**Zombo Stars - Chapter 11: The Criminal Hunter**
Huguel had established himself as an absolute leader in the Jacaré Sul favela, and with his rise to power, the atmosphere around him changed. The environment that had previously been marked by fear and despair now pulsed with a new energy — a combination of hope and dread. At just 17 years old, he had become a living legend, a relentless vigilante who knew nothing of hesitation.
In the following months, Huguel intensified his hunts. Fueled by the determination to eradicate crime, he dedicated himself to pursuing bandits and criminals who dared to cross his path. At every corner, every dark alley and every warning of danger, he became more cunning and unstoppable. The gleam of his black sword shone like a symbol of his ruthless justice.
With each confrontation, Huguel decapitated his rivals, placing their heads on spikes that now adorned the slum square, becoming a macabre and terrifying monument. The residents, once fearful, now saw Huguel as a savior. The wall of impaled heads told stories of heroic deeds, of a young man who was not afraid to get his hands dirty for a better future for his community.
The terror that Huguel instilled spread like wildfire. News of his exploits did not remain confined to the slum; it quickly reached neighboring cities and even other parts of the Zombo Country, making the criminals tremble in their boots. Those who were once seen as powerful now became cowards, fleeing the region in droves. Huguel's fear was palpable, and the streets that had once been their homes were now empty, devoid of the faces that had once inhabited them.
In a staggering two months, Huguel had beheaded nearly 2,000 bandits, becoming a legend among the Zombians and what many considered a hero. But even amidst the clamor and rising self-esteem, a shadow of doubt began to creep into his mind. Was he truly doing the right thing? The line between justice and vengeance continued to blur.
As the bandits and criminals fled, Huguel remained unfazed—or at least tried not to show it. To him, each impaled head was a victory not only over the evil that surrounded him, but also a step toward his own redemption. However, he began to realize that as he eliminated the bandits, the very essence of his humanity dissolved with each blow.
Toward the end of that intense period of hunting, as he gazed at the square with the impaled heads all around him, a new determination formed. Huguel did not want to be just a symbol of fear; He wanted the favela to become a place where justice was truly felt. And so, even in the midst of the victory of his anger, a new goal pulsed within him: to create a new order, a place where fragility was protected, and the (re)construction of life was possible for everyone.
Huguel, the hunter, was getting closer and closer to becoming what he so longed for: a true leader. And in the search for this transformation, he would finally have to confront the shadows that had conquered his heart and decide who he really wanted to be.