The fight was over. Mutreph had been defeated.
Bakuzan, Sakolomé and Bakuran, accompanied by the young humanoid mutants, made a final point before separating.
Zeltania approached Bakuzan, her gaze charged with hope.
— Bakuzan… promise me that you will come often to see me again in City C. I would so love to see you again one day.
Bakuzan looked at her with an annoyed air, without uttering a word.
Saramut then stepped forward and held out his hand toward him.
— I thank all three of you. Without you, Mutreph would already be in Monor City, sowing carnage.
Bakuzan shook Saramut's hand. The latter then greeted Sakolomé and Bakuran.
Mutjack, eyes shining with admiration, asked:
— I would like to know… how did you become so strong?
Bakuran burst into a loud laugh.
— Hehehe… It's a very long story!
Sakolomé dealt him a blow on the head.
— Ow! But what, Sakolomé?!
— Don't talk nonsense.
Sakolomé turned toward Mutjack, his gaze serious.
— Personally, I don't yet consider myself strong enough. There is always someone stronger than oneself. So I will only ask you to train relentlessly, to persevere. That is how we became what we are.
Bakuzan turned around.
— Good. It's time to leave.
Sakolomé and Bakuran joined him. A bluish aura enveloped all three of them, and they disappeared.
Mutjack sighed.
— Well, there… They're gone. Maybe we'll never see them again.
Mertana shook her head.
— Impossible. Me, I hope to see them again… and measure myself against them one day. Right, ErMut?
But ErMut was no longer really there. Lost in his thoughts, he seemed absent.
— Hey, ErMut, we're calling you! Don't you hear? said Saramut.
— Huh…? Ah… What's this about?
— It's not very important, answered Mertana.
Zeltania approached him, worried.
— ErMut… are you all right? I find you strange.
— Yes, me too, added Saramut. What's happening to you?
ErMut sighed at length.
— Nothing… I'm fine.
— You're lying, intervened Mutana. Tell us what's wrong. We're your friends, after all.
ErMut lowered his eyes.
— Fine… The truth is that I feel bad. Because of my ego, I nearly put millions of people in danger. It's crazy… Things so small can cause irreparable damage. Fortunately you didn't follow my stupidity.
— Huh? What's he talking about? asked Zeltania, perplexed.
— You weren't there, Zeltania. You can't understand, answered Saramut, approaching ErMut.
— ErMut… It's normal to make mistakes. You mustn't lament. The best thing is not to start again. Wouldn't you like to be able to beat Bakuzan one day?
ErMut finally smiled.
— That's my new objective, little sister. Damn… It's crazy how much I can love you all.
*****
Farther on, in the streets of Monor City, stretched a vast market. An innumerable crowd pressed there to sell and buy.
It was a market intended for the poor. The ground, rarely clean, turned to mud at the first rains, making even the passage of cars impossible. And this market was dangerous: forbidden merchandise was commercialized there, in secret.
That was where Amu came to sell her products. But that day, she was not alone. Her daughter, Salomé, was accompanying her. A rare thing.
They were sitting side by side.
— Salomé, don't go too far. Understood?
— Yes, mom.
Amu stood up.
— I'll be back. I'm going to buy us something to drink. Keep a good watch on the merchandise.
Salomé nodded. Her mother moved away.
— Right… Mom asked me to watch the merchandise.
Salomé stood up and began to play soldier. She picked up an old piece of wood and placed a broken coconut on her head, like a helmet.
— Tcrrrhh… Reporting here. Soldier Salomé is on patrol to watch over the market of Monor City. Over!
She placed the wood on her shoulder, like a rifle.
— What? You say I must essentially watch Madame Mom's merchandise, because it's worth gold? Received loud and clear, my general!
She began to walk on patrol around the stalls.
— Forward right!
A few steps to the right.
— Forward left!
A few steps to the left.
Out of the corner of her eye, a soccer ball rolled straight toward the merchandise.
— My general! There's an attack! I must stop it, and quickly!
Salomé struck the ball with her stick before it could touch the goods. The ball bounced and landed in her hands.
— Whose is this ball?
A young boy approached. He was about the same age as her.
— Hi… Please, can you give me back my ball?
— Yes. Take it.
He recovered it.
— Thank you very much.
— You're welcome. In the future, be very careful. My mom's merchandise was about to be knocked over. Fortunately Soldier Salomé is here!
She struck a heroic pose. The boy burst out laughing.
— Haha! You're funny. I'm really sorry about the ball. Say… can I play soldier with you?
— Yes, of course. You'll be soldier number two. Our mission: watch over President Mom's merchandise!
— Your mother's merchandise?
Salomé nodded.
— Yes.
— Okay. I accept. Where can I get a coconut like yours?
— Hey! It's not a coconut. It's my soldier's helmet!
The boy laughed even harder.
— You're too funny!
— Fine… We'll share. You take the helmet, and I keep the rifle.
The boy pouted.
— No. Me, I want the rifle. A rifle is super cool. A helmet is all rotten.
Salomé sighed.
— Okay. You take the rifle, and I keep the helmet.
She held out the piece of wood to him. He seized it.
— Thanks. You, take my ball.
Salomé took it.
— Thanks. We'll say it's a nuclear bomb.
— A nuclear bomb? Then give it to me, and you take the rifle!
— Hey! You'd better figure out what you want first, huh! answered Salomé, annoyed.
A woman suddenly arrived and seized the boy by the arm.
— What are you doing with the daughter of that Satsujin Otoko?
She tore the ball from Salomé's hands and looked at her with icy contempt.
— Satsujin Otoko are monsters. You disgust me.
— Huh…? murmured Salomé, taken aback.
— Shut your mouth, demon child. How dare you drag my son into your stupidities?
— But madam… We weren't doing anything wrong. We were just playing while watching my mom's merchandise.
The woman cast a glance at the stall.
— That merchandise there? For all we know, it's poison.
She approached and knocked everything onto the ground.
— No! Don't do that, please! screamed Salomé.
She tried to hold the woman back.
— Let go of me, demon child!
The slap cracked. Salomé collapsed sitting on the ground. The woman continued to destroy everything.
The scene attracted a crowd. People gathered, observing in silence.
Salomé, paralyzed, got up and turned toward them, eyes imploring.
— Please… Help me! It's my mom's merchandise she's breaking! Stop her, I beg you!
No one moved. The gazes were charged with contempt.
— Witch!
— Daughter of the devil!
— Demon!
The insults rained down. Salomé felt destroyed. Tears flowed down her face. Anger was rising… but suddenly, the words of her big brother Bakuzan came back to her memory.
"There's a strong chance that tomorrow you'll suffer the people's hatred. So, whatever form that hatred takes, stay calm. Don't strike back. Okay?"
Salomé collapsed to her knees and cried. Powerless. Alone. Facing the crowd that looked at her like a monstrosity.
The woman finished knocking everything over, took her son's hand and prepared to leave.
It was then that Amu returned, two drinks in hand. She saw the chaos.
— Salomé!!!
Salomé, still in tears, rushed into her arms.
— Mom… sniff… sniff… I… I'm sorry for… for everything…
Amu felt her daughter's terror. These people had frightened her. And that drove her out of her mind.
She turned toward the woman.
— What have you done to my daughter?
The woman clutched her son against her.
— Your daughter is a demon. Like you.
Then she moved away.
Amu clenched her teeth.
— Salomé is not a demon. In any case… I don't hold it against you. Heaven will know how to take care of your case.
The little boy turned around for a moment. Ashamed, he murmured in a low voice:
— I'm really sorry, Salomé… You've really got a pretty name…