Thursday, March 14, 2013, around 8:54 in the morning, Guillermo Junco passed away in the hospital at the age of thirteen. He succumbed to a surprise attack, allegedly orchestrated by the unions in the city of Buenos Aires. His family mourned him in the city of Resistencia, with friends and comrades from the Circuit present. Even Esteban himself was there, his solemn expression reflecting the displeasure he felt towards those who had murdered the young boy. Though one witness at the event explicitly stated that they had seen the unionists kill Guillermo, Esteban doubted it was them. He recently realized that someone else was playing this game; their name was clear - the "Witnesses." The last time he heard that name was when his father recounted his adventures when he was a child. Since then, he had never heard that name again.

Esteban walked up to his friend's open casket, touched his cold and rigid hand, feeling as if he were touching a plastic mannequin. He then saluted the Circuit, essentially passing his index finger across his forehead in an "X" shape, doing the same on his friend's forehead.

"Rest in peace, my friend," Esteban said with a sorrowful voice. He took a notebook from his pocket and placed it in Guillermo's hands. "I hope you can continue with your notes with this."

Esteban closed his eyes, bowed his head, and tears started streaming down his cheeks. His crying was silent, only the tears visible on his face. Esteban let go of his friend's hand and proceeded to give a speech, as he was the last one who would speak on behalf of his friend.

"Guillermo was a great friend, always kind and resolute in his stance. I'm glad to have known him; he was a great comrade, someone with a big heart and mind, someone who loved his parents and friends. Someone... Someone that every time I had to make a decision, I looked to Guille, hoping it was the right one," he whispered to himself, then added with determination, "I promise to find the inhuman responsible and strip the disgusting skin off their vile body."

Esteban's words fell empty on Guillermo's family; they were too hurt to consider what he had said. Only his cousin, sitting at the back, clearly expressed anger and fury. It seemed as if he would be willing to help Esteban avenge his friend's death. As soon as he finished speaking, Esteban left the wake, accompanied by his five friends: Ester, a red-haired and curly-haired woman who dressed like a man; Tarah, his girlfriend who, for the first time, wore shoes; Freud, a boy born in England who swore to protect Esteban, dressed in very formal black clothes with a red scarf around his neck; Addel, with his characteristic white smoke covering his face; and Xendí, Tarah's robot bodyguard.

That day was overcast, as if the sky were shedding tears for the loss of a child. As Esteban walked along the sidewalk, accompanied by his friends and girlfriend, he crossed paths with Candado in the middle of the street, accompanied by Hammya, Clementina, Héctor, Declan, Anzor, Lucas, Erika, Viki, Lucia, German, Pío, and Matlotsky. They were all heading to the funeral, but they had to face each other. Esteban took a step forward and said,

"I didn't think your horrendous face would be here on a day like today."

"Don't look for trouble, Esteban. Guillermo was my friend as well as my ideological rival. It would be an insult if I weren't present."

"No one wants to see your face here, Candado. There's a report that your 'class' was the one who killed him."

"That's unheard of. My comrades would never dare to murder your comrades."

"We'll see how your damn face is torn apart by your idiocy."

"HOW DARE YOU INSULT CANDADO!" shouted Declan as he drew his saber and placed it at Candado's throat. In response, Freud transformed his arm into a drill and placed it at Declan's neck, causing Anzor to unsheathe his sword and point it at Declan's chest.

"ENOUGH!" Candado shouted.

"Freud, cease the attack, please," ordered Esteban.

"Yes, sir."

"Look, I know you hate me, but I'm going, whether you like it or not."

As soon as Candado said that, he left the scene with his companions following him. Declan glared at Freud and said,

"No one threatens me like that. I'll come for you later, idiot."

"I'd like to see that, Irishman. Show me that strength."

"Freud, let's go," Esteban said without looking at him.

Obeying those words, Freud stuck out his tongue and left with his boss.

"That was very childish."

"I apologize, sir."

Esteban headed to his Circuit, a house painted blue, obviously serving as their meeting place. Unlike Candado's guild, Esteban's was built inside the town and not outside, allowing him more information about the happenings in the area. Also, he despised any proximity to Candado; coincidences with his enemy were something he couldn't stand.

When Esteban entered the house, the atmosphere was sad and somber. No one had spoken a word since they arrived. Tarah, who actually belonged to a guild, didn't enter the house but decided to give Esteban a farewell kiss on the cheek, saying she would return. He understood and bid her goodbye with a hug. Tarah then left the place with Xendí carrying an umbrella over the girl's head. When he saw her moving away, he closed the door and walked to where his comrades were sitting around a round table, heads bowed. They had lost an important comrade and friend today. Esteban walked to his seat and sat with closed eyes. When he opened them, he looked around; there was almost no light, and the only illumination came from a window that lit up Guillermo's empty seat. Esteban gazed at the place with nostalgia, reminiscing about the moments they shared. He remembered how Guillermo always noted everything Esteban said and contributed ideas to improve their status in the eyes of others. Whatever the reason, Guillermo was no longer with them, leaving behind a painful void.

After tapping the table with his fingers, Esteban stood up, walked to the shelf in front of him, and looked at the individual photo frames of his friends. However, he decided to focus more on Guillermo's photo. With a tremor in his body, he took his friend's picture, unhooked it from the wall, and headed to an adjacent room. His friends said nothing; they just watched as Esteban removed the photo from the wall with sadness. Once the frame was off, Esteban placed it in a nearby room.

"Are you sure about this, boss?" Freud asked.

"Yes... absolutely," he replied with sadness in his voice, avoiding eye contact.

Esteban stored the frame, covered it with a black blanket, and closed the door behind him. Knowing they would never see their friend's face again, both in the Circuit and the guilds, one must set aside their feelings, such as anger, pain, love, etc. If one is a leader, they must make their stance clear; there should never be an imbalance because that would lead to chaos. While the guilds have many stories and anecdotes about Harambee, in the Circuit, there are also tales of Thanatos. Beyond being a heartless murderer, it's essential not to forget that he was a human with feelings. Many people believed in him blindly. One of the most told stories about Thanatos is when he was in Belgium giving a speech to his followers. In that talk, one of his followers, personally considered his brother, was stabbed right in the middle of Thanatos' speech. His friend and lifelong brother fell dead in his arms. It's said that Thanatos broke into tears and also, that he didn't move from the spot for an entire day. It was then that he uttered words that would remain in the memories of those present that day, and they would ensure to pass his words down to those who came after: "Losing a loved one is sad, I know, but if you carry a great responsibility on your shoulders, never let your emotions dominate you because that way you're useless. There will be a time and a place to cry." These words became law for the Circuit, and, for the first time in many years, Esteban, the boy who always tried to change others' ways of thinking, ended up accepting one of those many speeches given by that individual, whom he classified as an ideological murderer.

It hurt Esteban to concede to Thanatos, always having a different perspective. According to Candado, he has a "Cocktail" mindset, as he takes words from both Harambee and Thanatos, which the U.F.E.T.C. in Esteban repudiates. They consider Thanatos' words as law. Despite all these disagreements within the Circuit towards Esteban, he won the election for Marshal (a very high position in the Circuits, similar to the president, though the power lies with the General Grand Council or the G.G.C). He still faced issues with his superiors, but despite all that, he continued to have the support of his constituents. Guillermo always said that Esteban was the future of a possible peace between the Guilds and Circuits. However, that future remains distant because there is still hatred between these two entities.

Esteban sat back in his place and began discussing the documents on the table regarding the "Witnesses." Who the hell are they, and what do they plan? He knew it wasn't the best time, but as a leader, he couldn't succumb to sadness; he needed to act.

"Addel, tell me everything you know about the Witnesses."

"Yes, I've discovered that these aren't the same Witnesses from several years ago."

"Explain. What do you mean by that?"

"These guys don't do the same things they did years ago."

"Things, what things? Explain because I don't understand."

Addel adjusted his scarf and continued, "The individuals I faced didn't have the dark tattoo on their faces that used to characterize them. They are just a cheap imitation of what they used to be. They used to try to change the souls of their victims with others, so they could control their slaves at will. But they don't do that anymore. It's just as I suspected; the teaching of snatching the soul and replacing it with another has been forgotten. The only thing that keeps them using that name is the masks, the language, the incantations, and the same mission: to free Tanatos."

"But... hadn't Tanatos died?" Ester asked.

"No, Tanatos didn't die. He was simply imprisoned by Harambee in a box; his location is entirely unknown," Esteban said with his fingers crossed at his chin.

"I don't understand. Why didn't Harambee try to kill him?" Freud asked.

"What makes you think he didn't? Tanatos is immortal; killing him wasn't an option. No one knows when, how, or why, but one of his closest friends said he had seen Death in person."

"So, how did he do that?"

"Don't be naive, Freud. Killing oneself is the easiest thing in this world. He could have shot himself, jumped off a cliff, poisoned himself— I don't know. Any of these options could have been used. After all, you just have to be foolish enough to take your own life."

"It's... very speculative from that standpoint."

"What's your opinion, Guille?"

That question caught everyone's attention and reminded them once again that he was no longer with them. The room fell into a sad silence, the joy and enthusiasm that this young man brought were now a thing of the past. When Esteban himself realized this, he closed his eyes and put his hands on his forehead. Despite the conversation starting to distract from his friend, his subconscious and habit betrayed him. He couldn't forget that Guillermo had once occupied that seat.

"Sir, are you okay?"

"Yes, Ester, I'm fine. It's just..."

"Just what?"

"Nothing, forget it, and let's continue with the reports. Addel!"

"Yes?"

"Please continue."

"Alright, I don't know for sure what they specifically want, but I think they're targeting Candado. At least, the last two times I came face to face with them were in situations related to him."

"Why would they go after that guy's life?"

"I don't know, sir, but they wanted to kill him, just like they wanted to kill you."

Esteban stared at the table thoughtfully for a while, trying to process what Addel had told him, with a somewhat reasonable explanation.

"And if... and if they really want to kill him, it would mean war," Esteban narrowed his eyes, "I don't like that. I dislike the idea of getting into another conflict, especially if the Circuit's standards get tarnished."

"I think I understand what you're saying. Nowadays, very few people on this planet have forgotten what the Circuit did. We are not worthy; in the eyes of others, we'll always be the same, murderers," Addel said.

Esteban slammed the table with a punch.

"That's why I decided to take charge. My parents were Circuit members, my grandparents too, but they never did harm to anyone. They helped others. That's why I decided to be a leader, to improve our politics and undo all the customs linked to Tanatos," he then looked at his friend's empty seat, "Guillermo trusted me. I won't let him down," he then looked at each of his comrades, "The question is, ARE YOU WITH ME!?"

All his comrades stood up and shouted "Yes," wherever he went, they would go with him.

After this speech, Esteban raised his fist and said, "I promise not to rest until every man, woman, and child sees the Circuits in a positive light. Candado betrayed my trust a long time ago, and I will make sure he pays dearly for that betrayal at a very high cost."

After saying that, Esteban concluded the session, his comrades approached and hugged him, as that speech motivated them to keep fighting for a cause: peace. That was all he could think about, ending these differences between them and showing that he was stronger than Candado, so the W.O.G.A.B. would respect him more.

When everyone left, Esteban sat in an armchair, grabbed a glass, poured himself soda, and started to gaze at his deceased friend's empty seat. But he hadn't noticed that Addel hadn't gone anywhere; he had only hidden to see what his friend was doing. When Esteban went for his third glass of soda, he brought it to his mouth, but before he could take a sip, he lowered the glass and placed it on the armrest of the chair. After all, it seemed like a little table. Then, he loosened his tie knot and crossed his legs.

"Well, you always had the final say in everything. You always sought... no, you tried to dig into my mind and extract what I was thinking," he tilted his head and started to let out small laughs, "I should never... I should never have let you go alone there. I was stupid, a complete idiot. I should have gone in your place. If only I hadn't listened to you and had gone with you, we would be here, toasting and laughing together. What was I thinking? WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING!?"

That shout startled Addel, making him step back a bit, though not too far. When Esteban regained his composure, he approached a bit more, and Addel continued listening.

"When you told me I had been called to see a certain emissary, you immediately offered to go in my place, Guillermo. You knew it was a trap, knew that I could lose my life. Why did you do it?" Esteban grabbed his glass and drank his soda, then looked at the ceiling with a disheartened and pessimistic expression.

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"I'm sorry I wasn't there to fight by your side. I'm pathetic, giving false hope to others, looking like a damn rat crawling day by day, searching for food," he squeezed the glass forcefully, causing a small fracture in the glass. "I'm a lousy leader. If I couldn't even protect you, how am I going to carry out my decisions as a leader."

Addel, upon hearing these words, inclined his head. Though his face wasn't visible due to the white smoke emanating from him, a sense of sadness could be felt, but he continued listening to Esteban drowned in his pain. Bringing the fractured glass to his temple, Esteban said, "It's strange. I never thought I'd have to live with this wound. Guillermo, I laughed lightly and continued, "What would Candado do in my situation? I feel stupid for asking this question, but I know you used many phrases from Candado and implemented them here, even though I forbade it. But that didn't stop you from continuing with it." Esteban stood up, walked to the seat of his friend, stopped, and continued, "To your health, Guille." Esteban took the last sip of his soda and placed the glass on the front of the chair's table. When Addel heard the glass land on the wooden table, he disappeared without a trace.

Esteban walked to the exit, stopped, adjusted his tie again, and left the house. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and to add to things, it was raining. The water ran down his body, but he wasn't bothered at all. In his mind, this was the punishment he had to endure for not being able to protect his friend and for not assuming his role as the leader of the Circuit. Guillermo was a very kind person and incapable of harming anyone. Since that day, Esteban always wears a black ribbon wrapped around his right arm.

The streets of the town were empty; everyone had gone to Guillermo's funeral. Esteban was the only one not at his friend's burial. Not because he didn't want to, or feared shedding tears again, but he felt he no longer had the right to be there. He thought that he should be in that coffin instead of Guillermo. What expression would he put on his face again? He should have died in his place, but life chose to take someone else. His heart felt sad and weak; his mind harbored rage and vengeance. He wanted to find the person who took his friend's life and kill him, not silently and quickly like he, but loudly and disgustingly. Hell will be paradise after what he will have done.

While Esteban was contemplating how he would deal with Guillermo's killer, he encountered someone he didn't want to see, someone who filled him with disgust and hatred – Candado Ernést Catriel Barret, a traitor on his blacklist. That day, he lacked the patience to endure him. It was likely that if Candado approached, Esteban would unleash all his hatred and bitterness against him. Nevertheless, the desire to defeat him ultimately led him to Candado, sitting in the rain with an umbrella, staring into space. Esteban ran towards him and leaped to deliver a sparking kick. Candado sensed him and cunningly tilted his umbrella onto his back. Esteban thought it would be useless, a grave mistake, for as soon as his foot collided with the umbrella, a faint sound echoed – both in the umbrella and his foot, accompanied by intense pain. Esteban fell to the ground, writhing in pain, clutching his leg and rolling from side to side.

"You're a cannon-fodder idiot. Attacking me from behind wasn't a good choice."

Esteban stood up and threw an electric punch at his face, but Candado leaned his body, countered with a punch to his chest, causing Esteban to fall to the ground again.

"What do you think you're doing? You never used to throw such predictable and childish punches."

"Shut up, I've had enough, draw, draw, draw, draw, draw, always a draw. It's time for there to be a winner," Esteban said with fury in his eyes.

"Are you going to fight me just to rid yourself of the sadness over the loss of your friend Guillermo? Pathetic. I never thought someone like you would use the irrational in the rational."

"SILENCE!"

Esteban transformed his arms into pure electricity and jumped at Candado. However, with utmost calmness, Candado stopped him with his hands, as he wore latex white gloves – electricity had no effect on him. This fueled Esteban's hatred even more, as it seemed like Candado was mocking him. But Candado refrained from attacking him; after all, he sought to be punished by Esteban. In other words, he wanted Candado to hurt him, and he wouldn't give him the pleasure. So, he decided to dodge or block each of his punches with just one hand.

"What are you doing? Why won't you fight?"

Candado remained silent, only stopping his punches with his hand. Esteban had no precision; he only focused on the same spots – his chest, his head, his legs, and his waist. These four places were repetitive when delivering a blow; it was enough to remember and prevent the change, which wasn't a challenge for Candado. The angrier Esteban became, the more he erred. He distanced himself and threw lightning and rays, but Candado blocked them with his umbrella made of platinum. Esteban was covered in mud, filth, and tremendous hatred, while Candado remained clean and composed, never displaying emotion on his face and maintaining that cold expression. Fed up with being unable to scratch his opponent, Esteban decided to create a highly charged energy sphere and launch it.

But Candado, who knew what was about to happen, decided to stop it, but this time, he attacked. Candado struck him everywhere—his legs, his arms, his chest, and delivered a slight kick to his waist. This caused Esteban to fly and collide with a tree, getting even dirtier. Candado lowered his leg, adjusted his black tie, and approached the dying Esteban step by step, slowly, as if time didn't matter.

When he reached him, he crouched, took off his beret, and closed his eyes. Seizing this opportunity, Esteban delivered a powerful punch to his face. His expression reflected immense anger and, at the same time, gratifying satisfaction. As it concluded, Candado put on his beret, opened his eyes, and looked at Esteban coldly.

"Is it done? Happy? Did you make all this fuss just to hit me?"

"Yes, it's a very nice feeling," Esteban said with a smile.

"Does this beatify you?"

"Of course, I..."

"You're an idiot."

"What? You..."

"You attacked me so that I would take note. You feel guilty because you lost a friend, you think you should have been the one, not him, you think this will make you feel better, you think you'll find forgiveness if someone like me punishes you. You're an idiot. We both knew Guillermo, and we both know he wouldn't be pleased to see you like this. Look at yourself, idiot, dirty, filthy, wet, sad, dejected, furious. What the hell happened to you?"

"Shut up!"

"No, I won't shut up." Candado grabbed Esteban by the collar, lifted him, and slammed him against the tree. "You're Esteban Bonaparte Everett, leader of the F.U.C.O.T. and my enemy. Do you think I, with all the times we've drawn, would defeat you like this?"

Esteban got angry and pushed Candado but couldn't free himself.

"Don't touch me! You're a traitor. I trusted you, and you stabbed me in the back. Who are you to speak to me like this? NOBODY! You're nobody, just a traitor. You may deceive others, but not me." He tilted his head and looked into Candado's eyes again. "You're a horrible person. I won't stop until I see you completely shattered. Guillermo always thought there was a reason for your betrayal, always thought that. However, I, and only I, knew why you did it—because you were a coward, just that."

"If that's what you believe, you have every right to think what you want. No matter how many times I repeat it, the answer will always be the same." Candado let go of Esteban and walked away from him.

"That's it, run, run, coward. You're nothing more than a damned Judas. One day, you'll repent for what you've done."

Esteban kicked the tree hard, leaving even his mark on the trunk due to the anger he felt. When he managed to recover a bit, Esteban left the place, releasing electrical energy. His body emitted sparks from time to time, resembling a broken cable. His rage and anguish had intensified; now, it wasn't just his fault but also Candado's. Fury led him to think the worst of Candado. This time, his desires changed; he no longer wanted to defeat him, but now he wanted to kill him. On his way, it was evident that the rain had managed to remove some mud stains from his suit, but he still looked in bad shape. His face reflected pure anger, and his body seemed like a sparking utility pole.

Somehow, Esteban didn't know where he was heading. His path was vague, not to mention that all along the way, he was only looking at the ground. However, despite not seeing where he was walking and not having an exact sense of where he needed to go, his legs knew where they were going. Unconsciously, he had arrived at his Circuit.

"What am I doing here?" Esteban wondered.

"What you did out there was very stupid," said a strange voice.

Without saying anything, Esteban shot a lightning bolt at the wall next to his Circuit. However, the figure dodged it and stood behind him.

"You're not practical at all."

Esteban quickly turned with the intention of attacking, but when he could see the person well, he stopped and calmed down upon realizing it was someone he knew.

"I didn't know it was you, Sebastian Maldonado."

The individual had certain differences in his appearance. His face gave the impression that it wasn't made for smiling, with dark eyes, black hair with some yellow streaks at the front, and a slight mark on his chin from an old rival. Despite being two years older than Esteban, they had the same height. He wore dark sweatpants, black sneakers, an unbuttoned white shirt, and a dark blue hoodie with a band wrapped around his left arm, bearing the insignia of a black wolf with a white face looking straight ahead. Below his face, two swords were wrapped with a thorn-covered vine.

"You're even dumber than I thought. I vouch for you every damn day of the year, and you decide to fight in the park, knowing well that it's a non-aggression zone."

"You're not the one to raise your voice at me."

"I am Maldonado Sebastián, leader of the Erasers, badge 957-R. Use your head a bit. Today you were lucky because there were no witnesses, but the next time you do something stupid, I'll have to penalize you."

"Look, Maldonado, today is not the day. I don't know if you've noticed, but a friend of mine died today, so please, go bother someone else."

Maldonado sighed and placed his hand on Esteban's shoulder.

"Listen, I need to talk about something important." Maldonado looked around to make sure no one was watching and showed a blue folder. "I have relevant information for the cause."

Esteban raised both eyebrows and said, "Come in, please."

Esteban opened the door, and both entered the house, making sure no one was spying on them. When the door closed behind them, Esteban asked, "What's in that folder?"

"It's the report I obtained. It was tough to distract Joaquín to make several copies."

"Joaquín? Joaquín Barreto? The president of the traffic lights in Argentina?"

"The same. I had some issues, but I managed to get them in the end."

Esteban said nothing and kept his comments to himself. Instead, he decided to ask, "What is this?"

"It's information about some agents who are dangerous, both for us and the guilds."

Maldonado opened the folder, revealing writings and images of unknown individuals.

"Who are they?"

"They are members of the Witnesses, apparently ten, plus their leader."

"Who are these?"

"They only had these reports when I stole them. But once I got them, I dug a little deeper into these people, especially these three masked individuals."

"Alright, who the hell are they?"

Maldonado told the story of each person as soon as he showed their photo. First, he chose a photo of a well-dressed boy with a triple scarf around his neck. He had dark circles under his serious green eyes, with his dark hair combed backward, leaving a "C" shaped strand on his forehead.

"His name is Jørgen Czacki, born in Buenos Aires in a convent orphanage. Information about what happened afterward is unknown. The convent where he was raised caught fire, and the reason is unknown. He was seen in the city of Resistencia, beating guild members, leaving them almost dead. He has never faced Candado and has no record of taking someone's life. His powers involve speed and metal."

"Jørgen, where have I heard that name?"

Maldonado ignored what he said and moved on to another photo, this time of a girl with strange reddish skin, white hair, including her eyes, as if she were dead. She wore a black dress and a kind of crown.

"That's a clear proof that if you go to the beach, you should always use sunscreen; otherwise, you'd end up like this."

"No, Esteban, her name is Andrea Rŭsseŭs. The inexplicable tone of her skin has given rise to numerous hypotheses about why it's like that. The most accepted one is that her skin is much tougher and thicker than that of any ordinary human. Therefore, her blood has become a substance that has replaced her flesh. Her whereabouts and origin are unknown, as is her hatred towards the two entities. Like Jørgen, she has no records of killing anyone. Apparently, her powers are related to levitation and lava, according to this personal report from a certain— Maldonado frowned and squinted his eyes—. From a certain... Will-sa-ru-ti... no, Will-sa... no, no, um, Will..."

Esteban took the paper from Maldonado's hands and read it aloud. "William Sarcozitt, come on, was it that hard to say that name? And you said two tongue twisters a moment ago."

"Heh, sorry, I can't understand the handwriting."

"Are you sure her skin is more attention-grabbing than her eyes?"

"Absolutely. Well, let's continue."

Then Maldonado took out three photos at once and placed them on the table. "These are the three Wandering siblings. Their real surname is La Valle, but according to this document, they changed it. Their names are Jane La Valle, Rose La Valle, and Joel La Valle. Their parents were killed by the guilds, and the reason is still unknown. It was a happy marriage, and they thought their children had died. But it seems they were wrong. Only Jane and Joel have powers. Jane can summon iron from the depths, things like spikes, chains, spears, etc. She also possesses superhuman strength. On the other hand, her brother Joel handles precision because his eye is ten times better than a normal one. He can manipulate inanimate objects with his cables and needles, but he always uses his needles as weapons. As for Rose, there is no record of her, and it's also unclear whether they committed crimes or not."

"I feel sorry for them. Losing someone is sad."

"Well, let's move on to the sixth photo."

Maldonado took out another image, a boy dressed in 17th-century clothes, with a red bow and a serious smile.

"His name is Dockly Fernando. He was born in San Juan but has direct Dutch descent. His relatives live in that province, and it's known that he lives with his uncle, the adopted brother of his father. He has been seen talking to guild members, but his hatred for Candado has led him to want to eliminate him. Hmmm, how curious. Where had I seen someone else like this?" Maldonado said, looking at Esteban with a smile.

"Yes, who could it be?"

"Don't play dumb; you know very well that this individual and you resemble each other a lot."

Esteban didn't say anything but gestured with his right hand for Maldonado to continue with his discovery. Then Maldonado pulled out three photos again, but this time of the three masked individuals.

"Unfortunately, we only know their names; there is no record of who they are. Their names are Guz, Amasai Chesulloth, wearing a red mask with a smile, clearly a woman, and Azricam Betah, who had a white knight's armor."

"These guys, where do they get those costumes?"

"I have no idea, but it would be very interesting to catch one, don't you think?"

"Yes, you're right, but who among these individuals is the leader?"

"Unfortunately, I have no idea who their leader is. In the Witnesses, everything I told you is information I've gathered because the fragments that were written didn't help much."

Esteban took one of the photos and observed it closely. "Where have I seen that face? Joel? It must be my imagination, but why do I feel like I've seen that face before?"

"Do you want the Erasers to take care of it?"

"No, it won't be necessary, but I would like them to watch them closely. I would also like to know where they are hiding."

"I understand. This way, we can destroy them."

"No, this way, I can destroy them with my own hands."

"Why?"

"It's personal. I would like to destroy them with my own hands."

"Well, if you say so, then it's fine."

"By the way, who is the leader of those here?"

"None of them. It's still a mystery."

"I see. So far, there's only this. Well, better something than nothing. I'd like them to follow one of them."

"As you command, I'll take care of following him myself."

"Alright, but be careful. I don't want to see another comrade dead."

"You worry too much, boss. Remember, I possess all the martial arts in the world; I'm incredibly unstoppable, better than Joaquín."

"You're also incredibly egocentric. Be careful not to get killed."

"That won't happen."

Maldonado ran to the door and left, jumping from roof to roof. Esteban, on the other hand, glanced at the photos in his hands once more, memorizing each of their names—Jørgen, Dockly, Jane, Rose, Joel, Andrea, Guz, Chesulloth, and Azricam.

"Oh, didn't he say there were ten?"

Esteban grabbed the folder and lifted it, and from inside, something fell onto the table—a sheet of paper. Esteban picked it up and turned it over; it was the photo of a girl with short dark hair.

"How strange. Maldonado didn't mention this girl." Then he looked at the folder and opened it. "Who the hell is this? She must be in these records," said Esteban as he flipped through the papers inside one by one until he found a name, "Isabel Castillo," and unlike the others, this one had a rather long report.

"William Sarcozitt's Report:

Greetings, Mr. Joaquín. I have found information about the girl you asked me for. Her name is Isabel Castillo, daughter of Alfredo Castillo and Ada Castillo. She was born in the city of Chubut; her exact location is unknown, but I know she lived for a time in Rio Senguer. She comes from a family with significant financial power. She suffered a lot in the school environment—strange, isn't it? Basically, she was hated because of her kind and fragile nature. Despite having many opportunities to change her situation, she never did. I don't know the reason, but thanks to some informants from the area, mostly Circuists, they mentioned that she was beaten by a particular girl for getting better grades than her. Quite stupid, isn't it? But I know that this girl, whose name is unknown because she wanted to protect her, triggered a hidden power in Isabel. This power led to the death of this girl, not only that, but it also eradicated everything that did nothing to help her. One of those present was your "friend," in whose massacre she was injured beneath the skin of her eyes. I'm surprised that you have me looking for this particular person because you want to know what led her to attack, right? Anyway, it is said that she fled the province accompanied by an individual. Her connection with the Witnesses remains a mystery to me, but I would like to continue investigating this matter. I hope this report has helped you a lot. I plan to return to Chaco once I have gathered enough information about this young lady. If I succeed, I will send another report.

P.S.: Today, I was informed that Candado's sanction has been lifted, and in eight days, he will be able to return to the Bernstein Organization. Since I am currently in Chubut, I would appreciate it if you personally informed Candado of the good news.

Thank you very much.

"This is quite strange. What does this have to do with Joaquín, and what is this about a sanction? Whatever it is, it seems that W.O.G.A.B. also has its secrets. Isabel, from a wealthy family, transformed from a victim to a killer. The Witnesses are gathering some interesting individuals."