"We can't just stay here and watch… Damn it! I need to save them!" Paltio exclaimed in frustration as he observed through the magical orb in the training plane. His voice was heavy with desperation as he watched his friends trapped and Rykaru facing the mighty Treelion.
"Look over there," Toco-Toco pointed out, standing near Paltio and Golden. Everyone turned their attention to the scene: Rykaru was being enveloped by an intense glow that seemed to emanate from within him.
"What's happening to Rykaru?" Paltio asked, both frightened and fascinated by what he was witnessing.
Rykaru, still conscious within that light, screamed with all his might: "I must save my daddy and his friends because I am the strongest!" His cry echoed like a reverberation that seemed to shake the entire place.
The energy completely enveloped him, forming a luminous egg around him, similar to the one witnessed during his birth. Inside that cocoon of light, his body began to change, to evolve.
"Very well, evolve," murmured the same mysterious voice that had guided him before.
Meanwhile, Treelion, already prepared to encase everyone in spheres and use them as nutrients, noticed the immense light emerging behind him.
"What is that?" the monstrous tree roared, turning toward the source of the light with curiosity mixed with irritation.
The light suddenly expanded, illuminating the entire cabin with a deep purple-blue glow. The brilliance was so intense that even Treelion was temporarily blinded.
When the light finally began to fade, it revealed a new silhouette before them. It was taller than the small Rykaru everyone knew, though still relatively small compared to Paltio or the others.
What emerged from the light left everyone speechless. It was a majestic creature, covered in fur as white as an albino lion's, running across its entire body. Its eyes shone with crystalline light blue, and its long, flowing mane ended in blue-tipped strands that seemed to reflect the night sky. It wore a blue robe adorned with a belt holding a multicolored sphere containing the colors of the rainbow. Flames of blue and purple surged from its hands and feet, and sharp claws replaced its nails. Orange and yellow ankle cuffs and wristbands completed its imposing appearance.
"What are you?" Treelion growled, slowly regaining his sight and staring in disbelief at the new being before him.
"I am your worst nightmare," the creature replied in a firm and resonant voice. Without giving the tree time to react, it launched a powerful hook that struck directly against Treelion's trunk. The blow was so devastating that the entire tree swayed, though its hardened roots kept it firmly anchored to the ground.
From the mental space, Paltio watched everything in awe. "But what happened? Who is he?" he asked, turning to Golden and Toco-Toco as he continued observing the scene through the orb.
The golden being was also confused. "I have no idea... Who could that being be?" Golden said, equally astonished by the transformation.
"Apparently, it's Rykaru, miau," Toco-Toco interjected, using one of his special eyes to examine the new Rykaru closely.
"But how? What happened to him?" Paltio exclaimed, incredulous at what he was seeing. "He looks so strong," he added, admiring the new appearance of his little companion.
"So it seems, but... How did he change into that form?" Golden reflected aloud, still unable to believe it. "Could it be a result of the training?"
Meanwhile, in the real world, Treelion attempted to counterattack, extending its branch-like arms toward the new Rykaru. But this version of Rykaru, now much more agile and powerful, dodged the attacks with ease. With a fluid motion, he jumped onto one of the arms and ran toward the main trunk of the tree.
Rykaru roared, delivering a pair of punches towards Treelion. The impact was devastating.
"Damn you, how dare you!" Treelion roared, launching a pair of branch-like hands toward Rykaru with overwhelming fury. However, Rykaru dodged them with astonishing ease, as if the attacks were moving in slow motion before him.
"This is incredible," Rykaru murmured as he observed his new body, marveling at the incredible agility and strength he now possessed. With a single clean strike, he severed the tree's arms, reducing them to mere inert branches. Then, he delivered a powerful kick to Treelion's face, sending it crashing several meters into the ground.
"Leave my friends and my daddy's body alone," Rykaru ordered in a more mature and serious tone, reflecting his newfound confidence and determination.
Treelion adjusted its battered face and responded with rage: "You don't give me orders, you damn brat!" Furious from the blow, the tree launched all its arms toward Rykaru, like a meteor shower that shattered the cabin's roof.
"Then I'll have to teach you a lesson," Rykaru said calmly as he destroyed the falling pieces of the roof. Moving through the debris, he heard once again the voice that had helped him achieve this new form.
"You must destroy Treelion by pulling it out from the roots," the voice instructed firmly.
Without hesitation, Rykaru launched himself at supernatural speed toward the ground where Treelion was planted. With a fist charged with energy, he struck the ground with devastating force, cracking it open and exposing the tree's roots. A bright purple light lay beneath them, revealing the core of Treelion's power.
"Damn you, child! You'll regret what you've done!" Treelion roared furiously as its power source was exposed. In desperation, it tried to use its hands to capture Paltio and the others, intending to turn them into nutrients to regain its strength.
But to its misfortune, Rykaru appeared in front of it in the blink of an eye. With his fists enveloped in blue and purple flames, he burned the tree's hands before they could reach the captives. The fire not only consumed Treelion's limbs but also began spreading rapidly across its entire body.
"AAAAH! DAMN CHILD!" Treelion howled as it frantically cut away the affected parts, trying to stop the fire's advance. However, it could no longer move freely; it was bound to the purple light that Rykaru had uncovered when he shattered the ground.
"Come on, Rykaru! Destroy its roots!" urged the voice in his mind.
"Alright," Rykaru responded with determination. Letting out a fierce roar, he charged directly at the tree, but this time, he employed an unexpected strategy. Instead of attacking its face, he tricked Treelion by heading straight for its roots. With both hands, he pulled with superhuman strength, ripping Treelion completely out of the ground.
The monstrous tree let out a piercing scream as it was torn from its connection to the purple light. Rykaru, giving it no time to recover, hurled it into the air with a powerful motion. Finally, he delivered a devastating blow that obliterated Treelion entirely, shattering it into several blocks of wood that scattered across the ground.
The purple light emanating from Treelion's core began to fade slowly, leaving the environment calm and serene.
From the mental space, Paltio and Golden watched everything in awe. "I can't believe it... Rykaru did it," Paltio murmured, visibly proud of his little companion.
"It's incredible... How did he achieve that transformation?" Golden reflected, still processing what he had just witnessed.
"It seems Rykaru has reached a new level of power. This victory wasn't just physical—it was emotional as well," Toco-Toco added, standing nearby with a satisfied smile.
"Great job, Rykaru!" exclaimed Golden, Paltio, and Toco-Toco from the mental space. Their voices were filled with pride and amazement as they watched the small being defeat the fearsome Treelion. However, Paltio frowned as he observed Rykaru approach the hole where the monstrous tree had been.
"But what is he doing?" Paltio asked curiously as he watched Rykaru lean over the faintly glowing purple light at the center of the crater.
At that moment, Rykaru spoke aloud: "And now, how do I free you?" His tone was serious yet determined, as if he knew the voice in his mind was guiding him toward something significant.
"Just give a small tap at the center, and I'll handle the rest," the voice replied calmly, almost as if silently smiling.
Without wasting a moment, Rykaru delivered a precise punch to the center of the purple light sphere. In an instant, a beam of purplish energy erupted from the hole, illuminating everything around it and stretching skyward like a celestial column. The brilliance was so intense that even Mok and Lucca, who were still lying on the ground after Treelion's attack, began to slowly regain consciousness.
"Paltio, come back! Everything seems fine. I can contact Mok again," Golden said with evident relief, noticing that the paralyzing effects of Treelion had dissipated.
Without a second thought, Paltio returned to his physical body and rushed to the spot where he had last seen Rykaru. He feared something might have happened to his little companion after witnessing that intense light emerge. However, when the light finally faded, something unexpected occurred.
In the place where Rykaru had been standing, a completely new figure appeared. This person was clad in dark purple armor that covered their entire body, radiating a powerful energy that made them shine as though they were pure energy itself. Their presence was imposing but also commanded respect and admiration.
Lucca, who had just regained consciousness, widened his eyes in shock upon seeing the figure. With a trembling voice full of disbelief, he murmured: "Could it be... could it really be... Is it... my lord Serlet?"