Back at the Martial Palace…
Mr. Lee reached out, his eyes flicking to the daggers in Kenji's hands.
But before he could even touch them, his gaze froze—then widened slightly in surprise.
"You... already picked those?" he asked, his voice low with curiosity.
Kenji blinked, confused. "Yeah, why? Is something wrong?"
Mr. Lee let out a quiet breath, a mix of amazement and caution. "These aren't just any weapons, Kenji… those daggers are legendary-tier."
He stepped closer, his tone more serious now. "Granting you those weapons… it comes with risk. They hold a power that few can truly control. If they fall into the wrong hands—"
"They won't," Kenji said firmly, gripping the twin blades tighter. His eyes, once uncertain, now gleamed with newfound determination.
"I'll make sure of that."
A smile curved on Mr. Lee's lips as he handed the daggers back. "Good. You may not realize it yet, but these might be the key to unlocking your full potential."
As the boys returned to their weapon search, Mr. Lee moved toward a rack and lifted a sleek sword with a green, glowing blade.
"These weapons," he began, turning back to them, "aren't just tools. They're extensions of the wielder. And each one contains hidden skills, abilities that can shift the tide of battle if used correctly."
He closed his eyes. The glow of the sword intensified, pulsing with vibrant energy. A wave of heat blasted across the room, forcing the boys to take a step back.
"Whoa..." Dame muttered, shielding his face.
"To awaken a weapon's true power," Mr. Lee continued, his voice calm amidst the energy surge, "you must not just wield it… you must accept it. Let it become a part of you."
Then he raised his other hand. A swirling blend of golden and green energy erupted, coating his palm in a radiant aura.
"This… is called Ki. It's the essence that fuels all things—life force, power, will. And with it, you can make even the most stubborn weapon bend to your spirit."
The boys stared, wide-eyed and in awe.
"Okay," Van breathed. "Now that's what I'm talking about."
"Insane…" Kenji whispered, eyes fixed on the glowing sword and the energy radiating from Mr. Lee's hand.
.....
Elsewhere, in a dimly lit warehouse in Australia…
A group of three men emerged from a side door connected to the building—each of them cloaked in shadows. One of them looked exhausted, barely keeping pace with the others.
Anthon, holding a sleek black phone to his ear, ended his call abruptly. "Oh yes, no—no, boss. On it, boss." He pocketed the device and turned to face the others.
"We've gotta head back to Japan," he announced.
Zack arched a brow, his tone laced with arrogance. "What now?"
Anthon's expression turned serious. "The Red Skull Cartel needs us to deliver something."
Zack crossed his arms. "What exactly?"
"Welzon poison," Anthon said flatly.
Zack's smirk dropped instantly, and he took a cautious step back. "You mean… that poisonous substance—the one that messes with an Aetherbrid's powers, senses, even their healing factor?"
Anthon gave a slow nod. "Yeah. That one."
Theodore, the quiet one of the group, watched the exchange silently, his mind racing. What kind of substance could actually rattle someone like Zack?
Anthon continued, "Apparently, the drop-off location is a place called Oakville Orphanage in Japan."
Zack groaned, visibly annoyed. "An orphanage? That's boring as hell…"
"Yeah, well," Anthon said, lighting a cigarette as he started walking, "what's boring to you might just be the perfect place for a war to start."
Theodore's eyes narrowed as he followed, already sensing that this mission was going to be different.
Dame was still sulking, his mood slightly bitter. "Of course Kenji finds a legendary-tier weapon... and me? Nothing." He grumbled to himself while dragging his feet past ancient displays and sealed relics.
But then, something caught his eye—a glowing pedestal holding a pair of gauntlets. They looked primal, forged from the hide and bones of a massive rhino-like beast. They radiated durability, raw strength, and an unmistakable aura of battle-tested power.
Curious, Dame reached out. The gauntlets floated slightly above the podium, as if waiting for him. The moment his fingers made contact, they shrunk and adjusted seamlessly to fit his hands like a second skin.
Clink.
He looked at them, eyes gleaming. "Daggers are meh. These? These gauntlets? Yeah, this is the next big thing," he said with a proud grin, playfully bouncing on his feet like a boxer and throwing light jabs in the air.
From the side, Van activated his Inspect skill, curious about the gear Dame had found.
[Inspect Activated]
Name: Bryvinocuarus Gauntlets
Tier: super
Type: gauntlets
Origin: Bryvinocuarus core
Bonuses: +6 Strength | +4 Endurance | Armor Penetration
Unique Skill: rapid smash
When activated, the user strength goes up by 5 as the damage increases with every strike on the target within a 2 minutes time frame
Cooldown: 30 minutes
Van's eyes widened as the stats and description rolled in.
"Okay... now that's a weapon," he muttered
Both Dame and Kenji grinned, gripping their weapons tightly as they turned to Mr. Lee.
"Let me fight the robot, Mr. Lee!" they said in unison.
There was a brief pause—then they turned, glaring at each other with equal parts challenge and mischief in their eyes.
"Huh? I'm going first," they echoed again.
The tension in the room sparked like flint against steel. Sparks of competitive energy radiated off them as their stances subtly shifted, each unwilling to back down.
Mr. Lee chuckled, thoroughly entertained. "Well then… why don't the two of you settle this with a duel?"
His eyes gleamed with excitement as he stepped aside.
"Whoever wins gets the first crack at the mechaman."
Both boys smirked, already taking steps back and preparing their stance.
"Oh, it's on," Kenji muttered.
"You're going down," Dame shot back.
The air was thick with anticipation.
Van sighed as he watched Dame and Kenji get escorted to another room—a small dojo-like space, with Mr. Lee standing between them, calmly stating the rules of the match.
"Man, I better find a weapon, and fast," Van muttered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I can't wait to see what that new skill is… but first, I'm really curious to witness the power these Veyweapons hold."
He leaned against the wall, arms crossed and a grin forming on his face.
"This is gonna be epic," Van whispered, just as Kenji and Dame lunged toward each other—one aiming to knock the other out with a single, clean strike.