The team stood in silence after the revelation, their breaths steady but their hearts racing. Affinites… unlocked from within. The very riddle that had held them captive was now broken, and excitement filled the air.
Jack laughed first, a spark of electricity dancing across his fingers.
"So that's it. That's the secret. We're not just wielders of power — we're the keys to it."
Henry smirked, pride flickering in his eyes.
"Then we've only just started. Imagine what we can do with this knowledge. Imagine what's possible."
Ideas poured out like wildfire — plans, dreams, strategies. For the first time, their struggles felt like steps instead of shackles.
But then the silence crept back in.
Kennedy's gaze darkened.
"If every person has an inner realm… what about the others? What about the candidates thrown into the Free Abyss? Flex City?"
Charles muttered, his voice heavy.
"And Devia… They embrace contradictions. Doesn't that mean their inner realms might be chaos itself?"
The thought hit them like a weight. Inspiration gave way to dread. If their nightmares had been difficult, then what horrors would their rivals be enduring? And what strength would they gain by surviving them?
That's when the visions began.
A mental image
Yyvone's inner realm shimmered. Fire bloomed across her thoughts, and a figure stepped through the smoke.
She smiled softly. "Jason… I've not forgotten you."
Then shards of broken mirrors rose around her. Her breath hitched.
"Meilo…" she whispered, seeing the mirror wielder's fractured grin.
Sonia froze as fog curled before her eyes. A feminine figure emerged.
"Androsha…" she muttered.
But the mist darkened, congealing into a goth girl smeared with black goo.
Sonia's jaw clenched. "Nicia."
Kennedy and Charles shuddered as the image of a card-wielding boy appeared, smirking playfully.
"Banjo…" Charles muttered, his teeth grinding.
Behind him came Marneth — the architect of their recursive prison. Their fists tightened in unison.
Ian's heart lurched when he saw her — Eve Maid, his love, her smile both distant and near. But then a towering figure stepped behind her, wielding a monstrous black blade.
"Kranor…" Ian breathed, eyes narrowing as the phantom urged him to fight.
Charles flinched again. Another boy appeared — Ulok, locking himself away from the world, carrying his childhood scars like chains.
Charles muttered, "Still hiding, huh…? I wonder how far Devia has taken you."
Osei chuckled lightly when a runner blurred past him, bending reality with every step.
"Eugene… Still sprinting, I see."
But his face fell when he noticed another figure trembling in the dark.
"Jero… I hope you've found some courage."
And then the air split.
Jack and Henry both stiffened. In the space between them, a rival manifested — Jair. His eyes burned with clarity, but it wasn't Jack's kind. His version was forged in pain. His aura crackled like lightning mixed with anguish.
Jack whispered, "Jair…"
Henry clenched his fists. "He's changed. I can feel it."
The visions faded, leaving them in silence once again.
They looked at one another — tired, yet determined. Because this much was certain:
Their rivals were no longer the people they once knew.
The war would come. And when it did… they'd have to face not just enemies, but the twisted reflections of everything their rivals had become.
The students blinked as the shimmer swallowed them.
Zoom!
The portal spat them back into the antique store. Dust motes danced in the air as reality settled around them again.
Kainen stood, his expression proud but calm. Beside him, Grandpa Kofi—Henry's grandfather—rose as well, eyes glowing with quiet pride. The two exchanged a knowing nod.
Kainen: "Well done, students. Not only did you face your demons…"
Koren: "…but you solved the riddle, and even managed to picture others while still inside your minds. Heh. You're wonderful, wati. And Henry—keep making me proud."
Henry chuckled, scratching the back of his head.
Henry: "Gramps, I'm not the only one who did everything. Look at them."
He gestured to his friends. "We all did."
Jack stepped forward, electricity humming faintly in his hands.
Jack: "It took us a while to figure out what you were hinting at, though. The answer was right under our noses the whole time."
Charles folded his arms, his eyes sharp.
Charles: "5D comes in handy, sure… but I've gotta admit, our Affinities are getting volatile. Feels like one wrong move and it'll all fall apart."
The words sank in. A ripple of acceptance spread across them.
Kainen: "That's because you've matured. Affinities grow sensitive the more powerful they become. The stronger you are, the more you must maintain your authenticity."
The group exchanged quiet looks—this wasn't just a warning, it was a rule.
Koren: "Exactly. You don't get to mess around anymore, fam. 5D's overpowered… but the price?" He chuckled. "Way more overpowered."
Laughter broke out, echoing against the shelves of the shop. For a moment, the weight lifted.
But Jack's tone sobered, cutting through it.
Jack: "Our rivals… we saw them in our mind spaces. But we know they'll evolve. They'll change. Morph into something… contradictory. Maybe more than they already are."
Koren's smirk faded.
Koren: "Definitely. Traxis' system isn't sloppy. It's efficient. Brutally so."
Kainen: "And Devia isn't just a faction—it's rebellion itself. It's bound to evolve. The problem isn't them." He paused, his voice darkening. "It's Omega Devia. The so-called matured version. And only the gods know what Traxis is doing to it."
Sonia tapped her spoon against her bowl, unimpressed.
Sonia: "Well, whatever the 'godfather of relatability' is cooking up, it better be manageable… or we're all cooked."
Kennedy burst into laughter.
Kennedy: "Godfather of relatability? Hah! That's actually perfect."
Osei folded his arms, frowning.
Osei: "Too direct… but not wrong. He is weaponizing what makes something relatable. The universe has no idea what it's up against."
Ian leaned against the wall, idly spinning a dagger between his fingers. His voice was steady, but sharp.
Ian: "He's torn. Between his mission… and his pride."
The room fell quiet again, the laughter replaced by the heavy hum of inevitability. They all knew it: this was only the beginning.