Proyect Genesis

Chapter 5

A month later...

/ Power Window /

Main Power: Copy (Time remaining to copy again: Ready to use), Copied Powers: Gravity Control (improved to Gravity Expansion), Super Strength (x 1.5 to base strength), Speed (x 1.4 to base speed), Visualize Powers (improved to Power System)

The smoke floated in the Pizarro cantina like a heavy cloud, trapped beneath the dim, flickering lights on the ceiling. Quiet conversations filled the space, creating a constant background noise, but those who knew this place well understood there was a corner where silence always reigned. It was the table where Smiling, the enigmatic ally of the Pizarro family, used to sit. Few knew his true name: Reith. To most in the underworld, he was simply Smiling, a nickname he had earned for his unchanging white mask and the smile etched upon it—one that never altered, regardless of the situation.

Smiling sat as always in the darkest corner of the place. In front of him, a half-empty glass of whisky reflected the ambient light. The mask rested on the table, but no one in the cantina dared to approach it, except for those who knew they could. Around him was an aura of respect, and above all, fear. Smiling was not a man to seek as an enemy.

From the other side of the cantina, heavy footsteps echoed. Nacho Pizarro, the strongest of the Pizarro brothers, made his way toward the table. With his imposing height and muscular build, Nacho always stood out anywhere he went, but before Smiling, the power dynamic was different. Nacho respected Reith, not only for his fighting ability but for the fearsome reputation he had built around himself.

"Smiling," Nacho said in his deep, hoarse voice, leaning slightly toward him. "Oskar wants to talk to you. There's a mission you need to be part of."

Reith, without looking up, took a small sip of his whisky. He knew that although Oskar sought him for important missions, the real power behind all this was Víctor, his mentor and key figure in the shadows. The Pizarros were allies, but he did not consider them his leaders. Víctor was the one who truly held authority in his life. Oskar, while powerful, was just another part of this intricate web of influences.

"What's it about this time?" Reith asked, still not looking at Nacho.

Nacho, maintaining his respectful posture, crossed his arms over his chest before continuing.

"It's something serious. The Hyeok. They've been moving in on our territory, looking for something that doesn't belong to them. Oskar wants you to teach them a lesson. But you know, they're not just any group of criminals. They're organized, lethal."

The Hyeok. Reith had heard of them before. A powerful family, structured almost like a military squad, with abilities that should not be taken lightly. Each of them was dangerous in their own right, and together they were an unstoppable force. Reith, or rather Smiling, felt a flicker of excitement at the idea of facing them. Not because he enjoyed combat itself, but because it pushed him to improve, to evolve.

"The Hyeok... interesting," Smiling said with a slight smile beneath the mask, finally placing the empty glass on the table.

"Oskar wants to see you before you go. He'll explain the details," Nacho added, leaning a little closer, as if what he was about to say needed to be kept secret. "And I know this is important, brother. So, are you coming?"

Reith stood up without saying more. He knew that if Oskar was involved, the matter had to carry considerable weight. But he also knew that before any important confrontation, there was an advantage he needed to obtain. Oskar Pizarro possessed a unique gift known as Zenkai, which allowed him to adapt in the midst of battle, becoming stronger as his opponent exceeded him in power. That was a gift Reith needed to copy, and he knew exactly how to do it.