Through our achievements in life, Nexus decides to link our souls to it. Because of this, we are no longer considered human, but people who have transcended normal limits.
Even though everyone in Nexus is a hero…or something that transcends even that, their powers still differ. Some are undeniably powerful the moment they become one, while others can barely hold their weapons.
Once you enter Nexus, you find out quickly where you stand in the hierarchy… and in my case, I was weak.
Even though I had trained all my life, I learned that a simple assassination attempt isn't enough to take down a hero. So I adapted, training to face them head-on, exploiting every weakness they might have, turning the fight in my favor.
Because of that, I had shaped my Axiom to give me the upper hand. A Axiom that lets me shift the scenery at will. If I want to fight in a forest, a flick of my fingers is enough. A city? No problem. The top of a volcano? One thought and I'm there.
Butterfly recalled her time in Nexus as she turned her back on the fallen hero and headed back to Megumi.
"Butterfly! You're alright!" Megumi ran to her.
"Of course I am. A brute like that didn't stand a chance against me," she said proudly.
Once the two girls were side by side, the sound of someone slowly clapping echoed nearby.
"Magnifique, Butterfly! An apéritif most excellent before the grand show!"
Butterfly got back into guard, turning to face him as her weapons manifested once again.
"Trickster, what are you doing here?"
He jumped down from the ruined house he had been sitting on, landing elegantly without even a grain of dust rising from the ground.
"Belle Butterfly, don't be cruel now. Le point culminant is already over, I'm just here to announce the next big show."
Butterfly put her weapons away, allowing Trickster to continue.
"Merveilleux! Now we can talk. But before that…"
Trickster glanced back at the ruined street and shattered houses.
"Let's clean up first."
With a flick of his hand, every destroyed house began to repair itself, the rubble on the ground lifting and returning to its original place.
"Now, my belle Butterfly, let's get through the script shall we?"
Megumi and Butterfly listened closely; in the background, the houses were still rebuilding themselves.
"A grand spectacle is about to take place with three superb heroes who will face a threat that brings disaster in its wake. An unstoppable force that no hero can hope to match,"
"The three will give everything they have to subdue him, but it will not be easy. And in the end, one hero will shine brighter than all the others."
Butterfly studied him closely, trying to read his intent, but it was impossible.
"Alright, Trickster. I appreciate the warning, but tell me—why should I believe you?"
"Ohh, belle Butterfly, your doubt pains me! After going through all the trouble of coming all the way here…"
Trickster placed a hand dramatically on his forehead.
"In that case, Butterfly…" Trickster's tone turned serious. "Do you happen to know the Child of Despair?"
The moment she heard that name, Butterfly tensed immediately.
"There's no way she's in this competition!"
"Oh, but I fear she is—and she's already plotting the next event."
A drop of sweat rolled down Butterfly's temple, her expression clearly distressed.
Trickster glanced at his watch, then took a few steps back.
"Well, I'd say my job here is done. I still need to bring the other actors into play. Until we meet again, belle Butterfly… mademoiselle Megumi."
Trickster winked at Megumi, making it clear that even if he wasn't here for her, acknowledging her existence.
With that, Trickster bowed, raising his hat in front of him. Smoke began to pour from it until he vanished in a cloud of mist.
"Butterfly… who was he?" Megumi asked, uncertain what to make of him.
Butterfly remained lost in thought until Megumi placed a hand on her shoulder.
"...He's Trickster. A mysterious hero from Nexus that nobody really knows much about, only interested in watching others 'play' for his own amusement."
"So… Is he dangerous?"
"No, he's not. But don't let his appearance fool you. If he wants to, he can be far scarier than he lets on."
"And who is this Child of Despair, exactly?"
"A troublemaker."
At Sato's apartment, he was in his room reading from the book Irina conjured for him, when she came in to grab something.
"Irina, do you think you could explain this part to me?"
"No," Irina replied bluntly.
Well, at least I can't say I didn't try. She still doesn't want to teach me anything, even after I've read so much of this book… Although it seems like every time I turn to a page, even more sheets appear. Does it even have an end, or is it just endless information?
Sato looked at her again, deciding to try his luck one more time.
"At least give me a hint, doesn't need to be much?"
Irina hesitated for a second, then sat down on the bed beside him.
Where is he at… relics, huh? Does he want to study what kind of weapon caused that wound on that green girl?
"Do you want to know about relics?"
Sato froze for a moment. She was actually offering to explain something to him.
"Are you okay? Do you have a fever or something?"
"Do you want me to leave?" she said, narrowing her eyes as she looked at him.
"No, no, please, tell me."
"You see, relics are special items used by heroes to amplify their powers. Some may have unique properties, like helping the user control their abilities more efficiently or making them stronger, while others grant special effects like stealth, causing enemies to bleed more once cut, healing capabilities, and so on."
"I see…" Sato fell into thought.
"There's really nothing complicated about them."
"Do you have one?"
Irina fell silent for a moment, unsure whether she should tell him or not. After a brief pause, she decided to speak.
"Yes, I have one."
She raised her right hand where on one of her fingers was a ring.
"You see this ring? My flames are so powerful that they're very hard to control. That's why I created this ring that allows me to focus and control my power better."
Is it just me, or is she being more open with me? I just asked if she had a relic… not to actually show it to me.
"And how do heroes acquire them?"
"Usually, when it comes to that, there are two main ways: you either make one yourself, or wish for one if you win this competition. Also, heroes need to be careful with their relics, because unlike their souls, relics aren't naturally connected to Nexus."
"So they can lose them?"
"Normally, that would be the case. However, most heroes bind them to their own souls, so even if they die and return to Nexus, the relic comes back with them—unless it's been destroyed."
"Interesting,"
Sato raised a hand to his chin, processing everything, when his phone started to ring.
"It's Bobby."
"I'll leave then. I have no intention of listening to pointless chatter."
Irina stood up and left the room, leaving Sato to answer the call.
"Hey Bobby, what are you up to? I haven't heard from you in a while."
"Yeah, man, sorry about that. I completely forgot to tell you. I had some matches scheduled for about two weeks, so I won't be around."
"Well, you kind of picked the best time possible," Sato said with a smile.
"I know! I saw on the news that our school was destroyed by some 'hero' thing, and then that arbiter showed up. Things are totally wild right now!" Bobby said, his voice full of disbelief.
"Yeah, even Asahi and I were lucky to make it out alive. If it weren't for those arbiters, I'd probably be dead."
"You're saying that like you were actually there, fighting that maniac," Bobby laughed over the phone.
Well… you wouldn't be completely wrong.
Sato glanced around his room until his eyes landed on the open window. Leaning casually against it was Trickster.
"Bonjour, mon ami."
"Bobby, I'll call you back later."
"Huh, wh—"
Sato ended the call, now face-to-face with Trickster.