The irritation from the overpriced coxinha and the discomfort of the forced interaction soured Zeki's outing. His initial excitement faded, replaced by a melancholic urge to return to the safety of his new apartment. He walked absentmindedly, eyes fixed on the ground, when a small leather object slipped into his field of vision, sliding out of a bag ahead of him. A wallet.
He picked it up. The girl, a few steps ahead, kept walking, unaware of her loss. Zeki quickened his pace.
"Hey, excuse me," he said, lightly tapping her shoulder. "You dropped your wallet."
The girl turned with a start. Her eyes, full of vibrant energy, widened when she saw the item in his hand. It was Bia.
"Oh, crap, my wallet!" she exclaimed, grabbing it quickly. Genuine relief washed over her face, but it was soon followed by a hint of suspicion. "Thanks a lot. But wait, you're not gonna ask for anything in return, are you?"
Zeki blinked, caught off guard by her bluntness. "No. I just came to return it. I'm heading out anyway."
"Wait a second," she said, tilting her head. "You're not from around here, are you?"
Here we go again… Zeki thought, a wave of frustration rising inside him. Why does everyone want to start a conversation?
"No," he replied shortly.
"I knew it! You totally look like a tourist. Are you lost or just passing through?"
"Passing through. I'm already heading home."
"Got it," she said, putting the wallet away. "But hey, be careful with prices around here, okay? People love to rip you off!"
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."
"Oh, and since you're here, want a tip on where to eat well without spending much?"
The mention of cheap food, after his recent experience, caught his interest. "Sure. Where?"
"There's a snack place on the corner of the next street, 'Su's Snacks.' Best cost-benefit you'll find."
"Thanks for the tip. Bye."
"Alright. Take care and good luck!"
At the exact moment Zeki turned to leave, the air trembled. A distant yet powerful explosion echoed across the city—a thunderclap out of place that made the ground vibrate and people on the street scream in panic.
Bia's gaze locked onto the column of smoke rising in the distance. The panic on her face turned into pure terror. "Damn! Wait… that direction… that's near my house!"
Zeki looked at the explosion with a calm that bordered on apathy. But his attention wasn't captured by the destruction—it was by Bia. In the blink of an eye, she took off. Not running along the sidewalk, but leaping onto a car, launching herself onto a rooftop, and sprinting across buildings with superhuman agility.
So she has powers too, Zeki observed, fascination replacing irritation. From that speed, she's not weak. Why isn't someone like her in a guild?
Curiosity overcame his desire to go home. With a thought, his feet lifted off the ground and he began to fly, following her from a safe distance—a silent shadow in the skies of São Paulo.
Ahead, he spotted another figure jumping across rooftops, moving with raw strength Zeki recognized. It was Gustavo—the boy from the snack bar.
"GUSTAVO! I'M HERE!" Bia's voice cut through the air.
Gustavo saw her, relief spreading across his face. "Bia, thank God you're okay! Go back, I'll handle this!" he shouted without slowing down.
"Are you crazy?" she yelled back, catching up to him. "If I have powers, I'm gonna use them! I'm not letting our house turn into rubble!"
"Bia, go back! This won't end well!"
"Are you deaf? I already said—"
"LISTEN!" Gustavo interrupted, his voice serious. "Mom's not home."
The tension on Bia's face melted, replaced by visible relief—and then by cold fury. "Okay. But whoever did this… I'm gonna beat them to a pulp!"
"Fine, but take it easy. Let's see what's going on first."
"Deal. But if someone destroyed our house, they're gonna pay!"
The two continued side by side. Zeki, watching from above, kept his distance, intrigued by the siblings' dynamic and the power radiating from them.
When they arrived, the scene was hellish. Houses on fire, people running and screaming, pointing toward the center of destruction.
"It's a giant worm! It came out of the ground!" a resident shouted.
And there it was. The Mioca—a colossal, segmented creature—emerged from the earth, its roar shaking what remained of the structures as it tore everything apart.
"This is insane, Bia!" Gustavo exclaimed, staring at the burning houses. Then his anger exploded. "Ah, go to hell, ugly thing, wrecking people's homes!"
Bia looked at him, then at the burning house, and back at him with pure disbelief. "Hey, genius, that's not our house. Can't you see?"
Gustavo blinked, instantly shifting posture as if he had made an obvious mistake. "Wait, seriously? It just looks like it. My bad."
"Man, seriously…" Bia shook her head.
The Mioca noticed them. With a guttural sound, it lunged.
"You wanna play? Then come on, ugly!" Gustavo shouted.
A bright aura exploded around him. His muscles visibly swelled, energy crackling through his arms. He braced for impact.
"Alright, I'll cover you!" Bia shouted. Extending her hands, arcs of pure electricity danced between her fingers.
The Mioca charged at Gustavo, who intercepted the attack with his energized arms. The clash was brutal, but he held his ground, pushing the creature back.
"Come on, you freak!" he roared.
"Nice one, big bro! My turn!" Bia fired a powerful lightning blast that struck the Mioca directly. The monster writhed but recovered, opening its maw to spit a stream of acid.
"Watch out, brat!" Gustavo shouted.
"Wait—what did you call me?"
He didn't answer. He leaped in front of her, using his arms as a shield. The energy neutralized part of the acid, but the rest hissed against his skin, burning it. He was pushed back but stayed standing.
"Gustavo, your arms are burning! Turn it off!" Bia shouted, worried.
"Ah, stop being dramatic, Bia. It's nothing," he said, trying to hide the pain.
"Acting tough won't help! Call a hunter!"
"You think I'm gonna leave my little sister here with this thing? No way!" he replied, activating his power again despite the pain.
Suddenly, the Mioca began to transform. Legs sprouted from its body, and it started digging, preparing for a subterranean attack.
"Come on, Bia! We need to get out of here!" Gustavo grabbed her arm and jumped.
They went up—but didn't fall. They remained suspended in the air.
"Wait, Gustavo… you could fly this whole time? Why didn't you do that before?" Bia asked, confused.
"What? You're the one flying, aren't you? Maybe it's a new power!"
A shadow appeared behind them. It was Zeki, floating with his arms crossed, a calm expression on his face. Bia and Gustavo turned, their jaws dropping in unison.
"WAIT," Gustavo stammered, incredulous. "Aren't you the five-reais guy?"
"Hold on, Gustavo… you know him?" Bia asked, curiosity overtaking the shock.
Zeki cut in, his calm voice clashing with the chaos below. "I think we should save the questions for after we defeat that thing."
Bia nodded, focus returning to her eyes. "I agree. Let's finish this monster first—then we can introduce ourselves properly."
"Whatever," Gustavo growled, flexing his burned arms. "I just want to punch that thing!"
The three of them turned toward the hole in the ground—an unlikely trio united against the threat stirring beneath their feet, ready for the next round.