Cataclysm Above City A

The gravity of Shibabawa's final prophecy had only just begun to sink in when a sudden, violent tremor shook the Hero Association building. Alarms blared through the halls, and red warning lights flashed as the walls rattled. Sitch's eyes widened, his face pale as he tried to steady himself against the table.

"What the hell was that?!" he shouted, half to himself, half to the room full of S-Class heroes.

Fumbling with the control panel on the table, Sitch brought up a virtual screen. The display flickered to life, quickly compiling a real-time damage report. As the data loaded, Sitch's face went ashen.

"Destruction level… 99.8% for City A…" he whispered in shock. His voice trembled as he turned to the heroes, dread etched into his features. "The prophecy—it's happening now. The threat… it's already here."

Around him, the heroes exchanged wary glances. The tension in the room was palpable as they tried to process the gravity of the situation, but Azar didn't linger. Rising from his seat, he turned toward the exit. Behind him, other heroes moved as well—Atomic Samurai, Bang, Metal Bat, and Puri-Puri Prisoner each getting up without a word, driven by a silent agreement to face the unknown catastrophe waiting outside.

The heroes moved with purpose down the plain, reinforced steel hallways, the raw, unadorned walls buzzing faintly as they strode through. Each step echoed with the urgency of what lay beyond.

As they exited the building, the true scale of the devastation hit them in full force. City A was leveled—its once-bustling streets, towering buildings, and sprawling infrastructure reduced to mere rubble and smoking craters. Twisted beams of steel jutted from the ground like broken teeth, and the air was thick with dust and the distant crackle of collapsing structures. The devastation stretched out for miles; there was no untouched spot in sight.

And above the destruction floated a massive spacecraft. Its silhouette blotted out the sky, a mammoth structure so alien in design that it defied description. It was sleek yet menacing, its surface gleaming with dark, angular metal that twisted the light around it. The sight of it hovering over the city was a chilling reminder of the power that had decimated City A.

Azar felt the faint stir of excitement within him—this was a foe worthy of his attention.

His gaze fell to the ground below, where an intense battle was already underway. Just a short distance from the Hero Association building, an alien with multiple eyes and a grotesque, hulking form was relentlessly attacking a figure in blood-stained armor. The man, wielding a long blade, swung it with all his might, but his stance was faltering, his movements slowing. Azar quickly recognized him as Iaian, the A-Class Rank 2 hero, but it was clear he was struggling. Iaian was one of the Association's most skilled swordsmen, yet the alien monster was shrugging off his attacks as though they were mere annoyances.

Just as Azar and the others approached, the alien swung one of its grotesque, many-limbed arms forward, catching Iaian off guard. With a sickening crunch, the arm connected, tearing through armor and flesh alike. Iaian staggered back, gasping in shock as he looked down at the bloody stump where his arm had been. His sword clattered to the ground, and he fell to one knee, gritting his teeth as he struggled to remain conscious.

The alien, a twisted grin spread across its many-eyed face, laughed in delight. Its voice was a horrific, multi-layered sound that resonated through the rubble. "Human, was that all you could muster? I was expecting a real challenge."

Azar clenched his fists, the sight of Iaian's struggle sparking an anger he hadn't felt in a long time. With a quick glance, he noticed the other heroes reacting similarly; Atomic Samurai gripped his blade tighter, his face a mask of determination, while Metal Bat's eyes narrowed, a growl escaping his lips. Even Bang's usual calm demeanor had turned to something fierce and resolute.

Without hesitation, Azar stepped forward, a thrill running through him as he readied himself to confront the alien.

The other heroes followed suit. Atomic Samurai drew his sword, his expression cool but deadly serious as he took his stance. Bang moved in beside Azar, his fists clenched as he muttered under his breath, "This alien lacks discipline. That will be its downfall."

Metal Bat rolled his shoulders, gripping his bat firmly. "Better make this quick—I've got family stuff I'm missin'," he muttered, his voice laced with irritation and excitement.

Puri-Puri Prisoner, flexing his arms, chimed in, "This alien won't tarnish my perfect form!"

Azar cracked his knuckles, his smirk widening. "Let's see what you've got, alien."

The alien glanced at the approaching heroes, an annoyed expression crossing its grotesque face. It let out a dismissive growl. "More humans come to die? Fine. I was getting bored anyway."

With a roar, the alien charged forward, its massive limbs swinging with brute force. Azar and the others launched themselves at the alien, each hero striking in unison with a blend of skill and power that rattled the ground around them. The alien howled in frustration as they managed to push it back, but despite their combined efforts, it continued to retaliate with relentless, ferocious strikes.

Amid the chaos, Azar felt the raw thrill of combat, his senses heightened as he dodged a strike, landing a powerful punch against the alien's torso. The creature snarled in response, its many eyes narrowing as it reevaluated him as a threat.

Beside him, Atomic Samurai's blade moved with precision, slicing into the alien's thick skin, drawing dark, viscous blood. Bang's strikes were controlled and deliberate, each hit targeting a weak spot he had quickly assessed. Metal Bat and Puri-Puri Prisoner charged in, landing powerful blows that shook the ground beneath them.

As the fight raged on, Azar couldn't help but feel exhilarated by the challenge. This alien, with its otherworldly strength and resilience, was unlike any opponent he'd faced before.