The Candado team was completely bewildered. Not only were opponents from the Circuit involved in this game, but also banned union members who had once sworn allegiance to Harambee. However, they had violated the nine laws of the W.O.G.A.B, laws created by the seven leaders of the organization. Violating any of these laws meant immediate expulsion. Candado tirelessly sought a clear and understandable answer. He couldn't fathom why union members would be used in an attack, considering that Witnesses were supposed to despise the W.O.G.A.B. and those who supported it. Even their own leader, Thanatos, used to say, "Unions are a poison to humanity; they only want senseless wars and the separation of our brothers. If I had to rely on one of those scoundrels, I'd rather cut my veins a thousand times than betray my ideals."

This made no sense to those who called themselves Thanatos' voice. The situation was worrisome, and even the attempted murder of one of their comrades had no clear explanation.

As they pondered the multiple possibilities, Candado headed towards the door, with Yara in his arms and Hammya closely following. However, before he could reach the door, Pio stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see someone. Is there a problem?"

"Well, actually, yes. My house is a complete mess: my window is broken, my door destroyed, my walls riddled with bullets. Not to mention that my parents will be home in an hour."

"Don't worry, I'll send Matlotsky with you to fix everything."

"Seriously, Matlotsky can fix it all? That wouldn't be a bad idea," said Hector.

"Oh, yes, he can. Alright then."

"Great, now I'm off." He then looked at Clementina and continued, "I want you to stay here until Matlotsky arrives, then you can go home."

Having said that, Candado left the house, walking with Yara sitting on his shoulders and Hammya trailing behind. But on the way, Yara and Candado began to converse.

"Who are we going to see?"

"A friend of mine."

"Your friend? I know, Mauricio."

"No, it's not him."

"Then who?"

"It's someone you don't know, but it would be good for you to meet him."

"Is he good?"

"Yes, of course. If he wasn't, I wouldn't take you or Hammya with me."

"If he's good, then I wouldn't mind meeting him."

"That will be the case, Yara, that will be the case."

After a long walk, they finally reached the house of the "friend" Candado had met at a restaurant. He approached and knocked on the door three times. After a few seconds, the door opened, and a well-dressed Nelson welcomed them.

"Oh, dear gauchito, I was just thinking of you at this moment."

"How funny, Nelson, how funny," Candado said sarcastically.

Nelson looked at the girl on Candado's shoulders.

"Who is this cutie?"

"She's Yara, and she's..."

"Your sister," Nelson answered.

"No, she's..."

"His daughter," Yara replied.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" he exclaimed, surprised.

"Did you have to say it, girl, did you have to say it?"

"I... honestly, I didn't know that you... well, that you were a father."

"I think you're getting things confused. Some time ago, there was a fire in the forest, so my friend and I went to help the animals and insects in that area. She was a snake egg at that time, so my friend and I took care of her, and she hatched."

"You said she's a snake, but apart from her eyes, she looks quite normal."

"When she was an egg, her life expectancy was pretty low, so I gave her a little push so she could survive."

"And by a little push, you mean...?"

"Magic, that's why she's half-human and half-snake."

"Well, a story to tell the grandchildren. Come on, come in, you too, Hammya, come in."

Nelson stepped aside, and they entered the house with total ease and calm. Candado sat on a couch and placed Yara on his lap, while Hammya sat on the other side of him. Then, Nelson closed the door, approached them, and took a seat. With a smile, he said:

"Seeing you brings back old memories of my childhood."

"How long ago, about a thousand years."

"You're just like your grandfather, a sarcastic troublemaker."

"Well, changing the subject, I came personally to talk to you about a very important matter."

"Oh? About what?"

"About an organization called the Witnesses, do you know them?"

"Witnesses? Yes, of course, they were some crazies who wanted to bring back their leader."

"But?"

"But they couldn't. Their spells led to their own extinction. Nowadays, in the place where they used to gather, only a beautiful crater remains. A great ending for them since they wanted to create a hole in society."

"Was that a joke?"

"Yes, but I see you have no sense of humor."

"Actually, he laughs when he's with me," Yara said.

"Yes, it's true," confirmed Hammya.

"Both of you, be quiet."

"Well, you're affectionate in secret."

"Shut up, I didn't come here to talk about that."

"Well, what do you want to talk about?"

"Today, just a few minutes ago, one of my comrades was attacked."

"Well, what do you want me to do? I'm not a cop or a commissioner, wouldn't be of much help."

"I didn't come for that; I came because I want to know about the Witnesses."

"What exactly do you want me to say?"

"Do you know if the Witnesses had, under their ranks, obviously, union members?"

When Candado said that, Nelson stopped being happy and became serious. The question seemed like an insult.

"What do you mean?"

"What you heard. Are there or aren't there union members among the Witnesses?"

"Son, I don't know what you're thinking, but what you're telling me is serious."

"I know, and I would never have had the courage to say it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

"Kid, what you're saying is completely insane."

"Are you going to stick to that? I know, old man, I know it's insane, crazy, or whatever you want to call it. The thing is, I saw a union member with them."

"You saw it?"

"No, but I was told."

"And you're going by hearsay?"

"It's not true. I stopped a fight; Hammya almost got hurt, and when I went to see if my comrades had taken care of them, they told me that one of them was named Fernandez, and he was part of the hunter's union."

"But it was just one, it doesn't mean anything."

"Where there's smoke, there's fire, don't you understand?"

"It's hard to believe that unions are against the World Order of the Great Alliance Bernstein."

"It's not the first time it's happened, or have you forgotten the GreenBlood case?"

"It's different; your mother was unfairly expelled from the W.O.G.A.B., and besides, she didn't operate against them, only against that particular union. Not to mention that her allies were Circuits, not Witnesses."

"YOU'RE BLIND! REALIZE, PLEASE!"

"Don't shout at me; you're not old enough to make me shut up."

Candado glared angrily at Nelson. He was completely out of control, but there was nothing he could do. He had already yelled, and that had scared Yara. Tears were already evident in her eyes, and Candado noticed that. So, he hugged Yara and apologized for the harshness. Then, he looked at Nelson sternly and continued.

"Look, I'm sorry for shouting at you, but you must understand that this is the truth."

"Candado, you shouldn't let yourself be swayed by just one outcome. You should have an open mind and consider all possibilities."

Candado looked at the ceiling and said,

"Nelson, I always think about that. I never let anything slip by me. I always consider all the damn possibilities. Some are good, and some are bad, but I always try to find the best outcome to prevent negative results from affecting the others I care about."

"Wise words, kid, wise words," Nelson raised his feet onto the desk and continued, "You remind me of your grandfather. He always knew what to do in situations like this."

"I envy him. I can't find any answers for this situation. In fact, I don't know what to do in this maze of possibilities."

"What do you fear the most?"

Candado looked into Nelson's eyes with immense coldness, almost like an emotionless empty puppet. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them slowly. With serious words, he said,

"Many times I've told myself that I fear nothing, but in reality, yes, there is something I fear a lot, and that thing is war."

"War?"

"War... A war where the blood of innocents will be spilled, a war that could involve my loved ones, a war in which I feel incapable of protecting those I cherish the most."

"I see. That's why you want to piece together the puzzle, to find the problem, destroy it, and prevent it from dragging your friends and family into a war. But listen to me carefully, many times, in trying to find a rushed answer, you cause an incorrect response."

Candado loosened his shoulders, exhaled, and looked away, but then he regained focus.

"Tell me, old man, have you ever been in my position?"

"Yes, and it wasn't the first time, but always remember this, when you come to believe that all is lost and that nothing and no one is near to help you, relax." Nelson then brought his index finger to his right temple and continued, "And think, because when you panic, everything will be over, and you will sink into the problem. Trust me, sinking into despair is worse than death."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Then, Candado stood up and handed Yara to Hammya. He gestured with his fingers for them to go outside for a while, and Hammya, without saying anything, obeyed and left the house. Nelson looked at Candado and asked,

"What is it that you want to tell me, to make you ask the girls to leave?"

"What was that vial you gave me that time?" asked Candado, turning his back.

"Oh, that. Of course, those contacts told me you're poisoned with a deadly toxin."

Candado was surprised, turned around, and looked at Nelson with a bewildered expression.

"How on earth do you know that?"

Nelson reached into his chest pocket with his left hand and took out a sleeping Grivna without a hat.

"Thanks to her."

When Candado saw her, he quickly regained his composure, raised his left eyebrow at the sight of the small robot he had underestimated and mocked. Then, he looked up and stared at Nelson.

"That thing told you?"

The old man laughed at his words and his cold expression upon seeing the little robot sleeping in his hand, then he put Grivna back in his pocket again.

"She has been my eyes and ears for the past twelve years and has been following you for a long time in secret. Your fights, your school days, your days off, your days working in the union, your debate days, even the day when you were secretly expelled from the Bernstein Organization, when you saved and raised that little snake, when you talk to your Bari, and even the day that cursed spell fell upon you."

Candado was left speechless, but as he had a cold demeanor, it was unclear if he was genuinely surprised or being sarcastic. However, being someone who is hardly surprised by anything, given that his Bari, despite supposedly going to fulfill his duties as the father of death, is not entirely truthful. More than a thousand times, Tinbari has lied to him and spied on him, disappearing from Candado's radar of presence and power, so someone else spying doesn't make much difference. In a sarcastic tone, Candado said,

"Hey, grandpa, don't you have a wife, kids, grandkids, or a dog to worry about? What's this business of keeping an eye on me?"

"My wife, Teresa Flores, died over six months ago. I have two children, Alejandro and Susana, but both live in Santa Fe and don't need me. As for grandchildren, I only have one, named Rosario, and she's two years older than you."

"How old are your kids?"

"Susana is 35, and Alejandro is 28."

"Well, why bother stalking me?"

"Because my family is far away. Occasionally, they come to visit me, but most of the time, I'm alone and bored. In fact, those friends you met at the Peñalosa mansion, it was the first time we gathered in almost thirty years."

"When did you start following me?"

"Well, actually, I lived in Resistencia when the incident happened. I remember I was enjoying some delicious choripanes while watching TV. When your grandfather called me from the hospital, I remember I got up, dressed, and rushed to see how he was. He told me everything about those who had done that to him —Nelson tilted his head, showed a smile, and continued—. 'Take care of my gaucho.' Those were his last words."

Candado, in a serious manner, changed the subject and asked again about the main topic.

"Tell me, what was in that vial you gave me?" asked Candado as he showed the vial.

"A kind of medication that partially stops the spell you carry inside."

"What is it made of?"

"Slonbari's blood."

"That's impossible. If I drink another Bari's blood, I would lose the bond with my current Bari."

"That doesn't apply to a Bari of life, as the contract with these types of Bari is too deep. Their duty is to save lives regardless of whether the person has a Bari or not."

"I... didn't know that."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Well, now you know. It's always good to learn new things in this wonderful world."

"Alright, I have nothing to say to that."

"Changing the subject, every time you feel weakened or start coughing up blood, drink it. It will soothe you, but what you have inside will begin to spread, as what you have inside is a spell from a dark Bari."

"Dark Bari? That's new."

"Didn't he tell you or mention that?"

"Not that I know of."

"Well, when you're at home, you can talk to him about it."

"Indeed, I will. Anyway, thanks for... this little bottle with a tropical fruit flavor."

"Tropical fruit?"

"Yes, it had a varied fruit flavor. Why?"

"According to what Slonbari told me, the taste of his blood is different in each person, depending on their personality."

"What does that exactly mean?"

"I'll give you an example. If you're a bad person who has caused harm, stolen, killed, etcetera, its taste will be very disgusting. According to him, those who experience that taste, most of the time, change from bad to good."

"And am I going to change from good to bad or what?"

"No, if you say it tasted like fruits, it means you're tough on the outside but soft on the inside, like orange, pineapple, and coconut."

"How profound is this Slonbari to add flavoring to his blood," Candado said sarcastically.

Without saying anything more, Candado bid farewell to Nelson and left the house. Once outside, Hammya and Yara were waiting for him on a bench in front of Nelson's house, playing clapping hands to pass the time. But they hadn't noticed that he had come out of the house. Candado saw them and showed a smile. Seeing Yara having fun without fear or shyness with Hammya, Candado was proud to see his little girl growing up.

Candado walked with his hands in his pockets, crossed the street, and headed towards them. When he was close enough, Hammya was surprised and fell backward on the ground since the seat had no backrest. Yara, unaware of Candado's presence, saw Hammya crashing to the ground.

"What the heck is wrong with you?"

Yara turned and hugged Candado.

"You're back; I was starting to miss you."

"I'm back, princess."

Hammya stood up and, in a military manner, saluted Candado.

"Hello, Mr. Candado."

"You're acting strange today, well, stranger than usual."

When Candado said that, his personality changed from being cordial to becoming a fierce and sarcastic beast.

"Well, sorry about that; today someone tried to kill me. I saw you hitting the attacker without blinking an eye and with that same cold and fearsome expression."

"I'll take it as a compliment, thanks."

"Well, it's not; it's a criticism."

"I regret to inform you that you're not in a position to judge me," Candado said as he adjusted the bow on Yara's head.

"You... AH! Forget it; I just want to go home."

"Well, now we'll go."

Candado walked ahead and took Yara's hands, leaving Hammya totally confused behind. After a few minutes, Hammya ran towards where he was and stood in his way, blocking his path.

"Really? Is it that easy?"

Candado looked at his watch and answered.

"It's 2:39 in the afternoon." He then took a notebook from his vest pocket and announced, "Hammya suffers from a human understanding disorder," then he put away his notebook and walked around her.

"What does that mean?"

What you heard."

"But what do you mean by that?"

"That you speak without thinking."

"But... Can you stop being a jerk?"

"I'm not a jerk; you're the one being a complete fool. I told you yes the first time; why the hell do I have to repeat it?"

"Watch your language; there's a girl present."

"She's a snake; she already knows how to hunt her prey without needing anyone to teach her."

"What are you trying to say with that?"

"That she's aware of the insults that come out of both my mouth and yours, she just doesn't want to use them to harm others." He then whispered to himself, "Although, she's right; I can't insult with her around. Luckily, she got distracted when I said that word."

"She's a good girl."

"She is."

"Wait, are you trying to make me forget the issue?"

"No, if you fell for something as crude as that and came to believe that I did that to you, then you're quite stup..." he then looked at Yara, who was looking into his eyes, but then he glanced at Hammya and continued, "Quite distracted."

Hammya didn't say anything because what he said was true; she alone believed in it without even thinking.

"There's a certain point where a child must think about what they're going to say; otherwise, they can never be free and independent from those around them. They'll always live attached to those who decide for them."

"Did you learn that?"

"Yes, I learned it from my parents. Now, we're estranged; the days with them came to an end, unfortunately."

"That's why you're sad."

"Just stop looking for an explanation for my attitude. I am who I am, and that's final. No más tonterias."

"But..."

"No más."

"And..."

"No más."

After that, he said nothing more, and neither did Hammya. If she said anything, Candado would quickly cut her off, as he was one of those atypical people in society. Of course, Candado was very hard to decipher; one never knew what he was thinking. He always tried his best to prevent people from analyzing him deeply, which is why he wasn't bothered by Nelson spying on him. The old man was like Candado, a person different from society. That's why he dressed differently and was very rebellious against authority. He feared no one. Even if the world were against him, he would never surrender or give up his ideologies and principles to that collective of people like zombies. Because if that were to happen, society wouldn't be at war with Candado; Candado would be at war with society. But the reason he doesn't do that is that so far, society hasn't bothered him or his family at all.

Moving to the side a bit, Candado continued to ponder what Nelson had mentioned, "Dark Bari." Tínbari hadn't said anything about that, and if it existed, why hadn't he mentioned it before? He had already spoken to him about the 43 Bari in the world. Why wouldn't he have mentioned a Dark Bari?

There were certain things that Tínbari was hiding from Candado. He might be a charismatic demon, funny, and a headache (at least for Candado and Hector), but he was a very reserved and mysterious being. Candado thought about all the situations they had been through together, as User and God. In every dangerous situation, Tínbari had put his Bari Title on the line more than once to save Candado. So it was doubtful that he was a traitor. Right at that moment, Candado had shaken his head more than three times, questioning himself over and over about the topic. "What am I thinking? Tínbari and I have been through many difficult situations, one more than the other. His loyalty is already more than proven. I'm stupid, stupid, stupid. Tínbari can be anything, but a traitor, NEVER."

All that tension running through his mind unconsciously made his face angry. Since his mind didn't go beyond the countless possibilities of why Candado had that aggressive German Shepherd face, he thought it was her fault. This caused her to start crying, and among those sobs, pleas and apologies were heard for no apparent reason to Candado. He didn't understand what was happening; he tried to calm her. He lifted her and hugged her, but she kept crying. Hammya, on the other hand, did nothing and had no intentions of doing anything to improve the situation. All she did was look around to see if there were people watching them with suspicious eyes, while Candado desperately tried to calm the girl.

"Calm down, it's over, it's over, there's no need to cry, everything is fine."

"No, it's not okay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you angry, forgive me, please, I didn't mean to bother you," Yara said, rubbing her eyes.

"No, it's not true; you didn't bother me. I was just thinking about... other things."

"You're lying; you only say that because you're kind. I'm a problem; I made you upset."

"No... let me see, I'm not mad at you. It's impossible for me to get mad at someone like you."

Yara stopped crying and looked at Candado while wiping away her tears. He hugged her and stroked her hair to calm her completely, while saying sweet words.

"Calm down, I would never be upset with you."

"Forgive me, forgive me," Yara said, hugging Candado tightly.

"Don't apologize; I'm the one who should apologize. I shouldn't have done that."

Once he said that, he lifted Yara and put her on his shoulders, while Hammya sighed in relief. The trio continued their way, as Nelson's house is four blocks away from Candado's house, so they didn't take long to arrive. When they got there, Candado opened the door and with a gesture of chivalry stepped aside for Hammya to enter first. She accepted graciously and entered; then Candado followed and closed the door behind him.

The house was almost empty, as the only ones there were Hipólito and Karen, who were watching TV. The grandmother had left, as she did every Monday, working as a private tutor in Biology, Language, and Mathematics. Candado was a bit tired, so he lifted Yara off his shoulders and sat her next to Hipólito. He looked at Candado and asked.

"Has Clementina arrived?"

"No, not yet, why?"

"Just checking, take care of Clementina for me, please."

"Don't worry, she won't go anywhere."

Candado looked at Yara, poked her nose with his index finger, and said.

"I'll be back, don't move, okay?"

"Yara won't go anywhere; I'll wait here."

"Where are you going?" asked Hammya.

"I'm going to my room to talk to someone," Candado said without turning around.

Once he said that, he went upstairs and headed to his room. Once there, Candado entered his room, turned on the light, closed the door, hung his beret on the coat rack, and called Tínbari in a low voice.

"Idiot, I know you're close, so stop playing games and show yourself. I have some things I need to ask you."

The response didn't take long to arrive; black smoke manifested out of nowhere and took shape.

"At your service, Captain Boredom," Tínbari said in a mocking tone.

"I'm a bit lost on a topic," Candado said as he sat on his bed and continued. "I'd like you to answer me."

"Alright, what do you want me to tell you?"

"First and foremost, what the hell is a Dark Bari?"

"A Dark Bari is a Bari that violates the laws for its own benefit."

"How many are there?"

"Only one."

"Do you know who it is?"

"Yes, indeed, it's called Pullbarey."

"Wait a minute, didn't Slonbari say he possessed a human?"

"And?"

"How can he be a Bari?"

"That has nothing to do with each other. I can do that too. In fact, when the user is in imminent danger, it's our duty to save our beneficiaries by possessing their bodies and giving them immense strength."

"Why is that guy a Dark Bari?"

"Because he's the one who murdered our leader, Truenbari, the Thunder Bari, and he's the one who has violated the five laws."

"What are they?"

"1) A Bari cannot possess a human without making a contract with them first, as well as having two Barí, at least if the human possesses the Bari parchment. 2) Using spells is strictly prohibited. 3) A Bari cannot use their Beneficiary to murder another Beneficiary. 4) A Bari cannot go against Keplant ideals. 5) One cannot take a human's life."

"And I suppose this Pullbarey guy has violated all five."

"Exactly."

"Wait, what does it mean to have a Bari parchment?"

"If you manage to defeat seven Baris in a fair fight, they will give you a part of their magical artifacts. These artifacts, no matter whom or what you defeat, when you gather them, you'll obtain a parchment with which you can control the 43 Baris in the world."

"Wow, just like that?"

"No, once you have the parchment, you'll have to fight and win against the remaining 36."

"What happens if I have them all?"

"You'll become a 'Guide' for Cotorium, in addition to gaining immense magical power."

"Wow, that's incredible."

"Is that something you like?"

"I'm not interested."

"WHAT?!"

"What you heard. I'm already fed up with fighting against circuitists, and now I'll have to fight seven Baris to get a lousy piece of paper. Stop bothering me."

"Since when do you use those terms?"

"Always."

"Well, never mind."

"By the way, do you think I can survive with that poison inside me?"

"If not, then I'll have to destroy my sphere to prevent your death. Of course, by doing that, you would live, and I would die."

"Aren't you supposed to be immortal?"

"Of course, I am, but what a Bari cannot do is interfere in the death of their user. Being a Bari of Death, my duty is to carry souls to my sphere, and by destroying it, I would cause my immediate death by altering the fate of my user."

"Wow, I didn't know that, but now that I do, I'm giving you a new rule."

"Alright, what is it?"

"You're totally forbidden from breaking that sphere when my death is near."

"Haha, don't worry, that's never going to happen."

"I hope not, Tínbari, I hope not."

The demon chuckled and disappeared again, but this time, Tínbari bid a polite farewell to Candado. This didn't catch much of his attention, but he returned the farewell by nodding his head.

When the conversation concluded, Candado started coughing violently again and couldn't help but spit blood on the floor. He then took a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the blood from his mouth, placed it on his desk, and pulled out the vial Nelson had given him to soothe his throat from his right pocket. As soon as he drank it, he quickly stowed it away to avoid anyone seeing it. He then straightened up, took a deep breath, and left his room. He headed to the stable to feed Uzoori, but when he entered, he saw the guy he had encountered twice in the forest, crouched down and staring fixedly at the horse.

"What the hell are you doing here, smoke ball?"

The guy turned calmly and replied, "Nothing, just investigating."

"How the hell did you get in?"

"The window was open, it wasn't a problem getting in since my body is made 100% of smoke," the guy said as he stood up.

"The last time I saw you, you were following a Witness who had attacked Esteban."

"In fact, he escaped, and I couldn't interrogate him."

"We?""Yes, Esteban and I followed him. Apparently, he was intrigued by the noise coming from the forest and decided to investigate. Then he ran into me, and together we followed him and even ended up fighting with him."

"Smoke, what the hell are you doing in my house?"

"Smoke? Is that what you call me?"

"You haven't told me your name, so that's your nickname from now on."

"My name is Harry Addelándromechkrin Schrödinger, but everyone calls me Addel. It's better than having bad nicknames."

"Your parents were geniuses with tongue-twisters."

"Before you ask, I'm Argentine. Only my parents are foreigners. My dad is from Poland, and my mom is from Germany. I was born here, but in Chubut."

"Well, I'm thrilled," Candado said sarcastically and continued, "now tell me, what the hell are you doing here?"

"As I said before, I'm investigating. My investigations led me to your house."

"What kind of investigations?"

"Well, when I was chasing that damn bastard, he got away. But since he's a complete idiot, he left traces all over the place. These traces extend from the forest to your house," Addel said as he walked around the stable.

"They could be my footprints. I was also in the forest."

"It can't be possible because I was fighting with him more than thirty minutes ago. He might be hiding here."

"It's impossible; I don't sense his presence here."

"You couldn't sense his presence when they attacked the school; you won't hear him now."

"How do you know that?"

"An informant must always have other informants."

"Another one spying on my life," Candado whispered.

"Did you say something?"

"No, nothing, kid."

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me that. After all, I'm older than you."

"Oh? How old are you?"

"I'm fourteen."

"You don't look much older. You're my height."

"Candado, at first glance, you look like you're my age. Haven't you noticed?"

"Well, the thing is, there's nothing here, and I don't like the idea of a Scrubber in my house."

"Don't worry; I won't be here for long. Once I find the guy, I can leave."

"You're rude, coming into my house without permission and looking for someone who might have already left."

At that moment, Addel stopped and turned around.

"Great, he's here," he said calmly.

"How? That's..."

"Silence, pay attention, and you'll feel it."

Candado stood still and silent for a moment, trying to get a clearer picture of who was in his house. He closed his eyes for a while, clearing his mind. Being in that state brought him a total calm and silence. He could hear everything happening in the house, but after a while, Candado felt it. He opened his eyes and said in surprise.

"He's in the shed."

As soon as he said that, Candado drew his facón, opened the door, but when he did, Addel turned into white smoke and exited the room first. Being an inorganic body, he could pass through the ceiling and reach the hangar. Candado had a bit more difficulty getting there quickly; he ran down the hallway, reached a door, and kicked it open. On the wall was a ladder attached to it, leading to a round wooden door that opened from the inside of the shed. He started climbing it with his facón in his mouth, and with a punch, he opened the door. Candado gave a small jump and reached the place. Unfortunately, there wasn't one person, but three, and two of them were familiar. One was Jane herself, who had attacked him two days ago, and the other was the Witness who had attacked him at school. Both were with a strange guy resembling a medieval soldier, wearing armor and a helmet that concealed his face, rummaging through the things there.

"BASTARDS!" Candado shouted.

Jane, who was very angry with him, launched her attack with her Mongolian sword, which was already repaired. Candado stopped it with his facón and struck her in the neck, but Jane didn't weaken and launched her attack again with her sword. On the other hand, the masked Witness, who wanted to help Jane, raised his arm and was about to summon a tentacle from the ground, but at that precise moment, Addel passed through the wall and said,

"No sir, you won't do it again," and punched him in the face. The force made the guy crash and destroy the window next to him.

Candado, who was fighting with Jane, said to him,

"BE CAREFUL, YOU IDIOT, THIS IS MY HOUSE!"

Addel, taking advantage of the hole in the wall, kicked the man in the armor in the chest and threw him outside. Meanwhile, Candado, with no other option, also decided to throw Jane through the hole, but not alone. As soon as he threw her, Candado jumped and landed on his feet with his facón in hand in the backyard of the house. When this happened, Hipólito, Hammya, and Yara quickly went to the garden to see what was happening. Seeing Candado fighting with three strange individuals, Hammya and Yara took a step back and hid behind the garden door, while Hipólito ran and stood next to Candado to protect him, just like Addel. The latter was temporarily joining forces with Candado to face the guy they were chasing.

"Elder, I think you shouldn't get involved in this; it will be tough for your bones."

"It would be if I had any, Addel. Hipólito is an android and is very helpful for this occasion."

"I hope you don't hurt yourself, smoky brat," Hipólito said mockingly.

Addel pretended not to hear and continued, "Alright, this is the plan. I'll go for the masked idiot; the old man will go for that armored guy, and you'll go against the crazy one with the sword."

Candado and Hipólito nodded. After making the plans, the trio rushed towards the enemy, each with the person they had been assigned. Candado was the first to reach the enemy, as he already knew Jane and knew where to attack. Jane, on the other hand, was very furious about what the kid with the beret had put her through. She attacked him fiercely with her Mongolian sword, but her strikes were not very precise, as most of them were easy for Candado to dodge. This made Jane even angrier, and she unleashed all her power.

Noticing that, Candado also decided to unleash the minimum of his power but didn't part with his facón. While Candado fought them, Addel quickly knocked out the Witness he was fighting and threw him against Candado's favorite tree.

"Be careful, idiot," he said while fighting Jane.

"Sorry."

On the other hand, Hipólito was battling the armored guy. He used his fists as weapons, but the old man wielded two scimitars. Unlike Clementina, who could only transform one arm into a saber, Hipólito could do it with both arms. This made him more agile and proficient, attacking the man with caution. However, the armored man used his fists. At one point, the guy landed a punch to Hipólito's chest, making him stagger. Nevertheless, Hipólito stood up and delivered a lethal strike with his left scimitar. The man prepared to block the blow, but when the scimitar was about to hit, Hipólito transformed it back into his arm, grabbing the man's wrist and throwing him to the ground. As he fell, the man's helmet came off, revealing his face. He had blond hair, green eyes, and a crystal fragment on his chin.

"This has gotten out of hand," he said. Then, he climbed the tree, jumped onto the roof of the house, and shouted, "RETREAT!"

Jane disarmed Candado, grabbed him by his tie, headbutted him, and then ran towards her companion. She pulled a plastic bag from her pocket and tossed it to Addel. He didn't bother dodging it, and that was his mistake. His white smoke turned black, and he began to cough. Then, he grabbed his companion by the waist, and with a leap, they landed on Candado's roof.

"This is not over, Candado. I'll be back for your head!" Jane shouted.

Then, she and her companion fled. Candado didn't try to follow her and decided to help Addel, who was still coughing.

"Are you okay?" Candado asked.

Addel reached into his body, pulled out the used bag, and tossed it aside. Then, he struggled to his feet, took a step forward, but lost his balance and fell. Before hitting the ground, Hipólito ran over to him and knelt beside his body.

"Darn it... I underestimated them."

Shortly after, Addel lost consciousness and passed out. Hipólito picked up Addel and carried him home, while Candado went to retrieve his facón, which had fallen due to the headbutt. Once he found it, he sheathed it and placed it at his back. Then, he headed to the house, but as he was approaching, he stepped on something. He stopped, looked down, lifted his foot, and saw a plaque. Candado bent down, picked it up, and examined it closely. This badge looked quite strange; it was identical to the one Nelson had shown him in that restaurant, except for the color, as this one was made of gold. Candado stored the plaque and entered the house.

Inside the house, Hammya and Yara were watching Addel, who was lying on the couch, asleep, while Hipólito examined him. The smoke covering his face slowly dissipated until his features became visible. His skin was tan, he had red hair, a perfect nose, and a small scar on his right cheek that looked like a cut "S." Candado approached and observed him intently.

"Well, it seems like he's not looking too good."

"He has a harmful toxin in his body." Hipólito stood up and continued, "I'll prepare a vaccine; I'll be right back."

Then, Hipólito headed to a room next to the kitchen, while Candado stayed with Addel. As Addel was about to get up, he suddenly woke up, grabbing Candado's wrist, startling Hammya and Yara, who took a step back. Candado, on the other hand, wasn't frightened and stared into Addel's dark eyes.

"Call... call Martina Gómez, please." Then he passed out.

Candado didn't say anything; he just looked at him and reflected on what he had said. After thinking for a while, he decided to find the phone and call Esteban because he, at least, might know what Addel meant.

"Hello?" a female voice answered.

"Hello, I want to talk to Esteban, please."

"Wait a moment."

It turned out the female voice belonged to his mother, who was cooking. She stopped her tasks and carried the phone to Esteban's bedroom, where he was sitting at his desk, reading a book titled "The Knight in Rusty Armor." His mother walked in and handed him the phone. Esteban took it without looking at her but thanked her.

"Hi?"

"Esteban, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. Who's this?"

"I'm Candado Barret."

Esteban stopped reading the book and looked up. Then, he closed the book, set it aside, and leaned his left shoulder against his desk.

"What the hell do you want?"