The dim, flickering light of the underground arena bathroom buzzed softly, casting warped shadows over the stained tiles. Naoki stood still, breathing heavily as he faced the cracked mirror in front of him. His reflection stared back bruised cheek, bandaged arms and blood crusted around his lip. His grip tightened around a faintly glowing paper sword in his hand, its edges humming softly with elemental energy.
"Paper." That word echoed in his mind like a curse. "That's what they all say. Fragile, weak, easy to tear."
The mirror's fracture split his reflection down the center, one half of his face shrouded in shadows, the other lined with fading defiance. He raised the sword slowly, the air around it crackling as power danced along its surface.
"Let's see," he muttered under his breath, his eyes sharpening. "Let's see how fragile I am now."
With a sharp swing, he sliced the air in front of him. A gust of wind followed, rattling the stall doors and sending a shockwave through the room. Dust floated, light flared briefly, and Naoki's resolve hardened like steel behind paper.
The hum of power faded with Naoki's breath. Somewhere far above the underground chaos, the world moved on, quiet, unaware or maybe perhaps pretending to be.
Meanwhile, beneath a rust colored sky, where early morning rays slipped through cracked rooftop, Blessing stood barefoot on concrete, his eyes closed, his arms extended slightly. The wind swirled gently around him, playful but precise like it knew him.
A sharp whoosh of flames then snapped through the air.
"Too much again." Esther cried out, stumbling back as a small flame puffed into existence, then flickered wildly out of control.
Blessing's eyes opened, instantly reading the heat in the air. With a twist of his wrist, the surrounding wind curved, slamming into the fire and snuffing it out before it could lick the wooden beam behind her.
Esther huffed. "Ugh! I'm trying!" "I know," Blessing replied, lowering his hand. "That's whole point why we keep practicing. If people find out what you can do…"
"They'll freak out," she said, eyes on the scorch mark. "I know."
He handed her a damp cloth. "Good thing your big brother's here to keep you from burning the house." Esther rolled her eyes. "You're not that big."
A quiet pause passed between them. Then Blessing smiled, faint but real. "Well maybe not but I'm still bigger than you little one."
Then, a gust of wind rushed past them, unnaturally cold and a whisper that went through Blessing's ear that seemed to be like a nursery rhyme. "Ring o ring o rosy." A single black feather drifted down and landed between them. Blessing's eyes narrowed.
"That's not from any bird around here," he muttered. Then suddenly, his phone buzzed. An unknown number. He opened the message. "Air can do both, destroy or protect, fire can only burn."
Blessing narrowed his eyes in shock but subtle enough to not alert Esther that there was something wrong. "Let's continue training." Blessing said now lost in deep thought.
Esther obeyed and resumed her training while Blessing seemed to be lost in thought. "Who are these people and more importantly what they want from us." Blessing thought.
Meanwhile in Hero Society's headquarters observation room. Dim monitors flickered across the dark chamber, casting bluish lights on the faces of the seated agents. Footage played on loops Naoki clashing blades in the underground arena, his paper weapons glowing faintly with elemental power. The room was silent until Kairo spoke.
"He's learning with every battle," Kairo said, arms folded, eyes fixed on the screen. "We need to take care of this now before it goes out of control."
One of the agents scoffed, an older scar faced man seated at the far end of the table. "A boy with paper? Please we've seen worse. Kids just playing hero and well Headless is well just nothing but an urban myth."
Kairo slowly turned his head, voice cold and deliberate. "Don't underestimate ambition wrapped in pain…. And certainly," he leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Don't underestimate Headless. Because when the time comes, it won't just be legends were chasing but consequences."
An agent, curious but cautious leaned forward. "Who is this Headless? No one really know about him, right."
Kairo's eyes darkened, voice low but firm. "He's more than a myth, he's a ghost a glitch in the system someone who shaped shadows where others saw nothing. He's the kind enemy that changes the whole gameplay." Kairo smiled. "At least that's what I was told, I don't really know if he real or not."
Kairo's communicator then beeped urgently. "I've been called to a meeting," he said. The top ranked heroes gathered in a sleek conference room, tension thick in the air."
A senior officer cleared his throat. "We're here to discuss the abnormal energy traces detected across the city. Is everyone present?" A sharp voice replied, "No. number one isn't here." Another added, "He's been out of touch for weeks now."
Suddenly, the screen flickered on. A distorted voice filled the room, silencing everyone instantly. "Number one, Hinata Kanji, is missing…. Presumed dead."
Whispers erupted. "Kanji's dead? How is that even possible?" It continued coldly, " Yes, it's true. He's missing, most likely dead. But that's not the only concern."
Kairo's eyes narrowed. "Kanji's missing… what could be more concerning than that?"
The voice on screen continued, its tone grave. "Kanji's last encounter is the source of the abnormal energy readings."
A hero scoffed, "As abnormal as it might be, taking down Kanji though? That's not a small feat."
Another asked, "What are his abilities? Strengths? Weaknesses?"
The voice paused. "Unfortunately, that information is unknown," It added, "But his name is…"
In the meantime Blessing stood still, sensing an unnatural chill sweep through the air. Suddenly, Esther's flames flared wildly in response, flickering uncontrollably.
A whisper floated in the wind, Ring around…
Blessing's eyes narrowed "Something's happening."
Back at Hero Society the air was thick with urgency. Kairo stood, firm and resolute. "So it's settled. We have to find him whatever he is and eliminate him before the entire planet…"
Just as his words echoed off the chamber walls. Click, the lights dimmed.
A soft, childlike hum danced through the silence. "Ring around the rosy…"
Confused murmurs rippled through the room. Monitors flickered. Power sensors spiked into red and exploded.
"A pocket full of posies…" Footsteps got closer and closer as the heavy doors creaked open.
"Tissue, tissue we all fall down."
S Class heroes, war veterans, legendary guardians collapsed to their knees as if they were bowing down for mercy. Not by force, not by attack but by sheer presence.
In skipped a man, no something wearing the shape of one. He moved like a child lost in playtime. An innocent smile stretched across his pale face, and delicate snowflake shaped earing dangled from his ears, chiming faintly with each step.
Within a moment the temperature dropped. He looked around with delighted curiosity. "Seems the game's already begun," he said softly, as if greeting children at a playground.
Kairo gritted his teeth, frozen. Even he couldn't move frozen by fear.
One hero, trembling and struggling to stay conscious, thought. "The moment I saw him…. Something ancient inside me whispered don't fight, don't run, don't try to hide, just obey… or you'll die."
The man stopped skipping and tilted his head, snowflake earing swaying gently as he giggled.
"You organized a meeting… just for me?" His smile widened. "I'm honored."
He spun once playfully in the center of the stunned council chamber, arms out like a child pretending to be an airplane.
"But don't worry…" He stopped abruptly, "We're just going to play a game." His eyes darkened, the playfulness evaporated. His voice dropped to a cold whisper that echoed unnaturally in the silence his entire expression shifted gone was the smile, gone was the lightness "A game… where each and every one of you scream." He took a step forward. "Waste your breaths" He took another step "Trying to defy me."