"You really think us for a bunch of kids, don't you?" Target said, stepping on Andy's large head.
The basement was in a sea of flames. The boxes and equipment around them were reduced to debris and rubble.
After Sting left to pursue Zack, Target and his men attacked Andy. He put up somewhat of a fight but got decimated.
Once Sting returned, she fought them to save her boss, but she didn't last long either.
Crusher held her down with his large hands. She tried to wiggle her way free, but Cell used his electric powers to shock her into submission.
Potentia giggled.
"We're a little new at this, I admit," Target said, exaggerating his pitch for dramatic effect. "Only a couple months in the crime game, pulling up in this dreg of a city when everything went to shit, but that doesn't mean you can just underestimate us."
Andy scoffed.
Target stepped on his head again.
"Seriously? Something in the walls? Like we'd fall for that old trick. And calling your hench... uh... woman over there for a surprise attack when we tried to take your ass out? Come on, man. We're not that new."
"So is that it? You're gonna kill me?" Andy said, struggling under his boot.
"You wanna cut all ties with us for your political shit. I don't really care, but my bosses do. We can't afford a rival organization poaching you, can we?" Target answered with a hidden smirk.
"I won't allow that."
"Can't really trust you, man. Nothing personal. You're just a politician after all."
Sting tried to wiggle free again, but Crusher still kept her down.
Potentia giggled again, even louder than last time.
"Now, now, girl. Don't think you're getting out of Crusher's grasp. He's strong enough to hold down All Stars," Potentia said with a cocky smirk.
"Cell. Get over here and finish him off. I don't wanna waste my ammo," Target ordered, and Cell obeyed, turning himself into a streak of electricity to get closer. Once he was right next to Andy, he began charging his fists with more electricity.
"Any last words?" Target asked.
Andy shrugged and closed his eyes.
"Sorry, little bro," Andy muttered to himself. Target didn't even bother to ask what he said, but merely pointed to Andy's head, signaling Cell to begin the execution.
Suddenly, Cell flew in the opposite direction, hitting a wall. Before Target could even question it, he was sent flying, too.
Andy quickly took his chance and clumsily got up.
"Thanks, Sting. I knew you could..."
Andy stopped when he saw his savior.
Immediately, his demeanor changed from frantic to calm in an instant.
"Green Guardian, I presume?"
Zack didn't reply.
"How much of that did you hear?"
"Enough," Zack said after a long pause and faced the recovering Target.
"Oh?! And what do we have here?!" Target shouted as Potentia helped him up. "You work with Amazo, right? Green Guardian, Andy just called you?"
"Yeah. I suggest you surrender now before things get messy."
"What's with everyone in this town underestimating us? First the old mayor, then the Dragon Clan, then those monster clown freaks, then Andy, now you? What the hell?!"
"I'm not underestimating you. Just telling you to back down before you get your ass beat," Zack said, starting to stretch.
"Seems like you are. Luckily, I have more than enough forces to prove you wrong. Crusher! Let go of the fodder and take him out!"
The large man-thing obliged and let out a long, beastly roar. In an instant, it was in the air, raising its fist to crush Zack under its weight.
Zack merely stood there and watched, muttering something to himself.
"Way of Stone."
And once it hit...
It did nothing.
He didn't even flinch.
Crusher couldn't believe its own eyes. No one had ever resisted its crushing blows before, not even Amazo, the All Star.
But this random guy did it with no issue.
"My turn," Zack said with a smirk, and sent Crusher flying out of the building with his own punch.
Target tried his hardest to keep his composure at the sight. His heaviest hitter got sent flying with one punch, right after his attack did no damage.
"H...how?!"
"As I said, surrender before things get messy," Zack said, still smirking and slowly approaching Target.
"Ravager! Cell! The fuck are you standing around for?! Kill him!" Target screamed, the fear in his voice apparent to his subordinates.
Cell hesitated, a cold sweat running down his cheek as he stood there. Target kept shouting for him to move, but he didn't.
Crusher was felled in one attack. What was he supposed to do? He wanted to say something, scream at Target and tell him this was madness, but sadly, the facility never taught him to speak.
He thought of turning around, converting to raw electricity, and bolting out of there. In fact, he was about to do it until he felt Potentia's soft hands grip his forehead.
"Don't worry, Cell. It's just some loser from the old Danger Squad. All you need is a little more juice to take him down," she said as she pumped him full of steroids.
He didn't believe her.
He knew sahe had the ability to dope the powers of other mumans.
He also knew even with her amp, he wouldn't take him down. Not now and probably not ever.
Not someone that could take Crusher down in one hit.
Maybe he should run...
He glanced at Ravager running headlong into Zack's range, his advanced blades drawn and ready for bloodshed.
Despite his power, Ravager showed no fear.
"Come on, kid!" Potentia shouted, pumping him full of more steroids. Cell brushed his cowardly thoughts to the side, his mind in a daze due to Potentia's amps.
He sent a giant surge of lightning right at Zack's location. Zack didn't dodge, which was a fatal error, as the electricity electrified him on impact. As his knee gave out, Ravager got closer and closer with each passing millisecond.
Zack didn't scream, as he learned long ago all it does is waste precious energy—energy he could use to think.
Using the pain to clear his mind and his surroundings, Zack's mind drifted elsewhere.
To the days before his training began.
On Super Island.
In front of a giant white room, where there was a skinny figure in an oversized coat standing next to him, mumbling something he couldn't make out.
Tagg.
"What is it?" Zack asked, tapping the giant metal door before him.
"Years ago, the demonoid invasions started at random locations across the country," Tagg began. "The government tasked me with finding a permanent solution. Working with top-tier scientists like Dr. Small and Dr. Hoo, we managed to find a way to fix this issue right at its source. This, my friend, is that way. A portal to the demonoid dimension."
"N...no way. I thought..."
"That travel there was impossible? Well yes, that's what I made the world think. The problem is, this portal is pretty useless to me."
"H...how so? You have a way to finally solve the demonoid crisis."
"Yeah, but no one is strong enough to actually go in there and fix it. The demonoids are much stronger on their home turf. The only super with enough of a chance to do anything significant is Canman, and he's MIA."
"I... see. So why did you bring me here? I thought you were gonna make me stronger."
"That's exactly why I brought you here. I want to send you in there," Tagg said, holding Zack by the shoulders.
"What?!"
"Now, the chances of survival are extremely slim, but that's the beauty of it. They say a day in the real world is weeks in there. If you're able to persevere through the hardship in there, in just a few months, you would dominate anyone who'd dare to stand in your way."
"So... you want to use this place to turn me into another Canman?"
"I don't wanna turn you into anything, lad. Not until I get full confirmation you're the candidate I'm looking for."
"And how are you getting that?"
"A simple question. Why do you wanna get stronger?"
"So I can protect..."
"Not good enough. Try again."
Zack scoffed.
"So that no one ever has to..."
"Not good enough. Try again," Tagg said, this time chuckling softly.
Zack opened his mouth to speak, but the words didn't leave his mouth. He realized no matter what he said, Tagg wouldn't hear him out.
He needed time.
And a place to think.
"Uhh, can I take some..."
"Time to sleep on it? Sure. I'll be waiting in my office till you're ready. Feel free to explore the island. Talk to some of the supers. Get a better perspective," Tagg said and gave Zack a pat on the shoulder before leaving the room.
Zack stood there for a moment, trying to process the situation. Then it hit him.
"Wait, Mr. Tagg!" he shouted, getting Tagg to stop but not turn.
"Why tell me? Everyone knows I'm the weakest member of my squad. They all know I can't kill. Bolt killed all my friends and I couldn't even finish him! The more I think about it, the more I realize I'm the worst candidate for this, so why?!"
"You'll figure it out when you answer my question," Tagg said bluntly and left the room.
Zack stood there, watching the floor and fidgeting wildly with his fingers.
Why him?
What made him so special?
What made this dimension so special?
What made the demonoids so strong there, when they're a mild inconvenience here?
What prevented other supers from stopping the invasions?
And why was he of all people chosen for a mission as important as this?
Zack wouldn't get the answers to these questions until much later.
Months later.
But by now, that was ancient history for him.
Right now, he had a fight to win.
His fate decided in the span of milliseconds.
Luckily, his thoughts helped him remember what led him here.
What made him so strong.
As he was able to enter the Demonoid realm, better known as The Underworld.
And remember what he learned in that godforsaken place...
Because although in the human realm it was only 6 months...
In there, Zack endured 5 years of suffering.
Suffering that taught him new tricks.
Tricks that would put him at the top of the food chain...
They call them The Ways.
"Way of Wind."
To be continued...