Chapter 1: The Injustice of a Hero

Clayd's heart was burning with deep hatred and depression as he stood on the rooftop of a hospital. His dead, dark eyes watched the ant-sized people walking below, as he puffed the cigarette between his fingers.

Not too long ago, a Hero lost control of his power and ended up destroying his house. His wife and son died while leaving his five-year-old daughter severely injured in the process.

A lot of speculation said that the Hero was chasing a Villain and their death was nothing personal. It just happened in that they were at the wrong place and at the wrong time, but to him it was.

His wife and son died, and they said it was only an accident?! As if that weren't enough, the jury set the man who killed them free, giving him the verdict as not guilty with no real reason or proof why!

He clenched his fist in anger. Is it because he's a hero? His heart thumped even louder remembering the mocking smile he gave him.

"Those Heroes, and the Government that supports them think that I'm stupid?" He said in his husky voice, taking out a police badge in his pocket. "Supes that do whatever they want because they've power, Government that turns a blind eye for advantage and profit, a broken Society who believe whatever the media feed them. Is this really the world that I want to protect?"

He raised his head, glancing at the full moon, then exhaled the white smoke from his rugged mouth. He was lost and didn't know what to do. If not for his now comatose daughter, he'd have probably taken his own life right now.

Finishing his cigarette, he went back in, back to his daughter's room.

No matter how many times he saw his daughter's condition, he'd never get used to it; in fact, the pain in his heart seemed to get worse as time went on.

He blamed himself, for why he was not there when it happened, maybe… just maybe he could've saved them or at least protected them with his life. Seeing his daughter in a tube every single day tore his heart apart.

If he could just take his daughter's suffering and take it in for himself, he'd probably done so a long time ago. As he stared at the small figure of his daughter from the other side of the transparent window, his tears slowly trickled down from his eyes.

"Sir," A nurse hesitantly called him out, her face full of worry and sympathy towards him. "You should rest. If you keep this up your body might give up on you. If that happens who's going to take care of your daughter if she wakes up."

Clyde wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at the nurse. "I'll sleep after I see my daughter wake up." He stubbornly said, then he turned his attention back to his daughter and ignored the nurse. He engraved his daughter's suffering in his mind, feeding the fury of fire within his heart.

The worry on the nurse's face deepened, and hesitantly opened her mouth just to close it again. After a while, she finally left him alone and went to his daughter's room.

Clyde's sadness was slowly replaced by the deep hatred related to the injustice his family suffered. When he couldn't take it anymore, he strode out of the viewing room with hurried steps and a clear purpose in his mind.

###

Clyde went back to the police station and walked straight to the captain's office. Inside, he saw a black man sitting behind his desk.

"Why are you here?" The Captain asked as his eyebrows furrowed after seeing Clyde. he put the paper he was reading down on his table and stared at him seriously. "Didn't I order you to get some rest and come back tomorrow? Look at yourself, you look like a dead man!"

Clyde slammed his both hands on the Captain's table. "Let me investigate what happened to my family."

The Captain shook his head. "I already told you that the case is closed. I know that you're hurting right now and you need something to distract you. Why don't you take some time off? Go out and have some fun."

"Have some fun, did you really just say that to my face?" Clyde's eyes turned red as his boiling anger was almost at its limit. "The case closed without a proper investigation. Do all of you think I'm some kind of idiot who knows nothing about how the world works?"

He asked his Captain, enraged by all the lies and manipulation of those who were in power.

"Then if you know how the world works, you should've already known that my hands are tied." The Captain said. "Let this matter go. You know how far they'll go if you keep threatening their status. Just focus on your daughter, and stop turning over rocks, you might find a venomous snake doing so."

"You coward," Clyde said mockingly. "How much did you receive, huh?"

The Captain frowned. "Stop saying things that you might regret," He warned. Then he stood up and walked towards the door and opened it. "Chavez! Quazon! Come here!"

"Just let me investigate it, I know something is wrong, I can feel it." Clyde desperately said, his mind was on the border of madness and sanity.

"Then what?" The Captain asked. "Let's say you found something, then what? Do you think, you can just go and capture them? No, before that happens, they'll brand you as a police officer who went crazy due to the loss of your wife and son. They might go even further and use your daughter against you. So, what will you do if that happens?"

"Grr," Clyde produced a low growl, he calmed down a bit agreeing to everything his Captain said.

"Sir, do you need something?" The two police officers salute to the Captain.

The Captain pointed his index finger to Clyde and said. "Go take him out of my office. No, better yet, just take him outside the police station."

Chavez and Quazon complied. "Come on now Vindict, let's go out and get something hot to drink," Quazon said, he was slowly trying to get close to Clyde not wanting to escalate things.

"Please don't make this hard for all of us." Chavez followed.

Before Chavez and Quazon could even lay their hands on Clyde, he walked out on his own. 

What a waste of time, I should have known that I'd get nothing from those guys.

He stood outside the station, staring at the sudden pouring rain as if it was hindering him from moving on. The sound of raindrops that fell on things, soothed Clyde's heart, but at the same time, it made him more emotional.

Nevertheless, he ignored it, let it wet his short black hair, drip on his black leathery jacket, and slowly walked to his car.

He drove away with his black Chevrolet, not knowing where to go. As he absentmindedly drove his car, his habit brought him back to where he lived, or at least supposed to. He stopped his car close to what remained of his previous house.

Walking out, He stared at the rubble of his destroyed house, the only reminder of its existence. He stood there and silently watched and reminisced the happy memory he had of his now broken family.

He let the rain continue to soak his whole body and used it as a camouflage to silently cry and hide the tears that slowly dripped on his face.

"This world doesn't need protection, it needs punishment," Clyde whispered, his deep husky voice full of resentment. "Justice is dead, and honest people can't change the world alone, because there's too much trash that needs cleaning. If those who serve justice can't bring it to those who need it, then I'll put justice into my own hands and judge them myself."

*DING!*

[The God of Punishment heard your voice]

[Do you want to become her Champion: Yes/No?]

The sudden appearance of a blue transparent window surprised Clyde, breaking his deep resolution. He pulled a gun behind his waist and scrutinized his surroundings, on guard from any danger that lurked in the shadow.

When he saw nothing, he calmed down and focused his attention on the weird box in front of him.

What the fuck is this?

This was the first time he'd seen something like this, even in a world full of Supes. God of Punishment? Champion? What is this supposed to mean? He examined the weird window that seemed to follow his sight wherever he looked.

"Is this what they called awakening that only a few people experience?" He whispered in anticipation.

[The God of Punishment awaits your answer.]

[Do you want to become her Champion: Yes/No?]

He looked up and squinted his eyes due to the raindrops. "So, God agreed with my sentiment. So be it, if the world needs cleansing, then I'll dirty my hands just to give my daughter a better world to live in!"

He turned his attention back to the transparent window. "Yes! I'll become your Champion!"

*Ding!*

[The God of Punishment smiled at your decision.]

[You received a title: Nemesis of Sinner and Champion of God!]