The morning sun rose from the horizon, brilliant and unwavering, as though the day itself promised something good. Kael, Michael, and Leona shared a heavy breakfast, aware that they would be continuing their journey on foot; all transportation systems had been shut down.
A special medicine—Hg-2, a compound known for drastically accelerating natural healing—had been provided by the WHA. Each of them took the pill, and its effects manifested almost immediately. Leona's injured hands fully recovered, Michael's wound closed and settled into a scar, and the swelling on Kael's cheek vanished without delay.
Once they were ready, they thanked the nurses and resumed their journey.
Two hours later, they arrived at U City, one of the largest cities across the three continents. They were likely to remain there for roughly five days. By the time the clock struck 10:30, the sun had grown unbearably hot, scorching the ruins below. The city itself was largely destroyed. Seeking relief, they took shelter beneath a small structure and quenched their thirst.
Michael: (gazing outward)Should we wait until it's a bit cooler, or—
He cut himself off abruptly.
From the sky, multiple comet-like objects came hurtling straight toward them.
Michael: Watch out!
He shouted as the comets descended.
From the top floor of a ruined building some distance away, Dennis and a young girl observed the scene unfold.
The dust eventually settled, and the surroundings became clear once more. Just before the comets made impact, Kael erased the lower portion of a massive boulder, making it easier for Michael to lift and reposition it while Leona enhanced him.
The boulder absorbed the full force of the impact, shielding them completely.
Moments later, the girl leapt down from above and landed nearby.
She landed as though nothing serious had happened to her at all.
They immediately began running toward a safer location. Seeing them flee, Dennis summoned another barrage of comets and sent them crashing down toward the group. In the chaos, Leona stumbled, and the incoming comets locked onto her position. She reacted instantly, activating her energy barrier.
However, the force of the comets was overwhelming. After three direct impacts, the barrier shattered. Three more comets tore through the air toward her. There was no time to form another shield. She was doomed.
At the final moment, Michael stepped in front of her and unleashed a rapid barrage against the comets.
He managed to deflect them, but the cost was severe—his knuckles shattered, his fists suffering heavy damage.
Suddenly, the girl appeared directly behind Michael.
Kael shouted a warning, but it was too late.
With a swift motion, the girl severed Michael's right arm.
Leona screamed in terror. From atop the ruined building, Dennis shouted-
Dennis: Oi, Felina! Go easy on the kid!
Felina: Just probing. But it looks like this kid is weak. Hahahaha!
Michael: Don't get ahead of yourself, you hag.
His severed arm unraveled into cords, reconnecting to the missing limb. With a sharp motion, he launched Cord Breaker straight at Felina's face.
To his shock, Felina didn't even flinch.
Her body gleamed, coated in a material that was both radiant and impossibly hard.
Felina: Your attack meant nothing. In fact, any attack you use will mean nothing at all. I go by the codename DiamondHeart. Diamond is the strongest and hardest substance. And since I am that strongest and hardest object…
Her gaze hardened.
Felina: ...Your fate is sealed.
And then she struck Michael with such force that the impact shattered his rib and sent him flying through the air.
Felina: I'm bored. Hey, Dennis—finish this.
Dennis: You don't have to tell me twice.
The three of them regrouped as the comets began raining down once more. Kael stood still, his mind racing.
Will I be able to erase those comets in time?
Even with Michael's speed, he barely managed to deflect them.
On top of that… will we even survive? We have to.
Otherwise—
The comets tore toward them. Four seconds remained.
Then—time froze.
Someone took aim at the comets with bow and arrow and released four shots in an instant.
Time resumed.
The arrows struck true, forcing the comets off course. As they looked up, they saw a helicopter approaching rapidly—and standing upon it was Diego.
They cried out at his return.
Dennis: Backup? Hmph. Let's see if they survive this.
He summoned another wave of comets, this time aiming directly at the chopper. But instead of evading, the helicopter tilted sharply, and Charlie stepped to its edge, revealing her new technique.
AstralThunderclap.
She clapped her hands together with overwhelming force. The shockwave rippled through the air, violently redirecting the comets straight toward Dennis. Yet just before impact—when they were only five meters away—the comets were suddenly deflected and slammed into a different location altogether.
Charlie grabbed Diego and leapt down, landing in a flawless superhero landing.
Diego: Sorry we're late.
Kael and the others rushed forward at once, pulling Charlie and Diego into a tight embrace, as if they were long-lost siblings finally reunited. After the hugs broke, they took a closer look at the two of them.
Charlie and Diego were now clad in suits—plain black, trimmed with subtle blue lining. Diego carried a bow and arrows, though the weapon looked nothing like an ordinary one.
Even at a glance, it was clear that it had been engineered by the World Hero Association itself. The quiver was large, capable of holding roughly thirty arrows, and fitted with buttons in three distinct colours—red, blue, and green.
Charlie wore a full-sleeved suit, while Diego's was half-sleeved.
Then reality snapped back into place.
They were still in the middle of a battle.
Felina struck from point-blank range, but Charlie intercepted the blow, blocking the punch—though the sheer force still sent her skidding backward. The group immediately prepared to engage, but Charlie raised her hand.
Charlie: Wait. She's mine. Diego, Kael—handle the other one. Leona, heal Michael.
They moved without hesitation, obeying her command.
Felina: I heard you're the strongest on your team. So why settle for being a pawn when you could be the king?
Charlie met her gaze without flinching.
Charlie: Good leadership doesn't come from brute strength, It comes from the heart. That's something a shining piece of trash like you will never understand.
The words struck deep.
Fury twisted Felina's expression, and she lunged. The two clashed, their fight erupting in full force.
Meanwhile, Kael and Diego positioned themselves behind a boulder.
Kael: He's on the top floor of that building. The problem is—he's staying behind cover.
As soon as the words left his mouth, three comets tore through the air, flying straight toward them.
Time froze.
Diego: Let's do this, then.
Three arrows were released with absolute precision—aimed directly at the incoming comets—and a fourth streaked toward Dennis's position. Time resumed, and the arrows struck true, deflecting the comets. The fourth arrow skimmed past Dennis, missing him by mere centimetres.
Dennis: Does this brat really think they're better than me? I'll show them why I'm called Fallzone.
He began preparing more comets, rage tightening his focus.
Diego: If a regular arrow won't hit him, then these scattering arrows will.
Diego press the blue button on his quiver.
A faint mechanical hum echoed as he drew an arrow. Its tip was larger than the others, glowing faintly with concentrated light.
Diego loosed the shot—not at Dennis himself, but at the wall beside him. Upon impact, the arrowhead split apart, shattering into five smaller fragments that ricocheted three times each. Three of the shards struck Dennis—his palm, shoulder, and thigh.
It wasn't fatal, but the hit was unmistakable.
Felina tore a pillar free from a ruined building and hurled it like a spear. Charlie caught it mid-flight, boots carving into the ground as she absorbed the force. Without hesitation, she lifted the massive column overhead and brought it down like a war hammer. Felina crossed her arms just in time; diamond skin flared as the impact thundered through the street, the pillar shattering against her guard. Charlie didn't relent. She vanished forward in a blur, unleashing a ruthless barrage of strikes. Felina struck back, fists flashing, but she couldn't match Charlie's speed. Gritting her teeth, Felina drove her fist into the ground instead. The earth cracked violently, spider-webbing outward. Charlie lost her footing for a split second. That was all Felina needed. She surged in and drove her fist straight into Charlie's face. The impact was brutal—air detonated around them—but Charlie took it without flinching. In the same motion, she rammed her knee upward, cracking into Felina's diamond ribs and sending her flying across the ruins.
Moments later, comets rained down once more—this time five of them.
Knowing he couldn't deflect all five, Diego pressed the green button and fired an arrow in the opposite direction. As it flew, a rope attached to it became visible, still connected to the bow. Diego seized Kael, and the bow activated like a retractor, yanking both of them toward the arrow's trajectory.
The comets tore past, missing Oblivion and Kronos entirely.
Seeing his attack fail, Dennis steadied himself and prepared for the next move.
Another wave of comets surged toward them.
Diego: We could try heading straight at him using my rope arrow.
Diego said, eyes locked on the ruined structure above.
Diego: But he might have a surprise attack ready. We don't have many options—we've got to find a way to defeat him quickly.
Kael observed Dennis's position carefully, his gaze tracing the damaged building.
Within seconds, he understood the solution.
Kael: Aim for the pillars with your regular arrows.
There were four pillars supporting the building Dennis was using as cover.
Following the plan, Diego switched back to regular arrows and aimed at the second pillar. Kael reached out and touched the arrow, signaling him to shoot. The arrow flew cleanly past the obstacles and struck the pillar dead center. The instant it made contact, the pillar vanished.
Dennis froze. He had no idea what had happened.
Diego stared in disbelief.
Diego: What was—?
Kael: Second Erasure. I'll explain later. For now, we move.
The comets tore through the air toward them. They barely dodged the impact, the ground erupting where they had stood moments before. Without wasting a second, Diego aimed at the first pillar. Kael touched the arrow again, and Diego released it.
The arrow struck. The pillar disappeared.
With its support gone, the entire building collapsed.
Dennis leapt from the structure just in time to save himself. As the dust settled, he tried to crawl away, dragging himself across the rubble. Kael stepped down hard on his hand, pinning him in place, while Diego drew his bow and aimed directly at him.
Dennis: Okay! I yield!
They secured the restraint around his wrist.
Kael and Diego regrouped with Michael and Leona, Dennis held firmly as their prisoner.
Diego: Where's Charlie?
No one had an answer.
Leona: Wait… guys, do you hear that?
They listened.
A faint, continuous battle cry echoed through the ruins.
Diego: I can hear it, but it's pretty distant.
Diego said as the sound grew louder—closer—with every second.
From the collapsed building, Charlie and Felina burst out.
Charlie was already barraging Felina.
Felina could do nothing but block.
Felina: (thought)What the hell is this monster? She's strong—stronger than I imagined.
Charlie did not slow down for even a moment. Then cracks began spreading across Felina's diamond arm. Control slipped. Her guard lowered for just an instant.
Charlie seized the opening.
She drove a devastating blow straight into Felina's face.
The impact cracked her diamond coating.
Kael: As expected, Charlie's power is truly immense.
Felina staggered back. She knew it now—she was no match for Charlie's overwhelming strength and superior speed. With no path left, she yielded.
Charlie secured the restraint around Felina's wrist, and both of them were sent to the WHA center by drone transport.
After some time, the group gathered and exchanged a brief conversation. Diego and Charlie then handed out their suits.
Each suit had been specially designed for its wearer. Michael's had no sleeves, while Kael's and Leona's were half-sleeved. The suits were comfortable, engineered to withstand extreme heat, cold, tearing, and even capable of inflating to keep the wearer afloat on water.
Not long after, they received a call from WHA Headquarters.
"Zerathos had just attacked WHA"