Their fists collided with brutal force, echoing like thunder in the tension-charged air. Ezequiel blocked a punch with his forearm, feeling the impact vibrate through his bones. The metallic clang of the clash reverberated across the battlefield, blending with the roar of the wind that whipped up clouds of golden dust under the scorching sun. Aldos was fast, but Ezequiel had something his opponent lacked: combat experience. While Ezequiel had been trained in multiple martial disciplines, Aldos was a wild fighter, shaped solely by the need for survival. Each of his moves was calculated, yet also predictable.
Ezequiel stepped back, assessing his rival with a cold, calculating gaze. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he felt sweat trickle down his temple, mixing with the dust coating his face.
"I see you're not just strong, but skilled for your age," Aldos remarked, his voice laced with disdain, as if every word were a deliberate insult. "But that won't save you."
"Maybe not," Ezequiel replied calmly, his tone steady and confident, "but it won't save you either."
With a fierce roar, Aldos unleashed a combination attack that seemed unstoppable. His fists sliced through the air like blades, but Ezequiel dodged each strike with surprising agility, seizing the moment to counterattack. His fist connected with Aldos's side, eliciting a pained grunt, though Aldos didn't stop. The battle raged on, each blow resonating like an echo across the vast battlefield, where the heat and dust created an oppressive atmosphere.
Finally, Ezequiel found the opening he'd been waiting for. With a swift and precise motion, he used his Crescent Fist technique, lunging toward Aldos with dizzying speed. The impact was devastating, sending Aldos crashing to the ground with a muffled cry.
"This ends here," Ezequiel declared, his voice firm as he looked down at his defeated opponent. Aldos tried to rise, but his body wouldn't respond. "No... It can't be..." he muttered before losing consciousness.
Ezequiel exhaled deeply, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Well, I think this is over," he said, but as he turned, he saw that his companions were still fighting against the mind-controlled assassins. He noticed the psychic girls and the pretty boy who always hung around Azulema battling the controlled ones. But speaking of her… Where was she? The sand obscured visibility, and the relentless sun turned the battlefield into a living hell.
Meanwhile, Azulema was trapped underground, encased in a viscous cocoon that seemed spun by some giant spider. She tried to move, but the sticky substance held her immobilized.
"Where am I? What is this gooey stuff?" she muttered to herself, her voice tinged with frustration. But she quickly shook her head, remembering her purpose. "Well, it doesn't matter. I don't have time. Besides, my Marky needs me."
Closing her eyes, she focused her telekinetic power, forming invisible beams that began to slowly push against the walls of the cocoon. With superhuman effort, she managed to break free from what imprisoned her. As she emerged, she found herself face-to-face with a girl who resembled a giant spider, flanked by two others who used their powers to contain the sand and prevent it from collapsing onto the first one.
"Well, nothing but rookies," Azulema said with a mocking smile. With a mental gesture, she created an enormous flyswatter that struck the spider-girl, knocking her down instantly. She then trapped the other two in mental cages. However, a moment later, her expression shifted to one of concern. "Shit! I forgot these two were holding the sand above me."
The ground shook violently as the sand collapsed, causing all the fighters on the surface to lose their balance. From the epicenter, Azulema emerged, shielding herself with a force field while brushing the sand off her body, along with the now-human-transformed girl and the other two who had been controlling the sand.
"Assassin mode, huh? My grandma could fight better," Azulema joked as she placed the two unconscious girls on the ground. Turning to her teammates, who were still fighting, she shouted, "Hey, you lot! Get to work!" Then, addressing Becky, she added, "And you create more cages with whatever metal you have left to lock up these kids."
"At your command," everyone responded in unison.
Azulema approached Marky, who was standing visibly exhausted but unharmed. She hugged him tightly, causing the boy to blush intensely.
"Wow, I thought they'd beaten you," Ezequiel said, approaching with an unconscious Aldos slung over his shoulder.
"No one beats me. I always overcome adversity," Azulema replied with determination.
"Yeah, always so straightforward about some things," Ezequiel muttered, smirking.
"Alright, let's head to their base. We're sure to find more metal for Becky to make more cages for these kids," Azulema suggested, leading the way. As they walked, she scanned Aldos's mind, discovering there were more bases on this continent and that the people they were looking for were at one of them.
"After this, we need to go to Kenya. We'll need a ship. Hopefully, we'll find one inside," Azulema instructed, her tone decisive as they advanced toward Radar's base.
Meanwhile, in another part of the world, in the Nevada desert, Eduard and his team prepared to face Aragon. Gat, with his usual sarcasm, addressed Floud, the boy who could copy magical abilities.
"Alright, Boy Scout, you've got the five powers on your sash, right?" Gat joked, referring to the band around Floud's torso, similar to those worn by scouts. At that moment, Floud wore five glowing badges.
"I've got all five. I hope they'll be useful," Floud replied, though he quickly grimaced when he noticed the girls staring at him. "But don't call me Boy Scout," he added, retreating behind Eduard to avoid having his cheeks pinched by the girls.
"Alright, think carefully about what we're going to do. This guy is strong," Eduard interjected, his voice deep and authoritative.
"How many abilities do you have, Riota?" Eduard asked, turning to the young man.
"Let's see… I've got strength, agility, whatever Gat does, telekinesis from the girls, and endurance from some idiot wandering around. Though, to be fair, he wasn't all that tough. The good thing is I can improve those abilities," Riota answered with an arrogant grin.
"Don't get cocky, kid!" Gat exclaimed, giving him a light tap on the head.
"I understand," Eduard said, interrupting the argument between Riota and Gat, which resembled a sibling squabble. "We've got Benjamin's ability to transform into any animal and even combine them, and the girls who use telekinesis and telepathy. But they can't penetrate this enemy's mind. And you, old man, what can you do? So far, you haven't shown us anything," Gat remarked, crossing his arms.
"Hey, don't talk to the boss like that," Floud interjected from behind Eduard's massive arm.
"Alright, kid. Aside from my big arms and hands, I can summon the Fire Lions of Mars, which make my fists deliver massive flames from another planet. Then there's the Dawn Fist. I can't control them on my own; my body can't handle it. Fortunately, they created an attachment for me. That's why I asked Adrian for this new pair of gloves—they're more durable than the last ones. That's what that brainiac told me," Eduard explained, his tone brimming with confidence.
"It sounds like close-range attacks, just like our old boss," Gat commented.
"They're somewhat similar, but I don't need as much distance. My arms are longer than those of an average human, so before anyone can touch me, I can knock them out," Eduard replied.
"Yeah, I think you've got a point, but if someone dodges those, you're left wide open for a precise and deadly strike," Gat pointed out.
"You might be right, kid, but I've got other tricks for that," Eduard said with an enigmatic smile.
"I think I have the perfect plan," Eduard whispered, leaning in to speak directly into his team's ears.
"Hurry up! I don't have all day!" Aragón shouted from a distance, putting on his armored helmet, which shifted to a dark brown color. "I'll give you ten seconds." He began counting: "10, 9, 8, 7, 6…1"
"I'm coming!" Aragon yelled, charging toward where they stood.
As he approached, Aragón began moving more slowly, as if colliding with an invisible wall.
"What is this?" he muttered, his voice laced with confusion.
"Did you think you knew everything and that your aura would help you?" Gat taunted, while the two girls raised their hands toward Aragon, keeping him trapped in an invisible telekinetic field.
"I see. Then I know what to do," Aragón said, his voice calm but dangerous.