The warp shimmered and dissolved, leaving Mike standing on the familiar streets of Brighton. The sea breeze tugged at his coat, carrying the faint scent of salt and roasted coffee. Beside him, Echo's dark silhouette and Emiko's pink hair glimmered softly beneath the fading sun.
Chloe, already leaning against a lamppost, straightened as she caught sight of him. Her grin widened, sharp and teasing.
"Oh, I see how it is," she called, flicking a strand of hair aside. "Trying to collect a harem, huh?"
Mike didn't react. Freya stepped forward, hesitant. "Who… who are you?"
"Must be afraid," Mike said simply, voice calm and deliberate, gaze unwavering.
Behind them, Mio's worried tone cut in. "So… how are we going to carry all the bags?"
Chloe snorted. "Oh please, there's no way he could possibly—"
A faint shimmer interrupted her. In an instant, every shopping bag — clothes, snacks, even a blender — vanished into Mike's pocket dimension. Every jaw dropped. Emiko tilted her head with a sly smile. Echo's eyes narrowed, analyzing the anomaly. Chloe blinked at the empty air.
Mike's voice cut through the silence. "Freya, it's alright. I mean no harm. Please, trust us for now."
A hum of warp energy enveloped them, and the Brighton streets dissolved into mist, replaced by the island shore. Mike lowered the group gently onto the sand as waves whispered at the coastline.
"Keep yourselves busy," he said, calm but firm. "I'm going to bring the last two members."
Before anyone could respond, he vanished.
---
He emerged in a dim, cluttered basement in Japan. Blueprints, drones, and scattered prototypes filled every corner. At the center, a young man soldered a circuit with surgical focus.
Renji Takahashi froze mid-motion as the air crackled. "What… the hell?" His eyes darted around, mind running numbers. "No displacement vector—no field distortion—how—"
⟦System Notice — High-level intellect human detected.⟧
Nova's voice rang smoothly in Mike's head, faintly amused.
⟦Curious brain detected. You found a rare one, master.⟧
"Stats," Mike murmured.
⟦Physical: 0.5 (Average). Mental: 5.0 (Superhuman Anomaly). Note — Average human genius caps ≈ 2.5. Subject exceeds known parameters.⟧
Renji finally met his gaze, wary but fascinated. "You—how did you enter without breaching the spatial grid? There's no warp signature, no ripple. You're… something else."
Mike stepped forward, steady. "Renji Takahashi. The world is out of balance. The future is collapsing. Your knowledge is needed."
Renji's mind ticked. "A team? What kind of team?"
"Not one for glory," Mike said. "A team that protects. People who'll stand when everything else falls apart."
Renji's curiosity overcame caution. "And my equipment?"
Mike raised a hand. Every blueprint and half-built drone shimmered and vanished into his pocket dimension.
Renji blinked, then smiled faintly. "Interesting. I'll go. But I'm not blindly following — I'll watch how you operate."
"Fair." Mike inclined his head. "That's all I ask."
Warp.
---
Brooklyn glowed in late-afternoon light. Mike and Renji materialized on a weathered rooftop overlooking a narrow alley. Below, chaos brewed: five thugs circled a small, bespectacled kid trembling on the ground. Standing between them was Dante Cross — dark hair, dark eyes, body honed like tempered steel.
"Come on then!" Dante roared. "You think you're tough?"
He moved like a storm unleashed — a kick sent one man flying; a punch folded another. The ground split under his steps. Pure strength and raw intent.
Mike watched, calm.
⟦Physical Stats: 4.2. High output. Potential growth: unstable — but promising.⟧
When the fight ended, Dante turned sharply, spotting Mike and Renji. "You two part of this?" he barked — then lunged without waiting.
His punch came like a sledgehammer. Mike caught it midair with one hand.
Dante's eyes widened. He swung again, faster; Mike sidestepped. Each miss cracked the rooftop, concrete splintering beneath their feet. Dante pressed on, half-grinning in disbelief.
Renji observed, arms folded. "Brute strength combined with instinctive tactics. He's not just swinging — he's calculating through motion."
Mike deflected another blow and finally spoke, calm as still water. "We're not your enemies."
Dante paused, breathing hard. Behind him, the bullied kid scrambled up.
"Go," Dante ordered, voice rough but kind. "Get out of here."
The boy ran. Dante turned back. "So what are you?"
"A friend," Mike replied. "We're gathering people who protect the weak when no one else will. You believe in that, don't you?"
Dante's jaw tightened. The memory of a hospital bed, his grandmother's frail hand, flashed behind his eyes. He exhaled slowly.
"If it means protecting others," he said at last, "I'm in."
Mike nodded once. "Then welcome."
Warp.
---
They reappeared on the island as twilight settled. Freya stood near the shore, Echo silent beside her, Emiko half-sprawled on a crate. Chloe had both hands on her hips.
Mio was the first to rush forward, relief flooding her voice. "Mikey! You're finally back! Took you long enough!" She brushed imaginary dust from his sleeve, smiling warmly but hiding worry in her eyes.
Mike's expression softened for the briefest moment. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Nova chimed faintly in his head, her tone lighter than usual.
⟦Observation — Emotional fluctuation detected. Correlation source: Subject Mio. Curious… we sound similar, don't we?⟧
He ignored it, a quiet smile ghosting his lips.
Chloe folded her arms and smirked. "Two more guys, huh? I swear, if it was another girl, I'd have seriously beaten the crap out of you."
Emiko burst out laughing. "Aw, c'mon, Chlo-Chlo, don't be jealous! We still love ya!"
Renji adjusted his glasses, scanning everyone with quiet intrigue. Dante crossed his arms, sizing them all up.
Mike looked at them — the strategist, the brawler, the assassin, the inventor, the empath, the trickster, the skeptic.
Brains. Brawn. Chaos. Grace. Loyalty. Balance.
A spark of purpose ignited behind his eyes.
"The team," he murmured, "is complete."
The waves broke against the island rocks, carrying their silhouettes into the rising dusk.
Next came awakening.
And with it — the beginning of everything.