Qui-Gon , shaking his head.
"… Plo Koon once made an offer to the Armored Man, asking if he'd join the Jedi." His gaze settled meaningfully on Jin-Woo.
"Now I find myself making a similar offer. Jin-Woo… would you join us? Be part of the Jedi?"
Jin-Woo snorted, giving Qui-Gon a look as if he were humoring a child.
"Are you stupid?" he said bluntly,.
"I'm me — not some guy in a suit of armor. And did you forget? . My midichlorian count's zero, remember?"
Qui-Gon gave a small, knowing smile, unbothered.
"Yes… I remember. But there's something you're hiding." His eyes with quiet certainty.
"Call it instinct. See you later, Jin-Woo. May the Force be with you."
Beside him, Obi-Wan reached out and picked up the blue pill, a smirk at his lips.
"I'll hold onto this as a souvenir," he quipped lightly.
"I'll choose my own path."
Jin-Woo , his fingers drumming lazily on the table.
"It's just a representation," he said smoothly. "Whether you take it, burn it, toss it off a balcony — it's your choice."
As Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon stepped out of the bar, the cool Naboo night air greeted them. The soft glow of palace lights danced across the streets as they made their way toward their waiting Consular-class light cruiser.
Obi-Wan walked beside his master, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Master… I think Jin-Woo is the Armored Man," he murmured, keeping his voice low.
"But it's different from what Jango and Jaster told us."
Qui-Gon gave a slow nod, his hands clasped behind his back, his steps steady.
"He's very confident," Qui-Gon said thoughtfully, edged with something cautious.
"Confident to the point that even if we reported this to the Council… it wouldn't matter. And I won't do that. Because, as Jaster described, beneath that armor is a tall man — a figure with a black steed, something out of myth." He paused briefly, glancing at Obi-Wan.
"The point, my Padawan, is… the armor may have just been a restrainer."
Obi-Wan let out a quiet breath, a small smirk flickering .
"Then I'll keep quiet."
Qui-Gon smiled , a glimmer of pride of his expression.
"I appreciate that, Obi-Wan. But…" his gaze grew distant, thoughtful,
"…what if Jin-Woo isn't just the Armored Man… but something more? Something far more powerful."
Obi-Wan shaking his head as they approached the sleek silhouette of their cruiser.
"Well… let's get back to our shuttle, Master," he said lightly. "And hope that we've reached our conclusion — for now."
The two Jedi slipped into the night, their figures disappearing into the quiet hum of their ship, the doors sliding closed as they left to attend to their own paths and unanswered questions.
At the bar inside Theed Palace, Jin-Woo, Padmé, Morgan, and Rey sat together.
Morgan leaned back slightly, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at her lips as her sharp eyes flicked playfully toward Jin-Woo.
"They're going to make your life harder, my husband. You sure talking like that is what you want?"
Jin-Woo gave a knowing smile, tilting his head lazily.
"Maybe… that's what I want. Sometimes, people need a wake-up call."
But inside, his thoughts stirred sharply.
I still need to deal with Joever Bideney. That damn Tezcatlipoca just had to run his mouth to Yoda about my title — the Shadow Monarch, of all things. What a headache…
Padmé, sitting with them in her handmaiden disguise, glanced up quietly, her voice carrying a hint of something deeper.
"Jin-Woo… will you stay? Or will you leave Naboo the moment it's no longer 'interesting' to you?"
Jin-Woo's lips curved into a sly grin, "You sound sad, Queen Amidala — though you're sitting here dressed as a handmaiden. Don't tell me…" His grin widened just slightly.
"…you've fallen for me, and now you're thinking about claiming the title of fourth wife?"
Padmé jolted, her face instantly flushing a brilliant pink.
"W-what?! I-I—n-no, that's…!!" She flailed her hands in a tiny panic, trying to hide her face behind them.
"I was just—I mean—that's not… I was being diplomatic! Y-you… arrogant merchant!!"
Morgan chuckled , leaning over to nudge Rey with her elbow.
" looks like our 'diplomatic' queen is learning the meaning of lovestruck."
Rey smirked, resting her chin in her palm, eyes gleaming with amusement.
"As I said join us , Your Majesty."
Padmé straightening her posture slightly as she gathered herself., her voice turned serious.
"Jin-Woo… when that invasion from the unknown enemy you spoke of finally comes — the one we've been preparing for with the bunker, the one you've been doing the heavy lifting on… if the Republic doesn't help us, what will you do?"
Jin-Woo leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze flicking a cold edge.
"I'll burn the enemy to the ground. I'll make sure they never rise again. And even if they manage to crawl back… the scars will stay with them, etched into their souls."
Padmé blinked, tension flickering in her expression.
"As the Armored Man?" she asked , almost disbelieving. "With… that incredible tech?"
Jin-Woo gave a small, almost lazy smirk.
"Nah. No more armor. I'll do it myself."
He shifted slightly, eyes gleaming with a glint of mischief.
"But you… you want to go to Coruscant, right? To prove democracy still lives?"
Padmé exhaled slowly, gave a single, resolute nod. "Yes."
Jin-Woo's smirk widened slightly.
"Then straighten up next month, Your Majesty — because I'll parade myself as the Armored Man… and you, Padmé Amidala, will be known as the homeworld leader of the legendary hero."
Padmé voice lowered, almost conspiratorial.
"So… the plan is to parade yourself as the Armored Man one month later rather than twelve days before the deadline? You're sure about such an early parade?"
Jin-Woo leaned forward slightly , his gaze sharp and steady.
"Change of plans," he murmured smoothly.
"The evacuation of Naboo needs to happen quietly — while construction is still underway."
Padmé's brows furrowed slightly, her expression thoughtful, laced with concern.
"So… quietly? How would that even work?"
Jin-Woo's grin deepened just a touch, his voice calm, measured.
"Layer by layer," he said. "One hundred million at a time. We present it as a public event — a mission, a game. 'The Armored Man's Great Adventure.' Something fun, something exciting.".
"It's a far better approach than trying to evacuate everyone in a chaotic ten-day rush. We control the pace. We control the mood."
Padmé slowly nodded, tapping her fingers lightly on the table as the realization settled in her mind.
"Layer by layer… framed as a celebration,", a teasing glint flickering in her eyes.
"Isn't that my idea from before — using your persona to make them all follow into the bunker? But I planned it for ten days, not a month. Are you stealing my idea now, Jin-Woo? I still remember, you know."
Jin-Woo , curving upward with calm amusement.
"Just adding a little extra," he murmured smoothly, his eyes half-lidded.
"A guaranteed victory. You know I always like that."
But even as he spoke, his senses sharpened, something flickering at the edge of his awareness. Jin-Woo's eyes narrowed faintly, his mind reaching out — flowing through the weave of time like slipping a finger into water. [Flow walking]
In an instant, his thoughts stretched into the near future, the threads aligning in flashes of movement, whispers of intent.
Count Dooku, huh…? Jin-Woo mused silently. We'll meet again, it seems. Not quite Darth Tyranus yet… but Palpatine — or rather, Sidious — does have that silver tongue.
Jin-Woo's sharp gaze flicked briefly toward Rey, the edge of calculation in his eyes . And the target this time… is you, Rey?
Rey, ever attuned to his mood, caught the glance and tilted her head slightly, a small, bright smile blooming on her lips.
"Yes, Jin-Woo? Anything I can help with?"
Jin-Woo's smirk curled .
"I've got a plan," he murmured, his voice low and smooth. "Want to join them?"
Rey's grin widened, and she gave a small, eager nod.
"Always."
——
Midnight — Theed, capital city, Naboo.
The streets were quiet, empty under the silver glow of the moons. In this less-traveled quarter, the air hung still, and even the breeze seemed to whisper secrets.
Rey walked lightly, a happy bounce in her step, almost humming to herself as she moved along the stone path. Her green eyes gleamed under the moonlight, sharp and playful.
But then— Snap-hiss.
The sudden ignition of a blue lightsaber split the quiet.
Rey froze, head tilting slightly, eyes narrowing with curiosity.
From the shadowed archway, Count Dooku stepped forward, his tall, refined figure wrapped in a flowing cloak. His face was calm, sharp, and thoughtful — the face of a man not yet Darth Tyranus, but already drifting away from the light.
His voice was deep, .
"Some say you are dangerous," Dooku murmured, his gaze steady, assessing.
"The Senator of Naboo claims you are one of the shadows that will threaten the Republic. Tell me… is it true?"
Rey's lips curled into a playful, defiant smirk. Without hesitation, she lifted her hand — Urfael shimmered into existence, the summoned sword pulsing with eerie, green-tinged dark energy.
"A duel to the death," Rey said softly, her voice edged with thrill and calm certainty.
"Never needs a reason. Only one victor remains."
Rey's smirk deepened, eyes gleaming with wicked thrill as she tightened her grip on Urfael. The green-dark energy shimmered like liquid shadow along the blade, twisting the moonlight around her.
Dooku's stance remained calm, his blue saber humming smoothly in his hand, feet sliding into the precise, elegant [form II : Makashi]. His eyes narrowed slightly, calculating each of Rey's wild, darting movements.
But then— CRACK!
Rey vanished in a blur of black mist, only to reappear behind Dooku in a heartbeat, her blade sweeping down in a spiraling arc. Dooku parried, but the impact rattled through his arm — she was stronger than she looked.
Again. WHOOSH—CRACK!
Rey darted left, her body melting into shadow, then flashed behind a pillar — only to strike from the side an instant later. Dooku turned sharply, saber flicking in graceful counterstrikes, yet Rey's Shadow Strike warped the rhythm of the duel, forcing him to retreat step by step.
"Hmph." Dooku's brow furrowed, his lips tightening.
She's fast… unnaturally fast.
"Come on, old man," Rey teased, her voice lilting with thrill. "You're making this too easy."
Dooku's jaw tightened, his eyes glinting with the edge of a swordsman pushed out of comfort. With a sharp pivot, he thrust upward — only for Rey to vanish again, slipping into the twisting green-black mist.
Suddenly— BOOM!
Rey slammed her fist into the ground. An eruption of cold surged outward, frost racing along the cobblestones, ice swallowing the street in jagged bursts. Crystalline spikes stabbed skyward, freezing lantern posts and windows, turning the entire district into a frozen battlefield.
Dooku leapt — his form arcing gracefully through the air with a [Force Jump], landing atop a nearby rooftop. .
From below, Rey lifted her glowing green eyes, her grin sharp as a blade.
Dooku's voice , smooth yet edged with curiosity.
"Who is your teacher?" he called, his saber raised in a ready guard.
"Your abilities… they reek of the dark. However —" his eyes narrowed—
"They're unrefined. Wilder. Less focused than the Force itself."
Rey spun Urfael once in her hand, the green-black energy flaring like wildfire as the shadow mist danced at her heels. Her voice floated up to him, calm and amused.
"Oh, I have a teacher, but you wouldn't understand him."
"And trust me — you're not ready to meet him."
Dooku's sharp gaze swept across the surrounding streets, calculating in an instant.
Forgive me, people of Naboo, he thought coolly, but the Jedi will repair this later.
With a swift, decisive motion, Dooku extended his free hand—
CRACK!
A section of the nearby wall wrenched free, slamming toward Rey with the force of a collapsing building.
But Rey was already in motion, her form slipping into the shadow, twisting into the darkness itself—Shadow Strike.
She darted past the rubble like a phantom, reappearing behind Dooku with a taunting grin.
"Running away, old timer?"
Dooku pivoted smoothly, his blade angled in flawless Makashi form.
"This old timer," he murmured with the faintest smirk, "has more knowledge than you can imagine."
Inside, Dooku's mind sharpened like a dagger.
Palpatine was right… she is touched by darkness. But she's still young… reckless. And that's my advantage.
His eyes narrowed. I can kill her.
But Rey's grin only widened.
With a flick of her hand, a surge of dark energy rippled through her — and in the next heartbeat, her form twisted.
The air rippled. The temperature dropped.
Whoooosh—!
Rey's body shifted, cloaked in ethereal darkness — her Nazgûl-like form emerging, wreathed in green shadow. Around her, spectral warriors materialized, their forms flickering like cursed wraiths, each wielding a shimmering green blade.
Dooku's breath caught for half a second , but precision. His reaction slowed by the unnatural force warping the air, his body felt the pressure.
But his mind remained sharp. Good… you've shown your trump card.
Rey raised Urfael, her voice a low, triumphant whisper. "Kill him."
The spectral army surged forward, blades humming with unearthly power, rushing Dooku like a tidal wave of death.
BOOM!
Dooku's hands snapped outward.
A translucent Force barrier erupted around him, the air shimmering and crackling as the first wave of wraiths crashed against it. The clash of dark energy and Force rippled through the ruined street, shaking the frozen rubble.
But the tide kept pressing.
The barrier fractured.
A jagged crack sliced across the shield's surface—
It shattered, fragments of light exploding outward.
Rey stepped through the mist, a picture of cold victory, Urfael raised high as she approached Dooku.
"Goodnight, old man."
But—Her foot sank. Rey's sharp eyes snapped down — the ground itself trembled beneath her.
A split-second realization hit.
He… weakened the foundation?!
Dooku's fingers twitched slightly, his focus refined — his earlier movements, his subtle gestures, had been unraveling the ground beneath Rey this entire time. The cobblestones groaned, sank, and collapsed under her Nazgûl form, threatening to swallow her whole into the crumbling earth.
Dooku's cool voice drifted across the battlefield. "You underestimated an old man, girl."
A flicker of a grin tugged at Rey's lips even as her form wavered.
"That should be my line… old timer."
Inside, her mind raced.
My stamina's Dimmed… this form can't hold. If I stay like this, I'll collapse before I land a hit.
With a sharp breath, Rey let the Nazgûl form shatter — the dark mist peeling away as her body re-solidified. The cold gleam in her eyes never faded as she threw herself into one final gambit.
Shadow Strike. She darted forward in a blur — but Dooku…
Dooku was ready.
The old master's eyes, half-lidded with perfect composure, had mapped her movements from the start. Every flicker of her teleport, every pattern in her attacks, every surge of reckless momentum — he had read them all.
As Rey streaked toward him, Dooku took a single, sharp breath— and pivoted.
The blue blade of his lightsaber twisted in an elegant arc — and with a precision honed over decades, he drove it not into Rey—
—but first into his own shoulder, near the edge, a calculated wound.
The next movement was fluid, almost too fast for the eye—
his blade reversed, angled downward—
and drove straight into Rey's chest, piercing toward her heart.
Rey's lips parted in a breathless sound, the faintest hiss escaping between her teeth.
"…Tch…"
Her grip slackened. Urfael slipped from her fingers, its green glow flickering out as the sword fell, clattering against the cracked ground.
And Rey collapsed.
Dooku exhaled slowly, his face grim but calm.
He pulled the blade from his own shoulder, his fingers tightening as he reached inward, tapping into the Force — a pulse of energy flowing into his wound, slowing the wound, sealing it just enough for first aid.
It was not perfect, but it would hold.
His eyes, sharp and thoughtful, drifted to the fallen girl at his feet.
That sword of hers… it clashed with my lightsaber without shattering.
He crouched slightly, his fingers brushing near the hilt where it lay on the ground, studying the faint marks where blade and plasma had met.
Beskar? No… … something darker.
Dooku rose slowly, his gaze sweeping the empty street, mind already racing through possibilities.
Who trained this one… and who is she connected to?