Debris flew everywhere as the his fist slammed into the ground, dark energy radiating from the impact.

    The force was powerful—enough to shatter the earth beneath us—but not fast enough to catch me.

    In the very last moment, I leaped into the air, easily evading the attack. Dust and chunks of dirt filled the air, and for a second, I hovered there, watching him gasp for breath.

    "That''s some serious power," I muttered to myself, landing a few feet away. "But it looks like it took a lot out of him."

    The guy was hunched over, his breaths coming out in heavy, ragged gasps. His sister, still poised and ready for battle. It was clear that move had cost him. Maybe a lot more than he''d planned for. Meanwhile, I hadn''t even broken a sweat.

    I smirked. "You good over there, or do you need a breather?" I asked, half-serious.

    The brother gritted his teeth and straightened up, trying to mask his exhaustion. "I''m... I''m fine," he spat, glaring at me with hatred. His dark aura flickered around him like a dying flame.

    The sister shot me a furious look. "You''re underestimating us, Zero. You won''t be able to keep dodging forever."

    I shrugged, already feeling like this was dragging on longer than necessary. "I don''t know. I think I''m doing pretty well so far." I clenched my fists, flexing my fingers as I felt the faint hum of my own energy stir within me. "But hey, maybe it''s time I stopped just dodging."

    The brother''s eyes narrowed as he lunged at me again, his dark energy surging back to life. This time, he threw a flurry of punches, faster than before, each one crackling with dark aura. But I was faster. I dodged left, then right, sidestepping each attack with ease. His strikes were powerful, but predictable.

    As his fist came towards my face again, I lifted my hand and blocked it—barehanded. His eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, I twisted his arm and sent him stumbling backward.

    "That all you got?" I asked, more curious than mocking this time. I was beginning to realize just how much stronger I''d become.

    Last time, I had Alpha guiding me, helping me fight, but now... now I was handling this on my own. And I was understanding why I am the leader of the shadow mystics.

    "Don''t get cocky!" the sister shouted, her dark energy flaring up as she charged at me from the side.

    I turned just in time to see her aiming a kick straight for my head. I ducked, feeling the rush of air as her leg sailed over me, and then countered with a swift jab to her side.

    She winced but recovered quickly, spinning around and trying to catch me off guard with a series of rapid kicks.

    I dodged and blocked, feeling her strikes bounce off my forearms. She was fast, but my reflexes were faster. I could feel my aura building up with each move, my body moving instinctively, almost like I didn''t even need to think about it anymore. The more I fought, the more I realized that I was barely using a fraction of my strength.

    "Alright," I muttered under my breath, "let''s see what I can really do."

    In an instant, I released my aura, letting it surge around me. The world seemed to slow down as I dashed around them in a blur of motion, my speed amplified by the energy coursing through me. I circled them, watching as their eyes struggled to keep up.

    "You... you killed her..." the brother choked out from where he lay, blood pooling beneath him. His voice was weak, barely a whisper. His body trembled as he tried to lift his head, but he was too beaten to even move. "You... monster..."

    I looked down at him, my expression cold, detached. "You two were the ones who came after me, remember?" I crouched down to his level, my voice low and unamused. "Next time, don''t bite off more than you can chew."

    He coughed, more blood seeping from his mouth as his body convulsed. "How...? How are you... so strong...?"

    I tilted my head slightly, considering his question for a moment. Then, I gave him a simple, indifferent answer. "Because I''m Zero."

    His eyes flickered with fear as I stood up, ignoring his dying words.

    "You guys are boring and weak," I muttered under my breath.

    Turning away from him, I started walking toward where I had dropped my bag and jacket earlier. The fight hadn''t even lasted long, and yet it felt like an eternity. I could already feel the excitement draining out of me.

    As I picked up my jacket, a faint sound caught my attention. It was distant at first, but growing louder with each passing second. Voices. Footsteps. And then, the unmistakable beam of a flashlight cut through the darkness.

    "Crap," I muttered, realizing that civilians had started to approach the scene. There were a couple of them, probably alerted by the noise.

    Among them, I could make out the distinct voices of the police, already on high alert from the commotion. One of them was shouting something, but I didn''t bother to listen.

    "Who''s there?" a voice called out, accompanied by the glaring beam of a flashlight sweeping across the ruined field.

    Yeah, that''s my cue to leave.

    Without wasting another second, I dashed away in a blur, moving faster than the human eye could track.

    In an instant, I was gone, leaving behind only the wreckage and the fallen bodies of the twin siblings. The police and civilians arrived just in time to find the aftermath of the battle, but not a trace of me.

    As I dashed down the streets, avoiding any further attention. After what felt like just seconds, I slowed down, coming to a stop in a quiet alleyway far from the scene.

    I glanced down at my hands, flexing them. Barely any effort.

    Sigh*

    "I can''t fight like this. If my identity gets out it''ll be hard to attend college or go anywhere. I need to figure it out."

    I tossed my jacket over my shoulder and started walking toward home, blending back into the city as if nothing had happened.