/ "Before I start, I am the author. I want to tell you that on my YouTube, the chapters are narrated; especially, there are images of the characters. So, if you're interested, check out the YouTube channel 'PatoEscritor,' all together. Well, I'll leave you with the chapter." / Previous Chapter Reith finds himself in a cantina filled with corrupt businessmen. Reith: "Can someone tell me who the boss is? Let's make this quick; I'm in a hurry." After he spoke, heavy footsteps echoed from a room. The silence was only interrupted by those steps until a person emerged from a door on the right side of the cantina, standing about 1.90 meters tall. This person had a muscular face, with black dreadlocks covering his head, dressed in a basic outfit of a black t-shirt and black pants, with white sneakers. Nacho Pizarro, Don: Iron muscle, height: 1.92 meters, age: 29 years, Title: Mutant Ant. Reith: "Wow, this guy is huge." Nacho: "Here I am." Reith: "Look, big man, we can do this the easy way, and you can give me the money you owe Grimson." Nacho: "Are you threatening me?" Reith: "Please, let's not waste time; we can handle this easily." Nacho: "What if I don't want to?" From the hollow eyes of Reith's mask, a purple hue became evident, causing the finely dressed people to collapse to the ground, but Nacho remained firm. Reith (in his mind): "So he's resistant… but it doesn't matter." Reith and Nacho stood in the center of a noisy cantina. The place was dimly lit, and the smell of alcohol filled the air. The wooden tables creaked under the weight of full glasses, and the few present diverted their gazes toward the palpable tension. Nacho, with his imposing iron muscle and nearly two-meter height, resembled a mountain of brute strength. His presence was intimidating, but Reith, with his small but sturdy masked figure, did not flinch. The hollow eyes of Reith's white mask glowed again in that purple hue, which had already knocked down several wealthy patrons, now sprawled on the floor like puppets without strings. However, Nacho remained unfazed, fixing a challenging gaze. Reith was the first to move. In a blink, his figure vanished from sight and appeared right in front of Nacho with a swift punch aimed at his stomach. But Nacho, with impressive reflexes, dodged to the side, feeling the dark pressure emanating from Reith. Nacho (in his mind): "So this pressure is his… I'll get used to it." Reith spun around, throwing an elbow toward Nacho's face. The giant blocked it with his forearm, but the impact resonated in the cantina like thunder, causing the bottles on nearby shelves to vibrate. Without wasting time, Nacho countered with a devastating hook aimed at Reith's head, but the masked man slipped beneath the blow like a shadow. The floor creaked under the weight of their movements. Nacho let out a fierce scream, lunging with a high kick aimed at taking Reith down once and for all. But Reith, agile as a snake, dodged once more, positioning himself behind his opponent. With a fluid motion, Reith raised his hand, and from his empty eyes surged a wave of dark energy. This time, there was no resistance. The crushing pressure that fell on Nacho was overwhelming. The giant's legs momentarily buckled, and although he tried to stay upright, Reith seized the moment to strike with surgical precision: a quick jab to the neck, another to the stomach, and finally, a straight kick to the chest. Nacho was sent crashing into one of the tables, shattering it under his weight. Gasping, he attempted to rise, but Reith was already on him, his empty gaze fixed on Nacho's. Reith (in a low voice): "I told you we'd do it the easy way." Not allowing Nacho to recover, Reith lifted him by the throat with one hand, his mask just inches from Nacho's sweaty face. With one final effort, Reith threw him against the wall, which creaked from the impact. The giant tried to get back up, but his body no longer responded. The cantina fell silent, except for the sound of Nacho's ragged breathing and the creaking of broken wood. Reith took a step toward him, surveying his work. Reith (whispering): "Grimson will get his money, I assure you." Nacho, defeated and humiliated, could barely move his lips in response. Reith, saying nothing more, turned and exited the cantina, leaving behind a trail of fear and respect among the few who remained conscious. Scene Change The air in the base was thick with tense silence, barely broken by Reith's firm footsteps as he entered the dark room. Víctor, standing by a table cluttered with disorganized documents, watched him with his usual serious expression, his eyes shining under the dim light. With his plastic gloves still on, he appeared to have been working on something important. Reith: "Old man… I'm back. Any other missions?" Víctor took a moment before responding, calmly removing his gloves and tossing them into a corner. Víctor: "No, no missions. How did it go with the problems?" Reith: "I made sure we won't have any more issues." Víctor let out a short, humorless laugh as he exited the room and approached Reith. His figure, marked by the wear of years and experience, radiated authority. Víctor: "I hope so, kid, because the Pizarros are complicated people. If you don't handle them well, they can turn against you." He stopped halfway, shaking his head as if he could already foresee the problems that might arise. But then, his tone softened. Víctor: "Well, kid… go take a shower, and then come eat. Dinner is ready." Reith nodded and retreated to another room without saying more. Víctor watched him leave, letting out a deep sigh. Víctor (quietly): "They grow up so fast…" A small smile appeared on his face, a mix of pride and concern. The Next Day A loud bang shattered the silence in a luxuriously decorated room, causing several men present to jump. The mahogany table had been struck with such force that a crack formed in its surface. The faces around it remained tense, attentive to the reactions of the man who had just hit it. Unknown Voice: "What do you mean my brother is hurt!? Who did this?" The voice belonged to a man of medium height but powerful build. His neck was covered in tattoos that extended toward his jaw, and his presence dominated the room. His muscles tensed under his shirt, ready to unleash contained violence. Oskar Pizarro, Don: Zenkai. Height: 1.76 meters. Age: 32 years. Title: "The Godfather." Oskar gritted his teeth as he listened on the other end of the line. His normally calculating eyes now shone with fury. He clenched his fist and struck the table again, this time with less force, but enough to rattle the glasses on it. Oskar: "I'll be there in an hour." Without waiting for a response, Oskar hung up the phone in a swift, brusque motion. The device lay on the table, rocking slightly, as he turned to his men. Oskar: "Get ready. We're going to settle the score." With a gaze filled with rage and determination, he headed for the door, his men following him in silence, knowing that what was about to come would be brutal. Scene Change The air felt dense, charged with a tension that could almost be cut. Oskar, flanked by two of his most loyal men, arrived at the base where Víctor and Reith operated. His face was a mask of contained fury, but his eyes sparkled with dangerous determination. Víctor was seated, waiting for him, his expression calm. Reith, standing beside him, remained still, his white mask hidden in the shadows of the room. Oskar: "You know very well why I'm here." His voice was icy. Víctor slowly stood up, his gaze fixed on Oskar, but with a calmness that bordered on reckless. Víctor: "And what do you want, Pizarro?" Oskar took a step forward, his hands clenching into fists. Oskar: "I want to know who dared to hurt my brother. And if it's your masked kid who did this, you'll have to face the consequences." Reith stepped forward, the violet glow of his eyes piercing through the shadows. Reith: "If you're here for revenge, I warn you that it won't end well for you." The tension in the room rose, like a rope on the verge of breaking. Oskar's men looked ready to attack at any moment, but the Godfather raised a hand to stop them. Oskar (smirking contemptuously): "Don't tell me how this will end. You owe me, and I'll make sure you pay for what you did." Victor crossed his arms, watching the scene unfold. He knew this confrontation wouldn't end here, and Oskar wouldn't back down without a fight. Reith was there, his white mask gleaming in the shadows, with that purple glow in his eyes making the atmosphere seem even more oppressive. Victor observed from a corner, arms crossed, waiting for the outcome. Oskar: "You're the one who hurt my brother." His voice was a low growl, loaded with contained rage. Reith: "Your brother didn't fulfill his part. I only did what was necessary." Reith's voice was calm, as if he had anticipated this confrontation. Oskar clenched his fists, his tattoos writhing beneath his tense skin. He stepped forward, fury visible in every muscle of his body. Oskar: "That doesn't justify what you did. But if you want to settle this with force, we'll do it my way." Reith tilted his head slightly, as if accepting the challenge without saying a word. The purple glow in his eyes intensified, and suddenly the air became heavier. Small objects around them began to tremble and lift off the ground; nearby bottles and glasses floated slowly, as if gravity had stopped working. Oskar noticed this, and his brows furrowed. Oskar's first attack was a lightning-fast straight punch, but Reith was ready. With a simple gesture of his hand, the gravity around Oskar suddenly intensified, as if an invisible hand were pushing him down. Oskar could barely maintain his balance as he felt his body becoming heavier. Reith (calmly): "Gravity control. A power I've perfected." But Oskar was undeterred. He propelled himself forward with force, defying the increased gravity and throwing a punch with all his weight. Reith, with a fluid motion, expanded his control of gravity, enveloping his body in an invisible barrier. Oskar's punch slowed just before impact, as if the air had become dense, and Reith barely had to lean to dodge the attack. Oskar (murmuring): "Interesting. Then I'll have to up the level." Oskar began to increase his speed and strength, and with each second that passed in the battle, he seemed to grow stronger. Reith noticed this, his "Power System" activated, allowing him to visualize the increases in Oskar's physical abilities. As the battle progressed, the numbers in front of his eyes changed, showing that Oskar was breaking through his own limits. Reith (thinking): "His power increases when the battle is not in his favor. If I keep raising the intensity, it could become a problem." Oskar launched a new attack, his speed now clearly superior to before, but Reith, with his own increase in speed and strength, matched the pace. Instead of completely dodging, Reith decided to use gravity more aggressively: with a quick gesture, he heightened the gravity around Oskar to the point where the ground beneath him cracked. Oskar paused for a moment, feeling the weight on his shoulders, but his smile didn't fade. Oskar (smiling): "The harder you make it, the stronger I become. You'll need something better than that." Reith stepped back slightly, extending his arms. The gravity around him expanded overwhelmingly, covering the entire room. Small objects were crushed to the floor, and Oskar began to feel his movements slow. Gravity was not only pushing him down; it seemed to emanate from Reith's very body, pressing in all directions. Oskar, however, roared and broke through that momentary gravity barrier. His movements were slower, but his power grew with every second he remained under pressure. Oskar: "You can't stop me with this, kid." Reith knew he couldn't maintain the gravity expansion indefinitely without exhausting his reserves. Furthermore, his power system indicated that Oskar was close to reaching a critical point in his ability to increase. Reith (thinking): "He's about to surpass his own limits. I can't prolong it." Deciding to change tactics, Reith reduced his gravity control, bringing the air back to normal, and launched himself at Oskar with his increased speed. The two exchanged blows at a speed almost invisible to the human eye, both pushing their bodies to the limit. The ground beneath them cracked and trembled with each impact. Finally, in a fierce exchange of blows, Oskar and Reith connected at the same time, both delivering devastating punches. The impact pushed them back several steps, gasping for breath. The air froze for a moment. Neither of them moved, assessing the situation. Oskar, sweating and breathing heavily, looked at Reith, who, although still standing, was clearly exhausted. Oskar (breathing deeply): "You're stronger than I imagined, kid. Few have been able to hold out this long against me." Reith, through his mask, simply looked at him in silence. Victor, who had remained in the shadows, watched the scene cautiously but did not intervene. Oskar finally dropped his arms, no longer in a fighting stance. Oskar: "Maybe… it was a mistake coming here looking for a fight. My brother made a mistake by not fulfilling his end with Grimson. If anyone failed here, it was him." The tension in the atmosphere began to dissipate slowly. Oskar took a deep breath, relaxing his fists. He approached Reith, now without hostility, and extended his hand. Oskar: "I respect you, kid. It's not common for someone to make me sweat like this. I think we can leave this behind us." Reith looked at him for a moment, and then, with a calm gesture, shook Oskar's hand. Reith: "I'm not looking for enemies, just ensuring things are done right." A small smile appeared on Oskar's face as he lowered his gaze for a moment. Oskar: "Maybe we can work together in the future. My brother made a mistake, but I see you're someone to be trusted. And I respect that." Victor, seeing that things wouldn't end in disaster, slowly approached the two. Victor: "Looks like it all turned out better than expected." Oskar nodded, looking at Reith with a mix of respect and admiration. Oskar: "Don't worry about my brother. He'll learn his lesson. And you and I, kid… I hope we can trust each other from now on." Reith, always silent, nodded. Although the battle had been fierce, they both knew they had gained something more valuable: an alliance forged in the heat of combat, and perhaps the beginning of a friendship that would serve them in the future. Reith: "Sure, I hope to trust you. If you need anything, you can find me here." Oskar: "So doing business even under these conditions… Hahaha I like you, kid. I hope so." Oskar turned his back and left, head held high and waving goodbye with his right arm, as he walked alongside his guards. Victor: "That's good, kid, we made a great alliance after all." Reith: "Truthfully, yes old man, I'm hungry now. Shall we grab something to eat?" Victor: "I don't feel like cooking, so let's go out and eat something, put on something decent. Scene Change As Reith and Victor headed towards the base exit, the atmosphere between them was much more relaxed. The cold silence of combat had dissipated, replaced by casual and even familiar conversation. Victor: "You know, kid, the fight wasn't so bad. Although I was about to intervene if Oskar went crazy." Reith, walking alongside him, observed the streets calmly, adjusting the cloak that partially covered his suit. Reith: "I trusted I could handle it, but it's always good to have someone like you backing me up, old man." Victor smiled, his eyes shining with almost paternal pride. Despite the toughness with which he had raised Reith, moments like this made him see that his work hadn't been in vain. Victor: "I've spent years teaching you how to fight and handle difficult situations. Now that I see you out there making decisions for yourself, I can say you've learned well." Reith glanced at Victor, a small smile barely. Reith: "You were a good teacher. I couldn't have done all this without you." They stepped out onto the city streets, the cool air welcoming them as the sun began to set. Their footsteps echoed softly on the pavement, and as they walked, the conversation flowed naturally, almost like a father and son talking about life. Victor: "What do you feel like eating? I have no intention of cooking again for at least a week." Reith: "Something simple. Anything, as long as we don't have to wait long. The fight left me exhausted." Victor let out a light laugh and placed a hand on Reith's shoulder. Victor: "I can imagine. Anyway, after a fight like that, the best thing is to celebrate with a good meal." Finally, after walking a couple of blocks, they arrived at a small restaurant on a corner. A modest place but with a delicious aroma filling the air. However, before they could enter, something in the atmosphere suddenly changed. A deafening noise and a flare shot up not far from where they were. Both turned to see what was happening. In the distance, a figure engulfed in flames moved rapidly through the streets, causing chaos and destruction in its wake. Citizens fled in terror as the fire consumed everything it touched. Reith, upon seeing the fire and explosions, immediately knew what was coming. Victor also recognized it, his eyes sharpening at the chaos. Reith: "Looks like we have a problem. It's a fire villain, isn't it?" Victor: "Yes, and by the magnitude of what he's doing, I'd say he's no nobody." Before they could do anything, a flash in the sky caught Reith's attention. He knew who it was before even seeing him clearly. Years ago, as a child, he had witnessed the power of that hero in action. He remembered it well, and now, seeing him in action again filled him with a strange mix of respect and nostalgia. Hero Xin, the symbol of hope and the number one hero, materialized before the villain with the same imposing presence that Reith remembered. Xin was muscular, with a prominent mustache that gave him a classic air, like the heroes of old. His white hair, slicked back, shone under the firelight, giving him an almost mythological appearance. Xin wasted no time. With a single movement of his hand, he cut through the space in front of him, as if tracing an invisible line in the air. In an instant, the flames surrounding the villain were absorbed, disappearing without a trace. Reith, with his eyes fixed on the scene, couldn't help but feel admiration. Reith: "That's Xin… He hasn't changed at all since the last time I saw him. His ability to cut space is impressive." Victor: "You know him well, huh?" Reith nodded, recalling his childhood. "When I had my parents, we used to be big fans of Xin. We saw him stop several villains using that same power. It's not just strength; it's precise manipulation of reality." Xin, muscular and self-assured, pointed again at the villain, who was still trying to use his fire powers. With another movement, he closed the distance between them, and within seconds, the villain was trapped in a crack Xin had opened in the air. As if he had been transported elsewhere, the villain vanished, surely taken to a special cell. Victor, watching from the side, let out a huff. Victor: "That's an impressive display of power. No wonder he's the number one hero." Reith, still fascinated, commented: "His ability to cut space allows him to control any situation. He can move whatever he wants, wherever he wants. He makes it look so easy, but I know there's overwhelming power behind that calm." Victor nodded, crossing his arms. Victor: "Yes, but even someone like Xin has his limits. Never blindly trust what you see. Everyone has a weakness." Reith smiled, understanding Victor's point. Although Xin was powerful, he had learned well the lesson that no power was infallible. Reith: "I've always kept that in mind. No matter how strong you are, there's always something more." After seeing the capture, the crowd applauded and cheered as Xin simply raised his arm to wave, his imposing figure floating in the air. Then, with one last gesture, he disappeared as quickly as he had arrived. Victor looked at Reith, satisfied that he hadn't had to intervene. Victor: "Well, let the heroes do their job. We have a meal to enjoy." Reith laughed, finally relaxed.