During school, Jordan and his friend Jack cracked jokes to pass the time, and talked a Lot about the things that happened after that strange rain, Jordan told him he also has "powers", The day carried on like any other until recess, when the faint sound of screaming broke through the usual noise of the schoolyard. The cries for help came from the road nearby, sharp and desperate.
Their eyes turned toward the source, and what they saw froze them in place. A monstrous figure loomed in the distance, towering nearly nine feet tall, its skin a sleek, obsidian black that gleamed ominously under the sun. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent purple hue, and beneath its feet lay a woman, bloodied and motionless. In front of the monster stood a child, trembling with terror, too petrified to move.
Without a word, something inside Jordan snapped. His instincts surged, and he sprinted toward the scene with everything he had. The monster, seemingly oblivious to his approach, reached its enormous hand toward the child. Jordan's heart pounded—he knew he wouldn't make it in time. Desperation clawed at him, and just as hope seemed to slip away, a figure emerged near the monster.
"Stricta, everything beneath the sky is sealed, bound!" Chains appeared out of thin air and locked the monster in place, not moving one inch, jordan and the woman Lock eyes for a second "quick take the child and Go! It won't last long" Jordan already close took the child and ran with everything he had
Already closing the distance, Jordan scooped up the terrified child and ran, adrenaline pushing him to move faster than he ever thought possible. Behind him, the air filled with gasps and screams of the gathering civilians, their faces pale with dread at the sight of the dead woman and the still-struggling monster.
"Quick! Run away, all of you!" Jordan yelled to the onlookers, but they stood frozen in shock, their fear holding them in place. He cursed under his breath, spotting Jack rushing toward him.
"Stay here with the kid! I have to go back and help!" Jordan shouted, thrusting the child into Jack's arms without waiting for a response. He turned and dashed back toward the monster and the mysterious woman, his mind racing. The chains wouldn't hold forever, and he had no idea what he could do, but he knew one thing—he wasn't about to let anyone else die.
[Congratulations you unlocked "heat complex" an uncommon passive skill for Cinder's gift would you like me to explain its use?]
As Jordan sprinted back toward the chaos, he muttered under his breath, "Now? Is this shit serious?" His eyes darted forward, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. "No, later—I'll figure it out later."
But as he came to an abrupt stop, the scene before him forced him to freeze in his tracks. The once panicked civilians now stood huddled, staring in disbelief at the monster's lifeless body. Its obsidian form was pierced by iron rods that jutted out from every angle, as if something—or someone—had impaled the creature with brutal precision. Blood pooled beneath the creature, its monstrous figure reduced to a grotesque ruin.
Curiosity rippled through the crowd, their fear now mingled with awe. Whispers passed between them, but amidst the confusion, something else caught Jordan's eye. The woman was there in the middle, people thanked her but she ignored and looked straight in jordans direction "hey you, where is the kid?" The beautiful black woman with black eyes said, Jordan stood there while everyone looked at him "he is right over there with my friend, i came back to help you"
"Help me...?" Kara laughed, a sharp, almost mocking sound that cut through the tension. "My name is Kara. What's yours?"
"Jordan," he answered hesitantly. "Who are you?"
Kara's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Times are changing, Jordan. People have powers now. Since that rain, it's been happening everywhere. The government's started moving. Haven't you heard about the monsters appearing in rural areas?"
Jordan noticed the crowd around them gossiping about her words, whispers spreading like wildfire. His instincts told him they should be having this conversation somewhere far away from prying eyes.
"Don't you think it's better to talk about this in private?" he asked, lowering his voice.
Kara only laughed again, shaking her head. "It's already public, dummy. Don't you watch the news? They've already started making lists of the strongest 'Holders,' as they call us." She paused for a moment, sizing him up before adding, "I work for the government now."
With a casual ease, she pulled out a small piece of paper and scribbled something on it before handing it to him. "If you have powers and want to know more, call me." Her tone was light, but there was a weight behind her words, And with that, Kara turned and walked away, leaving Jordan standing there with her number in hand
Jordan made his way back toward Jack, weaving through the lingering crowd that still buzzed with the aftermath of the monster's attack. "Where's the kid?" Jordan asked, his voice still tight with the adrenaline of everything that had unfolded.
Jack, ever calm, replied with a casual grin, "That scary woman took him away."
Jordan nodded, his gaze drifting over the scene—the shattered ground, the massive carcass of the monster still lying motionless in the street, and the gawking civilians snapping pictures and murmuring in awe. "Let's get out of here. There's nothing left for us here. She said some interesting things though."
Pulling out his phone, Jordan showed it to Jack. "Check this out. There really is a list of the strongest 'Holders.' It's a strange name, right?" He chuckled lightly, though the weight of the situation hadn't yet lifted from his chest.
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1 - Maximus Hunt
Feats → Seen controlling space; killed four monsters instantly on a farm in Europe.
2 - Pablo Blackwell
Feats → Claims full control over vibrations at any level; has killed several monsters in government missions.
3 - Silas Drake
Feats → Herculean strength; demolished an entire abandoned building with three kicks while trying to kill a monster; possesses superhuman senses.
4 - Vincent Rook
Feats → Single-handedly killed a 20-foot monster with strange gravity control.
5 - Klum Mercer
Feats → Controls electricity through an artifact; has been seen eliminating monsters for the government.
6 - Kara Greaves
Feats → Wields the strongest sealing-type artifact; has been seen sealing and killing monsters within city territory.
"Wow, Kara's on the list! She's one of the top Holders," Jack remarked with a smirk. "Guess that explains why she didn't seem too worried about that monster back there. She's strong."
Jordan's brow furrowed as he read the names. "This list is probably new... but it might change a lot," he said, his tone more serious. "I don't like this situation one bit. I killed a monster before, on the day of the rain, but I didn't think things would escalate so quickly."
Jack sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, I don't think I'm going back to school today. I'm just gonna head home."
Jordan, still processing the weight of what had happened, nodded. "Sure, man. Make sure you get some rest."
Jordan snapped back to reality and went home, in his path home he remembered the voice trying to explain his new skill, "hey strange voice, are you still there? Can you explain that skill now?"
[New uncommon passive skill: Heat Complex! This skill works
ignites the user's physical power with rising heat. As their muscles work and generate heat, their strength intensifies, fueled by the internal heat. The hotter their body becomes, the greater their force, amplifying the raw power to superhuman levels. Once their temperature cools and the heat subsides, the strength returns to its normal state.]
"Interresting, let's test that"
He began running home at Full speed, and as his muscles tired and released heat he became faster and his step became stronger, almost breaking the ground at each step
"Hahaha this is amazing i can feel my heart pounding like Crazy and my muscles burning"
He quicly reached his house "with this i guess i don't need a bike anymore haha"
Before he could fully relax, a deep voice rumbled from above.
"That was interesting."
The words sent a jolt of fear through his spine. He froze, looking up to see a figure standing on the roof of his house. A slightly overweight, bearded man watched him from above, arms crossed, with an air of unsettling confidence. The man's eyes gleamed with an intensity that made Jordan's blood run cold.
"So you use your powers without hesitation when the moment calls for it, huh?" the man said, his voice low and measured, yet dripping with menace.
Without thinking, Jordan's instincts kicked in his mind screamed at him to run, to get away. But just as he took his first step, the man raised his hand lazily and whispered, "All things kneel to vibration. Halt."
In an instant, Jordan's body locked up. He couldn't move a muscle. It was as if the very air around him had solidified, trapping him in place. Panic flooded his mind as he struggled against the invisible force binding him. His heartbeat rising, but his limbs wouldn't obey.
The man slowly descended from the roof, landing on the ground with a soft thud. He walked toward Jordan with a calm, deliberate pace, eyes gleaming with dark amusement. "What am I going to do with you?" he mused, his tone mocking, as if Jordan's fate was nothing more than a game to him.
Jordan's instincts screamed at him. Every fiber of his being was flooded with primal fear. He couldn't speak, couldn't move, but he knew with terrifying certainty if he didn't find a way out of this, he would die here today.