As the students were dismissed, still laughing and sharing clips of the disastrous presentation, my cadre gathered around me.
"That was… epic," Jake said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
Mark was just shaking his head, a look of pure awe on his face.
"The way she just… broke. Her power did nothing."
Leo said nothing. He just looked at me, his expression one of profound, life-altering gratitude. He knew. He didn't know how, but he knew he had been given a gift, a power beyond his comprehension, and he knew it had come from me.
We walked out of the school together, a silent, shadowy unit moving through the chaos we had created. The administration had tried to fight my legend with their hero of light.
And in response, I had not only humiliated her, but I had created my first super-powered soldier in the heart of their fortress.
The game had levelled up, and I was more than ready to play.
*
* *
Zenith Tower, Hero Guild Headquarters
The briefing room was a sterile, circular chamber of white polymer and holographic glass, situated near the apex of Zenith Tower.
It was a place where world-ending threats were analysed and strategies were formed.
Today, the threat wasn't an alien armada or a subterranean monster; it was a series of humiliating viral videos.
Director Valerius stood before the central holo-table, her face carved from granite.
At sixty, she had led the Hero Guild for two decades, her tactical brilliance matched only by her icy demeanour.
On the table, images and data swirled: the disastrous Aurelius Beacon dedication, Lumina's mortified face during the seminar, and the ever-growing view count of "The Villainess Archives."
"In three weeks," Valerius said, her voice low and dangerous, "a single, unknown entity has done more damage to the Guild's public trust than any villain has in the last decade.
They haven't destroyed buildings; they've destroyed credibility. They haven't stolen money; they've stolen respect. Our top sponsors are threatening to pull funding.
Lumina is in seclusion, refusing to make public appearances. Kinetic is a pariah. This 'Evil Villainess' is surgically dismantling our authority."
The heroes assembled around the table—a collection of the city's A-listers—shifted uncomfortably.
Stronghold, a mountain of muscle, looked confused. Lady Lux examined her nails, feigning boredom to hide her unease.
Only one figure was perfectly still, seated in the shadows at the edge of the room. He was known only as Cipher, an A-rank intelligence and infiltration specialist.
His powers were subtle, his methods brutally efficient. He was the Guild's scalpel.
"The attacks are targeted, precise, and deeply personal," Cipher said, his voice quiet but carrying an unnerving weight.
He didn't speak often, but when he did, everyone listened.
"The pep rally at Northgate High. The 'Tribute of Fools' video originated from their network. The Aurelius scandal was exposed by a 'documentarian' whose art style is identical to that found in the Northgate student art blogs.
The seminar was an internal attack at the same school. The data is irrefutable. Our villain is either based at Northgate High or has an intimate, operational knowledge of it."
Stronghold scoffed.
"You think a high school kid is doing this? To us? That's ridiculous. This is a professional. Someone like Phantom X or the old Technocrat."
"Phantom X is in a cryo-prison in the Antarctic, and the Technocrat died fifteen years ago," Cipher countered without emotion.
"The assumption that power correlates with age or experience is a cognitive bias. The data leads to the school. Therefore, I will go to the school."
Director Valerius looked at him, her sharp eyes appraising.
"Go undercover? As a student?"
"It's the only logical approach," Cipher replied.
"This villainess thrives on information. She uses humiliation as a weapon. To catch a ghost, you must walk in their graveyard. I will find the source of this infection and I will cut it out."
Valerius nodded slowly.
"Do it. Create your cover identity. You have unlimited resources. Find me the Evil Villainess."
Luna's Room
The victory from the seminar was already fading, replaced by a cold, pragmatic unease. I had succeeded twice, brilliantly.
But each success painted a larger target on my back.
The name 'Evil Villainess' was a shield, but it was also a beacon, attracting attention I couldn't afford.
My last two missions had been about exposing others. But what happened when they started trying to expose me?
I sat on my bed, reviewing my status. I had 450 VP and one Grade E Skill Ticket.
My own attributes were still laughably low. I had relied on my pawns, on my wits, on hit-and-run tactics. It wasn't sustainable.
Leo's near-death experience was a stark reminder of that.
I couldn't always be there with a healing potion. I needed to be stronger, faster, more aware.
I needed to invest in myself.
The Skill Ticket was my most valuable asset. I couldn't waste it on a simple combat trick.
I needed something foundational, something that would change how I moved through the world.
I scrolled through the skill trees, my eyes scanning dozens of options until I found it in the 'Perception & Survival' tree.
[Skill: 'Predator's Sense' (Passive, Grade E)]
Description: The user's subconscious is finely attuned to hostile intent. Grants an instinctual, physical sensation (e.g., prickling skin, a feeling of cold) when being actively and skilfully observed by a hostile entity.
Also provides minor enhancements to peripheral vision and sound detection.
This was it. An early-warning system. The ability to know when a hunter was watching. In a world of heroes and surveillance, it was more valuable than any punch.
Redeem Skill Ticket for 'Predator's Sense'?
Confirm.
The knowledge flooded my mind, but unlike the active skill I gave Leo, this was different. It wasn't a tool to be used; it was a fundamental change to my senses.
The world didn't look different, but I felt it differently.
The hum of the building's electricity, the distant traffic, the rustle of leaves outside my window—they were all sharper, more distinct, part of a tapestry of information I had never noticed before.
Next, my VP.
I needed a defensive option, an escape button. I navigated to the 'Agility & Evasion' tree.
[Skill: 'Shadow Step' (Active, Grade E)]
Description: Instantly teleport up to 10 feet to any shadow within line of sight. Cannot pass through solid objects. Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Cost: 250 VP
It was expensive, but it was perfect. A panic button that fit my theme.
Purchase 'Shadow Step'?
Confirm.
My VP balance dropped to 200. I felt the knowledge of the skill settle into my mind, a new pathway waiting to be activated. I was still physically weak, but I was no longer defenceless.
I was becoming harder to catch.