The air was thick with tension, every second dragging like a drawn breath. The drugged man's red eyes twitched erratically, his body trembling with uncontrolled energy. Then, without warning—
He lunged.
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he launched himself toward Charles, swinging his metal pipe like a club. Charles barely had time to raise his hands in defense before the man collided with—
Something invisible.
A shockwave rippled outward, dust bursting into the air. The man staggered back, blinking in confusion. In front of him shimmered a barrier—translucent, rippling like liquid glass. But what caught everyone's attention were the spikes protruding from its surface, glinting with a faint purple hue.
He hissed, clutching his arm where the spikes had grazed him.
Charles blinked in disbelief. "Wh–what the hell…?"
Then he noticed Mimosa standing a few meters away, her hand extended toward the barrier, her expression sharp and focused. The faint glow in her irises confirmed it—this was her doing.
Mimosa's lips curled into a half-smile. "What? You thought I'd just sit around watching? I don't do passive."
The man growled, teeth grinding. His bloodshot eyes locked onto her like a predator spotting its next kill. "You think that'll stop me?!"
He roared, charging straight toward her.
But before he could reach Mimosa, Charles moved on instinct. His legs screamed in protest, but he pushed forward anyway, planting himself between them. His right arm extended, fingers forming that familiar gun shape.
"Bang!"
A bubble shot from his fingertip, streaking through the air—but the man twisted unnaturally fast, ducking under the attack. The bubble zipped past, bursting harmlessly against a pile of scrap metal behind him.
Charles barely had time to register the miss before Loid appeared beside the man in an instant—like he had teleported. His leg snapped up in a clean, precise arc.
CRACK!
The kick connected with the man's head, sending him flying through the air. He crashed into a heap of trash, scattering metal in every direction before tumbling to the ground.
For a moment, it looked like he might stay down. But then… he laughed.
A low, rasping sound that built into another manic fit of laughter. "Hah… ha… haHAHAHA! You think you can take me down?! I feel nothing! NOTHING!"
But as he rose, his hands trembled. His pupils wobbled, his movements slightly slower. His breathing came heavier.
Mimosa noticed first. "He's… wearing off."
Loid glanced at her, then at the trembling addict. The monotone voice of his phone spoke:
"Observation: elevated heart rate, reduced reaction time. Drugs metabolizing. Intoxication boost diminishing."
The man's grin faltered. His eyes widened slightly, panic seeping into his voice. "No… no, no, no! I'm not done yet! I just need another hit!"
He looked around frantically, realizing he had nothing left to take. His trembling turned into fury.
"YOU INSIGNIFICANT FUCKS!" he roared, charging at Loid and Charles in blind rage.
But he didn't get far.
There was a flicker—a faint shimmer around his body. Then he froze. His eyes darted down, and for the first time, genuine confusion crossed his face.
Tiny, iridescent orbs clung to his chest and shoulders—bubbles.
Charles's breathing steadied. His eyes glowed faintly, his exhaustion melting into focus.
He smiled. Not a cocky smirk, but something wild, sharp, and unrestrained.
"Minefield!"
The air pulsed—then the world erupted.
BOOM!
A chain of detonations rippled across the man's body, each bubble bursting in a flash of compressed energy. The shockwave sent a cloud of dust and debris spiraling into the air.
The man screamed. A raw, guttural cry tore from his throat as the intoxicants in his system finally faded—his Zenith no longer numbing the agony. He clutched at his chest, collapsing to his knees, writhing as pain overwhelmed him for the first time in who knew how long.
Charles stood there, chest heaving, the faint glow around his body fading. He looked at his trembling hand, half in awe, half in disbelief.
"I… did that?"
Mimosa let out a low whistle. "Not bad, rookie. Guess 'Bubble' wasn't so harmless after all."
Loid remained silent, the grin of his mask fixed on Charles. But somehow, Charles could feel it—the acknowledgment behind that quiet stare.
The fight was over.
But as the echoes of the explosion faded into the night, Charles couldn't shake one thought from his mind:
If a Zenith could twist their power into something as insane as that addict… what kind of monster could he become if he lost control too?