As Mario made his way through the treacherous halls of Bowser's Castle, which still bore the scars of the recent explosion, he finally arrived at the throne room. There, he beheld the sight of Bowser, sprawled across his throne, seemingly defeated. But what caught Mario's attention even more was the presence of a mysterious figure in a black robe, who Mario quickly identified as Kamek.
Confusion gripped Mario as he questioned aloud, "What the hell happened here?" His words hung in the air, and before he could register the danger, Kamek unleashed a powerful beam of energy at him. Mario's reflexes kicked in, enabling him to avoid the attack swiftly.
With determination in his eyes, Mario dashed towards Kamek, delivering a powerful punch that seemingly connected. However, to his surprise, the blow missed by a mere inch, leaving him mystified. Before he could react, Kamek unleashed a force that sent Mario crashing back to the ground, leaving him dazed and trying to make sense of what had just occurred.
Meanwhile, Kamek began to cast a spell, summoning a massive Shadow Ball aimed directly at Mario. Realizing his imminent defeat, Mario reluctantly accepted his fate, prepared to face the devastating blasthead-on.
But in a profound twist of fate, a female spirit appeared before him, her ethereal form glowing softly. "Mario..." she whispered, her voice a gentle breeze within his mind. Mario's curiosity piqued, and he listened intently as she continued, "The Odin Star, it must be destroyed." With her words, a mysterious core materialized on Mario's chest, pulsating with an otherworldly energy. The spirit urged him to wield this power wisely.
