Raindrops fall from the sky, soaking the hair of the four teenagers as they move at an inhuman speed—nearly one hundred kilometers per hour—by concentrating energy sensations into their muscles. One of them, however, is noticeably faster: the brown-haired boy reaches nearly one hundred sixty kilometers per hour with every stride.
The blonde watches him and thinks, Ty… I understand you're worried about your friend, but if you rush in without knowing what we're facing, all you'll prove is how reckless you can be.
The boy's gaze is fixed straight ahead, his goal still far away. In his mind, he can only imagine what might be happening to the red-haired boy. Whether he's safe or not, Tyron knows he must be there to help him. Fear rises with each assumption he makes, and without realizing it, his Fiu shifts from Positive to Negative. His movement speed spikes again—now reaching two hundred ten kilometers per hour.
The group leaps down near the waterfall. Alexa quickly pulls out a small stash, tossing each of them a hood and scarf in their respective colors. Emily checks Antonio's location once more. The blonde and the black-haired girl nod at Emily's order.
"We need to slow down. Whatever's waiting for us, we'll need to be in top condition."
Tyron keeps his eyes on the horizon, unease mixing with a growing rage and fear. He extends his arm forward, palm up, letting the rain soak his hand as he murmurs,
"I have a bad feeling about this."
The city is covered by a thin veil of rain as the vigilantes sprint and leap across rooftops toward Antonio's location. Suddenly, the blonde signals them to stop and be silent. Ignoring the sound of rain and distant car horns, she calms her mind and listens carefully. Faint gunshots reach her ears—barely audible—followed by a powerful explosion in the distance.
That's enough to make them accelerate again.
As they run, Emily breathes deeply, preparing herself mentally—there could be injured civilians. Alexa feels the wind slowly growing stronger and remembers what Alicia taught her when she was younger. One of her earliest lessons about Fiu echoes in her mind.
FLASHBACK
The adult woman walks steadily ahead, followed closely by the young girl, who looks up in fear as dark storm clouds roll toward them. They reach the top of a small cliff, where the woman sits and gestures for her granddaughter to sit beside her. The little black-haired girl does so nervously, flinching at the whistling wind.
Alicia: "Dear, do you feel how the wind caresses our skin?"
Young Alexa: nodding, frightened "Yes, Grandma!"
Alicia: closing her eyes, smiling calmly
"The wind is gentle and sweet, but that doesn't mean it can't be dangerous and harsh. Nature isn't fair—it gives abundantly to some and ignores others who need it most."
Young Alexa: thoughtful "But you can change that, right?"
Alicia smiles warmly and points toward the river below the cliff.
"You see how these lands have more than enough water?"
The girl nods happily.
Alicia stands, facing the storm with her eyes closed. She steps back with her left leg, turning her body sideways toward the clouds. Lowering her torso, she guides both palms together, shifting her weight onto the rear leg. Then, with a sharp motion, she snaps back into position, lifting the tip of her left foot. The force redirects the wind above them.
The child stares in awe.
"In this region, there has been enough rain," Alicia continues. "The vegetation doesn't need more—for now. But where the wind is heading, they've been suffering from severe drought. Those who are born without the ability to manipulate Fiu, or who never developed it, need help. We users must recognize our role: first as observers, then as actors. We must evaluate the situation without forgetting the most important thing—we are not superior beings meant to impose ourselves on those who lack what we have. We are equals."
The little girl nods, understanding. She then feels a gentle ruffle of her hair from her older sister, who smiles tenderly.
"That's one of the greatest principles of the Society of Users," her sister adds. "Nature alone is truly free. We're allowed to influence its behavior—but not to override it. Sometimes, our connection with natural Fiu is so deep that it even tries to warn us of danger."
Alicia smiles proudly as both of her granddaughters—her students—grasp the lesson. She pulls them both into a gentle hug.
END FLASHBACK
Sensing that the storm itself may be warning them of danger, Alexa grips the hilt of her sheathed weapon. They sprint down a deserted street toward their destination.
As they draw closer, Francesca smells something foul—along with a presence that burns her senses. Not just burning… something cruel and malignant.
Tyron hears nothing but his own footsteps, splashing through puddles, and his ragged breathing.
When they turn a corner, they see the red-haired boy in his alter-ego outfit, tossing a grenade point-blank at an unknown man.
"ANTONIO!" Tyron screams.
In a blink, the explosion roars.
To their shock, both the red-haired boy and the white-haired man remain standing. The warehouse entrance takes the full brunt of the blast. Emily is the only one who fully understands what happened. She spreads her legs, draws her weapon, and raises it overhead—left hand over right—in the Védelem base stance.
"Careful! That man with the blades redirected the grenade with a single motion!"
That warning is enough for the blonde and the black-haired girl to take their stances. Tyron ignores it completely, wiping away a stray tear as he charges forward, desperate to pull the adult away from Antonio.
Reyik: sniffing the air, smiling at Tyron
"So you're the one who cares about him that much. You fought well, kid—but this is my job."
With a wide grin, the mercenary drives his blade straight through Antonio's torso, piercing him until it strikes the pavement. The red-haired boy feels the cold metal enter and leave in an instant, his strength draining rapidly. His vision blurs. Sounds fade—the rain is no longer audible.
Tyron watches in absolute shock as his best friend is mortally wounded.
Reyik stands, lifts the injured teen with one hand, and throws him through the grenade-blasted opening into the warehouse.
He turns toward his real targets—but an energy sphere slams into his stomach, blasting him backward and cracking the street beneath him. Even so, he endures the attack, merely knocked to the ground.
Antonio's breathing falters as he coughs up blood. Before he hits the cold floor, the girl in blue catches him, landing safely and laying him down with his head resting on her legs. She quickly releases the fasteners at the back of his neck, removing his mask.
Antonio's fading vision fills with light—and then with the worried face of the blonde. Her blue eyes glow faintly, and in that moment, he understands why Tyron fell in love with her.
With his strength nearly gone, he whispers,
"Now… I understand…"
He gives her a small, sincere smile before coughing up more blood.
Alexa: approaching, watching Reyik rise
"How is he?"
Francesca: holding Antonio
"Critical. He has a perforated abdomen, another wound in his back—and the chest wound is the worst."
Alexa: grim
"We need to call the Master. He might be able to save him."
Francesca: calm but firm
"First we regroup. Stay safe and don't drop your guard. Where are Emily and Tyron?"
They turn to see Tyron frozen in place, replaying the moment the blade pierced Antonio's body—unable to move.
Reyik takes advantage of this, appearing in front of Tyron and slashing downward toward his head. The clash of steel rings out—the gray-hooded girl blocks the strike perfectly.
Reyik starts to speak—
—but Emily steps forward, twisting her hips and slamming her right shoulder into him with devastating force, launching him down the street and through the wall of a distant building.
Emily grabs Tyron's hand and pulls him toward the others. Francesca passes Antonio into Tyron's arms without a word. Tyron supports his friend, one hand on his back.
Understanding this may be the last time, Tyron removes his hood and scarf. Francesca protests—
—but the pain in his eyes stops her. She nods and signals the others to reveal their faces as well.
If I call the Master now, will he make it in time? Francesca thinks. With that man still standing, we can't gamble on something unproven.
Reyik emerges from the rubble, rain pouring over him as he shakes dust from his wild hair.
"Well, well," he laughs. "Showing me your faces already? Giving up?"
"No," the blonde replies coldly. "You're not leaving here alive."
Emily looks to her teammates. Alexa nods, fixing Reyik with a deadly glare. Francesca looks down, conflicted.
"I'll help," she says softly. "But I won't be the one who kills him."
The others nod.
Tyron sobs as he holds Antonio, tears falling onto his friend's face. Antonio meets his gaze, memories flooding back—painful years, reconciliation, friendship, even the impossible rescue from Erinios.
Summoning his last strength, Antonio raises his right hand toward Tyron.
Tyron immediately grips it tightly.
"Thank you… for being my… friend…" Antonio whispers, smiling one last time.
His hand goes limp.
Tyron breaks down, feeling the strength leave his friend's grasp. Antonio's head falls back, eyes empty. Tyron lays him gently on the ground, pulling his blood-soaked hand away, and screams in agony.
Reyik laughs. "Relax. You'll all be joining him soon."
The girls prepare for battle.
Tyron's grief remains—but seeing Antonio's blood on his hand, he clenches his fist, swearing vengeance.
Thunder crashes in the distance as the rain intensifies.
Tyron growls. Electricity crackles around him.
This feeling… it can't be, Alexa thinks. Could it be… the Black Lightning?
Tyron grits his teeth, heat and fury surging as he mutters,
"Bastard…"
In the forest, Jayden steps out from his cabin as the storm worsens. A massive bolt of lightning strikes nearby. He raises a finger, parting the storm with a burst of flame.
"So," he smiles darkly, "the idiot has finally snapped…"
He watches the thunder roll toward Guarly.
Back in the city, static lifts the girls' hair. Small arcs of lightning begin bursting from Tyron's skin.
"Damn you… damn you… DAMN YOU!"
"Ty! Calm down—you're losing control!" Alexa shouts.
Her words don't reach him. Lightning fractures the ground around him. Emily reaches out—but a shock numbs her arm and forces her back.
Another lightning bolt strikes a nearby building, shattering streetlights.
This is an emotional eruption, Francesca realizes, enduring the pain as she grips his shoulder.
Tyron slams the ground and rises, his hair tips glowing bright yellow.
The girls retreat.
A bolt strikes near Reyik.
"BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Reyik laughs—then is blasted upward by a punch so powerful it nearly tears his head off. Teeth fly as Tyron launches him skyward, striking again and again in a yellow blur.
Only Francesca can truly follow the movement.
"So this is the power of Dark Fiu…" she murmurs.
Lightning scars the sky as they rise. Tyron slashes Reyik's abdomen, spins, and kicks him into a cloud—where a massive lightning bolt crashes down, sending the mercenary plummeting in flames.
They clash again in midair—steel sparks flying. Reyik lands wounds, but they heal instantly in flashes of yellow.
With a final opening, Tyron severs Reyik's right arm and guillotines him back to the warehouse roof, obliterating weapons on impact. Another lightning bolt detonates nearby.
Tyron lands and fires electricity from his palm, burning Reyik's skin.
But then—silence.
Reyik's blood flows back into his body. His wounds close. His arm regenerates. Bones twist back into place.
"Nice hits, kid," Reyik says, cracking his neck. "You almost had me."
The ground traps his feet—Alexa and Emily strike together, hurling him into a truck.
The team regroups.
"Ty," Emily says firmly, blade raised, "you won't beat him alone. Whatever he is, he heals too fast. We end this together. Understood?"
Tyron clenches his fists. "Yeah."
Reyik tears metal from the truck, smiling.
"Come on," he taunts. "Show me what you've got."