The wind howled through the ruined industrial district.
George and Geor were already walking away.
Geor spoke calmly:
"Lord wants Asher. He's here. Let's take him."
George stopped.
Then burst into laughter.
"Haha… imagine how much treasure Lord will reward us with."
They changed direction.
Julia was no longer the target.
Asher was.
Julia — Unable to Stand
Julia struggled beneath hardened adhesive and shattered concrete.
Her body trembled.
Pain burned through her ribs.
She tried to rise—
But the adhesive pinned her down.
Her fingers dug into the ground.
She closed her eyes.
And the past returned.
Julia's Backstory
As a child—
She was small. Frail. Sickly.
She was always behind.
When the others ran, she fell.
When they trained, she gasped for air.
One day, after collapsing during practice, she cried in silence.
Her father knelt in front of her and said:
"Strength doesn't begin in the body, Julia. It begins in a decision."
From that day on—
She woke before everyone else.
She trained longer than anyone.
When her muscles screamed, she continued.
She was never the most talented.
But she never stopped.
Once, during evaluation, her instructor told her:
"You're not a natural prodigy. But your will… is terrifying."
That was the first time she smiled with pride.
Because she understood—
She would not win through talent.
She would win through resolve.
Present Moment
Her eyes opened.
George and Geor were seconds away from Asher.
Asher struggled to stand.
Something inside Julia cracked.
No—
Something awakened.
"Not this time…"
Her muscles tightened.
The adhesive began to fracture.
Concrete split apart.
With a violent surge—
Julia exploded upward.
The Counterattack
George was about to reach Asher—
When a crushing impact struck his back.
Julia.
She had condensed everything into one devastating punch.
George was launched forward several meters.
Geor turned sharply.
"How—?!"
Julia's eyes burned with fire.
"I'm not finished."
Geor fired another adhesive blast—
But at that exact moment—
Julian had freed herself.
She dashed forward, tearing through the adhesive mass and standing beside her sister.
"Together."
The two s
Siblings stood side by side.
The Shift
George attacked again—
But this time—
Julia caught his elastic arm.
She pulled him forward.
Julian disrupted Geor's balance with a sharp counterstrike.
The twins' synchronization faltered.
The momentum shifted.
Asher rose to his feet.
Slowly.
Determined.
Energy gathered around him.
George and Geor tried to reposition—
Too late.
Asher dashed forward.
Final strike.
Julia and Julian reinforced the attack.
A synchronized combination impact—
The shockwave shattered the ground beneath them.
The twins were thrown back into the ruins.
Motionless.
Silence
Dust settled.
Wind moved through broken steel.
Julia dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.
Asher looked at her.
"You stood back up."
She gave a faint smile.
"I always do."
From a distant rooftop—
A shadow observed everything.
When Lord hears of this defeat—
His reaction will not be calm.