The school, marked by the disappearance of the six students, was now empty.

The hallways, once alive with voices and echoes, were now nothing but silent walkways. All the students had been released.

The police, deployed en masse, had sealed off the building. Yellow tape marked the entrances. A heavy silence reigned, broken only by the flashes of cameras.

Checking the surveillance cameras, investigators immediately recognized the phenomenon:

identical to the one that had occurred three months earlier, all over the world.

A fear thought buried was resurfacing:

the return of extraterrestrials.

The television stations interrupted their programs. Headlines followed one after the other:

— “Return of unknown entities?”

— “Earth threatened again?”

A shudder ran through the country.

The world held its breath.

AT ARNAUD’S

The living room was bathed in an unearthly silence.

Arnaud's parents held their phones without moving. His father struggled to breathe, one hand on his forehead, the other on his heart.

A few neighbors were there, but no one spoke. There was nothing to say.

His father stood up. He mustn't break down. Not yet.

He had to pick up the two youngest from school.

He left the house, forcing a smile for the neighbors.

AT TRAFALGAR'S

His sister, Alisha, had called from Canada.

Relatives, too far away, tried to comfort him by phone, mixing worry, incomprehension, and compassion.

The family, still new to the neighborhood, was alone in their house... without their son.

AT ALBERT'S

Deadly silence.

Albert, the only child of a modest family.

Hope. The brilliant student. Gone.

His parents weren't even crying anymore. They were frozen, like two broken statues, holding a framed photo of their son. Their gazes were blank.

AT MAXIME'S

The little brothers, just home from school, were crying.

The parents were whispering in low voices.

"He'll be back... right?"

"Of course, sweetheart. He'll be back..."

At Bass's, his best friend's, about ten young people had gathered.

Some were crying. Others were furious.

The neighborhood star had just passed away.

The parents, the impassive older brother, the sobbing grandmother, the aunts, uncles, cousins... all were there.

And at the center, the reason for this family reunion:

Bass's newborn little brother, who broke the silence with his cute laugh, oblivious to the tragedy.

AT LEON'S (SHADOW)

Here, the grief was raw. Animal. Violent.

His mother, widowed for six months, was holding her son's dirty laundry basket.

She was now alone. After the death of her husband.

After the arrest of her other son, for a crime he surely hadn't committed.

And now... this.

She was crying. With all her being. With all her soul.

What was happening to her was unbearable.

Neighbors surrounded her, silent.

Because there are no words to console a mother who loses her last child.

All over the country, a single question burned on their lips:

And now... what's going to happen?

IN EXITCODE

The humanoid tiger growled. He had straightened up. Claws smoking. Gaze blazing.

Shadow and Arnaud, facing him, were dancing with death.

"Dude... what's this all about?!" Trafalgar stammered, already hiding behind a tree.

"This thing is indestructible!" Bass raged, holding Maxime back.

Arnaud and Shadow dodged, countered, united like two sharp blades.

"But... how did they get so strong?!" Albert wondered.

A wry smile lit up Arnaud's face.

"You want to know? Don't worry.

We'll show you."

A FEW MINUTES EARLIER

Everyone was on the ground, crushed by the tiger's power.

It was slowly advancing towards Maxime. Ready to finish him off.

Suddenly, a fruit fell from the tree Arnaud and Shadow had crashed into.

Scarlet red. Adorned with golden symbols floating in the air, like a living aura.

Arnaud held out his hand and read in a low voice:

“This fruit grants tenfold physical strength for 15 minutes. Only one dose per day. Any excess corrupts the body.”

“A booster,” whispered Shadow.

“Shall we eat it?” asked Arnaud.

“Of course,” replied Shadow, snatching the fruit from his friend’s hands.

They each ate half.

A shiver ran down their spines.

The world seemed to slow down around them.

“GO GO GO!” shouted Shadow, already standing up.

The others’ eyes turned towards the tiger, which roared louder.

“Wait… do we say something cool when we hit?” asked Arnaud, all smiles.

“Are you stupid or what?!” growled Shadow.

“No, seriously!”

The tiger raised its paw.

- It’s showtime it's good ? 

—Yeah, let's go, you crazy bastard.

BACK TO THE PRESENT

Arnaud's fist slammed into the tiger's chin.

The impact shook the ground. The monster was thrown into the air, screaming in surprise.

Shadow intercepted him. A kick to the back of the head.

The tiger crashed down heavily, creating a crater.

“Ah, so that's how it happened…” said Albert.