Zeki's mind raced, processing the inconsistencies of the situation. A Mioca at that level shouldn't be capable of breaching the city's underground defenses—a reinforced iron mesh.
This monster isn't that strong, he reasoned, keeping himself and the siblings suspended in the air. Not enough to break through metal. Wait… what if it's not alone? But… I don't sense any other monster.
He turned to them, his expression serious. "Listen, I've already evacuated the civilians with a psychic pulse. Let's finish this quickly before that thing evolves further. Gustavo, can you do me a favor?"
Gustavo's reaction was immediate and hostile. "Look, I barely know you. Don't start giving me orders. I can take that thing down myself."
"Stop being difficult, Gustavo," Bia cut in, siding with Zeki. "Go ahead, talk."
"Why are you taking his side? Don't tell me you're already into him," Gustavo mocked.
"Shut up, idiot," Bia snapped.
Patience, Zeki thought, taking a breath. "Gustavo, listen. I need you to go into the hole it came from. I have to check something."
"And why don't you go yourself?" Gustavo challenged.
"Stop being grumpy and just go," Bia growled, losing patience.
"Fine," Gustavo huffed, annoyed, and started searching for the hole the Mioca had emerged from.
"Wait—where's the Mioca?" Bia suddenly asked, panic creeping back into her voice.
Zeki turned just in time to see the creature bursting from the ground again, its jaws wide open to devour them. In a blink, a translucent bluish barrier formed around them. The Mioca, now with sharp claws, slammed into the shield, biting and scraping against the psychic energy.
"Ah, crap! It's gonna eat us!" Bia shouted.
Without apparent effort, Zeki lifted the entire creature into the air. Forced out of the ground, the Mioca's full body was revealed—a massive, segmented form stretching fifty, maybe sixty meters.
"This thing is huge," Zeki muttered. "But I can handle it." He glanced at Bia. "I can take care of this alone."
"What? Have you lost your mind?"
"Now I know I can. Go after your brother."
"And what's so important in that hole that you sent my brother down there?"
"Because there might be another monster coming from it," Zeki explained calmly. "A much stronger one than this."
He whipped the Mioca through the air like a lash, forcing it away from the barrier. The creature crashed into the ground with a heavy thud.
"Now I'm sure—you're completely insane!" Bia snapped. "You saw my brother struggling with this thing and still sent him after something stronger? You want him dead?" Her voice trembled with anger and worry. "Yeah, he's kind of an idiot sometimes, but still!"
"Can you let me finish?" Zeki said, his patience thinning. "I don't sense any monster within a 500-meter radius besides this one. If anything appears, I'll go straight to your brother."
His confidence was disarming.
"Wow," Bia said, a hint of reluctant admiration in her voice. "If you're that strong, my brother could use some of your confidence."
Realizing her help wasn't needed, she relaxed her stance, stepped out of Zeki's barrier, and ran in the direction Gustavo had gone.
Zeki slowly descended. The Mioca, recovering, spat acid, but the jets hissed harmlessly against his shield. Realizing it was useless, the monster burrowed back underground, and silence fell over the battlefield.
For a moment.
Then the ground shook beneath Zeki's feet. The Mioca burst out directly below him—and swallowed him whole.
For a brief instant, the creature seemed victorious.
Then something strange happened.
It began to swell.
"Whoa… that thing's inflating like a balloon," Bia commented from a distance, having stopped to watch. "That guy wasn't kidding about not needing help."
Near the hole, Gustavo scratched his head. "The guy told me to come here… but now what?" He turned and froze at the sight of the floating, swelling Mioca. "What the hell is happening to that giant worm? Don't tell me it's evolving again?"
"Found you! I'm here!" Bia shouted, appearing beside him.
A muffled sound—like distant thunder—echoed from inside the creature.
Then, with a deafening blast, the Mioca exploded from the inside out, spraying a grotesque rain of fluids and flesh. At the center of the explosion, completely unharmed, Zeki floated.
"What the hell was that?" Gustavo stammered. "Wait… if you're here… then that guy blew it up by himself! Who is this freak?"
"He's strong, huh?" Bia said with a smirk. "Must be from some guild. But man, it'd be nice if you were that strong, little bro."
"What? I'm way stronger than him!" Gustavo shot back. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have struggled that much. You just got in the way."
"Sure, sure," she replied, rolling her eyes.
Zeki approached them. "Are you two okay?"
"What was that supposed to be?" Gustavo cut him off, irritated. "You were acting all powerful—why not finish it right away? Why the whole show, showing up at the last second?"
Bia lightly smacked the back of his head. "Sorry about that. My brother doesn't know how to say thank you."
"I was fine! I could've taken that thing down myself!"
"If you're gonna keep whining, then leave," Bia said.
"No problem," Zeki replied, already turning away. "I'll go before this turns into more trouble."
"Wow, so polite," Bia commented, then took the initiative. "Nice to meet you, I'm Bia." She nudged her brother. "Gustavo, aren't you gonna introduce yourself?"
"You already said my name, no need. But yeah—Gustavo."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Zeki."
"Zeki, huh?" Bia said, intrigued. "That's a different name. Are you a foreigner?"
"No, not really. My mom just wanted something original, I guess."
"Got it."
Feeling left out, Gustavo jumped in. "Hey, Zeki, are you hitting on my little sister?"
Zeki stared at him, expression completely blank. Is this guy serious?
Bia smacked him again. "Gustavo, stop being paranoid."
Not far away, hidden in the shadows of the rubble, two sets of glowing, multi-eyed gazes watched them—a giant spider and a three-eyed creature.
"I thought that Mioca would last longer," the Spider hissed telepathically. "What a disappointment. Defeated by a mere human. I should finish them before they become a problem."
"Don't waste your time," the Three-Eyed creature replied, more cautious. "Stronger humans will appear soon. As tempting as it is, we should let this go for now."
The Spider turned, irritated. "Your joy won't last long, humans."
Suddenly, Zeki felt it—a chill down his spine, the unmistakable sensation of being watched. He turned sharply, staring straight at the shadows where the monsters hid.
"Oh?" said the Three-Eyed one. "It seems the human noticed us. He might become a problem in the future."
"That human who exploded the Mioca seems arrogant," the Spider hissed. "Wouldn't surprise me if he dies soon."
"Perhaps. But we should keep an eye on him. As for the other boy and the girl, they're not worth worrying about."
Bia noticed the shift in Zeki. "Something wrong?"
"I think we should leave," he said, his voice low and urgent.
"What now?" Gustavo grumbled.
"Don't tell me there's another monster?" Bia asked, tense.
"I can't say for sure," Zeki lied, not wanting to cause panic. "But let's get out of here as fast as possible."
Gustavo opened his mouth to complain, but the look Bia gave him made him swallow his words.
In silence, the three of them moved away from the ruins—leaving behind the battlefield and the unseen eyes watching them from the shadows.