The sound of the juggernaut? It's like a huge, successive blow to the ground, sending dirt flying into the air and triggering an earthquake with every step.
The building Echo was in began to shake again.
"They're here!" Vexra said.
Maxwell nodded, turning to his right. They could hear their tank closing in—the only reason for the loud banging sound outside.
Moments later, the wall to their right exploded in a pile of rocks!
The entire building shook violently, as if struck by a missile. The glass ceiling shattered, pieces falling to the ground like snow, while parts of the second floor crumbled, raining down stone and wood.
At the same time, men in full black armor were flung across the building. Some crashed into the opposite wall, others smashed through windows, and a few landed in the courtyard. Their bodies lay twisted and unrecognizable, blood pooling around them.
Like fireworks announcing their entrance, a huge, eight- or nine-meter-tall man appeared. His loose Magician Hats outfit couldn't conceal his massive muscles. The giant stood slightly hunched, his chest heaving as he tried to draw in as much oxygen as possible. He was barefoot, his weight sinking his feet inches into the ground.
A monstrosity. A mask made of rusty brown chains covered his entire face, revealing only his deep red eyes under shoulder-length black hair. He scanned the area like a predator, and when his gaze locked onto the two magicians—especially the one with a cane—he let out a roar that shook the second-floor balcony.
The juggernaut charged toward the two magicians, causing yet another earthquake.
Seeing this, Vexra's face grew serious. She clenched her fists, readying herself to use her power. Right now, she wouldn't be able to stop this beast unless she teleported again, which was at her current limit.
Echo, however, remained calm, even smiling at the newcomer.
Just as they were about to be crushed by the ten-meter, muscle-packed magician, a voice shouted.
"Stop!"
The juggernaut immediately halted a meter away from crashing into Echo and Vexra.
They exchanged glances before the monstrosity moved aside, though not without roaring at the magician with the cane first.
Echo closed his eyes as the wind from the roar whipped his hair and made his clothes flap.
"Learn how to control your brother, b*tch!" Vexra shouted angrily at the person approaching.
The newcomer had brown hair and umber eyes, standing almost as tall as the Magician Hat's leader. Like the others, she wore the magician's outfit.
Hearing Vexra's angry words, she only smirked, not bothering to argue with the teleporter.
The woman walked past Vexra, frustrating her even more.
"B*tch," Vexra muttered in annoyance. Then she felt a gaze filled with killing intent land on her. Turning to the source, she saw the ten-meter monster staring at her as if he was ready to devour her alive. "What are you looking at?!"
"Dr. Vale," Echo greeted with a smile, glancing behind her. The other members had arrived, each one looking at him with admiration in their eyes, though he didn't have time to greet them—they had to proceed with the plan.
"Prestige," Dr. Seraphine Vale bowed her head in greeting.
"You guys have done a good job," Prestige complimented, looking deeply into her eyes.
"Thank you, Sir," Seraphine replied, her milky white skin turning rosy, though the blush faded as quickly as it appeared.
"Ten seconds," Echo glanced at the members of Magician Hats. "Scatter and make sure to look intimidating!"
Hearing the order, the Magician Hats chuckled.
"I'll stay by your side!" Vexra said, throwing herself to Prestige's left.
Seraphine, on the other hand, slowly moved to the leader's right, while her brother, Ragnar, stood behind them, acting as their guardian.
Meanwhile, Echo's other members found their own spots—some perched on the second-floor railing, some standing in each corner, and others simply positioned in random spots they found strategic.
Good enough, Prestige thought, seeing them pose as intimidatingly as they could.
Suddenly, individuals wearing Celestus instructor uniforms stormed into the building. Upon arrival, they didn't immediately jump into action; instead, they observed the situation. In total, they were facing twelve members of the Magician Hats.
Some of the instructors bore injuries, their uniforms stained red, but they couldn't concern themselves with their wounds. Apprehending this new villain organization was their top priority as Official Heroes.
The scene was silent and tense—a standoff where one wrong move could ignite another fight.
Echo's gaze drifted to one of the instructors, primarily her, well, assets. She was breathing heavily, which made the scene even more interesting.
"Pervert," Vexra muttered, staring coldly at the heroes.
Prestige ignored her remark as he noticed the Fated Heroes entering the building.
A roar sounded from behind as Ragnar glared at one of the newcomers.
Carlo the Ultra Potential was missing one of his hands, and when he heard the roar, he locked eyes with the monster he had fought back in the stadium moments ago, fury burning within him. Standing at three meters tall, Carlo was already imposing, but compared to the chain-masked giant who had taken his hand, he seemed small, like a child.
"It seems like everyone's here," Prestige said, stepping forward and finally drawing the attention of the heroes. They eyed him, sizing him up from head to toe, but he only looked at them briefly before raising his gaze to the sky. Squinting, he smiled at the figure floating hundreds of meters above. "Hey! You good just watching from up there? It's hot! Why not come down and stay in the shade, Mr. Number One Hero?!"
Prestige's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear.
Heroes and villains alike turned their attention to the sky.
The Celestus Academy instructors and the three students' faces lit up as they spotted the figure hovering above.
The villains, on the other hand, exchanged subtle glances, clearly nervous, but their belief in their leader remained unwavering. Regaining confidence, they turned their unwavering gaze to the Number One Hero.
Ragnar roared, pounding his chest in frustration. He was agitated, ready to leap at the intimidating presence in the air.
"Calm down," Dr. Vale said, easing her brother's tension. Still, the giant's muscles spasmed as if he could barely contain himself.
The figure floating in the sky was partially hidden by the sun's brilliance, casting his form in a mysterious light. His cape flowed with the wind behind him, hands on his hips as he looked down at the villains.
Echo's gaze fell on the symbol on the man's chest—a clenched golden fist. There was only one person in the world with that symbol: Herman the World Breaker.
"Surrender, villains!" The booming voice from the man reverberated through the building, shaking it with sheer intensity.
Prestige's ears rang for a moment. Shaking his head to clear the tinnitus, he shouted back, "Hell f*cking no!"