ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS – CONTROL ROOM
Lion was leaning against the bay window, arms crossed, observing the screens where images of chaos scrolled by. Around him, technicians worked frantically, alerts flashed, voices overlapped.
Anastasia approached, a file in hand.
"Reinforcements are on the way. Captain Man is already in the area, near the red demon. I sent Titan for support."
Lion slowly nodded.
"And for the blue one?"
"Mercy is handling it. I sent her Fast Track's coordinates."
Anastasia paused.
"Will these demons be hard to defeat?"
Lion turned his gaze toward her. His eyes were calm, almost detached.
"No. If they're on the same level as this famous Big Teddy, our heroes will have no trouble defeating them."
He turned back to the screens.
"But there's one point not to overlook. These aren't ordinary demons. They're not the creatures the Association is used to facing."
He pointed to the image of the Terra leader, Turf, fighting Fast Track.
"These ones have a soul."
——
CITY B – CENTRAL ZONE
Fast Track spun around Turf at insane speed, his wheels screeching on asphalt, on walls, on debris. Zane, providing support, sent lightning bolts that struck the monster's limbs without stopping him.
"HE'S TOO FAST, THIS FATTY!" Fast Track shouted.
Turf suddenly turned, his fists striking the ground. A shockwave threw Zane against a car. Fast Track barely dodged but lost his balance.
"You run, little men. But you cannot run forever."
A trail of fire tore through the sky.
BOOM.
An explosion mid-flight. A silhouette landed between Fast Track and Turf, fists smoking.
Fire Blast. Number 14 of Class S. His red and orange costume still blazing with remnants of his supersonic flight.
"Get out of the way, I'll handle the brute."
He charged, his fists hurling concentrated fireballs toward Turf's face.
Turf took it. Then he grabbed Fire Blast by the arm and machine-gunned him with punches, a barrage of fists that rained down on the hero like a jackhammer.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM.
Fire Blast crashed to the ground, embedded in the asphalt, face bloodied.
Fast Track and Zane stood frozen.
"…He wrecked him," Zane murmured.
"Shut up, kid."
Suddenly, a cry tore through the air. A kick came out of nowhere and struck Fast Track in the ribs. He flew ten meters, crashed against a bus shelter.
Turf, still at the end of the street, hadn't moved.
A new figure emerged from a smoking crater.
Small, frail, strange stones hanging from his belt. His hands were covered with runes carved into the skin.
The Tribe Shaman.
He rubbed two stones together. An explosion of Ether erupted, blowing everything in its path.
"Earth energy," he murmured in a cavernous voice. "Concentrated. Released."
He rubbed again. A new explosion hurled Fire Blast farther away.
———
ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY – THE RED DEMON
The red giant, blue mane blazing, was running through the city. Buildings collapsed in his wake like houses of cards.
WHAM.
Two crossed legs slammed onto his head.
Titan. Number 8 of Class S. A bald colossus, super muscular, a black T emblazoned on his chest.
The red giant stopped dead, unbalanced by the impact. Titan landed in front of him, arms crossed.
"In a hurry, big guy? Got time for a chat?"
The giant roared. His fists came down on Titan.
BAM BAM BAM.
Titan took them. He raised one arm, struck the giant's chin. Then the other arm, struck the temple. Then both together, a headbutt to the sternum.
"YOU'RE NOT SO TOUGH!" Titan roared.
Blows rained down, absurd in their power. The giant staggered back, dazed.
———
ON THE ROOFTOPS – CAPTAIN MAN AND ONE
Captain Man leaped from building to building, his bounds crossing entire streets in a single impulse.
Beside him, One… was flying upside down.
"One, focus! We have a mission!"
One, head down, arms dangling, watched the clouds scroll by.
"…This is fun."
"ONE!"
Suddenly, One accelerated. He shot off in the opposite direction, crossing the city the other way.
"ONE! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"
But One had already disappeared. Captain Man gritted his teeth.
No time. I'll find him later.
He focused, jumped. A single bound crossed the entire city. He landed in front of the red giant, just as Titan was hammering his knees.
Their eyes met. A nod.
Captain Man raised his fist.
"DESTROYER PUUUUNCH!"
His fist sank into the giant's chest at the same moment Titan's blows struck his legs.
The two impacts merged into a single shockwave.
The red giant collapsed, a crater beneath him, winded.
Captain Man and Titan nodded to each other.
"Good hit."
"You too."
Around them, the air charged with electricity. The red giant, on the ground, began radiating intense heat.
Titan stepped back.
"He's going to explode."
"No," said Captain Man. "He's going to get back up."
———
A DESERTED NEIGHBORHOOD – ONE
One floated above a quiet street. Too quiet. The buildings were intact, the cars parked orderly. Not a scream. Not a siren.
He landed softly.
BAM.
An explosion behind him. He turned around.
The ground tore open. Dozens, hundreds of Terra burst from the depths. They surrounded him, silent, their red eyes fixed on him.
On the rooftops of surrounding buildings, three silhouettes watched.
The rest of the Tribe. The entire Tribe. Facing One.
———
THE BLUE DEMON – THE FRONT
The blue giant, red mane, dominated the battlefield. His icy fists froze everything in their path.
The Shaman was now dead.
Fire Blast was on the ground, arms burned by his own reflected explosions.
Musclea was on her knees, frozen blood on her knuckles.
Zane was trying to channel a lightning strike, but his fingers trembled.
Fast Track was rolling to the side, his leg trapped in a block of ice.
The giant raised his arm to finish him.
A green bubble enveloped Fast Track. Then another enveloped Musclea. Then Fire Blast. Then Zane.
The ice melted. Wounds closed. Strength returned.
Mercy landed softly in the midst of chaos, her white hair floating in the Ether-charged air.
"Sorry I'm late. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
She watched the heroes get up, their faces still marked by fear.
"No casualties on our side, I hope?"
Fast Track got up, his leg good as new.
"Not yet."
Mercy turned to the blue giant. Her hand rose. A green bubble formed, then shifted to orange.
"Alright. Just you and me, demon."
Her eyes filled with memories.
All those innocents…
She clenched her teeth.
"You're about to taste my mercy."
TO BE CONTINUED…