The next day, the brothers trained by the trees of their home. They were practicing their form. Having more time in the day, Henry observed.
Stark asked Henry, if they could go deeper into the forest.
Henry questioned why they would want to.
Matteo revealed that they wanted to find the girl that they fought with.
Henry was confused.
Stark added that she seemed strong, and he wanted to see how strong she truly was.
Henry warned that the forest was very dangerous, and there were things beyond their imagination. They could get seriously hurt. He continued that the girl might have her own reasons for being out there.
While watering her garden, Adelia listened in. She commented that they worried that they would get lost.
Henry agreed. He continued that they were not ready yet. He pressed that they had not mastered their techniques yet.
Stark bloated that he was able to defend himself against anything. He continued that they could defend themselves from any monster.
Matteo nodded and exclaimed his agreement.
Henry chuckled and revealed that monsters were not the only threat. He elaborated that there was something stronger than any of the brothers.
Adelia listened and smiled.
Henry concluded that at their level, the brothers would be killed if they went.
Stark, Hafen, and Matteo were shocked.
After Henry's warning, the brothers were more motivated to get stronger.
Henry's training became even harsher. They practiced their forms, their punches, kicks, and blocks. They learned how to use the surrounding environment and their strengths to their advantage.
Eventually, Adelia called for them as it was time for dinner.
As the brothers were eating through bowls of food, Henry announced that the brothers' friend, Pepe, would come by their house tomorrow.
The brothers cheered.
As she cleaned dishes, Adelia smiled at her family.
The next day, the brothers were excitedly waiting for Pepe's arrival. They sat on the porch and gazed at the path.
Stark questioned if Pepe would show up.
Hafen muttered that he would show up.
Matteo exclaimed that Pepe would never forget about them.
As Henry worked on the farm, he heard a familiar voice. He looked at the source and saw his wife talking with Pepe.
Adelia greeted him, and Pepe was welcomed inside.
When the brothers heard the news, they rushed inside.
Pepe realized that they were raring to go. He challenged the brothers to a sparring match.
Stark, Matteo, and Hafen accepted the challenge. They raced to the back of the house.
Outside, the brothers took their positions.
Pepe, with his hands behind his back, asked if they were ready.
The brothers nodded and charged at him.
Matteo, using his speed, rushed towards Pepe.
However, Pepe dodged and tripped Matteo.
Stark, taking this opportunity, rushed to him.
Pepe smirked. In a split second, he swiftly avoided Stark's punches. After a few attacks, he knocked Stark down.
Hafen was shocked. He rushed towards Pepe and threw a punch.
Pepe, once again, evaded.
Relentless, Hafen followed up with a flurry of attacks.
At the same time, Matteo rushed behind Pepe and attempted a sneak attack.
Pepe sensed the attack and evaded.
The three brothers surrounded Pepe. In sync, they launched their attacks on Pepe.
Pepe, however, was able to knock down the brothers with their own attacks.
The brothers laid, exhausted, on the ground.
Pepe smiled and offered them some advice. He closed his eyes and revealed that their moves were slow and predictable, and they needed to...
When he opened his eyes, the brothers were gone.
Pepe, surprised, looked around. He panicked and finished that they needed to catch their opponent off guard. He gulped that they had already figured it out.
Behind him, Stark, Hafen, and Matteo appeared. They all simultaneously attacked him.
Pepe was hit. He was knocked back. As the brothers approached him, he stood up, slightly winded.
The brothers stopped. They were surprised that the attack connected.
Pepe smiled and complimented their improvement.
After their spar, Pepe waved goodbye and walked back to The Orphanage.
Matteo invited him to come back soon.
After some time, the brothers continued their training.
Suddenly, they heard a loud rumbling sound. It came from the forest.
Henry, outside the house, stopped planting seeds.
Adelia, holding Ana, was watering her garden. She was alarmed by the sound. She checked where their sons were. Her eyes widened.
No sign of them.
Stark, Hafen, and Matteo left to check what was making the sound. The brothers were surprised to see a monster.
A giant monster, with eight legs, was in the middle of the forest. It had green armor and spikes. On its abdomen, a large symbol was printed.
The brothers were determined to stop it. However, they noticed something peculiar.
The monster was resting.
Stark questioned why it was not moving.
Just then, a girl came from the trees. She approached the monster and stopped a few feet away from it.
The brothers recognized her as the girl they had fought a long time ago. Prepared to confront her, they approached her.
Just then, the monster moved. It crawled away, past the girl.
The brothers were confused.
The girl turned and stared at the brothers.
Matteo waved and said hello.
Stark asked if she was going to do anything about the monster.
Hafen questioned what her intentions were.
The girl looked at the ground. She alleged that it was not her place to stop it. She continued that she was not a hero.
Matteo pointed out that something seemed different about her. She seemed sad.
The monster continued its trek through the forest.
Hafen asserted that it was heading towards their house.
Stark exclaimed that she was strong, and she would be able to stop it.
The girl hesitated.
Hafen asked if the girl could tell them what it was.
The girl revealed that it was a type of monster called a Spider.
The brothers were shocked. Stark pressed that it was not like the one they encountered before. He refuted that spiders were smaller.
The girl revealed that monsters sought to evolve, constantly trying to reach their next form.
The brothers were surprised.
The girl narrowed her eyes and questioned what they planned to do.
Stark, with determination, replied that they would defeat it.
Hafen and Matteo nodded and expressed their agreement.
The three brothers chased after the spider.
As they disappeared into the forest, the girl sighed and muttered that they would get themselves killed. She followed.
Deeper in the forest, the brothers caught up to the spider. They stopped in their tracks when the spider's large legs blocked their path.
The brothers stared at the spider. It was massive.
The spider roared.
Matteo was intimidated.
Hafen was curious. He furrowed his eyebrows, attempting to understand it.
Stark clenched his fists. He yelled at the top of his lungs and charged.
In the next moment, the spider attacked. A large ball of web was hurled at the brothers. The brothers dodged. The ball of web created an explosion which knocked back Matteo and Hafen.
Out of the smoke, Stark quickly jumped in the air and punched one of the spider's eyes.
The giant spider screeched in agony and ran through the trees and bushes. It scurried away in a different direction.
Stark fell to the ground and sighed in relief.
Matteo and Hafen approached him.
Matteo laughed and praised his strength.
Hafen asserted that it was leaving the area.
Stark nodded and stood up.
Matteo wondered how Hafen knew.
Hafen questioned if Matteo did not hear what it said.
From the branches of a tree, the girl arrived and observed the three brothers. She was astounded by them.
No adult would dare to fight a monster. Even so, the brothers faced it with determination. Their improvement was apparent.
Afterwards, the brothers returned home. Adelia and Henry were concerned about them.
Adelia, holding Ana, scolded the brothers. She pressed that they were worried about them.
Hafen revealed that they encountered a monster.
Henry, shocked, questioned what they did.
Matteo, excited, described their encounter. He revealed that the monster was a spider.
Adelia and Henry were surprised.
Stark added that he had the power to stop it. He reassured them that the monster would not come back.
Henry questioned why it was even there.
Stark and Matteo exchanged looks and replied that they did not know.
Hafen explained that the spider was looking for a home.
Stark and Matteo looked at him.
Henry sighed. He was relieved that they were fine.
Adelia informed them that they were registered for school.
Henry urged them to behave at school.
The brothers nodded.