Vigilante Academy – War Room
The briefing room pulsed with quiet intensity.
The table was lit with a rotating hologram of Earth, glowing red in seven locations. Each one pulsed like a wound—Nomu hotspots burning through the map like spreading infection: Japan. New York. London. Paris. Korea. Thailand. Greece.
We had five days to train.
Now it was time to fight.
I stood at the head of the room, cloak pulled back, my voice steady even as the weight of what we were doing pressed down on me like lead.
"These are the epicenters. The strongest clusters of Nomu activity. Coordinated, spread wide, destabilizing global defense."
Simon crossed his arms. "What we feared. They're not just attacking—they're conquering."
I nodded. "That's why we're splitting up."
The room tensed, but no one spoke.
"This is what we've trained for," I continued. "Seven teams. Seven targets. We hit them at the same time—no delay, no hesitation. This is our only shot to crush their coordination before it becomes permanent."
The plan rolled out in glowing lines.
Team Star – New York, Team Light – London, Team Dead Eyes – Paris, Team Diamonds – Korea, Team Purple Devils – Thailand, Team Birds – Greece, Team X – Japan
I looked each leader in the eye.
"Simon. Kyu. Kyto. Lexi. Avis. Takai. You each lead your teams into the heart of hell. No matter what happens… you don't retreat unless it's the only option. Understood?"
Each nodded, grim and ready.
"And what about you?" Kyu asked.
I exhaled. "I stay here. Team X takes Japan. The densest cluster—and the core. We end this at the source."
Shira stepped forward, holding up a compact communicator disk.
"Real-time uplink. We'll stay connected through these. Short-range teleport recall nodes, just in case. But don't count on them if things go south."
Aizawa stood by the door, silent. Watching.
He wasn't going with us—but his part was done.
We were the weapon now.
That Night – Outside the Academy
The moonlight draped the academy in a ghostly glow. Everyone scattered across the courtyard, suitcases in hand, weapons locked in, gear humming.
It felt less like a deployment and more like a funeral march.
One we were all willing to walk.
I moved through them quietly. One by one.
I clasped forearms with Simon.
"Make it loud," I told him.
He grinned. "I'll make it count."
Lexi wrapped her arms around me without warning. "You better be alive when I get back, Dark Phantom. Or I'll hunt you in the afterlife."
"I'll keep the light on," I murmured.
Jiax gave me a nod. No words. Just that sharp, solid look of trust we'd built long ago.
Takai stepped forward and offered a fist bump.
"Birds of fire, baby," she said. "Let's give them something to scream about."
Kyu lingered the longest. Her eyes shimmered under the moonlight, but she smiled.
"You kept your promise," she whispered.
"So did you."
She hugged me tight. "Come back."
"I will."
Shira stood by the gate, arms crossed.
She didn't say anything when I approached. Just stared.
I broke the silence first. "They're ready."
"So are you," she said quietly. "Don't forget who you are, Anos."
"I haven't."
She stepped closer, her forehead resting briefly against mine. Her voice was soft.
"Then go save the world."
30 Minutes Later – Global Deploy
Portals shimmered.
One by one, the teams stepped through.
Lights swallowed them whole—to New York, to Paris, to Seoul, to cities burning under Nomu siege.
Until only Team X remained.
Until only Japan remained.
I looked over my shoulder one last time—at the academy, the home we rebuilt through blood and grit.
Then I stepped through the portal with my team.
And behind me…
the war began.