Evermend raised a single hand without turning back.
"That's enough," she said.
The command carried weight. Justin felt it settle in his chest before his mind caught up. Liza moved instinctively, stepping in front of him, one wing half-spread in a protective angle. Braxton clenched his fists, muscles still tight with leftover adrenaline, but he stopped. Evermend took one step forward, and then she was gone.
The street seemed to fold in on itself as she crossed the distance in an instant. The Cleaner barely had time to widen his eyes before her fist crashed into his face. The impact thundered, a concussive blast that cracked the air and sent him stumbling backward, boots carving lines through shattered asphalt.
He barely managed to stay upright. "That's bullshit," he snapped, wiping blood from his mouth. "That kid's got super speed."
Evermend was already moving again. "Speed isn't talent," she said, her voice steady. "It's potential."
She struck him again, faster than before. He raised his arms just in time, magic flaring as he blocked, but the force drove him backward anyway. Their collision sent a visible shockwave down the street, rattling storefront windows and lifting debris into the air.
"I pushed the human body past its limits," Evermend continued, advancing without pause. "Long before rookies like him ever learned how to fly."
The Cleaner growled and countered, twisting into a sharp hook aimed at her ribs. It landed clean. Bone cracked. The damage sealed itself seconds later.
Evermend didn't slow. She stepped inside his guard and drove her elbow into his sternum, then followed with a knee that lifted him off the ground. He crashed through the hood of an abandoned car, metal folding around him.
She grabbed him by the collar and hauled him free. "I broke myself," she said, striking again. "Over and over."
The Cleaner slammed his head forward, catching her across the face. Magic-enhanced force rippled outward. Blood sprayed from her face. Her wound healed almost immediately.
"Bones," Evermend said, gripping his wrist and twisting until something gave. "Muscles. Organs."
She hurled him down the street. He skidded across the pavement, carving a shallow trench before rolling to his feet with a snarl. Magic circles flared brighter around his limbs as he charged, faster now, stronger.
Their next clash was violent. Fists met forearms. Knees met elbows. Each exchange detonated with blunt force, the air between them cracking under the strain. They tore through the street in a blur, smashing into parked cars, ripping chunks from the road, and fighting across intersections that moments ago had been filled with civilians.
"I healed it," Evermend said, blocking a heavy blow and answering with two of her own. "Every time."
The Cleaner landed a strike to her jaw that would have dropped most heroes. Her head snapped to the side. She turned back immediately.
"I tightened my muscles, my strength," she said, driving her palm into his chest. "Condensed it."
She slammed him into a storefront. The glass exploded outward as she followed through, pinning him against the collapsing wall. "Rebuilt it."
Her fist crashed into his gut. He choked, eyes wide, air forced from his lungs. Fear crept into his expression, thin but unmistakable.
"I didn't need to be born strong," Evermend said quietly. "I molded myself into the definition of strength."
The Cleaner broke free with a desperate surge of magic, blasting her backward and creating space. He staggered, breathing hard, eyes flicking between her and the growing ring of heroes watching from a distance. For the first time, he looked uncertain.
"Not worth it," he muttered, taking a step back. "Not today."
He turned to run, but Evermend leaned forward, and she was on him in seconds.
She caught him from behind and drove him face-first into the street with enough force to crater the asphalt. He tried to push himself up. She planted a boot between his shoulders and slammed him down again as the Cleaner lay still, magic circles flickering and dying around his limbs.
Evermend stood over him, breathing evenly, posture unshaken. She bent down, grabbed him by the collar, and dragged him across the ruined street. Captain Fantastica stepped forward as she dropped the unconscious assassin at his feet.
"Take him in," Evermend said. Captain Fantastica nodded sharply. "Already on it, boss."
ISC authority vehicles screamed onto the scene moments later. Agents spilled out, containment fields snapping into place as med teams and cleanup crews followed. The street filled with controlled motion, professionals locking down the chaos. Evermend turned back toward Liza, Justin, and Braxton.
"Back to the agency," she said. "Now."
They followed without argument. As they walked, Evermend slowed just enough to address them. "You held him off," she said. "That matters."
Liza straightened slightly, wings folding in. Braxton nodded, breathing finally evening out.
"The Cleaner is a known underworld combatant," Evermend continued. "High-tier B-Rank. The Decay Group doesn't send him unless the message matters."
Her eyes lingered on Justin for a moment. "You all did well."
They moved on as the noise behind them faded into controlled order. Justin glanced back one last time at the shattered street and the bound assassin. Evermend standing at the center of it all, unmovable.
People like her. People like the Cleaner. They're another level entirely. Justin turned forward and picked up his pace. He had a long way to go if he was going to become the strongest.
Back at the Sage Archive Agency, the medics worked quickly to patch up cuts, bruises, and minor fractures. Justin sat through it with quiet impatience, his mind already racing ahead. As soon as the bandages were set and the infirmary quieted down, he slipped out, careful not to draw attention, and made his way to the training room.
Inside, he found a massive two-ton crate and didn't hesitate. Gripping it like a barbell, he hoisted, slammed, and spun it, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead as he pushed his strength and endurance to the limit.
A soft sound behind him made him glance up. Liza stood in the doorway, arms crossed, expression unreadable for a moment. Then she stepped forward, voice calm but firm. "We need to talk."