Adlet found himself standing in a place he knew well.
Grass swayed gently beneath his feet, soft and impossibly green compared to the arid lands he had crossed for days. A quiet river flowed nearby, its surface smooth and reflective, whispering the same calm sound it always had. The clearing was unchanged — untouched by time, untouched by the desert.
And waiting for him, as always, was Pami.
The long, slender creature hovered just above the ground, its white-and-gold body gleaming softly. Seven ribbon-like tails flowed behind it, drifting as if moved by an unseen current. Three of them shimmered faintly with color — black, green, and red — each echoing one of Adlet's Auras.
Adlet blinked, disoriented… then smiled.
"Pami?" he asked, half-laughing, half-bewildered. "How did I even get here?"
Pami's tails undulated gently as it turned toward him.
"Your mind has grown stronger," he said. "Strong enough to reach me under certain conditions."
Adlet frowned slightly, curiosity immediately replacing confusion.
"Conditions?" he echoed. "What kind of conditions?"
"You must reach a state of sufficient calm," Pami answered. "A moment where the outside world loosens its grip on your thoughts. Where your awareness turns inward."
Adlet crossed his arms, nodding slowly.
"…So basically," he said, "I have to relax enough to forget everything around me."
Pami inclined its head.
Adlet let out a short breath, amused.
"I still don't get how you know all of this," he admitted. "You talk like you've studied my mind for years."
"In a way," Pami replied, "I have. Sharing your consciousness has made these things… natural."
Adlet chuckled.
"Well, that's great," he said lightly. "But if I have to lie around relaxing all day just to talk to you, I'm pretty sure my Protector training is going to suffer."
Pami's expression — if it could be called that — shifted, its voice suddenly serious.
"You should not neglect your training."
Adlet froze for a split second… then burst out laughing.
"Hey, I was joking!" he said, wiping at his eyes.
Pami tilted slightly, as if confused by his reaction.
Adlet's laughter faded into a warm smile.
Still… it felt good.
Good to know their bond was deepening. Good to feel that this place — this connection — was no longer something distant or accidental. He could reach it now. Reach Pami.
After a moment, Adlet straightened, a familiar spark of pride creeping into his voice.
"So," he said casually, "what did you think of my last fight?"
Pami's tails stilled.
"You were impressive," he answered honestly. "Your control, your adaptability, your endurance… all far beyond what they once were."
Adlet grinned.
"But?"
Pami didn't hesitate.
"But you are beginning to rely too heavily on the Scarab's Aura."
The words struck more sharply than Adlet expected.
He exhaled slowly.
"…You know I can't use my other Auras openly," he replied. "Not in front of crowds. Not yet."
"I understand," Pami said. "But my concern is not about others. It is about you."
Adlet fell silent.
"If you continue down this path," Pami continued gently, "there may come a day when restraint becomes a weakness. When holding back costs you more than revealing everything."
Adlet stared at the river, thoughts churning.
"…That's not the only issue," he admitted at last. "I don't even know how to push my other two Auras further. I feel like I've hit a wall."
Pami hovered closer.
"I cannot give you precise answers," he said. "But consider this: lately, you have lived only in preparation and action. Training. Combat. Survival."
Adlet listened carefully.
"Perhaps," Pami continued, "this desert — far from judgment, far from eyes — is the perfect place to think. To experiment. To let your other Auras grow without pressure."
Something stirred in Adlet's chest.
That was why he had come here.
Not just to fight stronger Apexes — but to master himself.
He looked up, determination blazing.
"You're right," he said firmly. "If I want to truly tame this desert… mastering all my Auras isn't optional."
A confident smile touched his lips.
"Just wait, Pami," he added. "I'll give you performances even more incredible soon. Together… we'll dominate this place."
Pami's tails rippled, colors shimmering faintly.
They remained there for a while longer — speaking of past battles, of moments shared since their first meeting. Victories. Mistakes. Growth.
Until Adlet felt it.
The pull.
Fatigue seeped into his thoughts, heavy and unavoidable.
"I think…" he murmured, "…I can't stay much longer."
"That is enough for today," Pami replied softly.
The clearing began to blur.
And Adlet slipped into deep sleep.
Light greeted him when he awoke — the familiar glow of the Stars, their intensity rising with the coming morning. He sat up slowly, muscles sore but steady, the weight of the previous night settling firmly into memory.
It hadn't been a dream.
He prepared himself without delay, securing his pack and lifting the massive horn he had torn from the Carnage Rhinoceros. Even reduced to a single fragment, it was heavy — undeniable proof of what he had accomplished.
Ashen awaited.
As he began the long journey back across the arid land, his thoughts naturally drifted inward.
Pami's words echoed in his mind.
Rank 3… superior.
That was where he stood now — not merely advancing, but stabilizing at a higher tier. Stronger. More enduring. Yet still incomplete.
His attention turned to the Aura of the Bind Lizard.
He had refined its whip-like manifestations — flexible, precise, capable of controlling space and pressuring an opponent without committing fully. They weren't meant to destroy, and he knew that now. Their value lay elsewhere.
Mobility. Control. Adaptation.
Then there was regeneration — an extraordinary advantage. The ability to recover from wounds that would cripple most Protectors. A safety net, but not a weapon.
Still… something felt missing.
Is that really all it can offer?
His thoughts drifted back to his battle against the Bind Lizard itself.
The speed of it.
The way it slipped through attacks, always just out of reach.
How completely it had outclassed him in movement.
He remembered the frustration — and the solution he had been forced to find. Immobilization. Taking away what made it dangerous in the first place.
At the time, brute force had been the answer.
And now, his Scarab Aura granted him explosive speed — overwhelming bursts that could close any distance in an instant.
But those movements were violent. Costly. Unsustainable.
The green Aura felt different.
Subtle.
Responsive.
Present.
Not about reaching a destination faster — but about how he moved through space.
"Mobility…" Adlet murmured. "Not just speed… but freedom."
An idea began to take shape.
He adjusted his stride and began experimenting as he ran.
He channeled the green Aura through his body, reinforcing muscle and balance without releasing it outward. His pace quickened — not in a single burst, but smoothly. He shifted direction sharply, pivoting mid-stride, then accelerated again without shockwaves tearing at the ground.
No explosions.
No recoil.
Just motion.
It wasn't as fast as the Scarab.
But it was cleaner.
More controllable.
And far easier to sustain.
Adlet felt a slow smile form.
"This…" he breathed. "This has potential."
He pushed himself harder, alternating between rapid sprints and sudden changes in direction, learning how the Aura responded — how far he could bend his movement without losing balance.
For the first time since entering the desert, he felt truly in control of his body.
Then—
The ground trembled.
A deep, thunderous rumble rolled through the land behind him.
Adlet spun instinctively.
Something massive was charging.
The brief calm shattered.
And the desert reminded him — once again — that reflection was a luxury…
and survival never waited.