The Masked Virtuoso

The tension in Ethan's apartment felt almost suffocating as Ethan and Mia sat down at his makeshift workstation. The obsidian shard lay on the desk, its faint glow illuminating their faces. Ethan tapped on the pad, scrolling through the data they had managed to steal from the facility. The details were cryptic but hinted at something massive—experiments, artifacts, and people who weren't entirely human. Just as Ethan was about to decipher a critical entry, the ground beneath them trembled.

Before either of them could react, the ceiling above shattered, raining debris everywhere. A black figure descended from the sky, landing with such force that the entire apartment building—and everything within a three-block radius—collapsed in an instant. The impact was deafening, the shockwave sending Ethan flying into the wall before his world turned black.

---

When Ethan groggily opened his eyes, his body ached as if he'd been hit by a truck. His vision blurred, but he could make out Mia sprawled on the floor nearby, unconscious. He forced himself up, his limbs shaky, and turned toward the figure standing amidst the rubble.

The person before him was a woman, tall and imposing. She wore ceremonial Egyptian garb, adorned with gold and sapphire detailing. Her headdress bore an uncanny resemblance to King Tutankhamun's funerary mask, complete with a blue-and-gold striped nemes. Her eyes glowed with an otherworldly amber hue, and an aura of raw power surrounded her.

Ethan coughed, his voice hoarse as he asked, "Who the hell are you?"

The woman tilted her head, her expression unreadable. "So, you're the one. The wielder of the obsidian shard," she said, her voice carrying a regal tone. "I am Nefera, the bearer of King Tutankhamun's Funerary Mask. And I've been looking for you."

Ethan's mind raced. His body still felt heavy, and he replayed the last moments before the explosion. Why couldn't I dodge that landing? he thought, his instincts sharp but baffled by his own failure.

Nefera continued, her gaze sharp. "I escaped the facility after you and the green-eyed girl broke it open. You stirred chaos, and for that, I owe you my freedom. But now I must know—are you a friend or an enemy?"

Ethan scoffed, his sarcasm cutting through his confusion. "That's what I should be asking! You just obliterated my apartment!"

Without another word, Ethan lunged at her, shadows curling around his fists as he threw a punch. But Nefera didn't flinch. She blocked his attack effortlessly, the gold and blue energy emanating from her mask absorbing the impact.

"Calm down!" she said sharply. "I said I'm not here to fight—"

"Calm down?!" Ethan shouted, throwing another punch. "You destroyed my apartment! You're paying for that! Rent isn't cheap!"

Nefera sighed as she countered his attacks with precision, her movements fluid and practiced. She wasn't just skilled—she was a warrior. The ground beneath them cracked as their battle escalated.

---

Meanwhile, Mia stirred, her vision blurry and her head pounding. She sat up slowly, taking in the chaos around her. "What... is that?" she mumbled weakly, her eyes focusing on Nefera.

Ethan wasn't faring well. Despite his determination, Nefera was toying with him, dodging and countering every move he made. With one swift motion, she delivered a powerful punch to his gut. Ethan doubled over, coughing, but she wasn't done.

She muttered something in ancient Egyptian, and her fist glowed with a golden light. "The Punch of Anubis," she said as her hand connected with Ethan's chest.

The force of the punch was unimaginable. Ethan felt his entire body hurtling through the air, the world around him turning into a blur. When he finally came to a stop, he realized he wasn't on Earth anymore.

---

Ethan blinked, looking around at the desolate red landscape. His voice cracked as he said, "No way… Did she just punch me to Mars?!"

He barely had time to process this when a shadow appeared above him. Nefera was flying toward him, her golden aura lighting up the Martian sky.

"This girl… what's her limit?!" Ethan muttered, clenching his fists. But before she could land another blow, a voice echoed in his mind.

Your power is unbeatable. You are one of the most powerful artifact users in existence.

Ethan's eyes widened as he felt something shift inside him. His vision turned purple, his muscles tensing with newfound strength. The voice continued: You're about to use 20% of your power.

Nefera reached him, her fist glowing with the same golden light. But this time, Ethan didn't dodge. He countered with a punch of his own, the force sending shockwaves rippling through space.

Nefera managed to evade the blow, but the sheer pressure from Ethan's punch buried her deep into the Martian soil of Earth.The force didn't stop there—it tore through the atmosphere, shattering the Andromeda Galaxy in the distance.

Ethan floated his way Earth, his body radiating with energy. But just as quickly as he came, the power faded. Gravity pulled him back, and he plummeted toward Earth.

---

Ethan crashed into the ground with a loud thud, groaning as he rolled onto his back. "What the hell…" he muttered, clutching his head.

The voice in his mind spoke again, its tone almost mocking. You haven't earned the full power of the artifact yet.

Ethan groaned. "Too early to say that, huh?"

He turned his head to see Nefera lying unconscious a few feet away. Her headdress was cracked, and her aura had vanished.

Mia stumbled toward him, her voice weak but steady. "Ethan… what just happened?"

Ethan sat up, his body aching. "No idea. But we can't stay here." He stood, hoisting Nefera over his shoulder. "Let's go to the pizza shop. We'll figure this out later."

As they walked through the rubble, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. High above, hidden in the clouds, a shadowy figure observed their every move.