The Tesseract, which had been dormant, had awakened, and the Invaders’ schemes had been thwarted.

    Even Anser, who seemed beyond saving, was back to normal.

    In some ways, it felt like a series of results that couldn’t have been better.

    It was only natural that the tension I had been unconsciously holding onto suddenly released.

    However, when the still-unconscious Anser collapsed, and I barely caught her before she hit the ground, reality finally hit me like a wave.

    ‘...It’s not time to relax yet. The real challenge starts now.’

    Thinking about it, there were still unresolved problems everywhere.

    The biggest issue was that I needed to leave before the police caught me.

    If I were mistaken as the cause of the incident, things could spiral quickly. Moreover, if anyone witnessed me using telekinesis, it would cause chaos.

    Even if I allowed myself to be captured peacefully, being found out as someone without any legal identity would be deeply problematic.

    Thus, avoiding the police at all costs was the best option.

    But thanks to the contracts Anser had scattered everywhere, the place was likely surrounded with no way out.

    Escaping through their blockade was going to be a significant challenge from the start.

    ‘And there’s another dilemma: do I leave Anser behind or escape with her?’

    Based on the police chatter, Anser had already been identified as a suspect in the incident.

    Even if I took her and ran, there was a high chance they’d pursue us relentlessly.

    Once marked as a target, there might be no end to it until we escaped NightHaven.

    But leaving her behind didn’t feel right either. The scale of the incident was too large to ignore.

    An entire subway station had been shut down, and all nearby trains had come to a halt.

    The financial losses alone were dizzying to even estimate.

    In truth, she was just a victim, manipulated against her will. Someone else had caused all this chaos.

    But there was a good chance she’d take the fall for everything.

    ‘Argh! My head hurts! What am I supposed to do? I have no idea!’

    Holding the collapsed Anser with my telekinesis, I grabbed my head in frustration as a splitting headache threatened to overwhelm me.

    Time was painfully short. The contracts Anser had scattered had likely lost their effectiveness by now.

    But making a hasty decision felt impossible when every choice seemed wrong.

    Oh, if only there were some magical object that could solve all my problems at once!

    With that thought, I glanced at the Tesseract rolling in my palm.

    Hmm... using the Tesseract to solve the situation felt tricky right now.

    The lack of anything to offer as a price was one issue. But more importantly, the Tesseract wasn’t some omnipotent wish-granting tool.

    ‘The Tesseract is a device that forcibly extracts the potential someone holds within. It could restore Anser and me to a version of ourselves without injuries... but it’s not likely to help much right now.’ r?а?O??ΒE?S

    Nothing seemed to work. So, what was I supposed to do?

    I wandered in confusion for a long while before smacking my cheeks with both hands to refocus.

    First, I needed to get out of here. Everything else could wait.

    Feeling the stinging sensation on my cheeks, I resolved to leave the area first.

    If things spiraled out of control later, I’d figure something out!

    Thud. Thud. Thud.

    “....”

    In the distance, I heard the ground rumble.

    It seemed the police, whose progress had been delayed, were finally entering the area.

    At most, I had about two minutes of leeway.

    In that short time, I needed to escape this place like magic. But could I pull it off?

    ‘Wait a second... what if... I do this?’

    As I scanned my surroundings, an idea suddenly sparked in my mind.

    What is the biggest problem right now?

    Escaping this narrow underground tunnel without being spotted was impossible.

    But if I could avoid being seen, most of the problem would be solved.

    “...!”

    A decent plan came to mind, and I stomped my foot hard against the ground.

    Using telekinesis, I extended my power to the ground, grabbing onto the materials below.

    What I held were the ballast rocks under the rails, which dampened sound and dispersed impact.

    Perhaps because my body was brimming with power after absorbing the Invader fragment, I managed to lift nearly two tons of ballast rocks.

    ‘Now, let’s... shape it like this!’

    “Stop, Giant. Surrender and halt where you stand.”

    “....”

    “Oh, so that’s how it is? Fine. That makes you an accomplice. I’m placing you under arrest for your crimes.”

    Ethan smirked as the Rock Giant, cradling Anser, ignored his command and continued forward.

    He pulled out a baton—standard issue for law enforcement—from his belt.

    “Ethan, Team Leader of Special Unit 3. I’ve encountered a suspect fleeing with an accomplice. Location: the tunnel entrance. I’ll attempt to apprehend them; requesting backup.”

    Boom! Boom!

    The Rock Giant charged down the tracks with a menacing presence, rapidly closing the distance to Ethan.

    At this rate, he would be caught in its massive momentum and severely injured—or worse.

    Yet, Ethan calmly continued his radio call, seemingly unbothered.

    Just as the Rock Giant reached him, Ethan swung his baton upward with all his might.

    CRACK!

    The multi-ton Giant was lifted off the ground in a single blow.

    Ethan smoothly caught the airborne Anser, who had slipped from the Giant’s grasp, holding her gently in his arms.

    Then, with a spinning motion, he drove a powerful kick into the Giant’s torso.

    The Rock Giant flew through the air, crashing into an empty area off the tracks and crumbling into rubble.

    It was an unbelievable feat of strength for a single human.

    I had suspected he was strong, but this... this was on another level. He actually did it?

    “Why do you keep making my life difficult?” Ethan muttered. “Team Leader Ethan, suspects secured. Let HQ know.”

    With Anser limp in his arms, Ethan strode toward the collapsed Giant.

    “Two suspects,” he said.

    It seemed he considered the Giant a type of humanoid, possibly a subhuman.

    Well, it was a reasonable assumption.

    If the Giant had been a golem, it would’ve exuded traces of magic. But a moving rock Giant with no magical signature?

    Without context, anyone would assume it was a kind of stone creature.

    ‘Now!’

    As Ethan approached the Rock Giant, I finally released my telekinetic hold.

    The Giant began to crumble from the edges inward, its form collapsing like a melting body.

    Ethan furrowed his brow at the bizarre sight.

    “What... is this?”

    Clang.

    A small shard of metal fell from the Giant’s remains, landing with a hollow sound.

    It was the Invader fragment that had been embedded in Anser’s chest earlier.

    Now drained of its power, it looked like a simple, inert piece of metal.

    However, if the lab analyzed it, they’d likely realize it was connected to the Invaders.

    This discovery might lead the police to deduce that Anser hadn’t acted alone, but had been used by some outside force.

    She could go from being a criminal to being recognized as a victim exploited in a larger scheme.

    ‘If that happens... phew, that’d be ideal.’

    Once I saw Ethan pick up the Invader fragment, I quietly slipped away.

    This was the best I could do. What happens next is out of my hands.

    If things go wrong from here... well, there’s nothing more I can do.

    The snow continued to fall from the sky.

    I wondered how long this winter would last.

    At least the snow helped obscure me as I made my way back to the Crowley Problem-Solvers’ office without drawing attention.

    “Y-Yuria!”

    “....”

    Near the office, in an empty park, Sabrina was waiting on a bench.

    Her ears and nose were bright red from the cold as she scrolled through the news on her device.

    The news reported that the bombs planted at the station had been fully defused, and the subway was operational again. The situation was completely resolved on that end.

    “H-How did it go?”

    “...!”

    In response to Sabrina’s question, I removed my dust-covered tablecloth, gave her an awkward smile, and offered a cautious thumbs-up.

    It was my way of saying, “Mission accomplished, more or less.”