Inside, Richard Thornfield's office stretched wide and pristine beneath towering glass walls overlooking HeroCorp Island.
Far below, waves crashed violently against the jagged cliffs surrounding the island. White foam burst upward before disappearing back into the dark water below. Sunlight reflected across sleek residential towers, massive training arenas, landing platforms, and sterile medical facilities spread across the island like a perfectly organized machine.
Everything looked peaceful from above.
Orderly.
Controlled.
Richard sat comfortably behind his massive dark wooden desk. His posture stayed loose against the leather chair while one ankle rested across his knee. A half filled glass of whisky turned slowly between his fingers. The amber liquid shifted softly whenever he moved his wrist.
Beside him, a cigar burned inside a crystal ashtray. Thin trails of smoke drifted upward through the quiet office.
He looked completely at ease.
The doors in front of Black Mentis slid open.
As he stepped inside without hesitation.
His boots pressed against the marble floor in slow controlled steps. The dark navy armor absorbed most of the sunlight pouring through the office windows while thin silver lines across the suit reflected faintly whenever he moved.
The office lights bounced softly across the reinforced chest plating.
Richard watched him approach silently.
Mentis stopped a few feet from the desk.
His hands rested at his sides. The fingers of one glove flexed once before becoming still again.
"You called for me," Mentis said flatly.
His voice carried through the mask with a low mechanical distortion.
"What do you want now?"
A short pause followed.
"I already told you I'm retired. I only step in when things actually matter."
Richard's mouth curved slightly at the corner.
Not quite a smile.
"Retirement," Richard said calmly while swirling the whisky in his glass as the ice clicked softly, "is a luxury someone like you cannot afford."
The ice shifted once more against the crystal as he leaned forward slightly and rested both elbows against the desk. Smoke drifted lazily between them.
"Especially not you."
Mentis exhaled sharply through his nose, more annoyance than sigh.
"Come on. You're the Top Dog," Richard continued calmly. "You don't get to walk away that easily."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"You are still the strongest asset this company has ever had."
His eyes remained fixed on Black Mentis.
"You do not get to disappear whenever you feel tired of the spotlight. So how about I pour you some whisky and we start talking about business?"
Black Mentis remained quiet for a second.
Then he reached toward one of the leather chairs positioned in front of the desk.
The legs dragged heavily across the marble floor as he pulled it backward.
Richard's eyes followed the movement briefly.
Mentis dropped into the chair without asking permission. The leather creaked sharply beneath his weight.
Then he lifted one leg and rested his armored boot directly against the edge of Richard's desk.
The whisky glass trembled slightly from the impact.
Then Black Mentis leaned deeper into the chair.
"Stop talking in circles and get to the damn point already, old man."
Richard's eyes lowered briefly toward the boot resting inches away from the documents on his desk.
His fingers tightened slightly around the whisky glass before loosening again.
Then he chuckled quietly to himself.
He tapped ash from the cigar into the tray.
"Very well. I summoned you here because obviously I need your help," Richard said smoothly. "And I cannot think of anyone more qualified than my most trusted ally, hmm."
He lifted the whisky glass slightly toward Mentis in a casual mock toast.
"You know HeroCorp better than anyone else."
Another pause.
"Your expertise is irreplaceable. Frankly, the organization still depends on you whether you like it or not."
Mentis shifted slightly in the chair.
Black Mentis' eyes glowed faintly beneath the mask, not enough for Richard to notice, just enough to change the air.
His breathing slowed as tension crept into the room before he spoke coldly.
"I said," Black Mentis replied more firmly this time, "get to the damn point. Now."
The temperature in the room suddenly felt colder.
The room fell quiet again.
Richard leaned back into his chair slowly.
Leather creased beneath him as he turned slightly toward the massive windows overlooking the island.
His eyes drifted across the distant training facilities below.
He coughed once into his fist.
"Right. Our S Rank heroes from Rank Two through Rank Ten are leaving for a classified Mars operation later today."
He took a slow sip from the whisky glass before continuing.
"They will be gone for several months. Maybe even a year."
Mentis said nothing.
His boot shifted slightly on the desk. His fingers drummed once against the armrest.
Richard rested the glass carefully against the desk.
"In the meantime, HeroCorp still needs protection here on Earth. Ember City still needs stability. We are basically defenseless here."
He turned his chair back toward Mentis.
"And in their absence, we need someone to oversee the training of our top A Rankers. Their promotion tests are approaching now that HeroCorp is preparing to expand into Europe. You should see the numbers. Those heroes are breaking one record after another."
Mentis lowered his boot from the desk.
The heavy metal sole landed against the floor with a dull impact.
"And since the S Ranks will be gone," Richard added, "you are the only one with enough authority and power to keep things from falling apart."
Mentis tilted his head slightly before crossing his arms over his chest.
"So what," he said dryly. "You want me babysitting a bunch of kids now? Training the next generation?"
A quiet scoff escaped him.
"Come on, Richard. You and I both know that is not the full story. I know how HeroCorp operates. And I know your schemes very well."
Richard's smirk sharpened slightly.
"You give me too much credit, old friend," he replied. "These kids climbed the ranks faster than any generation before them. They are ridiculously talented."
Another sip followed.
"In a couple decades some of them might rival S Rankers one day."
He looked directly at Mentis.
"Maybe even you."
Mentis stared at him silently.
Richard continued before he could interrupt.
"Look. All I ask is for you to supervise them while the S Ranks are away."
Mentis leaned his head back slightly against the chair as a low breath escaped through his nose.
"Sending every S Rank hero into space," he said calmly, "is the stupidest thing I've heard."
His fingers tapped once against the armrest.
"While your golden boys play astronaut, you risk not only your company but the people too."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Apex or Ravage alone could handle whatever threat is sitting on Mars."
A short pause followed.
"But sending all of them?"
His head tilted slightly.
"Who are they fighting? God himself?"
Richard's expression barely changed.
"Mars holds resources and technology Earth cannot replicate yet."
He lifted both hands slightly while speaking.
"If this operation succeeds, HeroCorp's influence expands far beyond this planet."
His hands lowered back toward the desk.
"That's why we're sending them all."
Mentis let out a short scoff through his nose.
"Yeah. Right."
Richard ignored the comment completely.
His fingers tapped once against the side of the whisky glass.
"Let us summarize."
His eyes settled directly onto Mentis now.
The chair shifted softly beneath him as he sat forward again, uncrossing one leg.
He picked up the cigar once more and brought it toward his mouth.
"Your task is to train the top A Rankers."
Smoke escaped slowly from his lips afterward.
"You will oversee their development, maintain stability on the island, and if something appears beyond their limits, we call you in to back them up."
Mentis gave a short humorless scoff.
"But talent without control becomes a liability."
His tone remained calm.
Another pause followed.
The office stayed quiet except for the distant sound of waves crashing below the cliffs outside.
Mentis stared at Richard for several long seconds.
Then he finally pushed himself up from the chair.
The leather groaned as his weight lifted off it.
"Fine."
His answer came flat and uninterested.
"That sounds easy enough."
Richard watched him carefully while Mentis turned toward the exit.
The tension remained visible in the way Mentis rolled one shoulder beneath the armor while walking away.
"Whatever you say."
Sarcasm lingered clearly beneath the words.
The office doors slid open automatically.
Black Mentis walked through without looking back.
A second later the doors sealed shut behind him.
Richard remained alone inside the office.
He slowly lifted the whisky glass again and took another sip while staring at the closed doorway in silence.
His relaxed expression faded little by little.
Now his face looked thoughtful, careful, and calculating.
Outside the glass walls, the waves continued crashing against the cliffs below HeroCorp Island.