a sweeping shot of a vast desert — wind howling, sand sweeping across the corpses of defeated beings. The camera pans over the ground littered with humans twisted in grotesque forms, each one bloodied, their bodies still and lifeless.
Heavy steps crunch through the sand. A solitary foot, armored and stained with blood, walks past the corpses. The camera pans upward to reveal a man — tall, dark-haired, cloaked in tattered black robes — wielding a massive, rune-inscribed sword dripping with crimson. His eyes glow faintly with an ancient power.
Suddenly, a transparent blue holographic screen appears before him with glowing letters:
> "MISSION COMPLETE: 2000 THREATS ELIMINATED AT ZERIAN ISLAND IN 48 HOURS. REWARD: GOLDEN RETRIEVER (RARE)."
The man glances at the screen. A grin curves across his battle-worn face.
"Grant," he mutters.
His body radiates with golden light, muscles flexing, wounds closing. He turns, scanning the sea of corpses. Then, slowly, he begins walking into the dunes. As the wind picks up, he speaks to himself.
"Someone... from another world has inherited a part of my essence. I can feel the link. But this one... this one is different. It's... strange. Twisted, perhaps? Or maybe something new..."
Before his thought completes, the hologram flickers back to life:
> "NEW MISSION: CODE 714. LOCATION: AWAKEN SPECIAL TRAINING GROUND. THREAT LEVEL: HIGH."
The man sighs. "Never ends, does it?"
---
Cut to the Awaken Special Training Ground — outside chaos erupts. A brutal assault is underway.
Threats, monstrous humanoids and corrupted beasts, tear through the perimeter. Security teams and low-level heroes scramble, unprepared for the scale of the attack. Explosions rock the air. Bodies fall.
Inside the dome, panic grips the students.
Mighty presses his earpiece. "Unit Alpha. Formation C. Protect the students."
Instantly, heroes arrive from all directions — Mighty's elite unit, dressed in dark coats marked with the Awaken insignia, form a defensive perimeter around the students. From the skies, ground, and hidden corridors, more heroes arrive — those arranged by Nice in case of emergencies.
The air grows colder.
Vile, calm and ominous, walks slowly through the carnage. His presence is suffocating. He heads directly toward Eli.
Nice rockets down in a stream of green energy, standing in front of Eli.
"You're not getting him," Nice says firmly.
Vile tilts his head. "Please... I would need that boy."
"Why?" Nice demands.
Vile's eyes narrow. "For a grand purpose. One you would never comprehend. This boy... he is our path forward."
Mighty steps forward beside Nice. "You got the wrong guy. Get out... or this becomes war."
As the word war echoes through the training dome, the students panic. Screams fill the air. The protective heroes begin guiding them toward exits, forming protective channels.
Vile grins.
"I see... the stubborn type. So be it."
He roars, "Esada!"
A thunderous crash shatters a wall. Dust clears. Four figures emerge, all in white cloth, with skull masks at the side of their heads. Two men, two women — the elite warriors of the Underplane. Deadly and silent.
Catherine smirks. "Looks like I'll get to test my skills."
Nice signals Eli to retreat. Flowless yells, "Students! Run!"
One of the Esada, the man named Ryo, teleports forward in a blink. In an instant, he cleaves through the hero line protecting the students. He appears before the young ones, blade dripping.
"You will all die here," Ryo whispers.
Flowless's eyes blaze. She charges.
Before she can land a blow, the female Esada Lydia intercepts. Their swords collide — a flash of light erupts.
Flowless vs. Lydia
Flowless twirls her scythe, wind and frost swirling around her body. Lydia responds with dark flame, her white cloak flickering like liquid.
"You talk too much," Lydia says, dashing forward.
Steel meets steel, but Flowless counters, spinning mid-air and slamming her boot into Lydia's gut. Lydia flips back, landing on her feet.
"Not bad. But you'll need more than that."
Flowless growls, unleashing her Frost Veil, freezing the space around them. Lydia ignites her body in purple flame — the clash is magnificent.
They trade blows at speeds only the strongest can see — Flowless's precision and grace against Lydia's relentless aggression.
Mighty vs. Two Esada
Mighty leaps toward the two remaining Esada: Kael and Myra.
Kael charges with twin axes, Myra dances in with ribbons made of shadows.
Mighty blocks Kael's attack with one arm, slamming his elbow into his chest. Myra's ribbons wrap around Mighty's leg, trying to immobilize him. He grabs one and slams her into Kael.
They rise. Together they strike — but Mighty's aura explodes. He enters Titan Drive, his strength amplified.
The three clash — Kael's brute force, Myra's precision, and Mighty's overwhelming might. The shockwaves destroy the ground beneath them.
Nice vs. Vile
Amid the chaos, Nice faces Vile. No words, just an exchange of glances.
Then Vile charges. Nice meets him halfway.
Energy beams and shadow blasts crash against each other. Nice strikes with dual plasma blades, each swing humming with righteous fury. Vile counters with a corrupted glaive, dripping with chaos.
"You killed Ignite!" Nice screams.
"He was weak," Vile answers coldly.
Nice screams and unleashes his Ignition Breaker, a fiery barrage that tears through the ceiling.
Vile blocks, then warps behind him, slicing Nice across the back. Nice spins, kicks Vile into the ground, then fires a beam straight into his chest.
Vile growls. "You're persistent. But you're nothing without Ignite."
Nice snarls. "I'm everything he believed in. And I'll end you."
They clash again, blades sparking, fists flying. Each blow is a storm. Around them, chaos reigns.
---
Meanwhile, Catherine and Eli race through a hidden corridor. Catherine's sword drawn, eyes alert.
Suddenly — a figure blocks their path.
Another Esada.
He smiles. "Going somewhere?"
Catherine steps in front of Eli.
"I won't let you touch him."
The Esada draws his blade. "Let's test that theory."
[TO BE CONTINUED...]