[Present Day — 16 Days Left]
Nexus-5 was in the middle of regrouping when the communicator suddenly lit up. The call was marked with the unmistakable insignia of the World Hero Association. Without delay, they answered.
A calm but authoritative voice came through the line.
Caller: Nexus-5. Congratulations on your reunion and your recent ranking advancements.
The team exchanged glances, listening intently as the caller continued, each name spoken with measured precision.
Caller: Oblivion, you have been promoted to A Class. Rank 68. Kronos, you have advanced from Rank 2 to Rank 1. As expected, we assumed you would choose to move up. Congratulations on entering B Class, Rank 258.
Diego exhaled slowly, absorbing the confirmation.
Caller: Guardia, you have risen from Rank 18 to Rank 9. Astra, you are now Rank 8. And lastly, Strand Cord. You have advanced from Rank 49 to Rank 42.
There was a brief pause before the caller added, with unmistakable honesty—
Caller: To be frank, you are the fastest-ranking team among all active squads. Few groups show progress at this pace. We will be sending a buggy to assist with your journey.
The call seemed ready to end—but before the line could disconnect, Kael spoke up sharply.
Kael: Wait. One more thing.
Caller: Yes?
Kael: We want the truth.
Caller: The truth?
Kael: The War of Insurgency.
The reaction was immediate. The caller's composure cracked, replaced by urgency.
Caller: How do you know about that? That case was classified.
Kael didn't back down.
Kael: Just answer me. What does it have to do with me?
What followed was a tense back-and-forth. The caller deflected. Kael pressed. The conversation stretched on, growing heavier with each exchange. Finally, there was a long, audible sigh from the other side of the line.
Caller: One moment, I'll transfer you.
The connection shifted.
A new voice came through—older, deeper, carrying undeniable authority.
Marshall: I am ChiefMarshall, ExecutiveDirector of the WorldHeroAssociation.
I will give you your answer, Oblivion.
Kael and the others leaned in, every sense sharpened.
Chief Marshall drew a slow, deliberate breath—
and began explaining the War of Insurgency.
Marshall: Five hundred years ago, a man named Zerathos discovered an ancient asteroid. At the time, we could not identify what kind of asteroid it was. The technology available back then simply wasn't advanced enough to analyze it the way we can today. Whatever it contained, whatever energy or substance lay within it, remained a mystery.
Marshall paused briefly before continuing.
Marshall: Two hours after the discovery, the man who found it suddenly went on a rampage. Within an hour, entire cities were leveled. Buildings collapsed. Lives were erased. The man was no longer human in any sense that mattered—he became a monster. No weapon mankind possessed at the time was able to harm him. Conventional warfare was useless. Humanity stood helpless in the face of annihilation.
Then his tone shifted, just slightly.
Marshall: But… there came hope.
A faint breath was released somewhere in the room.
Marshall: A bright light shone across the land. From that light—born from desperation itself—heroes emerged. They were not many,But they were powerful. The heroes rose against Zerathos, clashing with him again and again. Many of them lost their lives in the battle. One by one, they fell, unable to withstand his overwhelming power. However, there was one among them who could stand against him.
That caught everyone's attention.
Marshall: His name was never recorded, so he remains unknown. But what we do know is this—he did everything within his power to save us. That man fought Zerathos directly. He was the only one Zerathos ever feared, the only One.
For a moment, it sounded as though the impossible might have happened.
Marshall: He almost killed Zerathos.
Marshall admitted.
Then his voice darkened.
Marshall: But for reasons we still do not understand, he died. The victory never came. But the damage he inflicted was immense. So severe, that Zerathos was forced into hiding for centuries. The world survived—but it never forgot. We knew Zerathos would return one day. And because of that certainty, the World Hero Association was established in secret, under direct orders from the government. Measures were taken. Extreme ones. To protect the survivors of the incident, their memories were altered. They were brainwashed, It was the only way. Even then, there were limits. We were unable to identify the abilities of either Zerathos or our savior, Blbut we were certain of one thing. After that bright light… our savior would return.
Marshall took a breath before finishing the thought.
Marshall: And when we tested you, you showed the same reading as his.
A pause.
Marshall: We weren't sure at first, but now…We'd have to wait for it. As of now, only the government, the World Hero Association, and you—Nexus-5—are aware of this classified information. Until then, happy journey.
The call ended.
Silence followed.
Diego: Wow… that was a lot.
Diego finally said, breaking the stillness.
No one answered immediately.
Their eyes drifted to Kael.
He stood there, completely motionless, as though the words hadn't merely reached his ears but had sunk far deeper. His expression was unreadable.
Charlie: You okay, Kael?
Kael snapped out of it.
Kael: Yes, I'm okay. We should get going.
There was a beat.
Diego: Yeah, we should. I think WHA said they'd send a buggy, but… where is it?
As if on cue, a loud thud echoed beside them.
A massive crate dropped from above, slamming into the ground and startling everyone.
Before anyone could react, a large plane bearing the WHA logo roared past overhead.
The crate began to move.
Panels shifted. Locks disengaged. With a soft mechanical hum, it opened by itself.
Inside was a buggy.
It had four seats, along with an extra seat positioned on a small raised platform designed for one person to stand. Beneath the seats, they found supplies—canned food, bottled water, and two packs of cigarettes.
Michael reached down and took one of the packs without hesitation.
Leona: You smoke, Michael?"
Leona asked, raising an eyebrow.
Michael: Occasionally.
Diego: Okay. Who here knows how to drive?
No one spoke.
No hands were raised.
Diego: (sigh)…Fine, I'll drive, then.
They climbed aboard.
The buggy was constructed from nanotech, capable of shifting between free-ride mode and shelter mode depending on the situation. Diego took the driver's seat, with Kael sitting beside him. Leona and Charlie settled into the back, while Michael took position on the standing platform, acting as a lookout.
Before they set off, Diego raised his right hand.
An LED light flared to life around his wrist.
Every arrow he had previously fired returned, flying back smoothly into his palm as if drawn by an invisible force. Another quiet but impressive feature of his equipment.
Then they moved.
They drove east, guided by the buggy's GPS.
While they were on the road, two news notifications from WHA appeared. Kael glanced at them and decided to read them aloud.
Kael: Looks like WHA released two updated. Let's see…CTP is now available for use again. How convenient.
Then his eyes widened.
Kael: And… what the hell?
Everyone turned toward him.
Michael: What is it?
Kael: It says A City's WHA HQ was attacked by Zerathos himself just moments ago. Five guards were KIA, and one hero—A-Class, Rank 1… Riptide—is gravely wounded.
The name hung in the air.
Kael: Zerathos copied all the data about the heroes.
Charlie: Guess he was eager to know about you.
Kael: Then he's desperate. He wants to know if there's anyone who can stop him before he obtains the ultimate power.
Michael: "Eliminate the strong and purge the weak." They are already working on their plans.
Kael: That's how they succeed. We know he needs fifteen hundred people to achieve his goal.
Leona: And more people will go missing day after day. Which means we'll be the ones to stop him.
The confidence was unanimous.
Kael: Let's do this, then.
The buggy accelerated, carrying them forward.