I took a deep breath and wrapped my tail around both my swords.

"Huh?" Mason said, shocked I dropped on all fours. My entire body transformed into that of a white tiger.

I dashed at him and swung my swords at him with my tail.

He jumped back. "Woah, you're fighting with your tail? How did you think of doing that?"

I smiled. Tetsu told me to think out of the box when in a pinch. There would be times when I wouldn't be able to rely on my other forms, so I had to strengthen this one.

Uncle leaped back and forth, crushing the floor wherever he landed. Why was he doing that? Could he be plotting a trap?

My eyes glanced at all of the spots he had landed. They formed a semi-circle around me. Could he be trying to create a hole?

I swung my swords in a circle, cutting the floor myself.

He gasped as the area I'd cut off rose while the rest of the arena went plummeting into the darkness. It reminded me of the cartoons that I used to watch with mom.

Uncle snickered as he leaped up, using his claws to climb up the pillar. "Didn't think you would send everything plummeting into the darkness like that."

"Sorry, but there can only be one tiger in the mountain!" I yelled, remembering the old idiom. My swords sliced the pillar in half, sending him falling. Had I done it? It couldn't have been that easy, right?

As if answering my question, tendrils of darkness grasped the remnants of my pillar and me. I gritted my teeth and slashed at them with my tails. My mana wasn't enough for me to attempt to take control of the shadows.

"Underestimated me yet again, huh?" Uncle asked, appearing out of a portal overhead. He'd reverted back to his human form.

I snickered. "This time, I didn't. Figured it wasn't over. It would've been too easy. Plus, you didn't even try to use those wings you copied."

He nodded. "Indeed, it would've. Though, the wing thing was admittingly due to sheer shock." Uncle held his hands out, forming a circle with both of his thumbs and index fingers. "If you can survive this, then I'll admit your win. Dimension Crush!"

I gasped as the space around me grew denser and denser. My body felt as if it were being crushed by gravity. The pull wasn't coming from the clump of rock I stood on but the center of the space overhead.

I floated upward, increasing the pain further. Using my earth powers, I flipped my position with the broken pillar.

Kicking my feet against the boulder, I leaped into the air and flapped with wings with all my strength. The stone shattered as it reached the center of the distorted space, dissolving into nothing. It was like a black hole.

Uncle Mason smirked as he watched me rigorously flap my wings and create stones to kick my feet against. The latter was probably a bad idea as the pull of gravity increased with each stone that fell into the dead zone.

Distorted space, was it possible to use Yuki to break it? Its strength relied on the clash of mana. Something like this would most likely produce the rift that it needed. If so, then it would all depend on hitting that point. This was it, my last chance.

Closing my eyes, I felt the chaotic scene around me. The space around me was charged with energy. Said energy spun around and focused into a singularity with mindboggling strength. It was a black hole.

I took a deep breath and raised my swords with my tail, pointing them toward the center. "Yuki!" I yelled as I found the weak point in the vortex. A powerful slash tore through space itself, creating a white rift. My body flew forward as gravity vanished.

"You did well, nephew," Uncle said as he caught me.

I smiled and closed my eyes. Having me take a test as soon as I'd woken up, what was Grandpa thinking?

When Rocio, Skah, and I returned to Aster's lab, we found Serra missing. According to Father, Mason had taken him to conduct a trial. Should Serrano pass it, he would become the next Tiger Pillar.

Just how strong was my half-brother?

"So, how did it go?" Dad asked, stepping forward.

I continued looking at the empty pod. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"You haven't said a thing since you arrived. I asked Skah, but he wouldn't say a thing, while Rocio said to ask you. Mind telling me what happened downstairs?"

I gulped. "I-It was nothing. If it were something important, the three of us would've told you."

He crossed his shoulder as he stepped forward until we were standing side by side. "That so? It appears that you've returned to being a bad liar. Seems like a good sign, don't you think?" He grinned as he said those last words.

I stepped away from him. He knew, didn't he?

"Why do you think something happened?"

He sighed. "Enough beating around the bush." He shrugged. "I might lack your natural talent, but I've honed my sensory skills to be as good if not better. What happened between you and that abuser?"

I lowered my eyes. "You mean, Azami?"

Father let out an angry grunt. "Don't expect me to use his name. He's lucky that I didn't go down there and kill him myself."

I glanced up. "Why didn't you? I-I expected you would've if you knew."

He patted my head. "You might've made some big mistakes in your life, but you're an adult. I want to see you develop a sense of autonomy."

I hugged him. "Thanks, Papa."

Papa patted me on the back. "So, what did you discuss? Conrad, I assume?"

"Yes. Wait, did you detect the one who brought Azami here too?" I asked, letting go of him.

He scratched his head. "Yes, but he was gone before I could make a move. Itou, or should I say Ifrit, has completed his possession of Conrad. Technically, Hanketsu has been reborn in full."

With downcast eyes, I nodded. "Yeah. Conrad's body has been taken over."

"Connie," Plum said, lowering her head. My little sister held back a sob. She'd grown close to her nephew when he ran away. Just how many other friends did Conrad leave behind?

"Does he have the Rabbit Pillar powers still?" Rocio asked, walking over to us. "That combined with the power of the original Archangel of Darkness will be troublesome. Not to mention, there's no way of killing that man now if he has his archdemon immortality. Well, unless if the Sky Father awakens to do so himself."

"I still think that I can beat him. I did so millennia ago," Daisaru said, chuckling. "I mean, I would've if it weren't for Kushina interrupting our battle."

"Dai," Rocio said, shaking her head at her husband.

Despite the situation, I couldn't help but chuckle. That teacher of mine remained the same battle-thirsty guy we knew as kids.

"Maybe if you were in your prime, you could. Likewise goes for me," Papa said, averting his gaze. "I might have to take back the life energy I gifted Conrad when reviving him."

"Won't that kill the kid?" Daiyu asked, glancing over at us. She'd had been staring at a pod with Roa's core all of this time.

"Yeah," Skah said, furrowing his brow. "Conrad will disappear."

Papa closed his visible eye. "I'm afraid there might be no other options. However, I will try to see if we can come up with anything." He placed a hand on Serra's empty pod. "His brother will be key in doing so. Think he's the only one who can snap Conrad out of the control of his demonic counterpart."

I crossed my hands. Hopefully, Serra would succeed. Since Conrad had one of the Universal Seeds, Dad wouldn't be able to revive him again. It was a miracle that he could, to begin with. Mom's Universal Seed was what had prevented Dad from being able to bring her back.

My ears twitched as space distorted at the entrance of the lab. Mason walked out of the resulting black vortex, carrying an unconscious Serrano in his arms.

"Guess he failed," Rocio said, closing her eyes.

"On the contrary, Serrano passed," Mason said.

Cio's eyes fluttered open. "Huh?"

"How did he pass if you're the one still standing," Daisaru asked, chuckling.

"I said that he would pass if he could resist my final attack, which he did," Mason said, smiling.

"Final attack? What did you use?" Skah asked.

"Oh, just Dimension Crush."

Rocio's eyes widened. "Dimension Crush? How did he survive that?"

Mason chuckled. "Well, I wasn't using it at full power to give him a chance. Regardless, the kid really surprised me. Several times, actually." His eyes shifted toward Papa. "Think I see why you want him to join you, now."

Papa chuckled. "Figured that the one Shi chose as his successor would be something special."

I walked over to Mason and took Serrano from him. "Well, he is my son," I said before kissing Serra on the forehead. You did well, Serra. Rest for now. The real battle will begin soon.

"Doggo," Serra mumbled in his sleep.

I put him down and transformed into my dog form. My body wrapped around him, serving as a pillow.

Serra hugged me and giggled. "Doggo, you're so warm."

"Did he revert to a kid?" Rocio asked.

"Think it's due to fatigue," Skah said.

"Poor Serra," Plum said. "Oh, Sey. Let's make Serra something yummy! I'm sure that'll help him."

Woolsey patted her head. "Alright."

"Well, then, if you excuse me, I'm out," Mason said, turning around. "Once Serra wakes up, tell him that the power of the Tiger Pillar is within him. Whether or not he wishes to use it is up to him. He won't become the Third Pillar unless if he activates it willingly. Wanted to give him that option since he rejected it."

"How considerate of you," I said.

Mason grinned. "Right?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "It's sarcasm."

He chuckled and formed a portal. "Alright, I get it when I'm not wanted."

"Wait, you aren't going to assist us in this war?" Rocio asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Mason snickered as he put a hand through the portal. "Maybe I will, but my central role in this is over." He looked over his shoulder. "The next conflict is the one I'll be participating in. That is if we succeed. Which, frankly, I think we will."

Skah smiled slightly. "Hope you're right."

Woolsey chuckled. "Of course we will. We're strong!" he said, flexing his left arm.

Mason waved. "Indeed, but strength isn't everything. Well, see you soon!" With those words, he vanished into the portal.

"Why did he say see you soon?" Daiyu asked. "Thought he said that he wasn't participating."

"Not sure," Daisaru said, scratching his head. "Maybe he plans on keeping an eye on us?"

"How is everything coming along?" Aster asked, walking into the lab. Following close behind her was a pink-haired, purplish-gray-eyed girl in a cherry blossom-colored dress. She seemed to be around six or seven years old. The girl held the hand of a twelve-year-old boy with platinum hair and greenish-blue eye.

"Little Ma! Little Ka!" Plum said, running over to hug the kids.

"Oof," the boy said, chuckling. "You're choking me, sis."

"Sorry." Plum let go of him.

"Did just called Plum, sis?" I glanced at Papa. "Thought that you only had two children other than us six?"

Reginald nodded. "I do."

My eyes shifted back to the kids. "Then who-"

"Those are Kaguya and Mason," Rocio said, snickering.

"Ehh?" I said.

"Remember what Dad said about time traveling?" Skah whispered. "This is the Mason of our time. Likewise for Kaguya."

"I see." Wish that I could time travel. How were they able to do so anyway? I'd grown up hearing that time traveling took an incredible amount of energy to even move back a few seconds. Just what kind of abilities did these two have?

"A doggie," Kaguya said, pointing at me. "A talking one!"

"Oh, yeah. Looks kind of dumb," her brother said, chuckling.

Yup, he was definitely that jerk's kid-self.

"Yeah, she does," Rocio said, snickering.

"Hey, don't take his side," I yelled.

"Little Ma, Little Ka, want to help me and Sey cook?" Plum asked, trying to shift the subject. "We're going to make something special for our nephew, Serra."

"Serra?" Mason glanced at my son. "What happened to him? Did he get beat up?"

"No, he ran out energy fighting a certain brat," I said.

"A brat? He lost to a kid?" He swung his hands behind his head and chuckled. "How lame!"

I gritted my teeth. "I never said Serrano lost."

Mason scoffed. "If a guy his age burns his energy fighting a kid, then he's still lame."

"Mason, be nice. That's your big sister," Aster said, smiling awkwardly.

"Big sister?" He gasped. "Oh, you must be the crazy one!"

I barked at him, making him jump.

"Ahh, she's going to give me rabies!" he said, running behind his mom.

"Big brother looks lame," Kaguya said, grinning at him.

Mason emerged from behind his mom. "I'm not lame!" he snapped.

"Then why were you hiding behind Mom?"

His face turned red. "I-I was... I was scared," he said, mumbling the last part.

Kaguya cupped an ear over her left hand. "What was that?"

"Let's go make our nephew that food!" Mason ran off.

"Wait for me, Little Ma!" Plum yelled, chasing after the brat.

"Wait for us too!" Kaguya yelled as she and Sey ran after them.

The rest of us laughed. Mason reminded me of Shi, Cio, and Sey. Though, Mason wasn't nearly as lovable as those three. Too bad that there was no hope for him maturing.

I snuggled the sleeping Serra. Unlike my tiger.

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter. Overall thoughts? Theories? Predictions?**