Arata and Melissa stepped out of the hidden base, now fully suited up, their appearances completely transformed from what they once were.
"We look ridiculously cool," Arata said with a grin, striking a confident pose as he spun his double-edged sword once before resting it over his shoulder.
His suit was sleek and imposing—a black chestplate embedded with glowing, multicolored energy lines that pulsed faintly with power. The repaired Infinity Gauntlet sat firmly on his right hand, the Space Stone radiating a soft but dangerous blue glow.
His demonic mask concealed his face, its eyes faintly illuminated, giving him an almost otherworldly presence. Reinforced cargo pants and metallic boots completed the look, each piece designed for both combat and adaptability.
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Melissa couldn't help but mirror his energy. She struck her own pose, a bright smile forming beneath her angelic mask.
"I can't believe how amazing this feels," she said, clearly impressed.
Her suit contrasted Arata's perfectly. A pristine white chestplate lined with vibrant energy circuits wrapped around her torso, while mechanical angel wings extended elegantly from her back. Her plated pants and high boots added to the sleek aesthetic, but the real highlight was her weaponry.
A golden bow shimmered in one hand, its rainbow-like energy string humming softly, while her other hand glowed with power as seven elemental orbs slowly revolved around it.
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"Let's move," Arata said, his tone shifting to focus as his mask displayed Lady Nagant's location. "She's heading towards the building."
Without another word, space energy enveloped his body, lifting him smoothly into the air. Melissa followed immediately, her wings unfolding with a metallic sound as she took flight.
The moment she left the ground, however, her control faltered slightly. She wobbled midair, her movement uneven as she tried to stabilize herself.
"This is harder than it looks," she admitted, trying to steady her flight. "Why don't we just teleport directly there?"
Arata glanced at her mid-flight, adjusting her trajectory subtly using the Space Stone whenever she drifted too far off balance.
"Because you need practice," he replied calmly. "If you rely on teleportation every time, you'll never get used to your own abilities. Use this time to learn."
Melissa nodded, focusing harder as she adjusted her wing movements. Slowly but surely, her flight stabilized, becoming smoother with each passing minute.
Both of them activated their invisibility systems, their figures fading completely from sight as they accelerated forward.
They soared across Okinawa, cutting through the night sky at incredible speeds. Whenever Melissa began to lose control again, Arata subtly corrected her position using spatial manipulation, guiding her without interrupting her learning process.
By the time Tokyo came into view, her movements had become far more controlled.
With a final burst of speed—assisted by short-range teleportation—they arrived above their destination.
The headquarters of the Hero Public Safety Commission stood tall beneath them.
Both landed silently on the rooftop.
Melissa retracted her wings, the mechanical structure folding neatly behind her back as her mask scanned the building. A marker appeared almost instantly.
"She just entered," she whispered.
Arata nodded. "Let's go."
Melissa activated her suit's primary quirk system—Seven Elemental Manipulation. The orbs around her hand glowed faintly as she selected earth.
The ground beneath them softened into a controlled, mud-like state. Without disturbing the surface, both of them sank through it and emerged seamlessly into a corridor on the top floor where no cameras were present.
Melissa restored the floor instantly, sealing their entry point.
She glanced at her hand, a quiet sense of awe filling her thoughts.
'So this is what it feels like… to have a quirk.'
They moved forward in complete silence, their invisibility still active. Avoiding cameras and personnel, they navigated toward the elevator area before noticing surveillance coverage.
Melissa tapped Arata's shoulder and pointed toward an alternate route.
He nodded, and the two shifted toward the staircase instead.
Arata's mask updated in real time. "She's heading to the 10th floor," he transmitted.
They were currently on the 15th.
Without wasting time, both descended quickly yet carefully, avoiding guards and staff with precise timing. Within moments, they reached their target floor.
The hallway leading to the president's office was heavily guarded.
Four guards stood with guns at the entrance, one of them possessing a dog-type quirk.
Arata sent a quick signal to Melissa's mask.
Activate anti-odor.
Both complied instantly.
Moments later, Lady Nagant arrived. As the guards stepped aside to let her pass, Arata and Melissa slipped in behind her without a sound.
The dog man's ears twitched slightly at a sound as he sniffed the air with his nose, sensing something unusual, but after detecting nothing, he returned to his post.
Inside the room, silence hung heavily.
The president of the Hero Public Safety Commission sat calmly behind his desk, as if nothing in the world could threaten him.
"I have a new assignment for you," he said.
Nagant stood still, her posture straight, her expression unreadable.
"You are to locate the individual known as 'Demon Mask'—the one responsible for the destruction of I-Island—and eliminate him."
Nagant's voice was calm, but there was something beneath it. "Why?"
The president leaned back slightly. "Because he interfered."
He continued without hesitation, as if discussing something trivial.
"He saved David Shield. That was not part of the arrangement. We had reached an understanding with the attacking group—thirty percent casualties, and Hawks would eliminate David. Clean and controlled."
Melissa's fists clenched instantly, her entire body tensing with fury.
"But that masked individual ruined everything," the president continued. "So your job is simple. Find him… and kill both him and David."
The room fell silent.
Nagant didn't react immediately.
She simply stared at him.
The emptiness in her eyes deepened, but now, something else surfaced beneath it.
Something broken.
"Do you have anything to report?" the president asked, noticing her silence.
Nagant finally spoke.
"Yes."
Her voice was cold. Steady. Final.
"I have one thing to say."
Slowly, her arm shifted. The mechanism in her elbow opened with a mechanical click, forming the barrel of her sniper rifle.
The president's expression changed instantly, shock flashing across his face.
Nagant raised her weapon and aimed directly at him.
"Suffer in hell."
The shot rang out.
The bullet pierced through his head with perfect precision, ending his life instantly.
Melissa's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the lifeless body, her mind struggling to process what had just happened.
Arata, however, remained completely still.
His expression did not change.
Because to him, this was not unexpected.
It was inevitable.