The City of Superheroes (prologue)

Ten years later...

There's a letter on top of a desk, along with a small gift, in front of a middle-aged, bald man. He's savoring red wine on the balcony of his fortieth-floor apartment. This man is Johnny.

In the letter, it reads:

[My name is Johnny Hide, and I want to share with you my legacy, or rather, my sins. Many consider me a terrorist, a villain, perhaps even a demon in human form. But I loathe these simplistic definitions of good and evil. After all, the world isn't a fair place; it's a cruel and dark one.

Heroes and villains don't just emerge; they're forged. Including the wretch who took my son's life. At first, I believed that killing him would cleanse my soul. But I couldn't. The perpetrator in question is one of the most powerful mutants on the planet. What infuriates me even more is the blind adoration of some humans, treating them as gods with cults and statues. Humanity has become repugnant!

So, I decided to enter their game. After all, who can harm a god? I created abominations, resurrected thousands of creatures, but none of them could scratch that piece of garbage. However, I realized that I hadn't had this much fun in years. My quest for vengeance filled the void in my soul but also led to a sickening selfishness that disgusts me. Now, I'm old and dying due to exposure to the radioactive emissions of false gods. I've realized I have no more time.

People need to fall to learn how to rise.

Since I can't harm a god, I decided to redirect my hatred towards the gods' abode. Call it Olympus or Earth, the gods' home. I decided to turn their paradise into my hell.

Fear, mighty one! Fear! Despair in the face of your ruin! Kneel before your creators, the human race! Let the seal of hell be unleashed upon Earth!

Sincerely, Johnny Hide]

Johnny finishes savoring his wine and then shouts out loud:

"Rise, demons!"

"Voice command recognized! Releasing the fungi from all bases!" A robotic voice responds.

"The apocalypse has begun! Even those who brought suffering, stay alive; this planet will become a hell. What's the fun in reigning in hell without your minions? I bet he didn't expect this!"

Johnny unleashes a maniacal laugh, causing the veins in his neck to become visible. His expression is sadistic, and he doesn't care about the lives that will be affected by his vengeance, for all that matters to him is achieving his goals, no matter the cost.

Johnny's gaze is dark, his eyes fixed on the horizon as the darkness spreads. The fungi, released from their secret bases, have begun to proliferate across the planet like a devastating plague. He knows his vengeance is materializing, no matter the price.

As the darkness intensifies, chaos ensues. Entire cities are engulfed in despair, and people run in search of shelter. Johnny watches it all on the holographic screens in front of him, with a sense of fulfillment, his maniacal laughter echoing in the wind.

However, amid the turmoil and destruction he has unleashed, Johnny starts to feel a strange unease. He realizes that, in seeking revenge, he has become a monster, causing pain and suffering to countless innocent people. The illumination he had years ago, when he discovered the weaknesses of the "gods," is now becoming a reality.

He revels in the destruction he has unleashed, finding satisfaction in the imminent annihilation. The world is plunging into the abyss he meticulously planned, and Johnny has no remorse. As chaos unfolds before his eyes, he laughs loudly, aware that his dark objectives are being fulfilled.

Amidst the tumult and darkness, Johnny finds his ultimate fulfillment, his vengeance manifesting as an apocalyptic nightmare. He is the conductor of this symphony of destruction, and the world now trembles before his power.

He closes his eyes and allows the tingling sensation of the infection to spread throughout his body. He accepts his fate, destined to perish along with humanity. As the mysterious fungi consume him, he thinks of his son, and how his quest for vengeance led him to this moment.

"Jacob, my son... I hope you've found peace somewhere," Johnny thinks as darkness envelops him.

The world continues to be transformed by the fungi Johnny released, leaving behind only ruins and chaos. As the world succumbs to the chaos, Johnny no longer feels anger or hatred. Only a shadow of his destiny can be glimpsed. He faces the abyss he helped create, and, somehow, finds peace in destruction.

The world is over, and Johnny with it. The story of a man who sought revenge and redemption has come to an end, leaving only silence and darkness.

With a final sigh, Johnny closes his eyes, accepting his fate. He knows his quest for answers has led him to a dead end, and the fungi have consumed him entirely, leaving only an empty shell behind. The world, as he knew it, now belongs to the fungi, and humanity teeters on the brink of extinction.