The moment Kaze stepped into the warehouse, a wave of heat and ash smothered him. The air, thick with the stench of burning wood and metal, clawed at his throat, making every breath a struggle.

Before him lay his B-rank recruits, scattered like broken dolls, their bodies a grim testament to failure.

Kaze clenched his jaw and let out a sharp, irritated sound. "Tch."

Atop a pile of mangled metal, the pyro anomaly stood, flames swirling around him like a living inferno.

"Think you B-ranks can stop me? Don't make me laugh," the anomaly scoffed.

Kaze glanced at the plastic bag in his hand, pulling out a soda can. He downed it in one go, the cool liquid a stark contrast to the heat around him. His gaze swept the wreckage, annoyance flickering in his eyes.

"What a joke. This is the fourth useless batch Hiroto's dumped on me this week," Kaze thought.

As he made his way further into the warehouse, a wounded recruit dragged himself across the floor, leaving a bloody trail in his wake. His voice shook with pain and confusion. "Why... why did you abandon us?"

The recruit's eyes fell on the plastic bag Kaze had dropped, and his expression twisted in disbelief. "You left us to get a drink, Kaze?!"

Kaze stared down at him, anger sparking in his eyes as the recruit clung weakly to his boots. "You're telling me five of you got taken down by a mere B-rank threat?"

The recruit's eyes widened in fear. "I don't know what happened... this guy... he must be A-rank, maybe even S-rank. His powers..." His voice faltered as he coughed up blood, his hand clutching his mouth.

Kaze glared, frustration simmering beneath his calm exterior as the fire roared around them. The building groaned, and metal beams crashed down, sending the recruit flinching. "Kaze, what do we do? This place is falling apart!"

Kaze turned his gaze back to the pyro anomaly and smirked. He lifted his hand, using his gravity powers—or 'anolity' as people called it—to gently move the fallen recruits against the walls. "Take them and get out," he ordered.

"But let me help—"

"Leave. Now," Kaze cut him off, his voice sharp.

The recruit hesitated, but eventually obeyed, dragging the others with him. Still, he couldn't resist one last look back, driven by the need to witness the power of an S-rank enforcer from the Eclipse Agency.

The pyro anomaly turned, eyes widening in recognition. "Kaze Jūryoku? Think you can take me on?"

Flames surged around him, blazing with renewed intensity.

"I know about your anolity, 'Gravity Rift,' but it won't save you! I'll burn you to ashes!"

Kaze stepped forward, his boots crunching over the charred concrete. "You knocked out my recruits, huh? Guess I'll return the favor."

The anomaly hurled a massive fireball, the impact causing remnants of the roof to collapse. "It's over for you, Kaze!"

Kaze remained unfazed, extending his right hand as he whispered, "Vortex." The fireball spiraled into a black hole and vanished.

One of the recruits watching from a distance muttered, "I can't believe it... Kaze actually did it."

Kaze sighed, almost bored. "Let's end this."

The pyro anomaly broke into a cold sweat. "Damn," he muttered, fear creeping into his voice. "He really can do that..."

Kaze's eyes narrowed, his tone icy. "You've got ten seconds to run. This is your last chance." He began counting down, each number falling like a judge's gavel.

"10... 9... 8..."

The anomaly, his mechanical legs whirring frantically, leaped into the air, desperate to escape. Panic surged through him. "He just absorbed my strongest attack with that vortex... I'm out of my league. I've got to run—just run."

"5... 4... 3..."

By the time Kaze reached the final count, the air was thick with tension.

"Zero."

Kaze stretched out his hands, the air around him warping as his anolity distorted the warehouse's metal structure. His laughter echoed, wild and unrestrained, spilling out into the night. Police sirens wailed, converging on the scene.

Inside, the recruit watched in shock as the building twisted and buckled under Kaze's power. The police stormed in, weapons drawn, eyes locked on the still-laughing enforcer.

"Stop this at once, Kaze Jūryoku!" the police chief shouted over the chaos. "You're causing more harm than good. If you don't cease immediately, we'll open fire!"

The recruit stepped in front of the officers, hands raised in a plea. "Don't shoot! He saved us!"

The officers exchanged wary glances, confusion etched on their faces. But before they could act, Kaze's voice cut through the din.

"Graviton Surge."

A surge of gravity slammed the pyro anomaly out of the sky, crashing him to the ground near the police. The anomaly screamed in pain, and the officers stared in stunned silence at Kaze's display of power.

That night would be remembered as a vivid testament to the formidable might of Kaze Jūryoku, the S-rank enforcer.

____

Kaze walked through the doors of the Eclipse Agency, hands in his pockets. He used his Gravity Rift anolity to float the unconscious pyro anomaly beside him. As he entered, he tossed the anomaly to the side. "Someone take care of this," he muttered, continuing forward.

People stepped aside, their gazes a mix of awe and fear—a clear sign of his reputation.

Rin Asakura, another S-rank enforcer, dashed toward him, arms open for a hug. But she stopped short, hitting an invisible barrier. Kaze hadn't even flinched, using his anolity to keep her at bay.

"Why are you doing this?" Rin asked, frustration spilling into her voice.

"Enough."

"But I love you, Kazu! Why won't you let me hug you?"

Kaze clicked his tongue, unamused. He hated that nickname—'Kazu.' Rin had tagged him with it, and no matter how much he disliked it, he never bothered to correct her. Not that it would matter; Rin was stubborn like that.

Rin laughed, a sharp, unsettling sound. "If I can't have you, then nobody can!" Her tone turned manic, her stance braced for an attack.

Electricity crackled around her as she flung a bolt of lightning his way. Daichi Fujimoto stepped in, opening a portal that swallowed the bolt, redirecting it safely away from Kaze.

"Control yourself, Rin," Daichi said calmly.

Nearby, two lower-ranked agents, Nana and Mina, stifled their laughter.

"Check her out, thinking she can grab Kaze's attention," Nana whispered.

"Right? Even as an S-rank enforcer, she's the most deluded," Mina added, shaking her head.

Rin's eyes snapped to the whispering agents, her demeanor instantly fierce. "Making fun of me, huh?" she growled, her voice icy.

Lightning crackled around her as she advanced on the two agents, power radiating off her in waves. Enforcers scattered, sensing Rin's wrath.

Rin's grin turned predatory as she closed in on Nana and Mina, who suddenly looked much less amused.

"Rin, we were just joking! Please, forgive us!" Mina stammered, her voice cracking.

Nana nodded vigorously, too terrified to speak.

Daichi's grip tightened on Rin's arm, pulling her back. "Enough, Rin. This way."

Rin continued to hurl threats over her shoulder, her voice a sharp contrast to Daichi's calm. "You should've kept your mouths shut. Now, I'll shut them for you—permanently."

The other enforcers watched in awe, the tension palpable. The B and C-rank recruits, in particular, were captivated by the raw display of power, though they kept a respectful—and fearful—distance from Kaze, even more so than from Daichi or Rin.

Once Rin had calmed, Daichi approached Kaze. "Got another job for you. Be in briefing room 12 in an hour." With that, he turned and walked away, not waiting for a response."

____

Kaze returned to his plain room, his mind restless. He stared down at the bracelet on his wrist, the one designed to keep his anolity in check. It was given to him by a scientist named Keito Shinsei when his powers first manifested as a child.

He remembered that night... the full moon, the loss of control, the screams of his parents. After that, the agency took him in, training him, experimenting on him, shaping him into their weapon.

He sighed, frustration bubbling over. "Am I even on the right side? The agency keeps saying this is necessary, but..."

Images of the pyro anomaly flashed in his mind—the injuries to his recruits, the confusion. He tried to rest but couldn't. Pacing his room, his thoughts churned. "How did a B-rank threat overpower five of my enforcers? Something doesn't add up."

Kaze balled his fists, tension coiling in his gut. "This pyro anomaly wasn't supposed to be a major threat. We're losing too many enforcers. I need to check Hiroto's files. If he's the one assessing these threats, then he knows something. But I've got to be subtle about it. I'll get to the bottom of this."

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. Time for the next mission, it seemed. He would obey for now, but doubt had taken root. Change was coming... he could feel it.

____

Kaze entered the dimly lit briefing room, his footsteps echoing against cold metal walls. Hiroto Nagasaki, a high-ranking official, stood waiting, a holographic display behind him showing a tornado ripping across a landscape.

"Jūryoku, glad you made it," Hiroto said, relief evident in his voice. "We've got a serious situation. This tornado outside the city—it's not natural. An anomaly with weather manipulation powers, but no control over them."

Hiroto pointed at the swirling chaos on the screen. "We're classifying it as an S-rank threat due to its unpredictability and potential danger."

Kaze's expression remained impassive as he studied the display, a blur of destructive power with no clear target.

"Bring it in," Hiroto continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. "By any means necessary."