The morning broke humid and cool over the plain where a small group had gathered. The air carried the sweet smell of grass baked by the sun and the earthy aroma of freshly cut wood. Amidst the tree stumps dotting the landscape—the same area where Carlos had tested his first weapons—stood Specter, two guards with skeptical expressions, Aqua with her analytical gaze, Tassi with her arms crossed, Carlos trying to disguise his anxiety, Quixotina still pale but standing tall, and Nia, curious.

  Specter broke the silence, his deep voice cutting through the morning air:

  "If I understand correctly, the firearm isn't ready. So why did you call us here?"

  Carlos took a step forward, a confident smile on his lips.

  "Because the gunpowder, by itself, is capable of creating a massive explosion. I think it could be very useful for setting an ambush and killing the Boitatá."

  Specter furrowed his brow in thought. He's crazy. There's no weapon in this world capable of killing a beast of that size. But before he could speak, Quixotina intervened, her voice still a bit weak but laden with emotion:

  "You saw me fight that monster! No human is capable of killing that thing! My most powerful magic only chipped a few scales!"

  Carlos remained calm, though his hands were slightly sweaty.

  "Precisely because I saw your fight, I know that only a controlled gunpowder explosion could kill it."

  Quixotina opened her mouth to protest, but Carlos continued, pointing into the distance:

  "Just wait and see. About three hundred paces away, I've placed several clay pots filled with gunpowder. This powder isn't just for firearms—it is itself a weapon. Now I will demonstrate its power. Please remain here."

  He exchanged a look with Nia, who, understanding the signal, placed the already-activated fire gem in his hand. Carlos took off running, his feet pounding the dry ground. He had never run so fast in his life—he knew he had calculated the time, but his heart hammered in his chest. Reaching the pots, he carefully placed the gem in one of them and ran back, arriving breathless before the group.

  "Everyone get down and cover your ears!" he ordered, lying on the ground and covering his own ears.

  Only Tassi obeyed immediately, remembering the noise of the firearms. The others exchanged skeptical glances. Specter, Aqua, and the guards, though familiar with the sound of gunfire, didn't think such precautions were necessary for a mere demonstration. Quixotina couldn't even imagine what she was about to witness. Everyone kept their eyes fixed on the distant pots.

  The next seconds dragged on in silent tension. Then...

  The pots glowed with an intense orange-red light that transformed into an expanding white smoke. Simultaneously, an invisible shockwave hit everyone's chests, followed by a deafening roar that seemed to tear the very air. The ground shook beneath their feet. Quixotina, caught by surprise, fell on her backside. Shards of clay and dirt flew in all directions—one flew towards Specter, who with feline reflexes dodged it at the last instant.

  As the dust began to settle and the fragments rained down on the ground, a stunned silence hung over the group. Everyone, except Carlos and Tassi, had ringing ears, their mouths agape, expressions of disbelief and a primal fear etched on their faces. Even Tassi, who considered herself a brave warrior, felt an irrational desire to hide, her hands trembling slightly.

  Carlos was also surprised—he had never witnessed a real explosion of that magnitude. He stood up, dust covering his clothes.

  "Sir, my apologies. I didn't imagine the explosion would be this strong from this distance."

  Specter, still recovering his hearing, stared at him with newfound respect.

  "No. The fault was ours. You told us exactly what to do and we still ignored you. Next time, we will do as you command without question."

  Relieved, Carlos approached Quixotina and offered his hand to help her up. His eyes met hers, now wide open.

  "So?" he asked softly. "Do you still think humans like us can't kill a beast like that?"

  Quixotina shook her head, speechless, still stunned. Specter answered for her, his voice now filled with conviction:

  "Without a doubt, we can kill that monster with this. And we can make traps for any invader. This black powder is excellent. I will assign workers to you—teach them how to produce it. They will take over this task, so you can focus on producing more weapons and... other innovations you deem necessary."

  Aqua, who was gradually recovering, added:

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  "You are relieved from farm work. I will assign someone to tend your crops. From now on, anything you need, come speak to me."

  A warm feeling of accomplishment ran through Carlos. Finally, recognition.

  "Ma'am, in that case, I request the same treatment for Tassi. She assisted me throughout the entire process. And, if possible, I would like her to be granted the bracelets with the earth and grass gems."

  Specter didn't even blink.

  "Of course." He agreed promptly because he knew Carlos's weapons and inventions were worth far more than a few bracelets. And helping Tassi was helping Carlos.

  "Before I forget," Carlos turned to Quixotina, "I called you here not only to witness the power of gunpowder, but because I've already devised a plan for us to kill the Boitatá."

  ***

  Under a moonless night sky, Quixotina stood motionless in the forest. Her full armor gleamed faintly, except for the helmet, which let her blond hair fall over her shoulders. Her sword was planted in the ground, her hand resting on the hilt which bore a small white light gem. At her waist, a leather pouch.

  The forest, normally vibrant with nocturnal sounds, was deeply silent—a sign of danger. The cold night air carried only the smell of trees and decomposing leaves. Then, she felt it—a heavy, ancient presence watching her from the deep darkness. Her eyes scrutinized the shadows, but she discerned nothing beyond the gloom. A chill ran down her spine, but she remained firm.

  Until they hovered before her, emerging from nowhere, two large eyes red like embers, fixing her with predatory intensity. Immediately, she pulled a light gem from her pouch and, with strength amplified by her own strength gem, hurled it high into the air. The gem rose thirty meters and exploded in a dazzling flash that illuminated the clearing like daylight—the agreed-upon signal.

  Without hesitation, Quixotina spun on her heels and sprinted towards the quilombo. Behind her, the Boitatá emerged from the darkness, its serpentine body incandescent with supernatural flames that didn't burn the surrounding vegetation but radiated intense heat. The earth trembled with its colossal weight as it launched into pursuit.

  Quixotina ran as fast as a horse, but the beast was faster. The roar of flames and the crash of trees being crushed grew closer. As she ran, her eyes anxiously searched for the marks she had made on the trees. Spotting the final mark, she risked a glance backward—the monster was only ten paces away, its fiery breath almost scorching her back. Too close.

  Pouring mana into her legs, she accelerated in a final burst, scaling a small hill. The Boitatá, blind in its hunt, followed her to the top... to find... nothing. Its prey had vanished. Confused, the beast stopped, its forked tongue hissing in the air, trying to locate the trail. It soon picked it up and quickly approached its source, which seemed to come from the ground, until...

  BOOOOOM!

  The world exploded. The ground beneath the Boitatá disintegrated in an eruption of earth, fire, and fragments. The colossal body of the serpent was torn in two, flung in opposite directions—the head and part of the torso flying towards the quilombo, the rest of the thrashing tail being hurled back into the forest. The flames that wreathed it died instantly. The severed tail still twitched for a few moments before lying still.

  When the last echo of the explosion dissipated, a supernatural silence took hold of the night. Gradually, a pile of earth and leaves camouflaged on the hilltop began to move. From inside the underground shelter emerged Tassi, Quixotina, Okoro, and Nia, all covered in dust, their ears still ringing.

  Quixotina breathed heavily, leaning on her sword, her face pale from mana exhaustion. The plan had demanded everything from her.

  The trap had been a masterpiece of coordination. While Quixotina served as bait, the other three were already positioned in the underground shelter, directly beneath the path the Boitatá would take. When the colossal beast approached, its weight making the earth tremble above their heads, Nia didn't waste a second. With precise gestures, she threw several fire gems through small openings, hitting the strategically buried sacks of gunpowder.

  At the same instant, Tassi, with tense arms and clenched teeth, channeled all her strength through the earth bracelet. She made the ground beneath the gunpowder violently erupt, a pillar of earth and fire that carried the explosion directly into the exposed belly of the monster. Immediately after, she diverted all her power to raise and sustain a massive wall of earth around the group, a shield against the impact.

  Finally, Okoro completed the defense. As shrapnel and the shockwave crashed against Tassi's wall, he raised his shield, and a barrier of dark, translucent energy erupted, encapsulating the four. The shock of the explosion against the barrier made his muscles tremble, but the protection held firm, preventing the shelter from collapsing on them.

  Only when the last stone stopped rolling and the dust began to settle did Tassi and Okoro lower their defenses, panting. Nia, with a wild smile of satisfaction, looked up at the sky now visible through the dust.

  Witnessing the lifeless pieces of the monster scattered across the devastated hill, a cry of triumph escaped Nia's lips. The success belonged not to one, but to all.

  Tassi looked around, incredulous. Only when her eyes fell upon the inanimate pieces of the monster did the reality hit her. An exclamation of triumph escaped her lips. She wasn't alone—Specter, Aqua, and the guards hidden nearby burst from the vegetation, their voices raised in celebration.

  Carlos watched everything with a quiet smile. This is only the beginning, he thought, his eyes scanning the horizon. In my world, almost all quilombos were destroyed. But this one will be different. I will transform this Brazil. I don't know why I'm here, but I know it's not to repeat history. I won't let it remain a poor country, exporting only sugar, coffee, soy, and corn. But one thing at a time... First, the weapons. Then, eliminate all threats to the quilombo. We need iron... a lot of iron for cannons and guns. I already know what our next product for raising funds will be... Clothes.

  The next morning, news of the Boitatá's death spread like wildfire through the quilombo. Aqua, smiling, announced a festival to celebrate the victory—not just over the beast, but also the full integration of the people from Jorge's engenho, now finally accepted as part of the community.