Fear didn't belong to Auntie Audrey alone. Olivia stood frozen after the gunshot, trembling like a leaf caught in a storm.
But for Shanazer, it was different.
She wasn't frozen. She was hunting for an opening.
"Hand over all the cash, and we'll leave clean," Grodin barked. The pistol trembled in his sweaty grip, glistening under the flickering shop lights. "Put your hands where I can see them. Bandoga—empty the safe!"
Shanazer lowered herself to the tiled floor, heart pounding loud enough to drown out everything else. She crawled toward the counter, step by cautious step, like a shadow slinking through chaos.
Olivia's wide eyes tracked her. Where is she going? She's going to get us all killed. Panic surged through Olivia like a bolt of electricity. "What are you doing?" she hissed.
Shanazer glanced back. She pressed her finger to her lips: Stay quiet.
But inside her, a war waged.
How fast do I need to be? Who should I strike first? What if I mess up?
Her palms dripped with sweat. Even with the system guiding her, she only had one life to gamble. And every instinct screamed run, don't fight.
Your body isn't a machine. What if it doesn't move how you imagine?
Another voice pushed back: If you don't try—you'll never know. Time's ticking. Move!
She launched from behind the shelves like lightning off a rail.
Her limbs felt detached, automatic. Her right fist clenched tight. Her shoulder locked. She threw a punch that rammed into Grodin's gut like a sledgehammer. He flew backward nearly three meters before crashing with a sickening thud.
The other robber turned mid-reach. "What the—?"
Before the words finished, Shanazer's fist connected with his jaw. His eyes spun like a pinwheel. He dropped instantly.
Shanazer blinked, stunned at her own power.
"Oh my God... I did it!" she yelled, flushed with adrenaline. "I actually did it!"
But she forgot the third man.
Bandoga had been behind the counter. The sound of Grodin hitting the ground had snapped his attention. He hadn't seen what happened—but he saw the aftermath. His partners, flattened. Shanazer, standing tall.
And he panicked.
In an instant, he seized Auntie Audrey, pressing a gun to her temple. Her body stiffened in horror as the cold metal grazed her skin.
"Move and she dies!" he screamed, his voice cracking. He hadn't expected to need a hostage.
Only now did Shanazer realize—she hadn't won.
You idiot. Celebrating before the fight's over.
She assessed him. He was scared—but armed. Could she dodge a bullet?
Then came the system's voice:
"BAD TIMING. USE ZERO POINT FIVE MAGIC PORTION."
Shanazer wanted to scream at it—but the last part echoed in her mind. Magic Portion... zero point five...?
Nothing happened.
Why isn't it working? Come on... tap into it!
She closed her eyes for one second. One breath in. One breath out. And then her clarity came back.
Poison gas. That's it. Zero point five.
She stretched her arm, aiming at Bandoga's weapon hand. A jet of dark green mist blasted from her fingertip, hissing through the air.
It hit its mark.
Bandoga flinched as heat seared into his skin. Burning like molten plastic, it crawled over his hand.
"Ahh!" he shrieked, dropping the gun with a metallic crack. He staggered backward, clutching the injured hand. Tears rolled down his cheeks.
"What did you do, you witch!?"
Shanazer ignored him. She checked Grodin and the other robber. They were still down, still groaning. Auntie Audrey, now free, scrambled to her feet, shaking but alert enough to dial the police.
Shanazer grabbed some rope from a storage drawer and tied up the criminals.
But outside, danger hadn't ended.
Nearby, a black SUV was packed. Identical to the one that had kidnapped Shanazer last time. Three men watched everything unfold on a screen. Cavenda's swollen lips curled into a mocking grin.
"Told you. She's not ordinary," he whispered.
Rashaad narrowed his eyes. "Nothing changes." He started the engine. "We will spot another opportunity."
The SUV reversed quietly, slipping into the main road, then vanished down an alley.
Back in the shop, Olivia ran forward, overwhelmed.
"You saved us!" she cried. "You—know martial arts? You're like a superhero! How did you do that?"
Shanazer couldn't answer. She didn't even know.
Auntie Audrey snapped out of her daze like someone waking from a nightmare. She staggered toward Shanazer, her voice trembling but full of gratitude.
"Thank you... you saved our lives—and my business. Without you, this could've been a disaster."
She stretched out her hand, and Shanazer met it gently. Her smile was soft, almost shy. She wasn't used to being seen as a hero. Truthfully, she didn't even feel like one. Something strange had stirred inside her—something unknown that gave her those reflexes, that burst of power. Whatever it was… she wasn't sure it was entirely hers.
Just then, police sirens shrieked outside. Blue and red lights streaked across the storefront glass. The door burst open and three uniformed officers entered, eyes scanning the scene like hawks.
The officer in charge, a tall man with a weathered face and keen eyes, locked onto Auntie Audrey.
"Looks like you handled everything," he said, voice sharp with disbelief. His gaze swept over the bound robbers, then paused on the three women. His brows furrowed.
"How did you manage to capture them?" he asked, arms crossed.
Auntie Audrey turned slowly, her eyes landing on Shanazer. The officer followed her gaze. His expression froze.
You're telling me this girl...?
He looked Shanazer up and down. Slender build. No visible muscle mass. She didn't fit the profile.
"I—uh—my uncle taught me some defensive moves," Shanazer said casually, voice low but clear.
The officer glanced at the groaning men on the floor, then back at Shanazer. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, eyebrows raised.
A few defensive moves did this? Who is she really?
He didn't ask it aloud. But his tone shifted, warmer, intrigued.
"Is that so? You must have some remarkable moves. Ever thought about joining the army?" he asked. "You've got potential. If you're interested, reach out. We could use someone like you."
Shanazer nodded politely, cheeks tinged with quiet humility. The officer gave her a final nod.
"Thanks for making our job easier. You're the kind of person this world needs."
With a sharp gesture, he turned to his colleagues.
"Cuff them. Take them in."
As the officers hauled the subdued robbers away, a much larger mystery unfolded miles away.
Oxygen Multi Cooperation Base Four A secret facility on another continent.
Inside the sterile lab, fluorescent lights hummed over rows of test tubes filled with crimson liquid. A senior scientist stared at a monitor, expression stiffening.
The screen blinked, flashing DNA MATCH FOUND.
He leaned in, eyes narrowing.
"Guevente, come look at this."