To Go Beyond 1

"Why am I here?" I asked, sitting atop what looked to be a cloud overlooking a metropolis. Sunlight beamed down on the city, as picturesque as a postcard.

"Honestly, this is just one of my favorite places to sit," a voice said from behind me.

I turned my head and saw, to my amazement, a gigantic angel sitting next to me on the cloud. His face was one of pure, complete contentment.

Before I could say anything else, he looked me in the eyes. For one of the few times in my life, I felt naked, exposed, as though every part of me was being seen and judged.

But I wasn't afraid. I'd lived a full life, or at least I thought I had. I waited, watching as his eyes, which had been glowing with golden fire, softened.

"You know, when I look at others like that, they usually become uncomfortable—some even terrified. You seem unaffected."

I assumed he already knew what I was going to say, but I still felt the need to respond. "Should I be afraid of something inevitable? I don't fear for my soul, unless you're planning something perverse."

The last part came out with a bit of an accusatory tone, but I wasn't truly angry.

The angel scoffed in amusement. "Don't worry. I'm no pedophile," he replied dryly. "Though I do fear for anyone who's gone to an afterlife run by a multiversal version of Dr. DisRespect."

Even I found myself nodding at that, shivering at the thought. So, for a few moments, we just sat there, looking down on the city.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Well, being dead… I could imagine worse ways to go. Though I do wish I'd lived past thirty. But, to be honest, I'd rather die young than stick around in the world I was leaving."

The angel gave a slight nod, seeming to understand. "Yes, most worlds that follow the normal timeline end in one of two ways—and neither is preferable." I wanted to ask what those two ways were, but deep down, I already knew.

He continued, "But as much as I'd love to reminisce, I have an offer for you."

I raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know angels made deals. Are you a devil in disguise?"

"Elvis reference aside, any sentient being can make a deal. I just don't bargain for souls, only opportunities."

"That sounds exactly like what a demon would say."

He chuckled. "Please. I've killed more demons than you've taken steps in a week. Seriously, you have no idea how many demons try to become multiverse-level conquerors. Just last week, I dealt with an infestation of incubi who nearly jumped dimensions. Between all the reincarnates who think with their lower parts, I have quite the busy schedule."

"So, what… you're some kind of multiverse cop?"

The angel thought about this for a moment, then looked back at me. "Someone has to keep order. It's not like I'm eliminating every transmigrator or reincarnate, only the ones who cross the line. For example, if you landed in a world like Marvel, I wouldn't bother you unless you unleashed an eldritch horror or corrupted the timeline. Fanboys being horny and reckless doesn't really concern me." I gave him a look at that last part; I'd thought angels weren't supposed to have lustful thoughts.

"Again, I'm not your typical angel," he said with a smirk. "I take this form to be more approachable to souls. I could show up in my biblically accurate form, but that isn't the best conversation starter."

I immediately agreed. A giant eyeball with wings wouldn't exactly be comforting.

"I appreciate you letting me go on this little tangent," he continued. "Now, here's the deal. I want to offer you a second chance."

Only one question came to mind. "Why?"

The curious look on my face seemed to amuse him, like he'd heard that question a million times but still enjoyed answering it.

"That's part of what I'm offering. You see, the whole multiverse cop thing requires a lot of manpower. I could create androids, cyborgs, even homunculi, but I'd rather have outside perspectives. I don't want to trap myself in an echo chamber."

"So you want me to join your multiverse police force? I did make a living off hitting people, though the specifics are a bit lost on me." The angel's smile never wavered.

"Your wrestling career, yes. Good stuff. And you dabbled in mixed martial arts too. Very impressive." I couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride at the compliment.

"But it's not just about your career. It's your perspective. You used force because you had no other option. You're stubborn and not exactly a genius, but sometimes it's not intelligence that saves worlds. Look at Lex Luthor from DC Comics." I wasn't a huge comics fan, but I felt a twinge of annoyance that someone that smart couldn't find a way to take over the world without violence.

"Pride," he said, as if reading my thoughts, "is a slow killer. It doesn't just kill the mind and soul; it kills ambition. People think pride fuels ambition, but it twists it. Pride without the power to back it up is just smoke, and it's one of the worst traits in many worlds. Don't even get me started on cultivation worlds. But anyway," he paused, "I'm offering you a place in my organization. And as a signing bonus, I'll give you a second chance. This is not slavery; it's your choice."

It was probably the closest thing to a lie he'd said. I had a choice, but we both knew what I would say.

"If I get rewarded for beating up bad guys, that's all you had to say. So… when do we start?"

The angel stood to his full height, towering over me. As he did, I felt a force like telekinesis lifting my soul, gathering power around me.

The once-large metropolis now looked small, fitting in the palm of his hand. Then he raised his other hand, finger outstretched like a galaxy-spanning beacon, and touched my chest. I felt a strange tingling sensation, growing hotter.

Strength surged through me.

Motivation ignited in me.

Courage flooded every fiber of my being.

For the first time since I'd arrived here, I felt truly alive. I smiled, and found that I couldn't stop.

The angel's voice was loud and resonant, like a command echoing through the cosmos. "Rise, rise, and be made anew. Inspire hope, inspire peace, and bring fear to those who hide in the dark."

As his hand closed, I heard his voice one last time.

"You shall wield all the strength your soul can conjure. And remember, you are never alone."

With that, I felt myself plummeting down a tunnel that looked like a mix of a wormhole and an acid trip. And I wasn't scared. In fact, I felt exhilarated, eager to see what lay beyond.

Soon enough, the portal spat me out, and I fell faster than I'd ever moved, muscle memory kicking in to brace myself for impact.

I hit the ground with a crash, my fist buried in the concrete in a classic superhero landing.

As I looked up through the dust and debris, I saw men in green jumpsuits with green skull helmets. Behind them, a group of people who looked like politicians were staring wide-eyed at me. Almost unconsciously, a smile formed on my face.

The Hydra soldiers in their green skull helmets lined up in formation across the plaza, their blasters aimed at me. I couldn't help but laugh, the sound echoing out of me like a roar.

One soldier barked an order, and they opened fire in unison. I launched forward, faster than I'd ever moved in my life, weaving between the shots. I felt my muscles respond with perfect precision, moving as if they had always been this strong.

With one swift swing, I struck the nearest Hydra goon across the chest, sending him skidding across the plaza into a decorative fountain. The second soldier raised his blaster, trying to shoot at point-blank range. I grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back, and disarmed him with a quick flick of my wrist.

"Is that the best you can do?" I taunted, my booming voice sounding almost strange to my own ears. The disarmed soldier slumped unconscious, and I turned to face the rest.

Two more soldiers charged at me, one swinging the butt of his weapon while the other aimed at my face. I ducked, slipped under the swing, and delivered a swift punch to his stomach, sending him sprawling back.

I leapt to avoid a wave of blaster fire, dodging easily. Four soldiers formed a defensive line, trying to corner me, but I leaped over them, clapping my hands together in mid-air to unleash a shockwave that threw them off balance.

"Twelve left!" I called, laughing again, exhilarated.

More soldiers tried to flank me, firing in a coordinated wave. I crouched low, feeling power build in my legs, then sprang upward. As I soared, I adjusted my trajectory, came down in the middle of the group, and sent them sprawling back with another shockwave.

One soldier, desperate, lobbed a grenade. Instinctively, I punched forward, intercepting it mid-air and sending it back. It detonated above them, lighting up the plaza in a brilliant flash.

The remaining soldiers were thrown into disarray. I took advantage of the chaos, disarming and knocking each one out, keeping my blows measured but powerful.

As the last soldier surrendered, the plaza fell quiet. But then, the ground began to rumble, and I looked up as a massive Hydra mech shaped like a squid emerged. Towering above me, its metal tentacles curled down, and I felt my heart rate pick up.

I dashed forward, dodging its energy cannon and a flurry of tentacles slamming down around me. I zigzagged through the chaos, jumping onto a tentacle and using it as a springboard to launch myself at its core. My punch shattered the mech's glass eye, but I wasn't done.

I swung from tentacle to tentacle, dodging sparks and exposed wires. Another tentacle caught me, coiling tightly, but I flexed my strength and broke free with an explosion of metal shards.

Below me, the mech's core pulsed, preparing a massive blast. I raised my fists high. "TEXAS SMASH!" I roared, slamming down on its core. The impact created a shockwave that caved the mech in, and as its tentacles went limp, I jumped down as it collapsed behind me.

With a grin, I declared to the onlookers, "Be not afraid, I am here!"

I heard jets roar above me, and I looked up to see Iron Man lowering himself to the ground.

"Well, I missed the party," he said, looking around at the wreckage. "Are you with them?"

I kept my smile steady. "Of course not, Iron Man. I saw civilians in trouble and intervened."

He chuckled. "That has to be the corniest thing I've ever heard. Captain America much?"

I scratched the back of my head. "I'm new here, alright? I had the power to intervene, so I did. But I could use some help figuring out where I am."

Iron Man paused, studying me. "Okay… then do you know your name?"

Thinking fast, I improvised. "To my friends, I'm Kent. But in moments like this, you can call me All Might!"

He stood there, silent, before heaving a sigh. "Well, 'All Might,' you saved lives today. Tomorrow's papers are going to love you—" Before he could finish, three large projectiles launched from the wreckage of the Hydra mech.

"Look out!" I yelled, grabbing Iron Man mid-air and jumping out of the way just in time. I turned to the remaining civilians. "Leave the area immediately!"

Iron Man flew up to get a better look, but before he could say anything, three Hydra Dreadnoughts stepped out of the smoke, their eyes glowing green as they locked onto us.

"Well," I said, cracking my knuckles, "I guess this party isn't over yet."

Essences Used: Involate, Plus Ultra, Blank, My Hero Academia

(So yeah this little snippet just came about because I was thinking about a lot of hero stories and is this cringe definitely but I feel like I needed to write something so I wrote something very cringe worthy.)

(Also if anyone is confused, the main character is currently in the universe of avengers earth's mightiest heroes.)