Shock! Utter astonishment! -And oh, the embarrassment...a lot of it.
"I-I beg your pardon?" Raiba interjected, his tone laced with playful incredulity as he covered his mouth with his hands.
"I daresay you may have mistaken your targets, my good fellow. Haha, 'son,' you say? Tell us more. Oh, would you look at that, suddenly thirsty, aren't I?" Mono attempted to deflect, gesturing towards his neglected water cup on the barrel nearby.
"You were indeed quenching your thirst with water before I arrived, Mother. Your cup still sits atop the barrel, where you left it before you struck your pose..." Shosen interjected, his interruption swift and matter-of-fact.
"Could we perhaps collectively forget the latter part of that statement?" Mono beseeched, a tinge of desperation evident in his plea.
***
"So, what precisely do you need help with, or should I say, 'us'?" Mono queried.
"Dad, the future hangs precariously in the balance. Have you heard of the Supreme Shingzi? His protege has taken a dark turn, seizing control of your form across dimensions and coming into my timeline. Moreover, he has brought forth another version of himself from a different reality, claiming Mother's body from yet another dimension. You understand their power; they have enhanced your abilities beyond the norm. It'll be quite the challenge," Shosen explained.
As they stood before the house, away from prying eyes, the others were in their rooms.
"Let's go outside," Mono suggested.
Once outside, Mono stepped back a few meters, his head bowed in thought. Suddenly, he raised his gaze, his voice determined, "If you truly are my progeny...," he trailed off, launching forward, "YOU MUST BE GOOD IN COMBAT!"
Swiftly, Shosen transformed into SSN1, skillfully blocking his father's first strike. "DON'T THINK I'VE BEEN INACTIVE FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS, DAD!" he exclaimed, delivering a forceful knee to Mono's abdomen, causing spittle to fly. Following up with a spinning kick, Mono struggled to defend. Mono released a counterattack. However, Shosen swiftly dodged, only to be hit unexpectedly behind by Mono.
"Instant Teleportation..." Shosen grunted, his vision obscured by chaos. Mono pulled out his sword, unleashing energy in an onslaught. Struggling to see amidst the attack, Shosen glimpsed his father poised for a powerful move.
"Enerugi Bimu!" Mono shouted, unleashing a blinding white blast. Shosen quickly defended, but ended up on one knee afterward.
Extending a hand, Mono helped his son up. "You're still stronger in your base form. If I hadn't used Instant Teleportation, you might have beaten me. But my SSN1 form would be too much," Mono declared wisely.
With their clash over, they went inside, finding peace for the night.
But up in the sky that night, a ship could be seen.
"We'll continue our journey at daybreak," a young voice declared.