Helena: What the hell was that noise?
Max: Chill, it's nothing. Just some brats testing the patience of a demon.
Helena: Huh?
Max: Forget it. Wanna stuff your face with cheesy burritos, just how you like 'em, babe?
Helena (smirking, surprised): What's gotten into you? You're in a mood today—who even are you right now?

Meanwhile…

The explosion devoured two whole houses around us, but somehow we were still breathing. Everyone shielded themselves however they could—except the bastard who caused it. His power wrecked everything except himself, 'cause that's how shit works in this messed-up world.

But right before everything blew sky-high, he managed to slam my skull into the ground. The pavement cracked, and I almost blacked out, but I snapped back fast to finish the job. I twisted around, grabbed the arm he'd used to claw at my face, locked it between my legs, and snapped it. Then I pulled my last trick—the one that always lets me out-speed my master: my Key, a device that teleports me anywhere I can picture. I spun mid-air, balanced on the wall behind me for a heartbeat to aim, then kicked off hard, hitting the Key's button. A portal flashed, and I shot through…

Time crawled. I spotted the asshole trying to grab María from the left. Rage boiled up. I knee-dropped his teeth, shattering his jaw. But I was moving too damn fast. When I crashed into the wall—right fucking there—his skull split against it. Then everything exploded. I barely shielded me, María, and her mom by hardening the ground into rock, sweating and bleeding to make it hold. Thanks to my master, I'd unlocked two skills: Pyrokinesis and Geokinesis.

I had to protect her mom solo 'cause she was too far. Now that María's with me, I can breathe. Dropping the earth shield, I muttered:
"Now I gotta figure out how to explain this mess. They'll pin it on me if these pricks escape… and I just offed two of 'em."

María (stunned): Don… is that you?
Fire User: You're worse than a cockroach—you never die!
Don (to the sobbing girl, weakly): Easy there. They won't lay a finger on you again.

She bawled and clung to me like glue. I lowered the earth shield over her mom and growled: "Go to her. Try to… wake her up… and run. Now."
María: But… you're bleeding!
Don: If I'm standing, I'm fighting. You wanna be strong? Start by saving your mom. Go.
María: Okay! Mamá!

Don (to himself): Fuck! My regeneration's busted when I need it most. Shouldn't have jumped in reckless. Never again.

No time to rest. Still two problems: the fire user in front and that slimy water bastard behind me, who just popped up and hasn't shown his full hand. But I'm done playing hide-and-seek. I stopped holding back my transformation, shattering the potion's suppression—my true form fights the effects over time. My veins lit up, my eyes reverted, and as my tail started forming… I felt sadness. Like I'd lost something vital. Again. The void turned to rage, and for a split second, I heard laughter—hysterical, happy laughter. I shut it down. Going full monster ain't worth blowing my cover. I forced the transformation back, chugged another potion, and cursed: Idiot. Now I've only got one dose left for two days. Not. Enough. Gotta make it work.

Boss: I don't know how you survived, but you're one twisted fuck. What the hell were you thinking?!
Fire User: Sorry, boss!
Boss: You killed two of my men. You're not walking away unscathed. Should've fled, dumbass—now you die!

Like my master said: "Evil just exists, but humans perfected it." Time to make these pricks choke on their own shit.

Both attacked at once. The boss hurled a wave of ice spikes growing bigger every second. I threw up a stone shield, but his attack pierced through, gouging a hole. The fire asshole sprayed flames nonstop. I blocked, then slammed both walls forward at full speed, crushing everything toward them. The fire idiot amped his blast, stalling my wall—bought me seconds. Gotta end this without accidentally killing 'em. But the water freak's pissing me off. No matter what I did, he kept coming.

Water User (stunned): Who the hell are you?! How do you have two skills?!

[Far off, unnoticed in the chaos, eyes watched from the moonlit sky—fixated on Don. A woman, ethereal and deadly, silver hair cascading to her waist, glowing faintly. Her sapphire eyes pierced the dark, ears slightly pointed, a coiled serpent tattoo behind one. The wind kissed her hair, revealing a predator's grin.]

I didn't answer. Raised my hands, summoning rocks orbiting me like a goddamn asteroid belt, flames dancing in my palms. His face twisted—first envy, then that same cocky smirk.

Water User (laughing): Interesting.
Water User (screaming): INTERESTING!