Nova had struck the final blow against the wyvern, forcing it to retreat into the shadows. As it vanished from sight, the crowd erupted in cheers, their voices echoing in celebration of her victory. Hovering above them, Nova gazed down, a deep sense of pride and happiness welling up within her. With a faint smile, she nodded to the crowd before turning and flying back toward her home, feeling a well-earned exhaustion begin to settle in.
She landed lightly at her doorstep, reaching into her jacket's inner pocket to fish out her house key. Once she found it, Nova unlocked the door, stepped inside, and closed it behind her, welcoming the quiet that only home could offer.
A few months later, on the training grounds beside the Hero Association building, John and Marc were sparring, locked in an intense exchange of techniques. Each tried to read the other's moves, learning from their contrasting fighting styles and pushing each other's limits.
As the session wore on, Marc felt his energy beginning to wane. Needing a break, he launched himself into the air, putting some distance between himself and John. Just need a second to catch my breath, he thought.
But John, watching Marc ascend, muttered with a grin, "I'm tired of people flying away." With a burst of energy, he leaped into the air, propelling himself toward Marc. Marc, who had thought he'd bought himself a little time, glanced back, only to see John rapidly closing the distance between them. His eyes widened in surprise—John was moving faster than he'd ever seen before.
Marc smirked, his eyes beginning to glow a fiery red as he fully turned to face John. Without warning, he unleashed twin beams of laser energy from his eyes, catching John completely off guard. Surprised, John barely had time to raise his left hand in an attempt to shield himself.
The lasers collided with John's hand, and he quickly realized they were far stronger than he'd anticipated. Though he managed to withstand them, the force was more intense than expected, making his muscles tense as he braced himself.
Marc, undeterred, clenched his teeth and poured every ounce of strength into his attack. The lasers intensified, growing larger, hotter, and more powerful with each passing second. John's eyes widened in recognition of Marc's true power, understanding that this was no ordinary assault. Summoning his own strength, John steadied his stance and began to push back against the relentless beams, fully engaging his power as he held his ground.
Marc's eyes begin to bleed as he forces more power into his laser beams. The pain is almost unbearable, but he keeps the energy steady, maintaining a relentless onslaught that gradually pushes John to his limit.
John grits his teeth, feeling the pressure of Marc's attack forcing him back. "You're something else, Marc," he mutters, blocking the lasers with his left hand. Focusing most of his strength into his arm, John braces himself, leaving just enough power in his legs for a manoeuvre. With a swift turn, he pivots his body to the side, keeping his arm in place to redirect the laser. In one fluid motion, he releases his hand, letting the laser streak past him and slam into the wall behind, shattering it into pieces.
John landed on his feet, only to spring back into action, leaping toward Marc with lightning speed. In a flash, he was directly above him, fist poised to deliver the final blow—yet he hesitated, his gaze fixed on something distant in the sky.
Marc looked up, bewildered. "What? Why did you stop?" he asked, noticing that John hadn't followed through with the strike. But John remained silent, his eyes still locked on the sky, as if lost in thought. Slowly, he dropped back down, still staring upward.
Confused, Marc looked up too, trying to see what had caught John's attention. But the sky revealed nothing.
Without a word, John strode over to his jacket, retrieving his phone from the pocket. He dialled quickly and, when the call connected, said simply, "They've arrived." He hung up, slipped on his jacket, and pocketed the phone.
Marc landed beside him, still puzzled. "Where are you going?" he asked, sensing something urgent was unfolding.
John glanced over his shoulder, his expression serious. "They've arrived," he repeated.
Marc, catching the shift in John's tone, pulled out his own phone, tucking it into his pocket as he caught up to him. "And by 'they,' you mean—?"
"The rest of the S-rank heroes," John confirmed, stepping purposefully out of the training grounds, Marc following closely behind.
John and Marc moved through the bustling city, heading toward the crowded city center with the flow of people. Marc glanced up at the sky, his steps small and careful to navigate the packed street.
Noticing John's expression—a tense, frustrated look—Marc turned to him and asked, "Are you okay?"
John shot a glance over his shoulder. "No, I'm not," he muttered, adding quickly, "It's so crowded, I can barely move." He looked forward again, pushing his way through the crowd.
After a few more minutes of inching along, John's patience ran out. He turned back to Marc, who seemed entirely unbothered by the crowd. "That's it! I've had enough of this waiting," he announced.
Marc gave him a teasing smile. "Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do?" Marc made a lighthearted comment, but as he turned to look at John, he realized his friend was genuinely angry.
Gripping Marc's shoulder firmly, John growled, "I'll show you." With that, he launched himself into the sky.
"John, what are you doing?" Marc shouted, startled.
Onlookers watched as the two flew through the sky, spiraling higher and higher. After a few moments, Marc collected himself. He grabbed John's wrist, prying it off his shoulder, and they both descended back down, landing at the gathering spot with a powerful thud that kicked up clouds of dust.
As the dust settled, everyone saw Marc holding John in a chokehold.
Marc glanced up, realizing they had everyone's full attention. Embarrassed, he released his grip.
"Look, they've arrived!" someone in the crowd shouted. Heads turned skyward as a massive ship began to descend, casting a shadow over the assembly.