Reborn with Anima Nexus

"I have eyes on the target, preparing to engage!"

"Ultimate Skill Activation: Silent Night."

In the blink of an eye, the soldier before Jalen was gone. Vanished. As though he had never been there at all. Jalen's instincts kicked in, and he dropped into a defensive stance, his senses flaring to life as he scanned the rooftop. Every inch of his body was on alert, ready for whatever came next.

I have to stay sharp. Any mistake, and I'm dead before I even know what's happening.

Jalen's heartbeat thudded in his chest as the world around him seemed to quiet, the tension thickening the air. He could hear nothing, not even the soft hum of wind. Only the beat of his pulse, the sound of his breath, the silence—deadly silence.

Where is he?

The rooftop stretched endlessly, empty and unyielding. He searched every shadow, every corner, every inch of the ground before him. Not a sound. Not a movement. Just... nothing.

Should I make the first move? No. He'll anticipate it. Jalen's thoughts were jumbled, his mind racing. I need him to make the first move. I can't let him control this fight.

The stillness grew unbearable. Every moment stretched like an eternity.

This is insane. Where is he?

Without warning, a sudden crack of air split the silence.

"WOAH!" Jalen shouted, his eyes wide as the soldier materialized directly in front of him with terrifying speed.

Jalen barely had time to react as the soldier struck. His arm shot out, narrowly missing Jalen's face as he dodged with barely enough room to spare. Jalen's body reacted faster than his mind could comprehend, instinct pushing him into a swift sidestep.

But the soldier was already there. Always one step ahead.

I can't shake him!

The soldier's movements were too fast, too precise. No matter how quickly Jalen moved, the soldier was always right behind him, an unyielding presence.

"I can't do this!" Jalen thought, frustration and panic creeping in. "I've got to fight back, or I'll be dead before I can figure out what's happening."

"Well, this should be fun," the soldier's voice was cold, mocking. "You wanna dance, let's dance."

The soldier lunged again, but this time, Jalen was ready. He ducked low, rolling to the side, narrowly avoiding a strike that would've split his skull. With no time to waste, Jalen rose to his feet, fists clenched, ready to strike.

But before he could react, the soldier's knee slammed into his abdomen, knocking the air from his lungs. Pain shot through his body as he staggered back, trying to regain his footing. Another strike came—this time to his shoulder, sending sharp, searing pain through his arm.

Jalen gasped, but before he could get his bearings, the soldier pressed forward, his sniper rifle swinging like a bludgeon, catching Jalen across the face with a sickening thud.

This can't be happening. I've got to get control! Jalen's mind raced, desperation coursing through him.

The soldier stood over him now, a smug grin on his face. "You're pathetic. You can't even put up a fight. I was hoping for a challenge, but I guess I'll have to finish this quickly."

Jalen's vision blurred, but he wasn't about to give up. No. I'm not going down like this.

Summoning every ounce of strength, Jalen's head slammed into the butt of the sniper, making the soldier stumble back in surprise. It was just enough of an opening. Jalen's legs shot up, and he landed a crushing kick to the soldier's groin.

But it was a feint. A distraction.

The soldier's eyes widened, the shock registering a split second too late. Jalen's hands were already moving, his palm striking the soldier's throat, choking off his breath. With a quick twist, he grabbed the soldier's wrist and yanked, sending him tumbling backward.

"HAHA! Did you see that?!" Jalen laughed, his voice a mix of disbelief and adrenaline. "You moved so fast. Aha, I can't stop laughing!"

The soldier stumbled, clearly thrown off balance by the surprise. Jalen saw the opening—he couldn't waste this chance. With a quick motion, he lunged forward, throwing a devastating punch to the soldier's face. The impact sent him flying across the rooftop, landing with a heavy thud.

That should've done it, Jalen thought. I hit him harder than I ever have before.

But the soldier didn't stay down. Slowly, almost casually, the soldier got to his feet, a twisted grin forming on his lips. "Nice try," he sneered. "But it'll take more than that to stop me."

Damn it. Nothing works. I've hit him with everything I've got. I need a new plan.

Jalen's thoughts were scattered as the soldier moved toward him with a predatory grace. Jalen threw another right hook, but this time he didn't follow through. Instead, he darted toward the edge of the roof, making a break for it.

The soldier, however, was already there.

Before Jalen could leap to safety, the soldier's leg swept out, delivering a powerful kick that sent Jalen flying through the air, crashing into the street below with a deafening explosion of concrete and dust.

Jalen lay in the rubble, bloodied and broken, his body screaming in pain.

"That should do it," the soldier said, his voice impassive. "Thanks for clearing the streets, your majesty."

He turned to his team. "Bravo team, converge on the target. Get ready for extraction. But stay sharp. We still don't know what his powers are."

"Yes, sir!" came the coordinated response from the soldiers, though there was an underlying sense of unease.

"Another mission completed," the soldier said, a note of satisfaction creeping into his voice. "Drinks on me—wait, is he—?"

Jalen, battered and bruised, slowly rose to his feet, his body barely holding itself together. He staggered forward, barely able to stay upright, his breath ragged and shallow.

"Stop right there!" Bravo team shouted, their guns aimed at him. "Any further movement and we will use lethal force!"

Jalen stumbled toward them, his vision blurring, his movements unsteady. He could barely speak, his words slurring as they spilled from his lips. "Power…"

A low growl escaped the soldier. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" he shouted.

A fiery green aura erupted around Jalen, crackling with energy. It pulsed violently for a moment before dissipating. But the force of the punch Jalen had thrown—one that didn't even make contact—sent the Bravo team flying through the air, slamming into the dome surrounding Stabilous with enough force to shatter it.

What just happened? Jalen thought, barely able to comprehend the overwhelming power he'd unleashed. His body slumped as he gasped for air. "Why couldn't I do that earlier?"

Then, everything went black.

LATER THAT NIGHT

"WAKE UP!"

Jalen snapped awake, his body jolting as a sharp voice cut through the fog of unconsciousness. He blinked, disoriented, finding himself strapped to a chair in a dark, cold room.

"What… what's going on?"

The voice that answered him was twisted with anger. "WAKE UP, FOOL!"

Jalen's eyes darted around the room, his heart pounding. The soldier stood before him, pacing restlessly.

"Jalen," the soldier sneered, his voice wild. "You couldn't just stay down, could you? I had everything planned out—work my way up, take down the king, free the people! And then YOU showed up. YOU killed the Queen within the first hour. YOU ruined everything."

Jalen's mind was spinning, trying to process the soldier's words. What was he talking about? Who is this guy?

"I have no idea who you are or what you're talking about," Jalen said, his voice firm despite the fog of confusion. "But I don't have time for your delusions. I killed that woman, and I killed your men because they were in my way. Just like you are now. You've got two choices—let me go, or we finish what we started."

The soldier froze, his face flickering with recognition. "Jalen… don't you know who I am?"

The soldier took off his mask, revealing his face. Jalen's jaw dropped.

"No way… Lucio?"

Jalen's heart skipped a beat. The anger, the confusion—it all melted away. He could hardly believe it.

"What's up, bro?" Jalen grinned, his voice full of disbelief.