Villain's Rising

“We’re finally here!” Kiara couldn’t help but giggle as she held in her excitement.

“This is stupid and you’re way too excited about this.” Sam rolled his eyes, he was constantly questioning the taste of his 8 years old self who decided to fell for this dumb girl.

“It’s fine it’s fine,” Kiara waved her hand off in lax manner.

“Besides now that we are here let’s enjoy ourselves a little!” she added before draging him with her like some doll to a stall nearby.

Currently the villain duo in disguise was in front of an institution facility that even the most deadliest villains of this planet would not prefer to get close to; an academy for the gifted and youngs they call it, The Gifted Hero Academy.

It was the admission season and many gifted children came in this city that is named the academy city, built on top of the ruins of Melbourne City of old Earth.

Many of the examinees will return with nothing more than just tears and broken hearts, some of them will be accepted to study here but only few of them will be able to graduate from this prestigious academy.

For that reason this city is also called as ‘The City of Broken Dreams’.

Although that’s for them to worry about later, right now the examinees are enjoying the stalls and market set up by the seniors of this academy, as a way to welcome them and boost their morale.

“Honestly I’m surprised you get the examination form this soon.” Sam commented with a genuine impressed expression.

“Why of course, my father have a lot of connections to abuse… I mean lot of connections to use.” Kiara replied in a proud tone.

“Mhmm” Sam hummed. He knew very well what kind of man her father was. The king of the underworld, Marcel Nickelson.

He rose to his position by assassinating his mentor because he could never best him in a fair fight. Nonetheless he’s a force to be reckoned with, there’s only one person whom he cannot beat and that’s the pillar of justice, Starsuper.

Because he stands at the very top of this world, only second to one person, it’s needless to say that he have power and influence, so getting examination forms for a college is not a big deal for him, even if that college is meant for the young and inspiring heroes.

“I get that he got you the forms but how did he agree for this absurdi- I mean how did he agree to let you do this?” Sam asked with a calm yet curious face.

“Yeaaa about that, there was a condition…” Kiara replied hesitantly._.

“Of course there is something like that.” Sam rolled his eyes before adding; “What is it?”

“Ahhh… we have to take down phenekdjsssh” Kiara replied in gibberish while averting her gaze.

“Whaaa? Take down what?” Sam furrowed his brows in confusion.

“We have to take down… Phoenix… The deadline is 5 months.” Kiara replied in a low voice.

Sam couldn’t help but take deep breath and sigh helplessly, he massaged his eyebrows and spoke;

“Kia listen, you know he’s like us right? Immortal I mean.” Sam had a helpless expression on his face right now.

“I-I know.” Kiara replied while stuttering before looking Sam straight in the eyes and speaking in dead calm tone;

“I know he’s immortal but I also know that no one is unkillable, not even the Gods let alone us mortals who have been graced with just the fraction of their powers. As long as the enemy have a beating heart he have a weakness, all we have to do is find and exploit that weakness.”

Sam couldn’t help but sigh in defeat.

“Fine I get it, I’ll see what I can get on him and will devise a strategy accordingly.” Sam nodded his head before replying.

“Soo can we now go back to our hotel?” he was really getting tired of all the shopping bags that kept on piling in his hands.

“Wait let me get that eyeliner!” Kiara replied while dropping the sound barrier around them that she had put on earlier.

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“I knew it! She’s Medusa, and by the looks of it that boy besides him is her henchman Crawler.” a woman whispered to herself.

Right now the woman was tailing a certain duo. She followed them till they got inside the hotel they were staying at.

After confirming the location where her targets were staying at she didn’t waste a single second to take out her comm device.

However before she could even switch it on, the woman felt a tap on her right shoulder.

‘Was I spotted?’ the woman questioned in her mind. ‘No way! With my ability even Starsuper will have a hard time spotting me!’.

After assuring herself, the woman turned around only to find out how wrong was she with her earlier assessment.

“Oh my did I shock you love?” Sam asked with a smile. “I thought because you were following us since this afternoon you might have something you wanted to ask us?”

“Huh?” the woman was shocked beyond belief. ‘How can this happen!’ she questioned the absurdity of the situation.

Her ability was of SS+ grade that mainly focuses on the stealth attribute. How can she be spotted by a villain’s henchman who have an A grade ability at most.

‘Maybe it was Medusa who spotted me and sent her henchman!’ the woman made a guess. Even though Medusa was just a child, she possess a calamity level ability, maybe it was her who spotted her.

Although it was still unbelievable for the woman. Medusa possesses an physiology ability, it’s impossible for her to see through her deception at such a young age no less. However it wasn’t the time to think about such things, for it was the time to run.

‘Let’s see how you find me now!’ she challenged Medusa in her mind and activated her ability.

A blinding light enveloped her attracting the attention of the crowd nearby. In the next moment she disappeared into thin air.

“What was that!?”

“Maybe a villain!”

“Nonsense, it’s academy city! No villain is stupid enough to step through the gates of this sanctuary!”

Murmuring broke out among the crowd, although it died down as soon as it started. Most of them guessed that it would’ve been some kid testing their ability and left it at that.

“Fascinating.” Sam commented with an impressed look.

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“Hah Hah Hah” the woman was panting as she desperately gasped for air.

Earlier she used her full power. Her ability [Concealment] is an ability that conceals her presence. Under normal circumstances these kinds of abilities fall under C grade but what made her special was a phenomenon called [Upgrade].

Select fews are blessed with the power to make impossible possible, they call these people [Users] and named their power [Ability]. An ability however can’t be used to it’s full potential until a phenomenon called [Upgrade] happens to them.

No one knows how it happens to someone but the people who have experienced this phenomenon can tap into the higher form of their ability at will.

The woman who was sitting on the edge of her bed gasping for air right now is one of them people who have experienced [Upgrade].

Normally she can only conceal her presence but after tapping into higher form of her ability she can erase her presence from the plane of existence. It’s as if she never existed.

During the time she uses this higher form, no one will remember her and needless to say that no one can spot her.

Although highly useful, but coming back to the plane of existence is rather difficult, taking a toll on the user’s body.

“I’m safe.” the woman assured herself and drank water directly from the bottle, showering a little on her head too, to cool it down.

“Excuse me love,” a voice resounded from behind her, immediately striking something akin to fear into her heart. “It was quite rude of you to run away while I was just trying to talk.”

‘Impossible!’ she shouted in her mind. ‘I was followed!?’

“Quite a nice place you got here.” Sam commented as he took the bottle from her hand.

“Do you mind? I got quite thirsty following you here. I don’t sound like a creep do I? lol” he joked before taking a gulp from the bottle.

“So now then, let’s finish our chat, shall we? Why were you following us?” Sam asked as he casually sat on the bed besides her.

“Wh-What do you want with me?” the woman asked with her gaze down not daring to look up.

“Whaaa- Me? No silly girl I don’t want anything. It was you who was following us.” Sam replied as he gently held her chin and made her face him, the woman however averted her gaze and replied;

“I’ve already alerted the police, they’ll be here any minute.”

“Oh my, so I did sound like a creep. Well then we have to make this quick.” Sam replied and grabbed her neck from the same hand he was holding her chin earlier.

“What is your name and who are you?” Sam asked in a calm tone as he stood up and lifted the woman by her neck only to slam her in the wall.

“I will… not tell you… a damn thing!” the woman retaliated but to no avail.

“Oh sorry love but I wasn’t talking to you.” Sam replied nonchalantly and tightened his grip.

The woman furrowed her brows. If not her than who? ‘Nevermind, this isn’t the time to think about such things’ she thought.

‘Although it will take a toll on me but at least I will live!’ she ironed her resolve and activated her ability to it’s fullest again.

A blinding light enveloped her again, although this time it was subdued.

“What!?” the woman couldn’t help but question what just happened.

Before long it hit her;

“White Walker!?” she voiced in disbelief.

Sam couldn’t help but smirk; “Your intelligence is remarkable Tanya Fireforged, or shall I call you Anya like your father used to instead? Of course you will have to call me daddy.”

The disbelief expression on Tanya’s face was replaced by shock and fear. Mostly fear.

No one knows of the name Fireforged, so then how? she wrecked her mind around all the possibilities but came to no conclusion.

“Oh come on don’t be scared love it was a joke! You don’t actually have to call me daddy besides you’re older than me.” Sam frowned before adding;

“Oh well they are here, hate to make this quick but bye bye Tanya, see you in hell. Don’t worry by the way, I won’t kill your children that’s my word”.

“Wai-” before she could even finish her sentence her neck was crushed.

Sam dropped her lifeless body on the ground and heard a knock on the main door.

“Open up or we wil-“

A huge explosion occurred in the building floor where the appartment was situated. In the middle of flames and debris stood a young man with his black hairs wavering in the air.

He walked towards the dead body of the police officer and spoke in an arrogant tone.

“Or you will what? Die? Don’t you dare order me on what to do!” he shouted before sensing a few people approaching him.

He clicked his tongue and kicked the dead body infront of him before disappearing into thin air.