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BOOOM!
A blast of phantasmal flames hurled Joseph skyward. He crashed into a building, sending debris raining down and plunging the city into chaos.
"…"
Laura stared in stunned disbelief, eyes wide and mouth agape.
"F-Fran…?! What…! What did you do?! How did you do that?!" She rushed to her sister's side. "Your appearance changed!"
Maria swiftly reverted to her normal form and offered a gentle smile.
"I won't let any jerk harm you ever again," she said. "In the tower, I met those bastards from Olympus—real pieces of shit. I killed them all."
"…What?" Laura looked utterly confused. "What… what are you talking about?"
"When I fell into a coma, my soul was pulled into another world inside the tower," Maria explained. "I lived an entire life there… and traveled far beyond. When I finally returned, every power I gained came back with me. I'm what some call a Returnee, Laura."
