A month later…
/ Power Window /
Main Power: Copy (Time remaining to copy again: Ready to use), Copied Powers: Gravity Control (improved to Gravity Expansion), Super Strength (x 1.5 to base strength), Speed (x 1.4 to base speed), Visualize Powers (improved to Power System)
The smoke floated in the Pizarro cantina like a heavy cloud, trapped beneath the dim, flickering lights on the ceiling. Quiet conversations filled the space, creating a constant background noise, but those who knew this place well understood there was a corner where silence always reigned. It was the table where Smiling, the enigmatic ally of the Pizarro family, used to sit. Few knew his true name: Reith. To most in the underworld, he was simply Smiling, a nickname he had earned for his unchanging white mask and the smile etched upon it—one that never altered, regardless of the situation.
Smiling sat as always in the darkest corner of the place. In front of him, a half-empty glass of whisky reflected the ambient light. The mask rested on the table, but no one in the cantina dared to approach it, except for those who knew they could. Around him was an aura of respect, and above all, fear. Smiling was not a man to seek as an enemy.
From the other side of the cantina, heavy footsteps echoed. Nacho Pizarro, the strongest of the Pizarro brothers, made his way toward the table. With his imposing height and muscular build, Nacho always stood out anywhere he went, but before Smiling, the power dynamic was different. Nacho respected Reith, not only for his fighting ability but for the fearsome reputation he had built around himself.
"Smiling," Nacho said in his deep, hoarse voice, leaning slightly toward him. "Oskar wants to talk to you. There's a mission you need to be part of."
Reith, without looking up, took a small sip of his whisky. He knew that although Oskar sought him for important missions, the real power behind all this was Víctor, his mentor and key figure in the shadows. The Pizarros were allies, but he did not consider them his leaders. Víctor was the one who truly held authority in his life. Oskar, while powerful, was just another part of this intricate web of influences.
"What's it about this time?" Reith asked, still not looking at Nacho.
Nacho, maintaining his respectful posture, crossed his arms over his chest before continuing.
"It's something serious. The Hyeok. They've been moving in on our territory, looking for something that doesn't belong to them. Oskar wants you to teach them a lesson. But you know, they're not just any group of criminals. They're organized, lethal."
The Hyeok. Reith had heard of them before. A powerful family, structured almost like a military squad, with abilities that should not be taken lightly. Each of them was dangerous in their own right, and together they were an unstoppable force. Reith, or rather Smiling, felt a flicker of excitement at the idea of facing them. Not because he enjoyed combat itself, but because it pushed him to improve, to evolve.
"The Hyeok… interesting," Smiling said with a slight smile beneath the mask, finally placing the empty glass on the table.
"Oskar wants to see you before you go. He'll explain the details," Nacho added, leaning a little closer, as if what he was about to say needed to be kept secret. "And I know this is important, brother. So, are you coming?"
Reith stood up without saying more. He knew that if Oskar was involved, the matter had to carry considerable weight. But he also knew that before any important confrontation, there was an advantage he needed to obtain. Oskar Pizarro possessed a unique gift known as Zenkai, which allowed him to adapt in the midst of battle, becoming stronger as his opponent exceeded him in power. That was a gift Reith needed to copy, and he knew exactly how to do it.
Oskar's office was decorated with an opulence that seemed out of place in the dark, underground setting of the Pizarro base. The dark wood and leather furniture conveyed a sense of power and authority, something Oskar liked to project. When Reith entered, Oskar was behind his desk, reviewing some papers. Noticing Smiling's arrival, he looked up and smiled, although as usual, it was an empty smile.
"Smiling. Right on time. Take a seat; we have something important to discuss," Oskar said, gesturing to the chair in front of him.
Reith approached, but instead of sitting down, he remained standing, observing Oskar with a calculated calm. He knew that although Oskar tried to project authority, he was nothing more than a temporary ally, a cog in Víctor's larger plan.
"Nacho told me about the Hyeok. What do you want me to do?" Reith asked, his tone impassive.
Oskar smiled once more, clearly enjoying the feeling of control he believed he had. However, in his mind, he knew that Smiling was not a simple subordinate. Reith operated on his own terms, and that made him unpredictable.
"The Hyeok have been interfering in our operations. We don't know exactly what they're looking for, but they are invading territory that doesn't belong to them. I need you to go and stop them. I don't care how you do it, but I want them to understand that they cannot move around here without our permission. If you can, destroy them. If they survive, let it be only because they have learned to respect our terms," Oskar explained, his gaze hardening.
Reith did not respond immediately. In his mind, he was already analyzing the situation, but there was something he needed before going after the Hyeok: Oskar's power. If he was going to confront such a powerful family, he would need more than his usual abilities. He needed the ability to adapt to any situation, just as Oskar did with his Zenkai.
He slowly approached Oskar, extending a hand toward the papers on the desk as if he were interested in the details of the mission.
"Is there anything else I should know before I go?" Smiling asked while, almost imperceptibly, his fingers brushed against Oskar's skin.
In that brief contact, Reith's Power System activated. The sensation was almost electric, and in an instant, Zenkai was copied. An invisible window appeared before his eyes, displaying the new power he had acquired.
Copied Power: Zenkai
Improved Power: Super Advanced Adaptation (exponential increase in physical and mental capacities based on the level of threat).
Reith let the smile hidden beneath his mask expand. Now he had what he needed.
—That's all you need to know —Oskar replied, apparently unaware of what had just occurred.
—Good. I'll take care of the Hyeok —Smiling said, turning around and leaving the office without looking back.
Hours later, Smiling found himself on the outskirts of an abandoned warehouse where the Hyeok had set up a temporary base. From the outside, the building looked dilapidated, but Reith knew that what lay inside was a fortress. The Hyeok were not a common group of criminals; each of them had formidable skills, and together they formed an almost unbeatable team.
Inside the warehouse, Morgan Hyeok was organizing his brothers. His left eye shone brightly as he summoned several spectral warriors. Beside him, Cris, the master of atoms, adjusted his invisible structures, preparing to break down any threat. Ameli was quickly drawing in her notebook, projecting figures that would come to life, and Nick, with his massive physique, was ready for a fight.
—Smiling is coming for us. This won't be easy —Morgan said, his voice calm but firm.
—Then let's show him what we're capable of —Nick replied with a fierce grin.
Smiling entered the building like a shadow. His Advanced Adaptation power made him feel invincible. Each step he took was a demonstration of precision. He could sense traps and attacks before they happened. As he moved through the dark hallways, his senses sharpened, and his body responded to each threat before it materialized.
When he reached the center of the warehouse, the Hyeok were already waiting for him. The tension in the air was palpable. Morgan stood with his spectral summons at his side, while Cris, Ameli, and Nick formed a defensive barrier. They knew that Smiling was not just any opponent.
—Hyeok —Smiling said, his voice resonating in the hall—. I hope you're ready.
Morgan wasted no time. With a gesture, he sent his samurai warrior towards Smiling, who charged with his katana drawn, aiming for a lethal cut. But Smiling, using his adaptation power, simply deflected the attack, increasing the gravity around him and causing the samurai to collapse to the ground.
Cris tried to trap Smiling by breaking down the structure of the floor beneath his feet, but Reith countered the attack instantly, altering the atoms back to their original form.
The fight continued with increasing violence. Nick landed a punch, sending Smiling crashing into a stack of crates, but within seconds, Smiling stood back up. His adaptation ability made him stronger with every blow he received.
—Not bad, Hyeok —Smiling said with unsettling calm.
The battle reached its peak when Smiling, using his gravity power, disintegrated the golem that Ameli had projected. At that moment, he decided it was enough.
—This doesn't have to end like this —Smiling said, his voice echoing in the room.
Morgan, panting from the effort, stared at him intently. He knew that although they could continue fighting, the advantage was no longer on their side.
—What do you suggest? —Morgan asked cautiously.
—An alliance. You can operate in this territory, but under our rules. You'll have to ask Oskar… and Victor for permission. If you go ahead without it, the consequences will be worse than this fight —Smiling replied.
The Hyeok brothers exchanged glances, weighing their options. It was clear that Reith hadn't come just to destroy them. There was something more at stake.
—Alright —Morgan finally said—. We'll request an audience with Oskar.
A week later…
The Hyeok and the Pizarro had sealed their alliance. Félix Hyeok, from his makeshift office in the suburbs, observed the landscape while reviewing various documents that consolidated the terms of the agreement. Félix was a cunning man, with a strategic mind always three steps ahead. He knew that this truce with the Pizarro was temporary but necessary for his future plans.
—This is just the beginning —Félix murmured as his cold gaze scrutinized the papers on his desk.
A week had passed since the fight with the Hyeok, and the streets of the Pizarro territory were quieter than usual. The latent tension that typically vibrated between the factions of the underworld had diminished, but the agreement between the Hyeok and the Pizarro was not a guarantee of lasting peace. Everything was temporary, and both Reith and Oskar knew it. For most, Smiling—the name under which everyone knew Reith—had secured a moment of stability, but for those who could read the movements on the crime board, this was merely a pause before the next move.
Reith walked through the streets lit by dim streetlights, his figure wrapped in shadows, with the white mask covering his face, as always. He had fulfilled his part of the deal, facing the Hyeok and establishing the alliance, but something else kept him on edge. He knew that Félix Hyeok, the true mastermind behind the brothers, had bigger plans, and he wouldn't be surprised if all of this was just the beginning of something deeper.
As he moved through the silent streets towards the Pizarro headquarters, Reith couldn't help but replay the events of the previous week in his mind. The Hyeok were not the enemy he had imagined. Despite their reputation as a fierce and ruthless family, he had sensed something more during the battle: a sense of purpose, of calculated strategy beyond mere survival.
Upon arriving at the headquarters, the large rusted metal door opened before him with a creak. The guards watched him, knowing that although Smiling didn't answer directly to the Pizarro, his presence was always a sign that something important was about to happen. Reith walked through the long dark hallways until he reached a smaller, more private room where Victor and Oskar were waiting for him.
Victor, the mentor and true central axis of the operation, stood by a table full of documents. He was not a man who showed his power ostentatiously, but everyone knew that behind his calm demeanor lurked one of the most dangerous players in the underworld. Oskar, for his part, sat in a leather chair, wearing a serious expression as he examined a map of the territory.
—Smiling —Oskar said without looking up—. A week has passed since you made the deal with the Hyeok. And although they now allow us to operate without interference, we know this won't last forever.
Reith nodded, remaining silent as was his custom. His white mask reflected the dim light of the place, but beneath it, his mind was working quickly.
—Félix Hyeok —Oskar continued, setting the map aside—. That man is a problem. We know he controls his sons and that this agreement we made with them is nothing more than a distraction while he moves his pieces elsewhere.
Victor, who had remained silent until then, looked up and addressed Reith.
—Félix is smarter than he appears. But we can't show him our hand just yet. I want you to approach the Hyeok again. Make them believe that the alliance is solid and that we are willing to collaborate more closely. Félix is a man who values information, so let him think he can trust you. In the meantime, I want you to find out what he's plotting —Victor ordered with calculated calm.
Reith nodded again, saying nothing. He knew that Victor always played the long game and that the real battle was not fought only with fists and powers, but with information and strategy.
—The Hyeok are dangerous, but not invincible. Stay close, but without committing too much. We can't lose our advantage —Oskar added, his gaze finally finding the purple eyes behind Reith's mask.
—I will —Reith replied in his usual cold and firm tone.
A couple of days later, Reith found himself back in Hyeok territory, this time with a different purpose. He hadn't come to fight but to negotiate, or at least that was what Félix was supposed to think. He knew that Morgan, Cris, Ameli, and Nick still looked at him with a mix of respect and caution. After all, he had defeated their best skills, but this time, he wasn't there to fight. Not yet.
The place was the same warehouse where the battle had taken place the week before. This time, however, the atmosphere was more relaxed, though tension still hung in the air.
Félix Hyeok sat at a table at the back of the warehouse, accompanied by his sons. He was a man of calm appearance, but his mind was always at work. Félix was not someone who was swayed by emotions; every move he made was calculated. Reith knew this, and he also knew that Félix didn't fully trust the agreement with the Pizarro. But at that moment, appearances were important.
—Smiling —Félix said, looking up when Reith entered the room—. I'm glad to see you. It seems the agreement with the Pizarro is working… for now.
Reith slowly approached the table, his presence always imposing, though he didn't utter a single word beyond what was necessary.
—For now —Reith replied, keeping his voice neutral—. But I came with the purpose of talking for a while; I'm honestly bored.
Félix squinted, studying each word. He knew there was something more behind that offer.
—So talking, well, I'm very busy, you have my children here; go and get to know them; by your voice, you must be around the same age as my kids —Félix said.
In another place…
—In darkness, a shadowy figure shows where a smile is seen… That's very interesting; the Hyeok and Pizarro have united; things are going to get very interesting —said the unknown figure.