— The Proposal —
Slowly, the room turned chaotic as different heroes voiced their opinions.
Their voices overlapped — murmurs, shouts, and heated tones filling the air.
The President of the Hero Association stepped forward, raising his voice just enough to cut through the noise.
> "Things are less frustrating now that we've identified who we're dealing with," he said calmly. "It's possible these children have simply been misled. If we can capture them peacefully, we may still correct their path."
The room quieted.
Even the hum of the ceiling lights felt louder — bzzzz…
Then, from a corner, Butcher, who had been watching alongside the other students, stepped forward. His boots echoed against the tiled floor — step… step… step.
> "Apologies for interrupting," he began, "but I have to ask… how are we even going to find this group? And what if they don't want to be corrected?"
The President's gaze softened, though his tone stayed firm.
> "If they refuse to change and follow the laws," he said solemnly, "I'm afraid we will have to treat them like criminals."
He paused, fingers tapping lightly against the desk — tap… tap… — deep in thought.
Then, slowly, he raised his head.
> "Hm. What if we sent a few of you students undercover—as part of Bahlah's team?"
Gasps filled the room.
Butcher froze for a second, then clenched his fists. Without hesitation, he nodded.
He accepted the offer.
Instantly, the room erupted in protest.
> "They're not ready!"
"They're kids!"
"This is too dangerous!"
But the President didn't waver. His voice cut through the uproar like steel.
> "Enough. Decision's made."
He turned to Wild Scream.
> "Pick out the ones you consider fit for the mission."
Then his eyes shifted toward the students.
> "Good luck."
With that, he turned and walked away — door closing with a heavy click.
The chatter reignited, full of excitement and nerves.
But at the far corner, SEER stood still, his expression cold and distant.
A faint heartbeat echoed beneath the hum of voices — thump… thump… thump…
> Things are not going to end well…
---
— One Week Later —
The low buzz of machinery filled the air.
Bahlah sat in his office, leaning over his desk, speaking into an earpiece.
> "The deal's in motion. The package should arrive soon."
He tapped the ash off his cigar and nodded to himself.
> "Yeah… I've placed a fresh order for advanced weaponry from the Unknown."
A sharp knock came at the door — knock, knock.
One of his crew members peeked in nervously.
> "Sir, the package deliverer has arrived."
Outside, Butcher and the selected students were already in position, disguised and focused.
They scanned the perimeter — tension heavy enough to choke on.
Bahlah stepped out of his office, straightening his coat as the voice in his comms guided him through the plan.
> "Stay calm. Identify the target before engagement."
He nodded once.
Then — vrrrroooommm…
A low growl of an engine echoed in the distance.
Everyone turned their heads toward the sound.
The engine grew louder — vrooooom… vrooooom… — until a power bike burst into view.
It raced down the road like a silver bullet, tires screaming against the concrete.
The rider performed a sharp cut, SCREEECH! — and stopped perfectly at the drop zone.
Dust lifted around the area.
Bahlah chuckled, clapping in amusement.
> "Wow! Nice one! I didn't know you had bike skills like that, War."
But his laughter slowly faded.
---
— The Arrival —
Bahlah's eyes narrowed.
As the dust settled, he noticed something — a faint glint near the bike's engine.
The Unknown insignia.
His blood ran cold.
> Wait… that's not War's mark.
He forced a strained smile.
> "What happened to War?" he called out, loud enough for the undercover heroes and soldiers to hear.
No response.
The rider slowly removed his helmet — click… hiss…
A young face appeared beneath the shadows, illuminated by the faint warehouse light.
Calm expression. Red eyes glowing faintly like embers.
He spoke politely, almost casually.
> "I'm sorry, Mr. Bahlah. War is off duty today. But don't worry— I've got your package."
The area grew still.
A heartbeat echoed faintly through everyone's chest — thump… thump… thump…
Bahlah stiffened.
His brain screamed at him, It's just one guy… one kid. Easy target, just like planned.
But his instincts whispered otherwise.
He forced a smile.
> "Oh, that's lovely. But isn't it a bit risky for you to be doing this alone? War usually moves with four or seven others. Uhm… what's your name again?"
The rider took another step forward.
The warehouse light hit him fully now, revealing his face.
The air turned colder.
He gave a slight bow.
> "Oh, forgive me. My name is D.E.M.O.N 0.001… but you can call me De for short. And please—don't worry about me. I can handle myself… perfectly fine."
The world seemed to freeze.
Bahlah's heart skipped a beat. thump…
Sweat rolled down his forehead. drip.
> No. No, no, no. This wasn't the plan. Not the boss himself…
His voice trembled.
> "D-De… wow. Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you. Aren't you supposed to be, uh… handling more important things than this?"
Demon smiled, stepping closer.
His boots made a faint tap… tap… tap… on the warehouse floor.
> "Oh, you've heard of me?" he said lightly. "How interesting. I consider this more important than any other part of my job."
His tone was calm.
Too calm.
Every soldier, every student, every hidden agent in the shadows froze.
Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Confused.
Alert.
Uneasy.
Something wasn't right.
And deep down — they could all feel it.
The Devil had delivered himself.