The city was no longer a city.
It was a battlefield.
Smoke rose into the night sky, blending with the cold mist left behind by Gonzalobrama. Buildings were shattered, streets torn apart, and distant sirens cried like echoes of a dying world.
Jon stood at the edge of the rooftop, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Flames flickered weakly around his fists, unstable… fading.
"We… we didn't stop it…" he whispered.
Below, the river slowly calmed. The massive presence of Gonzalobrama had vanished into the abyss once again.
Not defeated.
Just retreating.
Waiting.
Elisa dropped to her knees, her violet ice dissolving into thin air. Her hands trembled.
"It's too strong… we didn't even hurt it…"
Torrent clenched his jaw, trying to lift a broken piece of concrete nearby—but it barely moved before crashing back down.
"I can't control it… not like this…"
Eric punched the ground in frustration, cracking the rooftop beneath him.
"Next time, I won't hold back!"
Charls said nothing.
His glowing eyes scanned the horizon, processing everything at an inhuman speed. Data, possibilities, outcomes… all flowing through his mind.
And then—
The sound of blades cutting through the air.
Helicopters.
Dozens of them.
Bright lights flooded the rooftop, blinding and oppressive.
"TARGETS LOCATED!"
Within seconds, soldiers surrounded the building. Armed units filled every entrance. Snipers locked onto them from nearby rooftops. Drones hovered above like mechanical vultures.
The American Souls had arrived.
"Do not resist!" a voice ordered through a loudspeaker.
Jon stepped forward, flames barely reigniting around his hands.
"We don't have a choice…"
Elisa stood beside him, her ice reforming weakly.
"We can't fight them like this…"
Eric cracked his knuckles.
"I can."
Torrent shook his head.
"They're everywhere…"
Weapons were raised.
"Final warning! Surrender now!"
Silence fell for a split second.
Then—
Charls stepped forward.
"Wait."
His voice was calm. Too calm.
Everyone turned to him.
From his jacket, he pulled out a small metallic device glowing with blue energy.
Jon frowned.
"What is that…?"
"A way out," Charls replied.
The soldiers aimed directly at him.
"DROP IT NOW!"
Charls didn't move.
Instead, he pressed the device.
Reality distorted.
The air twisted.
A blinding flash consumed everything—
And in an instant…
They were gone.
Silence.
The rooftop was empty.
Only the wind remained.
Moments later, the five teenagers reappeared inside a dark, abandoned warehouse far from the city center.
Jon collapsed to one knee, breathing heavily.
"What… what just happened…?"
Charls leaned against a wall, exhausted.
"Teleportation… but unstable… we can't use it too often…"
Elisa looked around, still shaken.
"You… saved us."
Charls shook his head slightly.
"No. I just delayed what's coming."
The weight of his words filled the room.
They had powers.
But they were not ready.
Not even close.
Hours passed in silence.
The reality of their defeat sank deeper into their minds.
They had faced a monster…
And lost.
Jon finally stood up. His expression had changed.
"We were weak."
No one argued.
He looked at each of them.
"If we stay like this… next time, we die."
Elisa slowly stood.
"Then we get stronger."
Eric smirked.
"Now you're talking."
Torrent nodded quietly.
"We train. No limits."
Charls remained silent… but he didn't disagree.
Days turned into weeks.
And the training began.
Jon pushed his fire to its limits.
At first, it burned wildly, consuming everything around him. But slowly, he learned control. He compressed his flames into smaller, hotter bursts. His fire became sharper… more precise… more deadly.
He could now focus all his power into a single strike capable of melting steel instantly.
Elisa evolved her ice.
It was no longer just cold—it became violet crystal energy.
She created shields, spikes, blades… even entire structures of ice. Her control became elegant and lethal. She could freeze the ground instantly, slowing enemies before they even realized it.
Torrent transformed completely.
His telekinesis expanded far beyond simple movement.
He could stop objects mid-air, redirect attacks, and create invisible force barriers. At his peak, he could lift entire sections of debris and crush them with pure mental force.
Eric mastered his strength.
He learned to control his power, not just release it. His speed increased, his reflexes sharpened. Every punch became precise, devastating, unstoppable.
He was no longer just strong.
He was a weapon.
And Charls…
Charls evolved differently.
He built.
Day and night, he worked on machines, devices, systems. His teleportation device became more stable. He created drones, scanners, even a prototype combat suit interface.
Technology bent to his will.
But something about him changed.
He spoke less.
Watched more.
Calculated everything.
They were getting stronger.
But they didn't know—
They were being watched.
Deep underground, inside a classified facility, a meeting was taking place.
A woman stood in front of several high-ranking officers.
Her expression was calm. Controlled.
"Payment confirmed?" she asked.
"One transfer. Three million dollars," an officer replied.
She smiled slightly.
"Good."
Behind her, a screen lit up.
The faces of the five teenagers appeared.
"I told you they were special," she said.
The officer leaned forward.
"And the weapon?"
Her smile widened.
"It's ready."
The screen changed.
A massive machine appeared. Dark. Metallic. Covered in glowing energy cores.
A weapon designed for one purpose: destruction.
"A device capable of eliminating any target… including that creature."
The officer's eyes gleamed.
"Impressive."
He paused.
"And the kids?"
The woman turned slowly.
Her face was revealed.
The orphanage director.
Cold.
Unfamiliar.
"They were never important," she said.
"They were just… subjects."
Back in the warehouse, Jon suddenly felt something.
A heat.
Stronger than before.
Unstable.
He looked at his hand as flames erupted violently.
Something was changing.
Inside him.
Inside all of them.
He looked at the others.
"We're not ready yet…"
His voice hardened.
"But next time… we won't lose."
Far beneath the ocean…
In the frozen darkness…
An eye opened.
Gonzalobrama was awake.
Its body slowly moved, evolving, adapting.
Growing stronger.
And this time—
It was not running.
It was preparing.
To be continued… 😈🔥
😭C