Neopolitan: Beyond Ever After (The Girl From Another World) - Part 1

by Calavera de Comala

After failing to ascend, Neo finds herself trapped in Zenith, a world obliterating other forsaken planets. Confronted by a mysterious organization called The Zodiac, she will embark on an incredible odyssey that tests the limits of her imagination. However, she may discover new friends who help her face the adversities ahead. Spin-off and spiritual successor to the RWBY series.

18. Trust and Doubt (III)

Trust and Doubt (Final Act)

"You two defeated the legendary Gamagami?" I did my best to keep my voice low. "Increíble, teniente!"

But I was astounded by the tale of two young IZA soldiers dealing with one of the most heinous Grimm I've heard about. I always thought Gamagami was a mythological monster the Taiyoujin made up to keep children away from lakes, and therefore, Kappa and Koi Grimm.

As Tea and I heard Wuneng's story, the restaurant filled with more clients, and she had finished eating her two sushi feasts.

"It's not that inkredible. We were unable to prevent casualtiesss." The Shénxiàrén (神夏人) lieutenant drank from her sakazuki with regret. "I shared that story to give ya an idea of what kind of person my friend is. She ish too gullible for her own good."

"Her heart seems to be in the right place though." Now more composed, I gulped down my fill of sake.

"And that'sss why she got into trouble. The mime girl took advantash of her..." The sour beauty broke an empty crab's shell. "I hate that ice cream goblin sooo mush!"

Tea tittered while I put my sakazuki on the table. Wuneng was not only pissed off but also drunk.

However, the drink wasn't having much effect on me. Compared to tequila and mezcal, I found the sake tame. If anything, this Taiyoushu was the cleanest alcohol I'd ever tasted. Its flavor was pure and nice, not as rough and strong as I expected, probably because it was not a product from Grimm-infested agaves.

It's been years since I 'drank' a Larva Grimm... Roberto and his silly bets.

"Teniente, did I hear right that Yuzuki (優月) and you activated multiple aura layers during the mission?" I ate a wagyu sushi dish. The captain got me curious about the taste of this highly graded meat.

"Yusu-Ki?" She stared at me with confusion.

For an instant, it felt like she didn't know to whom I was referring, despite that being the name of her mission partner.

...

"Ah, yes! I lob that baaaka!" The drunk lieutenant smacked her head with a smile.

"We've sssemblances I cannot tell you about... But I can tell you we are n-not limited to the fizycal..." She awkwardly raised her sakazuki. "Eteric aura laier."

What happened with all those abstinence codes you mentioned?

Judging by her tale, both could use the Physical and Emotional Layers, like Araknim. On the other hand, Silver Moth used his Mental Layer to expand the range of Eusociality and project psychokinetic fields around him.

Less than 1% of the global population consisted of active semblance users and fewer had ever unlocked a second aura layer. Historians and Semblance researchers stated that the extraordinaire occurs when one masters 3 Aura Layers. Although the percentage of humans in recorded history who have accomplished such an insane feat was abysmally small:

Not even 0.1%.

"It's easier to unlock more aura layers for combat when one is a proficient semblance practitioner." I poured what remained in the flask into her flat cup. "Kudos to Yuzuki and you, teniente."

I couldn't distinguish if her face reddened because of my compliment or the sake. Honestly, I was glad Wuneng drank most of it due to her refusing my help to cover our alcohol expenses. But I insisted on at least paying for my last sushi dishes. Irigami treating me to a sublime omakase was more than enough.

"Calavera, what about y-you? Ever killed a level 4? Shurely you got an anecdote." She jovially drank her final sake fill.

...

"No, I've seen a couple but..." I took my time answering carefully. "Other members of La Familia Calavera dealt with them. My greatest merits are linked to criminals' arrests."

"Ó... You are the current Calavera operating in Olvido, rait?" I silently nodded to her question. "Heroic stories about your lineage have made it to Riuuu- Ryuutairiku."

Thanks for the courtesy, but I know even people on the other side of the world have heard about our misfortunes.

"Who was the previoush one?" The IZA soldier closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead with an index finger.

...

"My father." I apprehensively responded before piling our empty sushi plates.

Tea was about to react but a chime from the other side of the table got our attention. Wuneng took out her holodial to read a holo-message. Whatever she read, it made her attitude take a turn for the worse.

"I-It's from the big bad wolf. He wants us to tune in that rat's transmisssion." The drunk lady looked beautiful even while frowning and insulting others.

Esperen. Rat?

...

Ah, she likely means Byron, that weird politician.

"Thinkin about those 2 gives me a headache. Pleassse, tune in the stream, Tea..." The sick lieutenant handed the holodial to the gynoid and leaned on her booth seat. "Wǒ xiǎng tǔ (I wanna throw up)!"

I have no idea what Wuneng said but she can't handle her sake.

•

"Good evening, fellow citizens." Charlie Byron said formally as he stood behind a blue podium with an eagle emblem.

He was dressed similarly as the day we met: White business suit, black vest, rimless glasses, and a red and blue striped tie.

Ever since the lockdown was imposed, the head mayor addressed this region's inhabitants through short streams transmitted from what looked like a press conference room, with a UNNM flag and a wine-colored curtain in the background.

"Today marks two days since the evil bioterrorist Neopolitan threw into chaos our great union for a third time." Staring at the camera and likely reading from a teleprompter, the solemn politician reminded viewers of Sally Island and Brick City's incidents.

"These last days have been rigorous for everyone. To protect the lives of our people, a strict lockdown had to be ordered. Once more we traded our freedom for the sake of our security. And once more, we were reminded of the lives lost at Sally Island... The thousands of innocents who perished during Neopolitan's despicable act... Even after a full year, it's tough to assimilate those sickening images and come to terms with that tragedy. We still mourn and grieve the families whose lives were taken from us that devastating day..." The head mayor paused to shift his downhearted stance.

"But we must also remember that Neopolitan keeps targeting our fellow Nuovas because, in the eyes of the world, we are the brightest symbol of unity, liberty, and equality." His deject was replaced by a more sanguine and patriotic attitude.

The incredulous Shénxiàrén soldier shook her head. Tea tapped twice on the floor.

When he says Nuovas, does he also mean Olvidados? Or just those who live in the UNNM?

"And unlike a year ago, we were ready to defend ourselves and respond to emergency posthaste. That's why regardless of these dark times; I'm proud to announce that Neopolitan's latest terrorist act on Nuova soil has been thwarted!" Byron vigorously declared as he gripped the edges of his podium.

The lieutenant and I exchanged confused glances. Tea kept tapping on the floor.

"Today, IZA and Copper Suburb's police department confirmed they uncovered the terrorists' base of operations! A clandestine lab where Neopolitan and her accomplices were fabricating weapons of mass destruction!" The demagogic politician proclaimed to the camera, raising a closed fist.

An abashed Wuneng covered her face with both hands while the gynoid's taps continued.

Qué diablos!?

None of the warehouses we inspected had dangerous lab equipment or bioweapons lying around. Much less the tiny apartment we investigated.

"Teniente, was there a secret lab Tea and I weren't informed about?" Disconcerted, I ignored the stream to demand an explanation from the military lady.

"I'm sorry, Calavera! I've no clue what that crazy rat is talking about. There were no new findings today, except for the apartment you discovered." She frantically bowed to me. The bewilderment had sobered her up.

"Thanks to our appropriate response plan the terrorist absconded without triggering off a bioweapon in our boroughs. Tonight, we celebrate a triumph over evil and the effectiveness of our agencies. Tonight, we commemorate the great heroes, who averted a second tragedy that sought to claim thousands of victims. Tonight, we proclaim to the world that our strong union stands firm and is not afraid of bioterrorists. Rather, the unwavering Nuova resilience frightened Neopolitan and made her retreat!" Filled with fervor, the mayor hit the podium with his fist.

Naturally, my robotic partner was still tapping on the floor.

If the mayors had done their job and repaired the sea barrier, we would've captured Neopolitan by now.

"Military restrictions and regulations are imperative to protect ourselves from further attacks. Nonetheless, I convinced IZA and other authorities to lift drastic restrictions instead of increasing their number and severity, so these don't hamper our way of life and hinder our economy. I dictate: There is no need for embargoes, for this is the land of freedom!" The passionate politician raised his voice and pointed up with an index finger.

The ballerina's taps weren't stopping.

She might as well be communicating in Morz code.

"The search to bring Neopolitan to justice is underway but revisions and inspections will be expedited, especially those concerning Dust and... Food imports." Byron announced with awkwardness. It appeared something in his mind briefly bugged him.

"It really is about sushi at the end of the day." Still mortified, Wuneng said aloud what I was thinking.

To be fair with Irigami, Taiyou cuisine is a top-notch delight.

"I ask of you to stand with our agencies. This is a fight our union is destined to win. We must not lose hope and faith, for bioterrorism may shatter the steel of our buildings but it cannot shatter Nuova determination!" The patriotic mayor hit his chest twice with a palm.

"I hope whoever wrote that gets fired." The aggravated military lady crossed her arms.

Teniente, you don't understand. It's a clever metaphor because it doesn't matter that Neopolitan made Condor Tower collapse. The steel of a Nuova heart is stronger than that of Bright Island's buildings. UNNM is not its flashy cities. UNNM is its people...

Trite, hacky, and mawkish?

Sure.

An easy way to exploit a crisis and obtain support?

You bet it.

An effective method to make voters forget political negligence?

Absolutely!

But hey, it could be worse. Unlike certain politicians in Olvido, at least he's not relying on-

"Rest assured, divine providence is on our side. As Psalm 12 says: Although I tread the Vale of Darkness, I shall no fear the wicked, for the heavenly lord is present with me, and his wisdom provides strength and guidance." Byron went back to reading the teleprompter with a solemn tone.

There isn't much difference between a brainwashing cult leader and a media-savvy 'politician'.

I suddenly remembered that among all the presidents of UNNM and Olvido elected during my lifetime, I viewed only one as a decent politician. And against all odds, he was an Olvidado...

So was the runner-up.

"Thank you, good night. And may the lord bless our great union." The head mayor wrapped the flag around his body with his left hand.

"Nuova!" And with his other raised hand, he made an improper gesture.

Isn't that a fascist salute?

"I hate that rat!" Wuneng flipped over the holodial, sparing us further secondhand embarrassment.

•

"Tea, may I ask you something?" My investigation partner and I were walking through Principal Park toward our hotel. "Did Byron lie when I met him?"

It was past 10 pm. We had bid the gorgeous lieutenant farewell, and I had changed into my civilian attire.

The blonde girl abruptly ceased her robotic walk. Her right eye twitched and her head jerked a bit. These were the signature movements that indicated she was experiencing internal conflict.

"Forgive me, Max. You aren't allowed to overwrite his directives." Regaining her composure, she resumed walking beside me.

"What were Irigami and Byron's directives? Don't force yourself to reply if you aren't allowed to." I tactfully and respectfully asked, to demonstrate I wasn't angry with her.

"..." But all I got from her was silence and more eye twitching.

Extraño. How could she reveal Byron lied tonight but not the other day? What allowed her to bypass that dishonest mayor's command?

...

Could it be that she can expose Byron's lies when we aren't in the same room?

"Max, during the dinner I detected an incongruity that may be of interest." Out of the blue, she pulled my suit jacket to suggest we stop.

She is changing the subject.

"Okay, what bothers you, Tea?" Sensing she wanted to talk about something important, we halted before reaching a park exit.

...

I thoughtfully listened to the gynoid for the next minute.

"What do you infer from this?" She spoke with a troubled expression, uncommon for her.

"Momento. Are you sure what you're telling me is correct!?" She nodded to my upset question.

I stood motionless and speechless, hoping for once she was mistaken.

•

"¿Quién es esta María Calavera!?" My distressed sister welcomed us to our hotel room by almost shoving the opened binder in my face.

Right, we have another big problem on our hands.

Since Tea learned Hispañol during the afternoon, the following conversation was in our mother language.

"Wish I knew. Ask Neopolitan how she discovered our secret." I shrugged with fake indifference, sitting on the accent chair close to the room's bed.

"Are you suggesting this huntress is a blood relative? There's a María Calavera in our family tree but she passed away decades ago." Tea and CC sat on the bed.

"Add that her physical appearance, semblance, and signature weapon don't resemble our tatarabuela's." My statement made them gaze at the binder in my sister's hands.

"And she didn't look like a gender-bent you." CC remarked with awe, admiring Neopolitan's colored sketches.

"Yeah... Peculiar." I hunched to re-examine that entry.

This individual counted with illustrations that depicted her as a young and old woman. While staring at these, I couldn't avoid thinking Neopolitan assumed my gender wrong.

Also, I find it improbable an Olvidada would name her semblance and weapons in Anglese.

"What even is a Remnant or Ever After? Shouldn't María's entry be on the Zenith section?" CC flipped pages till she made it to the entries of the adventurous Sharpluck Hums and the alluring Milady de Frost.

As much as I wanted to show Wuneng the illustrations of the blue-haired girl named Phoebe, it was probably safer to share this information with Tea, so she could help me search for her without asking dangerous questions.

"I'm as lost as you are. But now you know why I must find Neopolitan before anyone else. It's the only way to get to the bottom of this mystery." I was pushing myself to speak and analyze everything with calmness.

"... I'll get rid of this binder! We need to erase all evi-" Mi hermanita briskly stood up. She was about to use her side cape to do something irreversible.

"Espérate, CC." I took the binder from her. "That idea crossed my mind. But once I cooled my head, I realized she may be looking for it. That binder could provide us leverage against her."

I also didn't destroy Neopolitan's homemade notebook because I knew these would help convince my family to let me pursue the mysterious girl.

"Best-case scenario, we are overthinking and being paranoid about this. Maybe the notes unrelated to Zenith are for a comic or novel." I closed the pink binder and sat back on the chair.

"Are you insinuating she made an OC (original character) based on our renowned family?" Changing her dubious attitude, she gasped in excitement. "A Calavera fangirl!"

"Ok, I'm being too optimistic. But when I met her, she certainly was taken aback by the Calavera attire. María's entry would explain why." I struck my fidgeting leg with the binder.

"... Maxie, why does a bioterrorist know about our family's curse?" Carla's concerned inquiry immobilized me.

...

"Call our parents and explain the situation to them. I doubt they will know something but it's worth a try. Tea and I will head to Copper Amusement Park, in search of more leads." I stroke the binder's cover.

"I'll go with you." CC grabbed Tea's hand, who blinked with robotic sounds in response.

"No. Lieutenant Wuneng will be there and-" A weird sensation in my hand made me look down.

It was the tree in relief on the cover.

[Calavera, do you know what is that tree in the background?]

"And?" Paying my sister no mind, I opened the binder to search for a specific entry.

...

[A scary canine soldier with two sheathed swords.]

"The Wolf." I read the title of this entry with a whisper.

The Zodiac entries are in the Zenith section. Therefore, these aren't fictional.

Neopolitan wrote that this masked samurai Faunus killed The Blacksmith and attacked the Ever After's Great Tree.

[I made an oath to myself. I won't cut my hair till I capture that fugitive pest.]

Do Neopolitan and Irigami share a bad history involving someone's murder? Where exactly this took place? The Ever After?

"Maxie..." CC impatiently snapped her fingers to regain my focus. "Are you listening?"

"Bien, you win..." I closed the binder and stood up to exit the room. "But cover your face to keep your identity a secret."

"Where are you going?" CC followed me with the gynoid behind her.

"I'll sleep in Poktli's truck. Stay here with Tea." Holding the binder with one arm, I stepped outside of the room. "Tomorrow will be another busy day."

I said the latter due to the size of the investigation area we needed to cover. I would be proven right...

Although under different circumstances.

•

"Kimi Calavera?" The IZA lieutenant spoke with skepticism.

It was early morning the next day. Tea, CC, Wuneng, and I stood in front of Copper Amusement Park's entrance. The eternally young ballerina looked the same as always, while Wuneng wore her typical military-style clothing and small round sunglasses.

The skies were clear as the temperature rose to a comfortable 16 Astro degrees.

"It means Death Skull. Just like Mik Calavera stands for Dead Skull in another native language of Nuovo Mondo." I confidently explained the meaning of our names. Of course, I was back to wearing my cazador attire.

"Un placer, teniente." Mi hermana gave the Shénxiàrén lady a firm military salute. She wore her Grimm matador outfit and makeup to conceal her identity.

To be more precise, she painted her face to make it resemble a white skull with a nasal cavity and eye sockets. She even had drawn tiny flowers and hearts on her face to look cuter.

...

"So Dead Skull, Death Skull is your sidekick? Not confusing at all." The soldier lowered her sunglasses to give my sister a good look, who turned on her Lingua.

"Hunting partner." Carla politely corrected her, showing off the espada ropera on her waist.

"I've never heard of a cazadora named Kimi Calavera, or about a second Calavera, currently operating at Olvido." A distrustful Wuneng stared at me.

"Fine..." I lowered my head before looking into her eyes and confessing the truth. "She's a stubborn fangirl who follows me everywhere."

Tea tapped twice on the pier's wooden floor.

"Fangi-" I swiftly gagged CC's mouth using my right hand.

"I usually refuse her assistance but the amusement park is VERY big. We could use some extra help." I turned eastward to see the fairground rides in the distance.

"Right... Let's begin." Still doubting us, the lieutenant led the way into the investigation zone.

•

"Outside of fight signs in the circus tent and someone slicing off improvised targets, I found nothing." Exhausted, Wuneng put both hands on her hips as she reunited with us in the center of the amusement park.

It had been over an hour since we split to examine the 500 x 90 meters pier faster.

"The souvenir shop and haunted house are a mess. Neopolitan must have fought a clawed Grimm." CC reported her findings to the gynoid and me. "What about you, Ma- Mik?"

"... Tea and her underlings only found more traces of a battle." I ignored Carla almost blowing my cover and pointed to the sophisticated, platinum swan drones — 70 centimeters long and with a 1.4-meter wingspan — flying around the park.

At Galatea's request, Dr. Rot Laugh sent them from Cloud City to assist with our investigation. I had been analyzing the drones' footage and findings, which Tea shared with my skull helmet. The 'swans' had even gone through the trouble of flying to the tallest rides and underneath the pier in their quest for chaneque-related clues.

So far, everything indicated that IZA soldiers and policemen who examined the amusement park days ago didn't miss anything crucial. We discovered that Neopolitan took the butterfly cup from the souvenir shop and suspected that she used this place as her private training grounds. However, I was beginning to fear we weren't going to find anything indicating her present whereabouts.

"Bueno, there's still plenty to explore. We shall try-" I heard screeching tires and car engines accelerating.

The girls and I looked westward to see 5 elegant black cars breaking through the entrance gate, around 250 meters from our location. They were followed by 2 black Sentinel units, automated robots with a height of 6 meters. Unlike the standard Sentinels, these had 'inline skates' for feet and shiny red eyes. Both were equipped with big machine guns.

The cars braked and their occupants stepped out 16 meters from us.

"Hand o'er the blondie." A tanned man in his late thirties told us with a threatening tone.

He wore a gray vest, a white tie, a black trench coat, T-shirt, and trousers. He had long, white hair and a hard-boiled detective face. The mysterious arrival took out a pack of cigarettes and started smoking.

"Always straight to the point, Woodsmoke." A pale, blonde man in his early twenties made fun of his accomplice.

His attire consisted of white trousers, black sneakers, and a loose, hooded sports puffer jacket with a high collar, which didn't let one see the lower half of his face.

"Licorice, step back. Don't wanna rely on ya. Your semblance ain't alright." A 2-meter-tall, tough-looking black man exited one of the vehicles.

He wore a black satin boxing robe with red edges and a vulture silhouette on its back. The man's lack of footwear provided another hint of his fighting style.

"Isn't that Mik Calavera? But who's the other one, Powder?" A slim, middle-aged man in a red shirt and striped, black suit glanced at us. I could sense bloodlust in his eyes and grin.

There were some gray streaks in his goatee and greasy brown hair. He held a sizeable knife with an upswept blade in his gloved hand.

"Who cares? We're here for the white girl." A heavily built, corpulent man stood beside his peers, winding an arm.

He was the tallest member of the group, with an impressive height of 2.20 meters, and had Taiyou-ish facial features. The black-haired man with a small mustache wore black pants with brown suspenders, a white shirt, and green leather gauntlets.

Another 15 men with onyx-colored suits, coral ties, and white shirts exited the cars. They were armed with either shotguns, machine guns, or handguns.

An ethnically diverse criminal organization. It's what the doctor dreamed.

"The Vulture Mafia?" The unimpressed lieutenant lowered her sunglasses to take a better look at them.

"Teniente, the ones not holding guns aren't ordinary gangsters. The black giant is Grand Iron. A former MMA champion. Woodsmoke is an infamous 3-star bounty hunter. And the blonde guy..." I stood ahead of the girls, sensing an unavoidable confrontation.

"Is Licorice. One of the most feared bounty hunters on the East Coast of the UNNM. He hasn't been promoted to 4 stars because he frequently kills his targets, including criminals whom authorities would rather arrest." I analyzed our surroundings as I spoke.

"Sometimes civilians and allies when they get in my way." The gangsters closest to the mocking blond man cautiously stepped away from him.

They cornered us against the sea. The only way to exit the amusement park is by forcing our way through their barricade.

"Hey, Calavera pal! Nothin' to say 'bout us?" The guy with a curvaceous knife shouted to me.

"Olvidados dunno jack shit about the Nuova underworld." Powder cracked his neck for intimidation. "Pitch 'n' I are on par with 3 stars."

Did that guy swear? In front of Tea?

I won't let that one slide!

"Mik, you still are not done with Ehekatl's repairs. Let me take care of them." Carla grabbed her rapier's handle, stepping beside me.

"Kimi, it's too dangerous-"

Wuneng also stepped forward as I was about to object.

"If they are here to kidnap Galatea, I cannot stand by." The Shénxiàrén lady cracked her fists. "Four 3 stars and a potential 4 stars? 我们走吧!"

"I have no clue what you said but please-"

"Wǒmen zǒu ba. It means let's go!" Exuding atypical determination, Tea interrupted me and aligned with us.

"Ya struggle with women." Self-assured, Woodsmoke moved forward.

And this isn't even counting my mother and Neopolitan.

"Doesn't matter if y'all are ranked 3 or 4. My semblance can easily pierce aura defenses. If ya don't wanna die, gimme the ballet princess. C'mon." The smoking bounty hunter gestured for Tea to come with him.

"Why do you want to kidnap our friend?" CC angrily stepped between both.

"The Vulture Dons want to interrogate her. They suspect she colluded with authorities to get Don Wing arrested." Licorice yawned and leaned on a car.

"Judgin' by the IZA lady over there, we hit the jackpot!" Pitch toyed with his knife before aiming it at Wuneng.

"Witnesses also claim the blondie fought Araknim near Condor Tower the night it fell. Bet she'd a hand on that." The baleful Powder bumped his fists.

"You're mistaken. Neopolitan was the one who destroyed the tower and planted fake evidence connecting Don Wing with her." Patiently, I got closer to the mobsters.

"If ya aren't lying, ya got nothin' to fear. We'll let 'em go unscathed once the Dons confirm their innocence." Grand Iron pointed to Wuneng and Tea.

Genial, now they also want to kidnap my crush.

"I didn't know Nuova mobsters were degenerate cowards; sending a bunch of men after innocent little girls." The lieutenant shrugged and laughed. "Compared to Shénxià's triads you are nothing!"

"Cartels are also scarier than these criminal wannabes. No wonder the Nuova Union is more concerned with imprisoning Olvidados than the Vulture Mafia." Carla taunted the gangsters. The lieutenant and my sister laughed together.

The mobsters took offense to their words. One of them closed violently the door of a car. Others aimed their guns at us. Powder raised an arm to stop Pitch from launching himself toward both women. Iron shamefully shook his head. Licorice paid no mind to them and yawned again.

What are you doing!? You are making matters worse!

"Ya aren't scared cuz ya dunno 'bout my semblance. I'll deal with y'all. Alone." A loosened-up Woodsmoke puffed his cigar and blew smoke at us.

"How about proving your value as men in one-on-one matches?" The impudent lieutenant pretended to count the gangsters ahead. "I will fight multiple rounds to compensate for our low numbers."

"Ha! Fine by me. What ya say, boys?" Woodsmoke turned to watch his coworkers nod and cheer. Licorice pretended to fall asleep.

Goodbye to a civilized and diplomatic solution.

•

"They agreed to five fights. We need to defeat them all. No 3 out of 5." I explained to the girls what I discussed with the 5 most dangerous vultures.

Our team huddle stood 35 meters from the mafia barricade.

"Only Licorice is arguably a 4-star fighter, am I right? The rest shall be easy to knock out." My cocky sister winked.

"Don't let their ranks fool you, Kimi. Woodsmoke and Grand Iron possess dangerous semblances. And whatever Licorice's powers are, I'm sure he's not considered one of the most dangerous hunters in the UNNM for nothing." I warned my allies with a low voice.

"There are no records of his semblance in The Hunters' Guild's database." Tea had conducted a quick online search to figure out the unknown semblances of the 3 fighters I wasn't knowledgeable about. But it was in vain.

"Nobody who has fought Licorice has lived to tell the tale? Then, I will take care of him." The thoughtful lieutenant took off her sunglasses. "But what about those you know about, Mik Calavera?"

•

"I'll go first." Woodsmoke threw his cigarette butt and stomped on it before walking to the no man's land between both factions.

He dragged a huge silver suitcase with his left hand. The sound of its wheels rolling on the wooden pier was kinda badass and satisfying.

"Herm- Mik Calavera. Pray for him." CC tried and failed to sound intimidating. Tea and Wuneng glared at me.

"She'll be fine." I reassured them about our strategy for this match-up.

...

"Ya dunno who ya messin' with." Woodsmoke pulled an elegant Magna revolver with a wooden handle from under his coat.

"Not my fault you aren't famous enough." CC provoked her rival and grabbed the rapier's handle.

There were 7 meters between my sister and him. They stood south of the haunted mansion, with a hole in one of its walls, and north of a pirate ship and a house of mirrors. Wuneng and I stood in front of Tea to protect her from stray bullets.

"Boost!" A grim Woodsmoke was engulfed by his gray aura as the pier trembled. "I'm goin' for a killin' shot."

Without uttering a single word, Carla limited herself to activating a small Aura Boost that spread vibrant yellow energy with orangish hues over her body.

"Bullseye." Within a fraction of a second, Woodsmoke raised his revolver and fired two sonic bullets.

What a dirty trap. That bounty hunter didn't fire the bullets at her but rather at us. He wants CC to intercept them to drain her aura.

My sister drew with supersonic speed her rapier — Veinte Flores — to 'stop' the bullets from reaching us. Its guard, shaped like a cempaxochitl flower, and shiny blade came into full display.

Not like it matters. We also cheated by picking Carla for this match-up.

Woodsmoke's malicious smile vanished once he noticed that CC's aura cloak didn't flicker. Licorice and other vultures behind him looked surprised.

"You hit 'em... So why..." The man in a trench coat frowned and lowered his gun.

"Bullseye, a powerful offensive semblance. It grants Woodsmoke's projectiles extraordinary piercing capabilities. It's rumored he requires two shots to drain the aura reserves or break the physical layer of a 3-star combatant." I explained to both girls close to me.

Woodsmoke gained infamy among guild members for frequently miscalculating the number of shots needed to leave his targets defenseless. For example, he sometimes fired twice at individuals with aura cloaks who could only withstand one of his super-enhanced bullets, which resulted in the second shot fatally wounding them. On other occasions, his short temper made him shoot more times than necessary at the same person. Worst of all, there were cases in which he wouldn't bother to differentiate between bounties with varying Aura levels, meaning he spent the same number of bullets on his targets, no matter their ranks.

"You said earlier Kimi Calavera at best makes it to 3 stars yet..." Wuneng squinted her aura-enhanced eyes to analyze the fight.

"He will lose due to her semblance countering his." I declared prematurely the outcome of the fight.

"Give up?" My confident sister goofed around with Veinte Flores's handle for its point to dance erratically.

Woodsmoke close his eyes and chuckled-

With demonic speed, he dropped the suitcase and rolled sideways on the floor. Woodsmoke shot twice at my sister without standing straight.

"Uno, dos!" Thankfully, Carla intercepted both projectiles.

Visibly annoyed, Woodsmoke rolled on the ground a couple of times and shot 4 bullets at CC from different angles, but Veinte Flores effortlessly got rid of them.

"What's goin' on here!? Her aura cloak hasn't broken!" Pitch shouted in frustration.

"How much aura La Olvidada has?" Powder assumed wrong the reason Bullseye wasn't working on her. "Stop fuckin' around!"

"I'll break ya with one strike!" Woodsmoke rapidly pulled out a boot knife from under his pant leg and launched forward to slash my sister.

Bullseye doesn't work just on his projectiles!

However, my source of pride properly reacted to this unexpected situation. Veinte Flores and Woodsmoke's knife clashed.

The smoker was probably going for a bind or landing a hit on her. That way the knife enhanced via Bullseye would deplete CC's Aura instantly. An effective and nasty strategy, since even if she parried his knife with her aura-enhanced espada, that would cost her a huge chunk of her energy reserves.

But against Woodsmoke's expectations, the bind never happened. It's not like his knife missed or anything like that. It did 'come into contact' with Veinte Flores but that was the problem.

The vicious hunter momentarily lost his balance as Carla spun to aim her rapier's point at the left side of his neck. It was a clumsy mistake for a bounty hunter of his caliber, but I didn't blame him because normally a bind would've taken place. And normally, his knife's blade wouldn't have disappeared without a trace.

"What the hell!?" Woodsmoke stared perplexed at the knife's handle. With most of its blade missing, his weapon now resembled a box cutter.

"Give up?" Carla once again goofed with Veinte Flores's tip without injuring her rival's neck.

"Impossible!"

"That girl broke the knife!"

"Is Woodsmoke losin' his touch?"

"Bullseye should be invincible!"

The vultures analyzing the fight exclaimed in stupefaction.

"Woodsmoke's knife was imbued with an abnormal quantity of Aura. It possessed the capability to sever reinforced concrete, hard-light shields, or numerous layers of sheet metal. Attempting to intercept his weapon would necessitate a substantial expenditure of energy from an Aura user, particularly if it was required for the defending weapon not to break." Behind me, Tea leaned sideways to observe the fight.

"Yet his blade broke." Wuneng's eyes were searching for the missing piece of metal.

"I wouldn't say his blade broke but that it's gone. Forever." I tipped the brim of my sombrero.

""Gone?"" Wuneng and Tea stared at me with puzzlement.

"For the lack of a better word." I returned to watching the fight. "I'll explain later."

Woodsmoke rolled to his right and fired two bullets at CC, which Veinte Flores's blade eliminated, but it didn't make a difference because this move was a distraction. Through a concealed AAIS bracelet, Woodsmoke commanded the suitcase on the ground to approach his left hand. Pressing a button hidden in its carry strap, he activated a rotary machine gun, concealed within his suitcase, to fire countless rounds at mi hermanita.

"Dodge!" Wuneng screamed at her, but CC simply raised her red cape to cover herself with it.

The rain of bullets didn't last long, possibly due to Woodsmoke spending great quantities of Aura for each projectile to be enhanced with Bullseye. The guy panted after halting his offensive.

"That many shots would've killed even a 4-star hunter." Licorice said with a derisive voice as Pitch's sadistic grin grew wide.

"Señorita Calavera..." I quietly raised my hand to soothe the concerned ballerina by stroking her head. It was the first time I saw her express this much fear for someone's well-being.

"Kimi, termina la pelea!" I shouted to CC.

"Está bien!" Carla cheerfully moved aside her cape to reveal she was fine.

"What's goin' on!?"

"Bullseye missed!"

"Her aura should've broken!"

The vultures were astonished by what they witnessed, except for Grand Iron, who smiled in silence.

"Ya shall be dead..." Woodsmoke dropped his empty revolver in utter horror.

"Her aura hasn't flickered during the entire match. It's as if the bullets never struck her body and rapier." The gorgeous and perceptive lieutenant pointed out something vital.

"For Bullseye to work, Woodsmoke needs to hit the target. But if his attacks never land, then his semblance is useless. Even worse for him, Bullseye depletes his aura reserves quicker for nothing in return..." I moved aside my jorongo to cross my arms. "In a game of darts, a bullseye can be worth 50 points but versus Mixba'al it's worth 0."

"Is that the name of her semblance?" I nodded to Wuneng's question.

Woodsmoke jumped back to increase the distance from his opponent. In the process, he raised the huge silver suitcase to use it as a shield and not lower his defenses. I presumed the thing was armored and durable enough to withstand bullets.

"Stupid girl! My suitcase contains many weapons and can transform into-" But after a swipe of Carla's espada ropera, the suitcase slipped away from his hand.

As Woodsmoke landed on the pier, CC used Veinte Flores to reduce his silver suitcase into shreds.

...

Everyone watching the fight, except for Carla and I, was stunned by the sliced pieces of junk on the wooden pier.

"Did your fangirl cut a bounty hunter's weapon like butter?" The military lady asked me befuddled.

"Hopefully it had a warranty. We don't have money to cover damage expenses." I tilted my head, calculating how expensive that suitcase-weapon was.

"I still have-" Not letting Woodsmoke finish his threat, Carla swiped Veinte Flores to 'pull' him toward her and close the distance between both.

From the point of view of those unfamiliar with CC, it would've looked as if an invisible force had 'pushed' the UNNM hunter into her rapier's range.

"Give up." Before the guy assimilated his predicament, my unrelenting sister buried the point of Veinte Flores on his chin, making his gray aura shimmer. "AHORA!"

This time, CC didn't ask him to forfeit the fight. She ordered it with an intimidating tone.

"I don't get pay enough for this shit." Woodsmoke nervously smiled and raised both hands to surrender. "Ya win."

"He is a one-trick hunter who relies too much on Bullseye and lacks flexible thinking. When things don't go his way, he fails to regain control of the situation." I caressed the amazed blonde girl's head.

"That's good for us though." Wuneng gave a thumbs up to my sister.

"Obvio." I turned to the jolly matadora waving her cape as she approached us.

•

"Embarrassing, Woodsmoke." With contempt, Licorice made fun of his coworker.

"Hey, be my guest and fight her. Let's see if ya figured out her powers." The gunslinger showed the way to the center of the pier with his arms.

"I'll go next." Powder took heavy steps forward as his body emitted a green aura. "I activated my semblance minutes ago."

"Iron, how much ya wanna bet he takes down two?" Sitting on a car's hood, Pitch eagerly awaited the next round.

"Y'know I don't bet. Not anymore." The second tallest member of their group distanced himself from the others to begin shadowboxing.

"Lieutenant Wuneng, Mr. Calavera, I request you to let me participate in this match." Tea put one palm over the other and bowed politely.

"¿Qué? ¿Por qué?" I rested my hand on her shoulder.

"My sensors indicate Mr. Powder has been building up kinetic energy within his body in the past minutes. The probability of his semblance being of the offensive or supplemental type is very high. Ergo, the sooner Mr. Powder is dispatched, the higher our probability of a perfect victory is." Tea explained in her usual monotonous tone.

"Are you sure you want to fight him?" Tea right away nodded to me with inhuman resolution.

It was she who defeated Araknim. Perhaps I should trust her fighting skills more.

"If you are so worried for Tea, I'll lend her aura." Wuneng tapped one of my AAIS bracelets. "That way she will have an aura clock for extra defense."

Right, she can benefit from a human's etheric aura layer.

"There's no shame in forfeiting if things get too tough." I gave my bracelet to the lieutenant, wishing good luck to my robot partner.

The small ballerina walked toward the middle of the pier, engulfed by a blue aura. Her body was already equipped with AAIS technology, so she didn't need to wear bracelets and other articles to receive Aura from Wuneng.

"Guten Morgen." She stood fewer than 2 meters from her opponent when she gave him an adorable curtsy.

"The tutu princess will fight me!?" Feeling offended, the corpulent giant cracked his knuckles and neck. "What a bad joke!"

"Please, refrain from hostilities, Mr. Powder. Any use of force will-" The blonde little girl was violently pushed back 4 meters by a palm strike from her opponent. She slid on the wooden pier without losing her balance.

"Tea!" I yelled in consternation.

"Tsuppari." Standing on my left, the analytical lieutenant mentioned a mysterious word.

"What's that?" Standing on my right, CC inquired for an explanation.

"It's a fast Harite. A technique used by sumo wrestlers." Collected, Wuneng talked without averting her eyes from the fight.

"Hey, fuckin' dumbass, the Dons want her alive!" Woodsmoke scolded his criminal coworker for hurting Tea.

"I used less than 10% of my strength." The annoyed giant glanced at the other vultures.

"Use of offensive techniques authorized. Updating combat software to counter sumo wrestling style." To my relief, Tea had blocked the attack with her left forearm and didn't look hurt (damaged?).

Despite her unemotional voice, the gynoid looked irked.

"Counter? Ya tanked it well but if ya don't give up, I'll break-" White flames came out from the thrusters hidden in Tea's platinum legs. She gracefully spun several times in midair to land a hypersonic kick on Powder's stomach.

A small shockwave spread in the middle of the pier. The sumo wrestler was lifted off the ground before landing on his feet, 5 meters from where he used to stand. In desperation, he took deep breaths to speed up his recovery.

...

"That kick was powerful enough to deal a level 2 Grimm devastating damage." I shared my estimations with both flabbergasted girls.

"Fine. Ya wanna play rough, then..." Powder raised his leg at a 180-degree angle, landing it with enough force to cause a tremor across the pier. He repeated the same process with his other leg.

"A Shiko Dachi stance. He's going to fight Tea for real." Still calm, Wuneng shared her insight with us.

Powder threw himself at Tea, shattering the wooden floor beneath his feet. Tea intercepted the tackling giant by performing the same 'ballet move' from before, except this time her white flames and spinning speed were more potent. Her metallic leg clashed against Powder's upper arm. A shockwave, akin to a dynamite explosion, shook the pier. The windows of the haunted mansion to the north broke as both combatants were pulled away from each other by the reaction force of their clash.

The formidable giant didn't waste a second and extended his right arm to shoot forward a big green aura blast from his palm.

An aura-boosted Tsuppari!

Tea dodged it by spinning sideways like a ballerina but the projected 'palm strike' continued moving forward, forcing us to jump out of its path. The aura blast reached the circus tent and tore a new hole in it to continue its way toward the sea barrier.

They weren't bluffing! Powder is also on par with a 3 stars hunter!

The sumo wrestler followed his long-range attack with a series of more traditional hits, such as supersonic swings and straight punches, which Tea dodged by spinning out of their trajectory or jumping back with the assistance of her boosters. At times, she moved out of the way or increased the distance with her opponent to avoid his grabs and charges. The ballerina knew it would be atrocious if he pinned her to the ground.

"Even for Tea, it's too risky to be on the receiving end of a Kimarite (Winning move)." With her arms crossed, Wuneng tapped one of her upper arms using an index finger.

"Ya dance well..." Powder left himself open after his terrible punch missed.

"It's a feint-" I shouted as my little partner fired herself forward to strike the opponent's stomach with her knee.

"But ya aren't the only dancer here." With incredible agility for someone his size, Powder performed a side-stepping technique to evade the ballerina, then slapped Tea's back to make her crash against the haunted house's wall.

"Henka!" Wuneng said disconcerted.

Powder positioned himself well before 'shooting' two rapid aura-enhanced, hand thrusts at my cornered partner.

"A double Tsukidashi!" The avid sumo fan beside me screamed the name of the technique.

Like the Tsuppari technique from earlier, green energy emanated from his hands. Half the haunted mansion exploded northward in less than a blink, spreading a shockwave across the amusement park.

No way... Tea.

I was too afraid to call out her name and confirm her status.

...

There was nothing but silence for seconds that felt like an eternity.

"She's impressive." Among all the vultures, Grand Iron spoke while still shadowboxing.

She?

I took a few steps north to witness Tea on the ground. She had dropped to her knees and bent down, to the point her back was touching the floor.

"The height difference saved her. It's hard for Powder to aim very low and easy for Tea to dodge his hand strikes." Back to her more composed self, Wuneng explained how she dodged the lethal technique.

"Fuckin' brat!" Powder tried to stomp on the ballerina but before he could readjust his stance Tea kicked his lower body. I caught that the shape of her two prosthetic legs had changed. These now counted with a long and sharp blade end.

Metal Dust nanomachines.

The documents they lent me for this mission stated Tea was equipped with many types of dust, which she could use more efficiently when provided aura by a human. Metal Dust was among the most expensive tools in her kit. After all, nanomachines that quickly molded themselves into many metallic shapes were a new Dust technology in the Research and Development programs around the globe.

The blue slice attack pushed back Powder allowing Tea to escape by jumping to the rooftop of the 2-story haunted mansion. Bueno, on top of its remaining half. The sumo wrestler ignored his pain and jumped after Tea, landing close to her. They stood now in a combat space of 216 square meters.

I hope Carla didn't miss something because half of this attraction is gone.

"It's been 10 minutes since I activated Tachi-ai. I can kill Nuckelavee 'n' Goliath Grimm." The sumo wrestler tore his white shirt with conceit. "In 5 minutes, I'll reach my peak. Tachi-ai turns me from a 2 to 3 stars."

"At his best, Powder can eliminate Cyclops Grimm. Unarmed." Pitch raised his voice to brag about his coworker's ability.

"A semblance that makes one as strong as a level 3 Grimm." I turned back to see the corpulent man's muscles emit a green aura in great quantities. Compared to his 'fire', the blue aura cloak surrounding Tea was way smaller.

Powder reduced the distance between both, shooting uppercuts and other punches at the gynoid. She focused on performing weird ballet spins and leaps to evade his attacks and increase her distance from him. When Galatea got lucky, she sliced the giant's body with her blades while dodging.

"I never thought I would see a ballerina with knives for feet perform a Grand Jeté and Tour Jeté." CC spoke appalled yet fascinated.

But Powder adapted to this strategy after seconds by performing a series of sidesteps and spins himself, making it harder to predict when and from which angle he would strike. Sometimes, one of Tea's blades would reach Powder only to reveal it was an afterimage of him.

"Is it me or his Henka and punches are becoming faster?" The puzzled lieutenant asked.

"I fear Tachi-ai doesn't only increase Powder's offensive capabilities but also his speed. It's a supplemental semblance." I frustratedly clenched my fists. "He may surpass Tea in the long run."

"Hostile individual has achieved hypersonic speeds. A new strategy is required. Activating Fire and Water Dust at full power." Tea flew to land 10 meters apart from the sumo wrestler, giving me the impression she was a graceful swan Faunus. Combining both types of dust she mentioned, her back and legs released a dense smokescreen that covered the whole rooftop.

"Hidin' your presence? C'mon!" I heard Powder complaining in the smoke before everything went quiet.

...

He's not using Aura Boost to disperse it. Taichi-ai's drawback appears to be that it cannot be used with the traditional boost technique. Powder will strike just when he's sure where she is.

...

I saw a tiny shift in the smoke's movement and heard a strange noise.

"There ya are!" Several blasts of green aura — shaped like giant hand palms — cut through the smokescreen. "Sore sore sore sore!"

It's a rain of Tsupparis!

A broken platinum-colored object fell from the rooftop.

"TEA!" CC screamed in horror before processing what was the thing on the ground. The lieutenant and I scolded her with our silent gazes.

"Oops, perdón. It's one of her silly swan drones." Ashamed, she returned her attention to the now visible Powder on the rooftop. "Which means..."

"I hit... That brat..." A forbidding blue aura appeared behind the exhausted sumo wrestler.

It was Tea, who flipped many times in midair to perform a front tuck and land a devastating drop-kick on the back of Powder's head. The giant broke through the haunted mansion's rooftop and one of its walls before crashing and rolling on the pier. His body came to a stop where the fight started.

"Shénme (What)!? A drop-kick isn't a ballet move!" The dissatisfied IZA lady observed the ballerina land beside her knocked-out foe. "Where did she learn such a barbarous and vulgar technique?"

...

My sister and I refused to elaborate.

Using a drone as a decoy to create an opening. Nada mal, Tea.

"Ridiculed by a little girl. Even worse than Woodsmoke." A mortified Licorice shook his head.

"Sonuva!" Woodsmoke lifted the pale young man by the collar of his black jacket.

"I ain't done!" Powder stood up to get everyone's attention. He was filled with wrath.

"His aura didn't break!? But that kick was strong enough to decapitate a level 2 Grimm!" Carla turned to me for an explanation.

"I mentioned it earlier. Tachi-ai is a supplemental semblance. It exponentially increases all of Powder's parameters with each passing minute. Offense, speed..." As I spoke, the sumo giant pulled a three-meter lamp post out of the ground. "Defense and Aura Level."

"Tea must break that brute's physical layer with a powerful attack. One that can get rid of a level 3 Grimm." Wuneng clarified while Tea jumped to evade light pole swings.

"Requesting assistance from Solaris." Tea talked weird stuff, spinning to dodge a trust from the improvised 'trident'.

"Solaris!? Best step back, for our safety!" Wuneng urged us despite being 15 meters from both fighters.

"Permission to employ Solaris granted. Sending coordinates for target acquisition." While Tea evaded more swings from the enemy, strange screens popped up in my helmet's visor and swan drones flew in a circle formation around the center of the pier.

"What are all these?" I saw countless numbers and images from Zenith taken from above, way above, to the point a huge portion of the Nuova Union's East Coast was visible.

"Calculating necessary firepower to incapacitate the hostile target. Limiting firing radius to 2 meters." The chaotic number of screens that kept popping up no longer allowed me to see the fight. I just discerned that one of the screens showed aerial footage of Copper Amusement Park.

I can sense...

Mystified, I chose to open the 'eye sockets' of my skull helmet to continue analyzing the battle with my naked eyes.

Something insane...

"Mik Calavera! Come on! Step back!" I heard Wuneng's voice behind me. Both girls weren't longer standing beside me. Without averting my eyes from the match, I did as she ordered.

Is about to happen.

"It is advisable to paralyze the hostile target to increase the probability of a successful attack. Use of immobilization techniques authorized." I watched Tea let herself be hit by a stab from the lamp post.

Luckily, her body was slim enough to fit between the trident's prongs and avoid being pierced by these. Before Powder could pull back his weapon to attack again, Tea grabbed the light pole's head with amazing strength.

"Let go, bitch!" The sumo wrestler tried to reclaim his weapon but the ballerina didn't let him.

"Activating Electricity Dust at full power." Galatea's hands produced a powerful electric current that traveled across the metallic pole and reached Powder holding its base.

"AAAH!" The screaming giant's green aura cloak was covered by electric sparks that stunned his body.

"Feuer!" With a courageous and commanding tone, Tea screamed as she hopped away from the immobilized enemy.

...

Everything transpired within an instant. Powder disappeared inside a vertical light beam with a diameter of 4 meters. The pillar of light was so tall, I couldn't see its top as much as I raised my head. There wasn't a big explosion, shockwave, or any loud sound yet my aura-cloaked eardrums were numbed as the rest of my body was hit by a strange sensation.

Whatever that sinister beacon was, it vanished as fast as it manifested, leaving just a hole in the middle of the pier... Right where Powder used to stand.

"Target has been incapacitated. Further assistance is unnecessary. Danke schön, Solaris." The robotic ballerina said in her usual impassive voice, curtsying in our direction.

"Did ya see that shit?"

"Nah, I sneezed. Missed something?"

"Somethin' fell from the sky."

"Think it landed on Powder."

The criminal faction speculated aloud about the strange event.

"Tea, que cara- What was that?" Fully concerned, I closed my helmet's eye sockets and approached my gynoid partner.

"... Lo siento, Mr. Calavera. I'm not allowed to disclose classified information." She apologized as the swan drones broke their formation. I turned to see Wuneng, standing close to my sister, for answers.

"Solaris is a Nuova top-secret project. I'm also not allowed to discuss it." Wuneng looked away in discomfort.

[Doktor... The documents were so redacted they omitted Galatea's appearance and descriptions!]

Is Solaris an orbital weapon built by the UNNM?

If so, Tea's arsenal isn't limited to drones or the refined Dust and nuclear reactor inside her body.

"Instead of spending so much on weapon development, the Nuova Union and its corporations should repair that Grimm sea barrier. Now there's also a palm-shaped hole on it." I took off my sombrero to disperse the white steam from the gap in the ground. "By the way, where's Powder?"

"I didn't know our target had an offensive semblance." Followed by the rest of the vultures, a bored Licorice approached the center of the pier.

"Hey, Powder! Ya still alive?" Pitch sneered as the 4 vulture fighters gazed into the hole.

"Help, I dunno how to swim!" We heard a distressed voice 10 meters below us. It belonged to the defeated sumo giant.

"Climb o'er here, fatass!" Pitch cackled as our 4 rivals returned to the barricade.

"Civilian injury by inaction isn't permitted. Providing support for a rescue operation." A determined Tea raised her fists as she watched me.

But it was you who-

"Bien..." I adjusted the grappling claw device in my right arm. "I'll help you rescue him."

•

"My turn." Pitch effortlessly activated an orange Aura boost and strolled to the middle of the pier, ignoring the soaking and shaking Powder.

"Why waste more time? I should kill those 5 already. It's not worth the trouble. Nothing ever is." A nihilistic Licorice stared down at his right palm.

"Teniente, you shared aura reserves with Tea. Let me buy you time to recover." I spoke as macho as possible to impress her, moving aside my jorongo and putting on the bracelet I lent her.

"Tea didn't spend much aura, I can-"

"Teniente, let him go. His honor as a man is at stake." CC stepped in front of the lieutenant. "If he breaks our winning streak, he'll treat us to sake and sushi feasts at Subaraya."

"..." The military lady blushed before going to check over Tea.

I never agreed to that!

I activated my purple Aura Boost and continued my march forward, stopping close to the gap in the wooden floor. Pitch ceased walking on the opposite side. A space of 5 meters separated us.

I took out Ometecuhtli with my right hand.

The enemy took out a curved knife with his.

"Ya got a flashy custom babe inspired by the Alaman Parabella-Pistole. Her 55-degree grip contains the ammo holder. Judgin' by the new catalyst system 'n' huge barrel, ya enjoy usin' her as a blunt weapon durin' melee combat." Pitch raised his knife to aim it at my chest. "I prefer killin' with blades tho."

Ignoring he misgendered Ometecuhtli, his assessment of my weapon was accurate. But I wasn't concerned about his knowledge of firearms because the hole in the ground provided me an advantage over him.

The moment he tries to run around or jump over it, I will shoot-

An orange flash extended from his right side. It was so quick, that my eyes almost missed it. Then, my adversary vanished.

"Die!" Or more like he reappeared on my left, swinging his knife at my right hand to make me drop my purple gun.

Teleportation!?

Pitch followed his initial strike with another knife swing but not minding my pain, I stepped back and used my left arm to block his attacking arm. He performed more supersonic swings at me, changing the angle and height of his attacks now and then, but I kept blocking or redirecting them with both arms.

"Stubborn." Pitch countered my defensive strategy by grabbing the arm I used to redirect his attacks with his left hand, but I blocked his next strike with my other arm.

We locked ourselves in an awkward position.

"Faster!" Pitch freed my arm to boost his speed but I continued using both arms to block and parry the hypersonic knife. Sometimes, he switched the hand holding the knife, so I constantly locked our arms by forcing him to grab one of mine and use the other to halt his attack.

At last, outdoing his agile moves, I immobilized his attacking arm with a two-on-one grip. I was about to perform a takedown technique when a second strange pulse and orange flash emanated from Pitch's body.

He disappeared-

I felt a painful sting on my back. Instinctively, I spun and jumped away. Somehow, the enemy had positioned himself behind me. Pitch resumed his stab attempts but toughing out the pain, I eventually pinned the arm holding the knife against his body. A third orange flash threw me off guard.

He is using a speed or movement semblance!

I activated the metallic shield (Chimalli) hanging on the back of my waist and concentrated an instantaneous Aura Boost on it to activate its magnetic properties. Once I felt the knife hitting Chimalli, I turned around and jumped away from Pitch. Before landing, I took out Omecíhuatl from its holster with my left hand and called Ometecuhtli to my right hand using my other AAIS bracelet. My set of guns (Ometéotl) was whole again.

"Da fuk-" I shot a rain of bullets at Pitch but defying my predictions he deflected them with his bare hands. "Ha, too bad!"

"... At least I stole your knife." With one hand, I grabbed the knife stuck in Chimalli and deactivated its magnetic powers.

"Keep it. When I said I prefer killin' with blades..." Tens claws came out from the excited vulture's gloves. "I meant these!"

A Faunus!

"Dead Skull!" The lieutenant in the distance shouted.

""¿Mande?"" CC and I simultaneously answered her call.

"... The blue one." An irked Wuneng gave a slight push to my sister. "It's barely perceptible but Pitch creates an orange path with his semblance before moving at great speed! Try to predict his attack using that!"

So that wasn't a random orange flash. It was his planned trajectory.

"Ya can try... But ya won't keep up with Fast Break." My foe projected an orange energy arch. Before figuring out where it ended, Pitch disappeared from my sight.

Taking a lucky guess, I activated Chimalli's hard-light shield to protect my back from Pitch's ten claws. Then, I spun and jumped away to shoot at him, but once more, he vanished before the bullets reached him. He reappeared in the space between the girls and me, forcing me to cease my offensive.

"Tramposo (Cheater)!" Carla furiously shouted to the vulture hitman.

"Not my fault that if he misses, he'll hit ya!" The man mocked my sister's protests.

"It's okay, Kimi." I put Ometéotl back in their holsters and took out Espectro. The hard-light blade of my rapier shone with a precious cyan color.

"One blade vs. several. Not a smart choice." Pitch stepped back till we were separated by 9 meters.

"You only have two arms. My odds aren't that bad." I sternly raised Espectro into a defensive position.

"Ya see..." The gangster smiled and glared at me with bloodlust. "Y'ain't right."

An orange light came straight at me. Sensing danger, I shifted the angle of my sword to block its advance. Whatever that orange thing was it hit hard Espectro but at least I defended my chest-

"AH!" Something slashed my stomach, then my legs, and finally my waist.

I almost fell into the hole in the pier but regained my balance in time to see 4 orange lights flying into Pitch's body.

"¿Qué fue eso?" I moved southeast while maintaining Espectro in a defensive stance.

"That flimsy sword won't save ya from my claws!" The sadistic mobster took another swing at me. An orange beam was shot in my direction.

On this occasion, I jumped sideways after parrying the first aura slice but again, more nearly imperceptible slices landed on my body. All I could see were orange gleams returning to Pitch.

Is he shooting multiple, simultaneous aura slashes at me?

Since I faced north and Pitch stood ahead of the destroyed haunted house, I took out Omecíhuatl with my left hand to shoot at him. However, his semblance intercepted my Dust projectiles and its high-hypersonic slashes landed on me. I crashed against a wall of the house of mirrors, falling on my knees.

"Pitch's abusin' Fast Break. This fight won't last." A cold Woodsmoke lit up another cigarette.

"Yeah, he's going to kill his opponent soon!" Licorice laughed, jumping in excitement.

"Calavera!" The lieutenant in the distance shouted.

""¿Mande?"" CC and I simultaneously answered her call.

"The blue one!" She pushed CC away. "Fast Break is a hybrid semblance. It not only allows him to move from place to place but also shoots 4 aura clones from his body."

Clones? She's got a good eye. I thought they were aura orbs.

"Let me switch with you. I will defeat that degenerate!" Wuneng punched her left palm with her right fist.

"Ha, ya need your girlfriend to save ya!?" Pitch hysterically laughed to the skies.

She isn't my girlfriend...

Not that I'm opposed to having such a hot girlfriend.

"Xièxiè, but that won't be necessary lieutenant. I was already preparing an epic comeback." My calm remark ceased Pitch's laugh.

"Comeback? Pal, I got ya against the ropes!" He pointed his index claw at me.

"Kimi, Tea, Wuneng, stand back! I need more space for my plan!" I stood straight and boosted my aura by 200%, shaking the amusement park.

It wasn't obligatory for my strategy. I only wanted to learn if my heightened senses and reflexes could perceive and keep up with his clones.

"Are ya fukin' kiddin' me!? Ya still think ya stand a chance!?" My helmet indicated that Pitch went for an aggressive 138% Aura Boost.

Taking advantage of Ilhuícatl's refined Dust crystals, I ran at Pitch with hypersonic speed but he created a new orange path to flee from Espectro's horizontal swing. He didn't bother 'teleporting' behind me since he knew Chimalli watched my back, so he reappeared some meters to my right.

The gangster Fanus discharged 4 aura orbs that immediately took the form of his body. They proceeded to attack me in a line. Espectro cut the first clone going for my throat. I also parried the vertical slices of the second clone but this left me open to the diagonal slices of the third one, so I blocked them with my left gauntlet. Unfortunately, the fourth clone landed his claws on my stomach. As I recovered, the 4 aura-summons were reabsorbed by their conjurer's body, including the first clone I sliced.

"What an efficient semblance. You barely spend aura each time Fast Break is activated." I began to run in circles around Pitch.

"Dumbass, no matter the angle..." Pitch projected 4 aura clones to protect him. "I can shoot my pals like these!"

His high-hypersonic creations 'danced' in circles around him, using their kicks and claw slashes to forbid Espectro from reaching Pitch. After 5 rotations, the orange summons went back to the Faunus.

He cannot manifest those aura clones for extended periods.

I launched myself at the enemy to perform more sword swings at Pitch but he teleported northeast to fire another 4-clone team. These attacked me at the same time from 4 different angles. I only could defend myself from the slashes of 2 clones. Again, after the other 2 clones hit me, the summoner reabsorbed his team.

While I recovered Pitch set up an aura path to teleport southwest. He conjured another team that attacked me in a straight line. I barely parried in time the first two clones' attacks with Espectro but the third one made me rely on my gauntlet and left me open. Just when the fourth aura clone was about to strike me, Pitch manifested in front of me to deliver a kick to my lower abdomen that sent me flying 6 meters across the pier.

The cooldown period of Fast Break is so small. And he can trade places with his clones instantly!

I stood up as Pitch absorbed the orange energy around him.

"Mik Calavera's good. He improves 'n' learns fast..." Grand Iron stopped shadowboxing to study my fight. "But 'thout a semblance, Pitch has an edge o'er him."

"Are you sure he's not bluffing? Is he really preparing a comeback?" Wuneng demanded answers from CC while Tea quietly analyzed the match.

"Ma- Mik usually wins when he says he will." Carla averted her gaze and winced after one of Pitch's clones sent me flying against the pirate ship. "Usually."

Grand Iron was correct. Despite boosting my Aura Level by 200%, I wasn't going to adapt before my energy reserves ran out. It was time to advance to the next phase.

"Still think ya can win? Barely sweatin' here." The 4 clones flew back into their exhilarated and cruel master.

"Claro. I will rely on the ace up my sleeve..." With 7 meters between us, I pulled out a grenade and threw it to the ground.

"RUN!" It exploded into a cloud of smoke as I fled from the enemy.

...

Everyone watched in silence as I failed to open the emergency door of the house of mirrors. The grenade hadn't released enough smoke to reach this area, so I had to throw another one to conceal myself.

...

"Diablos! It's an abandoned amusement park, why bother locking it!?" I used Espectro to cut its latch and deadbolt, then loudly 'shut' the door behind me.

...

"FUKIN' FAGGOT! ARE YA KIDDIN' ME!" Pitch shouted in fury but I paid him no mind.

Using my helmet's night vision mode, I walked deep into the maze till I made it to a big hexagonal chamber surrounded by walls of mirrors. I quickly took out 3 Colibrí bombs and a steel wire to interconnect them in a special way.

"Hey, idiot! I'm a panther Faunus with superb night vision. Ya can't hide in the darkness." I heard Pitch opening and shutting the door. It didn't take him a minute to reach the hexagonal room's entrance.

"Found ya!" Five meters separated the prey from the predator. Patiently, I stood without moving or saying anything.

...

"What? No comeback or witty remark? Cat got your tongue?" I threw another smoke grenade at the loquacious enemy.

"Fukin' moron! I'll punch ya through the walls!" Before a maddened Pitch activated Fast Break in the dark mirror chamber filled with catalyst smoke, I ignited the Light Dust grenade in my left hand.

The whole room was bathed in an intense, blinding light.

"AH! MY EYES! MY EYES!" The panther Faunus screamed in horror, covering his face with both hands. Unlike him, my eyes weren't hurt because I'd turned off my helmet's visors before triggering the light explosion.

Smokes and mirrors do the trick.

Following my plan, I turned on again my helmet's night vision mode, spun the weapon in my hand — a boleadora (bolases) with bird-shaped bombs — and threw it at the rival. Its aura-reinforced, steel wire entangled on his body. From head to thigh, Pitch was well-restrained by the bolases, thanks to the Colibríes at its ends locking into place with Gravity Dust.

"What are ya doin'!?" Panicking, Pitch tried to activate his Semblance, but it didn't work because the boleadora prevented the projected aura from leaving his body. The steel wire forced the orange aura back into Pitch every time he tried to release clones or create a path.

As I suspected. His Aura creations possess physical properties. They're never intangible.

The blinded panther jumped away but I put on Chimalli in my left arm and activated its magnetic function to smash my fist into his face. He fell to the ground.

"¡Toma esto!" Again, I activated Chimalli's magnetic mode to oblige his body to stand, punch his face, and knock him to the ground.

"¡Y esto! ¡Y esto! Being careful not to hit the Colibríes, I repeated the process a couple of times.

Bueno...

¡Y esto! ¡Y esto! ¡Y esto!" His aura flickered with each punch.

Perhaps more than a couple of times.

"¡Esto Esto Esto Esto Esto Esto Esto Esto!" I grabbed Ometéotl to continue the relentless offensive.

"¡ESTO ESTO ESTO ESTO ESTO ESTO ESTO ESTO!" Finally, I unleashed the kinetic energy collected by Tepeyóllotl since the start of the fight to enhance the blunt weapons.

"¡ESTOESTOESTOESTOESTOESTOESTOESTO!" My hypersonic gun strikes, engulfed by purple aura shaped like skulls, didn't let the tied-up enemy fall to the ground.

"¡Y ESTO!" Focusing an Aura Boost and the remaining kinetic energy in my right hand, Omecíhuatl's barrel hit with extraordinary force Pitch's stomach before firing an explosive Gravity Bullet that launched him out of the house of mirrors.

Barely conscious, the tied panther fell east of the pier's hole. I exited the maze of mirrors and strolled toward the girls.

"Is that it!? I still got aura!" Pitch strained himself to stand up and shout behind me. "YA PUNCH LIKE A SISSY!"

"Damas (ladies)." I courteously tipped the brim of my sombrero at my confounded teammates as the boleadora's Colibríes exploded, making my adversary fall into the water below.

•

"Useless buffoons! We are losing 3-0!" Licorice exploded in frustration at his criminal coworkers.

"Thought ya said nothin' matters." A more dried Powder turned away from the yelling blond man.

"Gimme one." Soaking and shaking, Pitch asked Woodsmoke for a cigarette as the latter grabbed a third one.

"No." The gunslinger pocketed the pack of cigarettes and lit up the one in his hand.

"At least I fought till my aura broke. I ain't no puss- C- Chicken!" Except for Licorice and Grand Iron, the rival faction laughed at the feline Faunus. "DAMN IT!"

"Iron's takin' off his robe." Powder directed everyone's attention at the black giant heading to a high striker, next to the pirate ship.

Grand Iron's black bear ears came into view, along with his fighting clothes: Red and black kick-boxing shorts, white open-fingered gloves, and partially bandaged feet.

Most awe-inspiring of all was his physique. Grand Iron's body was spectacularly toned. He had enough muscle mass to break in two a Beringel but not an excessive amount that would get in the way of acrobatics and high kicks.

The former MMA champion halted in front of the 7.5-meter-tall strength tester. He delivered a supersonic straight punch to it. To the surprise of those unfamiliar with him, a hole with a radius of 20 centimeters appeared in the struck portion of the tower. Without a stable foundation, the high striker's tower fell but another straight punch disappeared its new low portion. Then, a third one erased the new bottom of the falling tower. And so on, the bear Faunus kept punching and holing the tower till he sent its bell flying away with a standard straight punch.

"Hole in One. A semblance that grants him the ability to create holes in anything he punches. Even aura cloaks of 3 stars cannot sustain many hits from him." I explained to the attentive girls.

"Why did an MMA fighter name his semblance after a golf term?" My critical sister crossed her arms.

...

"How many hits 3 stars tend to tank?" Lieutenant Wuneng warmed up with standing splits.

"..." I secretly took a couple of pictures through my helmet. "Most don't endure 8-9 punches. I heard somewhere that he requires 14 to 16 hits for Hole in One to break the aura of a 4 stars fighter-"

"I will challenge him." The Shénxiàrén warrior walked to the combat area with no hesitation.

"Her- Mik, are you okay with that?" I nodded to CC's uneasy question.

"It was her who saved me from Silver Moth. I'll trust her abilities." I watched the lieutenant's back, dissimulating my disquietude.

"Ya sure ya wanna fight me?" The stoic bear Faunus jumped over the gap in the middle of the pier and landed 1 meter from the frigid woman.

"I should be the one asking that. I'm a soldier, not an MMA competitor." Her blue aura turned on, followed by Iron's white aura.

Even if we stood 17 meters from both combatants, I took Tea's right hand to establish an AAIS link and provide her aura defenses.

...

Grand Iron attacked first by launching a series of supersonic straight punches that the nimble beauty evaded via slips and step-backs. Once this didn't work, the black Faunus switched to footwork.

Art of Eight Limbs.

Iron performed a series of kickboxing techniques. Wuneng jumped or stepped back to dodge his low and mid kicks. For high kicks, she utilized rolls or pulled back her upper body. After failing 9 times to kick her, Grand Iron leaned in preparation for a long hayma-

Wuneng landed a hypersonic throwing punch on his stomach that made him slide 3 meters back. Everyone was startled by the sight of the former MMA champion hunching and trying to recover his breath.

"Momento, Tea! What was that?" I turned my eyes to the gynoid as the bear pulled through his pain.

Thanks to my helmet's aura sensors and heightened senses, I didn't miss a peculiar phenomenon when Wuneng threw her punch. It involved her etheric aura layer. The energy wrapping her body.

"For a duration of 124 milliseconds, the lieutenant boosted by 58% the aura enveloping two knuckles on her right hand and decreased by 73% the density of her aura cloak to reinforce them." Tea explained meticulously through an app installed in my skull helmet, sharing footage and data that validated her analysis.

She traded off her defenses for offensive power!? What a perilous combat technique!

Grand Iron regained his battle stance while I reviewed the connections between the fight ahead and the story the lieutenant told me yesterday. He looked abashed but still determined to fight.

"You underestimated my top speed. Boost your aura to its max." The threatening soldier ordered, not bothering to take a battle stance.

"Dunno what kinda hit was that but ya won't land another!" Grand Iron roared as a white flame grew from his body, once more making the amusement park tremble.

The computer in my helmet displayed he went for a boost of 146%.

Iron is a proficient 3-star fighter but Wuneng must rank higher than him. Even then, she must be careful. Her aura cloak may not resist many strikes from him.

A weird breeze from nowhere didn't let me perceive how Grand Iron positioned himself behind Wuneng to launch a hypersonic overhead blow. And much less I discerned when she commenced her taekwondo back kick. But doing so in time, spared her head from receiving the impact of Iron's blow and landed a kick accompanied by a shockwave on his chest.

Still, this wasn't enough to deter Iron from executing a rush of punches in retaliation. Unable to jump away, the Shénxiàrén girl blocked these with her forearms.

Uno. Dos. Tres. Cuatro.

Wuneng stepped back from Iron after defending herself from 4 punches but the former champion refused to let my crush go by jumping at her with a shuffle flying knee.

Cin-

No, she sidestepped, narrowly avoiding a knee strike to her chin.

Despite my higher Aura Level and superior Boost technique, I couldn't defeat Grand Iron as Max Zaragoza in close quarters. Bare-handed and unarmored. Hole in One and his melee expertise provided him an advantage over me. And right now, the lieutenant was fighting Iron under conditions that favored him.

"Mik, why is a skilled MMA champion working for mobsters? Aren't famous MMA competitors well paid?" CC wondered as Wuneng rolled or took steps back to escape from enemy kicks and punches.

"It happened some years ago, during an important match to defend his title. Grand Iron participated in an MMA category that allowed semblances like his to be used in combat. Of course, I'm talking here about strictly regulated and well-monitored fights, with tons of money involved." As a casual fan of televised MMA matches, I narrated the backstory of the former bear champion.

"Iron was a prominent combatant who didn't require many hits to break an opponent's aura. To drag on his matches, occasionally he was requested to fight a specified number of rounds without his semblance against rivals not limited by this handicap. These were the most exciting matches to see and pay for because even under those unfair conditions, Grand Iron found ways to knock down his adversary or make it to a round where he could use Hole in One. His professional career was unparalleled and immaculate, till one day he was challenged by a very tough opponent..." As I recounted our rival's life, he distanced himself from the IZA soldier to rest a little.

"Durin' that match, Hole in One wasn't allowed for the first 3 rounds. By some cruel miracle, I made it to the fourth round after almost sufferin' multiple concussions... 'cept, I was disoriented 'n' partially lost my hearin'. Desperate to defend my title, I miscounted the punches 'n' kicks needed to break my rival's aura cloak..." The imposing Faunus paused the fight, standing in a defensive position and not taking his eyes off Wuneng. "Before I knew it, his right hand 'n' wrist were gone... I'd missed the referee callin' me to stop."

His last statement carried regret and remorse.

"The medical staff luckily treated the wound well and now the other guy fights with a prosthetic hand." I explained to my sister, who winced at the tragic story.

"Was it really an accident?" The skeptic lieutenant rubbed her forearms.

"Yes... Yes, it was." The somber Faunus answered.

Tea didn't tap on the wooden planks.

"Even if many believed his declarations the company that organized MMA tournaments banned him from participating in their events. Then, he went off the radar." I wrapped up his public backstory.

"A Vulture Don offered me a vast sum to become his bodyguard." Grand Iron admitted with a bit of shame.

"You willingly became a mafia goon!?" CC reproached him with a question.

"I ain't no ordinary goon. The Don bein' a fan of mine, provided me with a good contract. Protectin' him from criminal rivals, winnin' underground tournaments, and makin' sure hunters like Woodsmoke and Licorice properly do their job are my usual assignments. That's why..." The white aura surrounding him grew fiercer. "I better beat ya."

He 'disappeared' from our sight and so did Wuneng. CC and I enhanced our senses to keep track of them as best as possible. They were jumping and moving at hypersonic speeds all over the combat zone. Now and then, the clash of the white and blue dashes produced a shockwave that shook the pier.

Cinco. Seis. Siete.

The lieutenant blocked his attacks with her forearms or kicks whenever she couldn't evade.

Ocho. Nueve. Diez.

"A 3 stars would've lost by now." Looking like a hard-boiled detective, Woodsmoke blew a cloud of smoke.

"She won't last another 7 punches!" Licorice smiled with sadism.

I discerned Wuneng landing close to the house of mirrors on our left. Grand Iron performed a technique that transformed him into a white twister from which she fled by jumping west, toward the pirate ship area. Even if the bear's fists just grazed the wall of the mirror's maze, several holes with a radius of 1.5 meters suddenly appeared on it. Part of the structure collapsed due to a lack of proper support.

The blue and white dashes jumped around the pirate ship as giant holes manifested on its hull and bow, making the bowsprit fall.

Once.

Wuneng used her arm to shield her head from a haymaker that unleashed a powerful shockwave and pushed her northward, near the remaining half of the haunted mansion. Grand Iron charged toward her to maintain his offensive, but the calm lieutenant held her ground to perform a fighting technique.

She trapped Iron's punching arm with a two-on-one grip, turning her body around to throw the tall bear and crash him into the haunted house. The resilient lady jumped inside the attraction without vacillation.

A one arm shoulder throw. Judo.

"Tea, can you see what's going on inside?" She nodded to my request.

"Grand Iron is performing another sequence of punches, exploiting his Faunus features and the dark environment. Lieutenant Wuneng boosted her aura by 23% to illuminate the interiors and redirect his punches." Tea informed with her monotonous voice as holes manifested in the haunted mansion's ground floor.

The attraction shook as explosions took place within it. At times, I could see the aura of both combatants through the holes in the walls their combat created.

That thing won't last.

"The lieutenant's right forearm received a long straight punch. The impact launched her northward, through the walls of two rooms." Two loud bangs backed up what Tea told me.

"Grand Iron is running at her but-" Another loud detonation interrupted the gynoid. The MMA practitioner flew out through the wall Neopolitan broke and rolled on the pier. "Lieutenant Wuneng boosted the aura in her right leg to execute a side-kick."

"... Gracias, Tea." I thanked my blonde partner for her insight.

The lieutenant jumped out of the haunted building before it collapsed due to all the massive holes that weakened its remaining structure. Wuneng and Grand Iron continued trading blows, ignoring the destruction north of them. However, after the lieutenant's leg received a low kick, Grand Iron jumped back and made a strange foot motion. A hole with a radius of 2.5 meters manifested on the wooden floor below Wuneng.

"Hole in One can be activated through his feet!?" I shouted as the IZA lady fell.

But before our side lamented the situation and the rivals celebrated, Wuneng's right leg landed on a diagonal wooden plank that served as a foundation. She jumped back to the pier, timing well an Aura Boost.

"Cheap shot." Wuneng complained, glaring at her rival and standing 14 meters from the 3 of us.

"Ya already received 13 hits. Forfeit before it's too late." The solemn black bear did a thumb-down gesture. "I don't wanna kill-"

Once again, the lieutenant landed a throwing punch on Iron's stomach. The spine-chilling soldier had closed the distance of 3 meters between them so abruptly, that I estimated she moved at high-hypersonic speed. Minimum. The giant slid some meters back, barely avoiding falling through one of the holes in the pier. He hunched to cough and breathe deeply in despair.

"What made you think I cannot shrug off a hundred hits from you?" With a cold and brutal attitude, she undid her punching stance. "Hurry up, so I can beat Licorice."

...

Fright took hold of us. The spectators on both sides remained silent as Grand Iron pushed himself to stand up. It was the first time the IZA member made me feel genuine dismay.

"Ya are the one underestimatin' me!" Grand Iron charged wildly at the lieutenant, ignoring a hypersonic kick to his ribcage. Both combatants fell to the ground.

He's going for a grappling technique!

But before he could apply a lock on Wuneng, she rolled to escape his grasp. Both struggled on the wooden floor for a few seconds, until the lieutenant wrapped her legs around Grand Iron's neck and one of his arms. A judo triangular strangle technique.

It's over.

"Gah... Urgh... Agh!" Impressively, Grand Iron withstood the lieutenant's chokehold for a minute before his aura began to flicker repeatedly. The former champion made strange foot movements against the ground.

Does he want to activate Hole in One to fall through the pier with her?

If so, why his semblance isn't working?

Grand Iron's face changed color; his aura wouldn't last much longer. Against all odds, he remained conscious and tapped on the wooden planks with his unrestrained hand. The bear Faunus gave up yet Wuneng's legs kept applying pressure on him. Tea and CC turned to me with anxiety in their eyes.

"Teniente, that's enough! You've won!" Urgently, I stepped into the combat zone and grabbed her shoulder. "Let him go!"

Wuneng stared at me, disconcerted.

...

"Right. Duìbùqǐ (I'm sorry), Calavera." Wuneng undid the chokehold in time. And by a whisker.

As soon as Grand Iron was freed, his white aura broke. The guy coughed to regain his breathe. Ignoring my extended hand, Wuneng stood and put on the beret that fell during the ground struggle. She nervously gazed at the two girls behind me.

I was about to ask if she was alright when...

•

"You are a disappointment, Iron. Now it's up to me." Licorice lowered halfway through his sports puffer jacket's zipper and raised his hands, looking at the sky with a maniacal grin.

"Hey, Licorice... Ya won't..." A terrorizing glare from the hooded pale man silenced Woodsmoke.

"Shit, he isn't kiddin'! Run!"

"What kinda power he has? I wanna see."

"Don't be a fool. If ya stay here, ya are a dead man!"

"Speed up already!"

"Hey, don't leave me behind!"

The vultures fled in a panic by running on foot or driving their cars to the entrance gates. Only a black car, the Sentinels, and Grand Iron were left behind.

"Everyone within my aura field will perish, no matter what you do. Annihilation grants instant death to its victims." The fervid edgelord slowly headed to the center of the pier.

"Licorice, are ya insane!? Ya wanna kill the girls!?" Grand Iron failed to stand up due to fatigue, falling on his knees and using one arm as support.

"Who cares about this worthless mission? All that matters is to win and be the strongest! I will kill anyone who gets in my way! No matter who!" Licorice stretched his right arm toward the eastern half of the amusement park.

"Stop!" With only the hole in the center of the pier separating us, I aimed Ometéotl at him.

"I haven't forgotten that you — foreign swine — ruined my chances of killing Silver Moth myself. I was supposed to dethrone that filthy insect as Lord Hunter of the East Coast. I'll make you pay for that…" An intense and terrifying black aura enveloped Licorice. "With your lives!"

The space behind him warped into spinning fractals akin to overlapping squares of many sizes. These reached the abandoned car, twisting and slicing it into countless tiny pieces.

He distorts spatial dimensions to kill his targets. If he fires Annihilation on this side of the amusement park, our aura defenses may not resist that. We've only one opportunity to defeat him!

"Kimi!" I called my sister who was already running to the combat zone, sword in hand, when a blue flash ran past me.

It was the lieutenant.

"Ha, I'll kill you first!" A euphoric Licorice pointed his right index finger at Wuneng as she jumped over the gap. The geometric distortions concentrated on his fingertip. These morphed into a 2-meter-long spatial cannon, composed of overlapping square-shaped distortions that extended from his hand. "Annihilation!"

Wuneng raised her right leg while Licorice's multidimensional distortions rotated and increased in size, producing an eldritch sound I never heard before. And then...

Nothing happened.

"WHAT!?" The spatial distortions undid themselves when they encountered Wuneng's leg. The fractal cannon at his fingertip vanished.

Licorice was too shocked to react and defend himself from Wuneng's aura-boosted kick. Her leg crushed the young man with such tremendous power, that his body broke through the pier. A pillar of water erupted where he used to stand as a loud shockwave expanded over the amusement park. The falling waterdrops produced a brief rain.

Using her kick's reaction force, the lieutenant backflipped to land next to Carla and me.

"DON'T CALL ME SWINE!" She furiously panted after screaming. I saw a couple of veins in her reddened face.

...

"Que vende humo (What a fraud)." Realizing the glass-cannon enemy was defeated with a single kick, my letdown sister sheathed her rapier.

"The rival faction has been demoralized. We've attained a perfect victory." Tea spun like a ballerina till she stood on my left side.

"Hostile enemy detected. Eliminate target." The pair of Sentinels skated to the combat zone, not letting us celebrate.

Ay, mierda. I forgot about those things.

Their sensors had probably detected the lieutenant crossing the no man's land to attack Licorice.

"Tea, disarm the left one!" I shouted to the ballerina as the Sentinels adjusted their aim.

I concentrated an Aura Boost on Chimalli and turned on its magnet mode to steal the big machine gun of the right Sentinel. Tea activated her magnetism to do the same with the left one.

"CC, use Mixba'al below them!" Following my instruction, my sister wrapped her body with the red cape to transform into a red drill.

She 'flew' toward the robots to 'erase' their skating legs and the wooden floor they stood on. The Sentinels fell into the waters, unable to stand and recover their balance.

"CC?" The muddled IZA lady inquired as Carla, Tea, and I stared down at a knocked-out Licorice and the malfunctioning robots.

"..." I dropped the bigass gun in my arms down the hole.

"It's the acronym for Kimi Calavera." My spooked sister covered up my slip-up. Tea tapped twice on the floor, still holding the giant machine gun she stole.

"Isn't Kimi spelled with a K?" Incredulous, Wuneng crossed her arms.

"Not in the native language of Olvido. Do not be deceived by Hispania." I poked thrice the forehead of my helmet with an index finger. Of course, Tea tapped twice on the wooden planks.

Something in the corner of my eye caught my interest while the lieutenant laughed at us. It was Grand Iron, putting on his boxing robe.

"Are you alright?" I lowered my arms, making clear I didn't want to fight anymore

"We lost fair 'n' square. I'll tell the Dons we interrogated ya 'n' found no relation 'tween Neopolitan and your friends. The former MMA champion smiled before heading to the entrance gate. "Gracias."

...

Esperen, are they leaving Licorice behind? Down there, in the water?

Such a beautiful camaraderie.

"Your semblance is one of the strangest I've seen." Wuneng put on her sunglasses.

I nodded to Carla, suggesting it was okay to speak about this topic.

"Mixba'al, which means zero or nothingness, gives me the power to... Disappear anything without an Aura. As long I concentrate energy on the body part — or object — I want to delete the target with." She pointed to Veinte Flores and then waved her cape.

"You erase inanimate objectives with your semblance?" Wuneng briefly turned away to examine the Sentinels missing their skates.

"More or less. It also works on Dust, Grimm, and Aura constructs. Anything that isn't flora or fauna... Well, huge Grimm are impossible to eliminate without multiple uses of my semblance... Especially those that can regenerate missing body parts." My sister sighed, remembering an unfortunate incident involving a Hydra Grimm.

"Give her a demonstration with this gun." I grabbed the machine gun Tea was carrying and threw it 8 meters up in the air.

Carla shapeshifted into a red projectile with her cape to wipe out the falling weapon in midair. She then undid her transformation and landed next to me. Leaning on each other's backs and crossing our arms, Carla and I posed smugly ahead of Tea and Wuneng.

"Āiyā (Oh)! Where is it now? Stored in your cape?" The lieutenant approached CC to inspect the red fabric.

...

My sister and I looked at each other uncomfortably.

""Sepa (No idea)."" We shrugged at the same time.

"Eh?" Wuneng grimaced. Tea jerked her head.

"We don't know where objects eradicated by Mixba'al end up... If they even end up somewhere. The stuff Kimi sends away cannot be restored, retrieved, reset, etc. Not even through another semblance. It's simply gone. Forever." I put an ominous emphasis on the last word.

"Mixba'al also deletes the spacetime continuum it grazes. That's how I made Woodsmoke's suitcase slip from his hands. I erased the space between my rapier and his weapon. And that's how I can fly short distances." CC air quoted the word fly and glanced at the hole in the pier.

"In theory, her semblance should've taken care of Apocalypse's spatial distortions, no matter the number of dimensions it affected." I made a gun gesture with my left hand and punched it with my right fist.

Mixba'al had its limitations though. Por ejemplo, its power could not be activated for long periods, so she needed to time it well. Its range was restricted to Carla's physical layer or whatever object she permeated with her aura. She also couldn't delete things coated with more than one aura layer. And it couldn't hurt humans, so opponents who didn't rely on weapons or Aura summons and constructs, such as Powder or Grand Iron, were Carla's worst matchups.

Then again, the limitations of her semblance reflect how much she values life.

"Should your assertions be accurate, Mixba'al is a physical semblance impervious to time manipulation. This bolsters the hypothesis that numerous semblance researchers and physicists put forth: Traveling to the past in Zenith is futile." Emotionless, Tea reminded us of the Law of Permanence, a physics principle stating that to avoid creating time paradoxes in our universe, the atemporal effects of certain semblances couldn't be undone, even if someone were to travel back in time to alter historical events.

"That's why we need to be careful around you. Mixba'al's repercussions are immutable. They cannot be undone." My warning widened the gynoid's red eyes. I sensed the fear in her processor.

"Don't worry. I won't delete you, Tea." Understandably, the ballerina hopped away from my happy sister's embrace with her thrusters.

CC subdued her frustration and merrily ran toward Tea in a second endeavor to hug her but the gynoid escaped again. They repeated the routine enough times to reach the eastern edge of the amusement park. The satisfied lieutenant went after them.

I better keep to myself that I figured out her semblance.

I was walking to catch up with them when a phone booth rang outside the abandoned souvenir shop.

It's still operational?

I hesitated to answer the call till its ringing stopped.

Someone must have dialed the wrong number.

The ringing restarted when I was about to walk away.

Qué diablos!?

I felt something eerie about this. Somehow, I knew that if I picked up that phone, something unpleasant would happen. I glanced eastward to confirm that the girls were inspecting the circus tent together, likely waiting for me to join them. But the ringing phone refused to let me go.

I convinced myself not to let my imagination run wild and opened the phone booth's door to answer the call.

...

"Calavera, do you have the binder with you?" Someone with a voice changer spoke on the other end.

...

...

...

I didn't know how to react. My thoughts were in turmoil. I stood frozen inside the phone booth.

"Your silence gives it away. Keep it safe for her." The mysterious caller chuckled.

"Who are you? What do you want? And why shall I listen to you?" I collected my thoughts, glancing outside the phone booth to see if someone was spying on me.

I sent an emergency signal to Tea through my helmet's app. We needed to trace the call as soon as possible.

"I cannot answer the first question through this medium. All you need to know is that I want the same as you. To get to the bottom of this mystery. The truth behind Sally Island's tragedy." The caller provided me with rehearsed answers.

"What do you mean? It was Neo-" I was cut off by the caller.

"Do you still trust them? After yesterday's stream? You know better than this. Even your brother had trust issues with the Nuova government. He was always wary of the Vertex Group."

...

"She isn't the culprit of that tragedy. I already made sure of it. Help me uncover the truth. I'll meet you there." The caller made clear his stance while Tea and the others exited the circus tent.

"How am I supposed to reach-" I wanted to buy more time for the three girls to get here but was interrupted again.

"I'll send you a mission request through your guild's inbox. The name of the hotel you need to stay at is the same one as the client's. Go there when you feel ready to face the truth. I doubt this mission will be a walk in the park. And it should be obvious, but I'll say it anyway. Don't let anyone know you're traveling to Sally Island, except for your family." The anonymous caller gave me a few instructions and hung up in an urgency.

"Wait, I still have ques-" My last-ditch effort to keep the caller talking was in vain.

"Mr. Calavera?" The ballerina arrived at the phone booth but it was too late.

"Who were you talking with?" Walking along with my sister, the IZA lieutenant asked from afar.

The call made me remember the secret talk I shared with Galatea last night.

•

"Okay, what bothers you, Tea?" Sensing she wanted to talk about something important, we halted before reaching a park exit.

"Tonight, I discovered that among the individuals I'm programmed to obey, one doubts that Neopolitan caused the tragedy of Sally Island. The individual shares the same level of authority as Lieutenant Wuneng, but is beneath Dr. Rot Laugh and Byron." Tea's chin trembled and her right eye twitched.

"Someone on the same level as an IZA officer? I assume that person has more authority than me within your programming." The gynoid nodded to confirm my statement.

["It's obvious she's not innocent! Neopolitan is behind that horrendous crime!"]

["Ha. She is guilty..."]

["You don't have the authority to overwrite his commands.]

...

Is she implying Captain Irigami believes Neopolitan is innocent? How is that possible when the head mayor and the lieutenant believe the contrary? And if Irigami doubts that Neopolitan is guilty about the bioterrorist attack, why ask me many questions about the night I met her?

•

"Mr. Calavera?" Tea's question ended my recollection as the other two girls carefully observed me.

I stepped outside the phone booth and closed its door.

"Kimi, I've got a new job offer." I joked to CC.

It was better not to disclose details about the phone call with Tea or Wuneng because of their connection with Irigami. Whoever the caller was likely also knew our family secret.

Neopolitan, mutes tell no lies. Don't they?

Informal notes: We're done with Usagi and Max's POVs for a while. The upcoming Neopolitan chapter will also be divided into acts due to its complexity and length. It's one that has been in my mind since volume 6 and 7 aired. Of course, it's a chapter that has been modified to fit better the world of Zenith, so it's going to be crazier than originally planned.