The city had a darker presence than usual tonight, a bloodlust filled the air. I could smell it, the metallic smell of blood that still lingered in the streets. The moon's pale white rays peered through the smog at me, it saw the sins of the city just as I do. All this senseless violence, it had to be stopped. I looked down at the broken, trash filled streets below from my perch. Crime is exploding faster than it can be stopped. The police force is lacking and most of the elite heroes are abroad. The ones left behind are weak, they are trampled by criminals, allowing injustice to flourish.
Villains are getting too cocky thinking heroes are obsolete now. Crime rates are up exactly 20%, that's the highest it's ever been. I want to put an end to that starting tonight. I'll sweep the streets of trash, and bring the hammer of justice down on that villain. I want to kill him myself, watching the life leave his eyes. I want to make sure I am the last thing he sees before his trip to hell. I wasn't ready for him then, but now I have a second chance at life. I am not going to waste it.
Just in that moment a heart wrenching scream echoed out, it was a woman's voice. This time someone was in real trouble and it wasn't just petty theft. This is my chance, I can save someone for real! I shifted the power to my legs and used it to leap rooftops. I had never moved this fast before. The scenery around me passed by like a blur. The night's silence and the wind passing by me were the only sounds I needed to hear as I traversed the rooftops. For some reason this was the only time Neonhaven ever looked….beautiful. The taller buildings looming over me, the neon signs standing out in the night, the gentle swaying of the trees in the night's cool breeze, and the sounds of the people below.
If you could just tune out the sounds you wanted to, the city would finally seem peaceful. First I'll save Neonhaven then I'll save the world by killing all villains, no mercy to the wicked. I will let Mother Earth take a rest some day. Maybe it won't be today, tomorrow, or even a year from now but one day I will bring peace to this world no matter the cost.
I have to start by saving this woman wherever she is. I start scanning the streets looking for her but no luck so far. Then out of nowhere as I vault over another alleyway I spot her. She was being held at gunpoint. She was dressed in a beautiful long pink dress, she couldn't have been older than mid 20's. Her hair was dirty blonde, it was pulled back like she was out somewhere nice before this dump. Her face was beautiful and had no blemishes. She was too young and pretty to die in an alley. She looked up and saw me, our eyes locked for a moment and the fear in her eyes started to fade. Despite my dirty appearance she saw me as a hero!
I redirected the power to my hands so I can use it to shoot a pulse of air to propel me downwards into the alley. The alleyway was dark and grimy, and out of sight. This was the perfect place for a murder to take place. I landed right behind the man, he was huge. Towering over me at a whopping 6'5 at least. Wearing a white shirt with grease stains on it, jeans, and tennis shoes. He had long greasy brown hair. He was muscular as well, he could easily kill someone with his bare hands. Why use a gun? He probably feeds off of fear and control. What a sick bastard..
His hand was over the girl's mouth as he turned around. His eyes were blood shot, darting all over the place. He had a scar that ran all the way down the left side of his face. He reeked of death and was as pale as a ghost. "Who the fuck are you?" He said harshly. I swiftly replied "The guy who's going to stomp your head in." The dark hoodie covered my face. My heartbeat quickening, I clenched my fists tightly. I was nervous but I couldn't let him see it. It was only because there was a hostage, one more life I was responsible for. A terrifying smile crept onto his face. "You? HA don't make me laugh! I'll turn you into a red stain on the ground boy. You best run along to your mommy. Then again, it wouldn't be the first kid I've taken away from a mother."
A weird feeling started to take hold. Was it disgust, fear, sadness? No, it was some kind of wrath. I want to splatter his brains on the wall, no..no…I NEEDED to do it. I was no longer in control of my own body, I moved faster than I thought was humanly possible. I grabbed his wrist and ripped the gun away, without thinking I pushed the girl aside and tackled him. His smile faded slightly, "Ho-How did you do that!! Get off of me!" I was moving just like the monsters I hated. The woman scrambled to her feet and ran away as fast as she could. I allowed myself one sly smile that was hidden by the cover of the hoodie.
My fists went for his head, striking him again and again. The first time broke his nose with a sickening wet crack. The second knocked teeth out, it sent them flying across the pavement. The 3rd made him start coughing up blood, he started to choke on it. This is so damn exhilarating! I love every second of it! I can't stop, I have to finish this! Another, another, and another, my hands were making a mess of his face.
I want to be just like you, big brother, but I can't. Heroes are too soft, they are fragile! Prison isn't enough for you low lives! He tried so hard to block my punches, but it was no use.
Despite me relentlessly hammering at his face, he kept smiling. Why is he still smiling! That's when I noticed it. I froze in place as I watched what he was doing. His left hand was reaching for the gun I knocked away from him. The metal parts of the gun began dissolving, turning into liquid, and becoming one with his body. "Now it's my turn, punk." He managed to gurgle through his broken teeth and blood.
His crazy, bloodshot eyes met mine. "Metal Bending, bitch! You're so fucked now!" What was this psychopath blabbering about? Before I could react, a metal spear shot out of his stomach and pierced me in the chest. I fell off of him and landed on my back. What just happened? I reached to touch the hole in my body, my hand was soaked in blood. I was paralyzed in a pool of my own blood. He stood over me as I struggled to keep my eyes open.
"Haha, Surprise douchebag! Come on, the fun just started, don't go down in one hit!"
But in that very moment the woman called out to me "Please Mr. Hero you have to get up! You have to take him out! Do it for me, hero! Wipe the floor with him!"
It's as if her cheering me on was the only motivation I needed. My body started convulsing, something unholy was spreading throughout my being. I shot up off the ground and hit him with a nasty uppercut. A horrible cracking sound echoed through the alleyway. He went flying into the air, and I used my power to go after him. I grabbed him by his legs and threw him back onto the ground. He hit the pavement so hard he cracked it. "Gahhh!" his eyes white, blood spewing out of his mouth. That wasn't enough to keep a mad dog like him down, though.
He pulled himself up using a fire escape ladder. The ladder melted in his grasp and entered his body. He wiped the blood from his mouth, "Metal Bending, Nail Gun!" His hand transformed into a makeshift nail gun.
He started shooting high velocity rounds at me. Oh, shit this is bad! I can't dodge fast enough while midair! 3 to 4 shots hit me, they were like bullets as they ripped through my flesh.
I plummeted to the ground, landing on one knee. I was looking at the ground instead of my enemy. BANG, BANG, BANG. 3 more bullets hit my body. The god's power was trying to heal my body but its regeneration couldn't keep up with this barrage of metal.
I turned to look at the woman again, she was still watching. She looked disappointed in me. I have to show her I'm a capable hero. This is not how it was going to end! I WON'T LET IT END THIS WAY! Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, my body ignored the pain.
Purple lightning crackled in the surrounding air, shooting out of my body. Was this what a real adrenaline rush felt like? This is fucking amazing!
The worthless piece of trash started talking "If you think a colorful light show is going to save you, you're wrong."
"Shut up." I said quietly.
"What was that boy?"
"I said shut up." This time I said it louder.
I got back on my feet and pointed at him. "You will die before this night is over, you hear me?!"
"Hahaha, you are funny, you know that, punk! Stop talking and fight me! Dual Weapon Style, Spears of the world's purest metal!"
He manifested metal spears in both of his hands. We charged at each other without hesitation. His face showed nothing but enjoyment, a perfect reflection of mine. He was enjoying every minute of this fight just as I was. We met in the middle, a fury of attacks from both sides ensued. I was operating at 110% of Human potential. His spears and my fists were acting as perfect counters for one another. Every punch I threw was blocked by one of his spears. Our attacks were sending shockwaves through the air.
The man let out a hardy laugh. "HA HA HA, this is amazing! This is all I've wanted, a hero to keep up with me! I have grown tired of killing weaklings! I am Reiji Soryu, my kill count is over 300!"
What…300? He's killed over 300 heroes?! Who he was didn't matter to me now. I started over powering him, every punch he blocked was pushing him back.
His weapons and my hands flailing wildly, we were moving at super human speeds.
"YOU BASTARDDD!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Wrath was consuming me fully. I was falling into the hands of one of the 7 deadly sins. I pulled one of my hands back, a purple ball of energy was forming in it. I wasn't sure how I was doing it, it had to be based on emotion. I continued blocking his onslaught with just one arm. My first true move had been unlocked, born out of pure rage.
"Power style, 1st form: Fist of God!"
I swung the ball of energy as hard as I could at him. Right before it hit, he put his spears together and molded them into a shield.
"Shield formation: Shield of Ajax!"
My fist made contact with the shield, the following explosion enough to send him flying backwards through a building. I couldn't see where he was due to the explosion's smoke. Out of nowhere a whip-like weapon shot out of the cloud and wrapped around my arm. It tightened its grip on me like a snake strangling its food.
The man was pulling me towards him, but I was fighting back with all my strength. I can't keep up this 110% rush for much longer so I have to push it as high as I can go even if it's just for 5 seconds!
Adrenaline output 200%?!
I grabbed the weapon with both arms and yanked him towards me. His body flew towards me at high speeds from out of the smoke.
"I'm ending this right now! I won't just break my limits—I'll shatter them!"
My fist met his torso and it went through just like a knife through butter. I had punched a hole through him. Blood was spewing out everywhere. I tore up his insides, everything from ruptured organs and broken bones.
His head dropped, his breathing slowed. Then he said "You must not know–injured villains are always the scariest, right?!" His head shot up. He grabbed my arm and pulled himself off swiftly. He did it so fast I couldn't even stop him. With no hesitation he retreated back to his starting point, holding the hole in his body. He was struggling to keep his organs in.
All the sounds in the alley came to a halt. You could hear his labored breathing and the sound of his blood hitting the floor. I can't keep 200% up anymore–my body started to deteriorate. If I push any further it could kill me. I had to let it go.. I let the power leave me once more. My body had grown tired, I could barely move.
"You know punk you remind me of someone, what was his name? Something bullet right? Ahhh yes Silver Bullet, the agility hero."
"Who did you just say?" I asked him.
"Silver bullet, yea… I killed him. It's been a long time since then, kid. However, I do remember how much fun I had fighting him. His speed was incredible! But I did love listening to his final words just the same as I did fighting him."
"What were his final words?!" I asked angrily
"He said something along the lines of. Hmmm let me think for a second, oh yeah! My brother, Victor will find you and avenge my death, he'll show the world evil like you will not get your sick and twisted ending!"
His smile had grown. He was now grinning from ear to ear, like a chimp. "Ahh now I get it..you must be the brother!"
I went completely silent. My legs were shaking. The whole world started to spin around me. I couldn't really process what I was hearing, tears started to well in my eyes. No, no it can't be! He didn't kill my brother! I didn't want to accept it but he did. My brother's last thoughts were of me…
"You shouldn't have told me that Reiji Soryu! Because now I am mad! Really really mad! I'm going to feed you your own heart!" I felt myself slipping into a descent of madness. One I was sure not even god himself could control.
"Struck a nerve did I! HAHA– you Victor are truly amazing! At a time like this all you can think about is killing me!"
I didn't reply this time and his body had closed the hole by sealing it shut with metal. "Full Body Morph, Cast Iron Titan!" His body started expanding, he was growing humongous. You could hear the grotesque noises of his skin and flesh ripping, his bones snapping and reforming, his body parts were reforming to handle his new body. Metal took over his skin, he was covered completely from head to toe. He was over 20 feet tall at least. He was massive: His arms were as big as most people, his legs were as big as trees. His head was almost fully encased in iron, his mouth and nose covered. However, his eyes were still visible and he had a huge, sharp, and curved horn where his nose should have been.
What a monster..
I wanted to move but I couldn't, my anger was still visible but I wouldn't use it. All I could see was my brother's face. He charged at me, in one blink he went from his spot to directly in front of me. His massive foot connected with my stomach and sent me flying across the city. It hurt like a bitch..but that wasn't it. Before I could even react, he teleported to my side while I was airborne. He raised his hands and put them together, he was going to use a hammerfist.
At the speed of breaking the sound barrier he hammer fisted me downwards into the roof of a building. He broke almost all of my ribs right then. I went crashing through each floor until I hit the bottom. I was left laying in a pile of rubble. The people who were working in the building gathered around me. Some were whispering around me. Who is he? Is he okay? Is he a hero or a villain? My eyes were lifeless and my breathing was off.
I remember when my brother left on that day he died. "I'll see you later Vic! Save a spot for me tonight so we can play that game you are itching to play!" And then he walked out. My BROTHER! Taken away by scum. What a fucking joke…
Reiji was now looming over my body, our eyes met. People were backing up in horror as they saw the titan. He picked me up by the head and brought our faces together. He wanted to stare into my eyes. He wanted the satisfaction of my fear. Instead I didn't give it to him.
That really pissed him off because he proceeded to throw me across the room into the wall. Multiple sickening cracks were heard. I didn't even know what was broken anymore. I couldn't even feel any of the pain that was being inflicted upon me.
That woman's voice cried out. She had seriously followed the fight all the way here! "Please beat him! Don't give up, you're my hero! Her eyes and mine locked for a moment again. I gave her a nod to let her know everything was going to be okay. Hearing those words from her made me snap back into reality. I was someone's hero.. My brother wouldn't be bitching and moaning so neither should I! I'll use this power even if it kills me!
I broke free of my mental prison. 1000%! My body was under a type of stain I had never felt before. This was a fight I had to end quickly. The lightning shot out of me once more but it was white this time. Reiji was walking slowly towards me. His eyes showed how cocky he was. My power began healing my body quickly. I was ready for round 2! I knew he was going to teleport but I was ready so I blinked. As soon as I blinked again I felt his presence before he was there. I quickly dodged and he appeared just as I thought. His hand went right through the wall where my head had been.
I quickly kicked him in the stomach while he was stuck. I sent him barreling across the room through the wall back onto the open street. As he tried to get up I punched his head down into the pavement. His head cracked the pavement with ease. The sight was enough to make me smile. I couldn't give him any time to regenerate. I kicked him as hard as I could in the side. He slammed into another wall across the street hard, his titan body struggling to match my pace now. His armor where I had hit shattered leaving exposed flesh underneath. He picked himself up slightly and began shooting large sharp metal objects at me. I kept moving towards him. My feet crack the earth beneath me, leaving footprints in my wake. I let his attacks hit me as I was walking through his attack. My regeneration was keeping up with the damage well enough for it to not matter. I pushed through it all the way until I was at him. His eyes were no longer cocky, they were filled with panic.
I picked him up by the neck and pinned him to the wall. He was trying his hardest to fight back but it was no use. I started driving my fist into his armored stomach as fast and as hard as I could. Each punch sends shockwaves across the city. I was cracking his armor, I was going to make it shatter!
With one final drive I broke it off of him. It fell onto the ground leaving a large human with no skin behind.
He muttered quietly, "How did y-you?!" Blood was pouring out everywhere "I have killed over 300 heroes, some being low level pros and I lost to a kid..how?
"Victor, you are strong…"
I ignored his compliment. I took my hand and used the ball of energy again. I let it power up to its max before striking him with it. His eyes were closed; he knew what was coming. I hit him with it as hard as I could and his body exploded sending entrails and blood everywhere. I was also launched backwards but I was able to get up.
"Good riddance, scum. A special place in hell is waiting for you." I muttered under my breath. I was covered in his remains.
My clothes were ripped to shreds. I had taken a major toll on my body using 1000%. I couldn't go all out like that for a while even if I wanted to. My body was basically destroyed. My power flickered away. Died even. I fell to my knees exhausted. I was breathing heavily, my wounds were still closed thankfully. Everything around me had been destroyed, the office building suffering the worst of it. I looked back behind me and the workers were looking at me like I was a monster.
Maybe I was really a monster. After all, I had just slain one in front of their very eyes. The lady, however, kept looking at me like I was some sort of knight in shining armor. I gave her an awkward smile, but one good enough to provide her with a little reassurance that everything was going to be okay.
So much was happening at once I could barely focus on her. But I decided searching the goop that was left of him on my hands and knees would be smart. I had to find some leads on the main villain at hand no matter the cost. After a brief search of the man's remains I found a business card under a chunk of meat. The card had a red and gold color scheme.
'The Miracle Clinic'
"You too can become perfect with a little surgery."
The card also had a phone number and address. I pocketed it quickly.
Limits are meant to be broken..