The Path to a Soul Weapon

The journey home was calm, yet Roy could feel the weight of Ignis Fang's gaze on him. Ever since their battle, Ignis had been deep in thought, his attention shifting between Roy and the mech suit stored in the transport.

Finally, he broke the silence.

"Roy, your mech… where did you get it?"

Roy leaned back, arms crossed. "It's a gift from my family. They built it for me."

Ignis's eyes flashed with intrigue. "Your family built this?"

Ravindra, Roy's father, nodded. "Yes. It has an auto-upgrading feature, allowing it to evolve using the materials Roy collects. We can also assist in its upgrades when needed."

Ignis studied the mech intently, his expression a mix of admiration and excitement. "I see… That makes things even more interesting."

Roy tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

Ignis smirked. "This mech—it's powerful, yes, but it has the potential to become something far greater. It could become a Soul Weapon."

The cabin fell silent.

Siddharth's expression remained unreadable, but Roy could feel the shift in his presence. Sharvani frowned slightly, as if analyzing Ignis's words, while Ravindra remained composed.

"A Soul Weapon?" Roy repeated.

Ignis nodded. "A weapon that is not just wielded, but one that becomes an extension of its master's soul. It evolves alongside you, growing stronger as you do. But that's not all." His gaze sharpened. "A true Soul Weapon gains a soul of its own."

Roy clenched his fists. The thought of his mech gaining its own consciousness was both thrilling and intimidating.

Ravindra spoke after a moment. "And what would it take to make this transformation possible?"

Ignis leaned forward. "First, the mech must be upgraded to its absolute peak in its current state. Once the process begins, external modifications will be difficult. Every piece added now will become a part of its future soul."

Roy's thoughts raced. He had gathered many beast parts, but hearing this made him realize—he was far from done.

Mimi, who had been quiet, suddenly grinned. "The World Ring can help."

All eyes turned to her.

She continued, "The world inside the ring isn't just for trials. It contains knowledge and resources from a civilization far beyond anything on Earth. If we use it wisely, we can strengthen the mech far beyond normal limits."

Ignis nodded approvingly. "Exactly. The ancients who forged such relics were far more advanced than today's humans. If you want this mech to awaken its soul, you must push it to its absolute limit. And more importantly… you must grow strong enough to forge that connection."

Siddharth crossed his arms. "And once it gains a soul?"

Ignis smirked. "Then it will no longer be just a machine. It will be a companion, a battle partner—one that understands its master's will without words."

Roy took a deep breath, his excitement rising. He looked at his family.

Ravindra nodded. "If this is your path, we will support you."

Siddharth chuckled. "Well, looks like your journey just got a lot more interesting."

Preparations for the Future

As they neared the shelter, Roy noticed Ignis Fang had grown quiet. The Soul Weapon had been deep in thought ever since their discussion about the mech.

Then, just as they reached the entrance, Ignis finally spoke.

"Roy, I will be heading inside the ring."

Roy blinked. "Inside the ring? Why?"

Ignis smirked. "I need to prepare something for you—something crucial for your next trial and your future growth." His fiery eyes burned with an intensity that made Roy's skin prickle. "You've already proven yourself worthy of the path ahead, but your training is far from over. There are things you must learn, things you must earn, if you wish to stand at the peak."

Mimi's ears perked up. "Ooooh! Secret training stuff?"

Ignis chuckled. "Something like that." He then turned to Roy. "I need time to set things in motion. Give me five days. After that, enter the ring. I will be waiting."

Roy's eyes narrowed. He could feel it—whatever Ignis was planning, it was something big.

"I understand," Roy said. "I'll come after five days."

Ignis nodded. "Good. Until then, focus on strengthening yourself. Your journey is just beginning."

With that, his form blurred into crimson light, vanishing into the World Ring.

Roy tightened his fist.

Something told him that when he stepped into the ring again… his life would never be the same.

The Truth of the Family

When they arrived at the shelter, Ravindra and Sharvani exchanged a glance. Then, without a word, they led Roy and Mimi inside.

As soon as the doors closed, Ravindra spoke. "Roy, Mimi… there is something we need to tell you. A secret our family has kept for a long time."

Mimi blinked. "A family secret? Ooooh, this sounds like a big deal!"

Sharvani gave a small smile but quickly turned serious. "It is. And it's time you both knew."

Roy frowned. "Why now?"

Ravindra folded his arms. "Because you're ready. You've faced life-and-death battles. You've proven that you have what it takes to survive in this world. And more than that… you have the highest potential of all of us."

Roy's heart pounded. "What are you talking about?"

Sharvani exhaled. "Your father and I are at the Eighth Evolution of our elemental cores, and we're close to breaking through to the Ninth."

Roy's breath caught. Level 9? That's unheard of!

Siddharth crossed his arms. "I'm at Level 7, and I'll be reaching Level 8 soon."

Mimi's mouth fell open. "Whaaat?! You guys are monsters!"

Roy was still trying to process it. He had always known his family was strong. But this? This was beyond what he had imagined.

Ravindra's expression darkened. "Because of the Calamity that is coming."

Roy's blood ran cold. "The Calamity?"

Sharvani nodded. "Two decades ago, we received an Unbroken Echo—a message from deep space. It warned us that they were coming. We don't know if they are hostile or not, but soon after the message arrived…"

Ravindra continued, "The virus was released."

Roy's body tensed. "The virus…?"

Siddharth leaned forward. "We call it Primordial Strain."

Mimi tilted her head. "Ooooh, cool name… but also terrifying."

Sharvani nodded. "It wasn't a normal virus. It rewrote human and animal DNA, awakening elemental abilities across the entire planet and transforming animals into beasts with elemental powers. It changed us all. But there's something we've always suspected…"

Roy clenched his fists. "Someone helped us."

"Exactly," Ravindra said. "It's too much of a coincidence. Almost as if… someone wanted to prepare humanity for what's coming. But we don't know who. And we don't know how powerful the ones coming truly are."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Mimi crossed her arms, thinking. "So, like… some super advanced civilization out there might have helped us evolve? And now we have to fight whoever's coming?"

Siddharth smirked. "That's one way to put it."

Roy's mind was spinning.

Ravindra stood up. "Come. There's something else we need to show you."

Roy followed his family through the shelter, moving past familiar halls before reaching an area he had never seen before. They descended deeper underground, the walls shifting from reinforced steel to something far more ancient. The air grew colder, the silence pressing.

Mimi, walking beside him, let out a low whistle. "This is getting mysterious. Just how deep are we going?"

Siddharth smirked. "Deep enough."

The corridors were vast, lined with strange, intricate markings glowing faintly along the walls. They weren't just decorative—Roy could feel an energy humming from them, something old yet still alive.

Finally, they arrived at a massive reinforced vault. The thick metal doors, embedded with complex mechanisms, loomed over them. With a deep hiss, the locks disengaged, and the doors slowly slid open.

A wave of stale air rushed out.

Roy's eyes widened as he stepped inside. The underground chamber was huge—easily the size of an entire city block. Towering metal support beams stretched upward, their surfaces covered in glowing blue circuitry, pulsing faintly like veins carrying energy. The entire place had a mechanical heartbeat.

But none of that compared to what stood at the center of the chamber.

A spaceship.

It was massive, sleek but battle-worn, its dark hull marred by scars of an ancient battle. It had an elongated design, with sharp edges that gave it an almost predatory look. Glowing lines of unknown symbols ran along its body, flickering weakly.

But it was damaged. Large portions of the hull were cracked or missing, and exposed wires sparked erratically. One of the wings was completely shattered, revealing an intricate network of conduits beneath.

Mimi gasped. "Whoa… this is amazing." She ran forward, staring at the ship with sparkling eyes. "I mean, it's broken, but still! You guys own a spaceship! How cool is that?"

Roy, still processing the sheer size of it, turned to his father. "This is what you've been studying?"

Ravindra placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes. We found it two decades ago, buried beneath the ruins of an ancient battlefield. Ever since then, we've been trying to understand it, reverse-engineering its technology. It holds secrets far beyond what humanity has ever achieved."

Sharvani nodded. "Many of the energy systems we use today—especially those in your mech—are based on what we learned from this ship."

Roy clenched his fists. "And you think it's connected to the ones who sent the Unbroken Echo?"

Siddharth folded his arms. "That's our best guess. This ship wasn't built by humans. Whoever made it had technology that surpasses everything we know. And if it's linked to the message…" His eyes darkened. "Then the ones coming might have technology even more advanced than this."

Roy felt a chill run down his spine.

Mimi, however, was already moving toward the ship. "Can we go inside? Please tell me we can go inside!"

Ravindra exchanged a glance with Sharvani before nodding. "We've secured a few areas. But stay close—there are still parts of it we don't fully understand."

Mimi let out an excited squee before practically sprinting forward.

Roy followed, his heart pounding with anticipation.