VINCENT VALENTINE

New York.

31st December 2010.

"I fear no god, I fear no death, I'm... well, ah, a mighty Teenager."

The edgy words cut through the panic, slicing the madness in two with a cold, unflinching declaration.

A young man stood alone in the middle of a broken street, his face hidden behind a black mask.

His dark hair, too perfect, too flat against his head, looked out of place, like a wig.

But none of that mattered.

Not now.

What mattered was the creepy silence that followed his words.

America had never been short on thrill.

Not once.

A wealthy tycoon had just declared himself Iron Man, his reveal stirring both admiration and unease. Then came rumors of a strange hammer fallen from the heavens, a weapon no one could lift, though officials dismissed it as myth.

The nation was caught between wonder and dread, as if their own country had turned strange beneath their feet.

But tonight was supposed to be different, a night to forget it all, to welcome a new year with celebration.

If only that promise hadn't crumbled into chaos.

The streets should've been alive with joy.

But instead, all that filled the air was the sound of scrambling footsteps, desperate cries, and the unmistakable chaos of panic.

Fear clung to everything, thick as fog, choking the breath out of everyone in its path.

People ran in every direction, tripping over one another, desperate to escape.

Faces were painted with terror.

Eyes wide.

Breath shallow.

This was no longer a night of celebration.

This was a battlefield.

And what had caused it?

Red Monster.

The abomination.

It stood in the distance, a hulking mass of red flesh, an embodiment of rage and destruction.

Its massive form was so large, it blocked out the fireworks overhead, casting everything beneath it in shadow.

This was the same creature defeated two years ago by the green titan, Hulk.

But now, the monster had returned, and it was just as terrifying. Its body was covered in scars from the last fight, and its eyes burned with fury.

It growled deeply, and each tremor of its voice shook the ground beneath the people's feet.

"You... tiny... you are not even Hulk," the creature spat, its words dripping with venom like the growl of a beast wronged.

The boy in question, Vincent Valentine, smirked behind his black mask.

His coat fluttered in the wind, and his pale face flashed yellow beneath the flickering streetlamp.

"Tsk...Who's that guy? Do you know I've got homework after this? Like, why'd you have to show up tonight of all nights? If Ms. Suzy thinks I'm slacking, I'm done for! I'm not some lazy student, alright?"

"How am I supposed to marry her like this? Yeah, this is totally your fault. But nah, who am I kidding… I'm way too handsome for her to ever say no. Hehe."

And just like this, The boy brainwashed himself.

Recalling the woman he'd fallen for at first sight, a widow, a teacher. But his young heart didn't care about the age gap. He just wanted to buy her roses, maybe give them to her on first Jan, show her how much he....

But this damn creature, this monster, had ruined everything.

The vendor had been smashed to pulp by the abomination just minutes earlier, and the roses he'd planned to buy had been destroyed.

But when you looked at Vincent, there was no fear.

Not even a flicker.

The crowd, however, froze.

They had seen Hulk defeat this very creature before. But now… there was no Hulk. Only this boy.

This stranger standing still in the midst of their terror.

The abomination roared again, the sound so powerful it rattled the buildings.

Its voice was deafening, shaking the city as if it would crumble beneath its rage.

People covered their ears, but it did nothing to drown out the sound. They searched for an escape, hearts racing, minds clouded with fear.

But there was no escape.

Then, before anyone could process it, Vincent moved.

He stepped forward, his eyes never leaving the creature. There was no hesitation. No flinch.

A blue, towering clock, like a halo, appeared behind him.

The sound of ticking filled the surrounding, echoing with an eerie precision.

The abomination froze mid-leap, its monstrous body suspended in the air.

Vincent flicked his hand as if swatting away an insect. An invisible, invincible force shot out, crashing into the creature and sending it hurtling toward the ground at lightning speed.

The impact shook the earth.

The abomination struggled to regain control, but its body once again hovered uselessly in the air, completely at the mercy of Vincent's power.

Yes, Vincent wasn't a normal kid--- he was a teenager.

And He had awakened two extraordinary powers a few months ago: telekinesis and time manipulation.

The monster screamed, its rage turning into mindless threats.

"You tiny thing…  octopus, osbor..iron man..ross..you… I'll kill you all… I'll show you who's strongest!"

"Whoa… I'm so scared. Let's get this over with," Vincent said.

And so...

A hand from the massive clock, frozen at twelve, shot out from behind him, spinning like an arrow.

It struck the creature in the chest, right through its heart.

The blow was so forceful that it sent the abomination flying backward, its body crashing into the ruins of a broken building.

Dust and debris billowed into the air, mixing with the smoke of the fireworks above, creating a thick haze that smothered the street.

A stream of dark blood splattered across the ground, pooling around the wreckage.

The abomination was as good as dead, if not already dead.

For a long moment, no one moved.

As the dust began to settle, the crowd slowly stirred.

They couldn't help it.

They had to speak, though their voices trembled with disbelief.

"Did… did you see that?" A woman's voice quivered. "How did he… how did he do that?"

"That… that's the same monster. I saw it on TV… Hulk took it down, but… but…"

Another man stammered, eyes wide with fear.

"But that kid… he just killed it. He killed the monster like it was nothing!"

"I don't think he is dead, look he's snorting!"

"That's not snorting; the dust just flew away. He must be farting."

"Why don't you go down and check?"

"Fuck you, you gay."

"Shut up guys"

"Who the hell is he?"

"I think that kid? Is he… Merlin from legend? Look, he's got a magical halo behind him! Is it a clock?"

Vincent stood still for a moment, his eyes scanning the growing crowd.

The whispers and stunned stares were growing louder.

His mask, the only thing keeping his identity concealed, felt like a curse.

Worst of all, with the dust in the air, he could feel a sneeze coming on.

"Did this guy just say I'm Merlin? Who the hell does he think I am? That old? Damn, my beard hasn't even grown fully yet."

Then...

With a flick of his wrist, he said to himself,

"Time Acceleration."

And so..

The world around him seemed to slow down.

The frantic pace of the crowd, the wreckage, even the flickering lights all of it began to stretch.

Falling leaves and a police helicopter flying nearby hung motionless in the air.

Vincent didn't slow time itself but accelerated the flow of time for his existence.

In an instant, he was gone, leaving only sharp, cold words that would echo in tomorrow's headlines:

"Fuck the Merlin. I'm from Blue Planet."