
Years spent mastering powers and lacking worthy rivals had left him hungry for a real challenge, and this encounter promised just that.
The dense, energy-filled fog muffled all sound, heightening Leo's senses. His body continued adapting, and he welcomed the chance to push his limits.
The entire exchange, from Kingdra's arrival to the present standoff, had taken less than five seconds.
As Leo prepared to move, he sensed a new presence materialize just a few feet away—a subtle but unmistakable shift in the energy around him.
Instinctively, he completed his step, and the instant his foot touched the ground, he vanished from sight, evading the newcomer's gaze.
The newcomer let out a soft sound of surprise, swiveling to locate Leo as he reappeared, stepping out of Saphira's (Mew) dark portal. Leo didn't hesitate; his instincts screamed danger, and he knew he would be crushed if he faced this figure head-on.
His parents' unforgiving training in the Outerverse had prepared him for such moments, but the chill running down his spine was unmistakable.
Claire noticed the arrival too, her expression darkening. She quickly abandoned any plans to challenge Leo, knowing that provoking the newcomer was far too risky. She signaled her Kingdra to stand down, its tension fading only with her command.
{We're better off letting this conflict go. Something about that boy is dangerous, and underestimating him could be fatal,} Kingdra cautioned, its voice resonating in Claire's mind.
Claire nodded mentally. {He's clearly restricted somehow. I thought I could coax more information out of him, and I suppose I managed that—barely.}
Kingdra snorted in amusement, its gaze softening for a moment. {You have a knack for provoking reckless behavior with that Dragon's Pride of yours.}
Embarrassed but resolute, Claire was aware that her fierce attitude often left strong impressions. She could sense Leo's potent bloodline from the start, and her wariness had driven her brashness.
The elders' warnings about signs of upheaval haunted her thoughts, and she suspected Leo's presence might foreshadow trouble ahead.
As the clang of chains echoed through the now-open path, Claire witnessed an astonishing sight: Leo had somehow bound the cloaked figure. While she struggled to comprehend how the stranger was restrained so easily, Leo's frown deepened.
In an instant, a sharp crack split the air—the cloaked figure shattered, and space fractured and rewrote itself.
A silent blade of fractured space sliced through Leo's position, cleaving him in two. Time seemed to stop as the ground was gouged out, the body flickering and then vanishing.
"Damn, that was close. Good thing I listened to mom's advice about save points," Leo muttered, reappearing unharmed.
Platinum flames spiraled around the chains in his eyes. "That wasn't very nice. I see now I wasn't taking you all seriously enough. I won't make that mistake again," he said, his voice cold and steady as the sound of chains grew louder, each rattle an echo of joy for the next clash.