[1 hour and 30 minutes ago]
Kael and Michael entered the mansion, and as expected, the ballroom was nothing short of magnificent. It was a grand, high-ceilinged expanse adorned with glittering crystal chandeliers, polished marble floors, intricate gold-and-white moldings, and floor-to-ceiling windows draped in rich velvet—together forming a flawless harmony of elegance and opulence befitting a royal feast.
As luxury cars glided toward the mansion's illuminated entrance, guests emerged in designer gowns and bespoke suits, their presence a testament to modern refinement and influence. Beneath the shimmering chandeliers of the grand ballroom, Sir De Moreau, Marie, and their four daughters were seated beneath a gilded canopy, graciously welcoming an elite assembly of politicians, business magnates, fashion icons, and renowned artists.
A live jazz ensemble infused the atmosphere with smooth, resonant melodies, while a Michelin-starred chef presented an exquisite culinary showcase. Throughout the hall, conversations flourished among global influencers, as entertainers—from a refined dance troupe to a world-famous singer—captivated the distinguished audience, rendering the evening a seamless fusion of tradition and contemporary sophistication.
Now that all the guests had seemingly arrived, the self-assured De Moreau lifted his crystal glass, his commanding voice silencing the room with effortless authority.
DeMoreau: Honored guests, distinguished friends, and bien-aimé family, it is with immense joy and pride that I welcome you all to this soirée. Tonight, we gather not merely to indulge in fine company and finer fare, but to celebrate a moment most precious to our hearts—the return of my daughter, Evelyne. Her journey has been one of courage and triumph, and her presence once again graces this manson with a light that has been profoundly missed. Let us raise our glasses—to her, and to family.
The guests lifted their glasses in unison, applause rippling gracefully through the hall.
DeMoreau: Now, I invite you all to enjoy this evening—to partake in the company of great minds, to savor the finest delicacies, and to revel in the joyous occasion of my fille's return.
He gestured toward the elegant figure standing nearby.
De Moreau: And now, I shall pass the floor to our Fille d'honneur, who has so graciously prepared the program for this evening. Let us continue this celebration with the festivities she has so meticulously orchestrated for us.
With a graceful nod, the Fille d'honneur stepped forward, signaling the commencement of the evening's carefully curated entertainment. The room quieted in eager anticipation as the program began.
Firstly, classical music took center stage, as a string quartet performed timeless compositions by Mozart and Bach, their delicate harmonies filling the ballroom with refined elegance.
Next, a Mexican Mariachi band burst onto the scene, their vibrant charro suits and sombreros as striking as their spirited melodies. The lively rhythms resonated throughout the hall, and the guests soon found themselves clapping along, their smiles widening with each spirited note.
Amid the merriment, as the guests reveled in the performances, Kael noticed someone standing at the balcony.
Kael: Look, Michael.
He pointed toward the figure.
Michael followed his gaze and spotted a person at the balcony, wearing a watch identical to their own.
Michael: Could he be—?
Kael: S-Class? Possibly. Come on.
They then moved toward the balcony to approach the individual.
Kael: Excuse me, sir, but are you an S-Class hero?
Carter: Yes. And you must be Kael, leader of Nexus-5. And please, don't call me 'sir.' I'm barely older than you. The name's Carter.
He shook hands with Kael and Michael.
Carter: Or you may know me as UnderPressure, S-Class Rank 7.
Kael: A pleasure to meet you, si— I mean, Carter. Are you here as a bodyguard?
Carter: In a manner of speaking. One can never predict when an enemy might strike, can one?
He chuckled softly.
Kael: You're… absolutely right.
He returned the chuckle.
Leona approached and greeted them.
Leona: Hey! How are you boys doing?
Kael:(Teasingly) Leona? Or should I say, Dame Evelyne?
He performed an exaggerated curtsy.
Leona:(Shyly) Stop… How are you doing, Michael?
Michael: I'm fine. I just… I'm not quite accustomed to events like this.
Leona: I see. And you must be…?
She turned her gaze toward Carter.
Carter: Carter. S-Class hero, assigned as a bodyguard for this evening. A pleasure to meet you, ma'am.
Leona: Likewise.
The mariachi band had just concluded their performance, and it was now time for the Chinese dance.
Leona: Oh, my father wants us to demonstrate our powers after this. He wishes to see what superpowers looks like.
Kael: Doesn't sound like a problem to me. Michael?
Michael: Better than standing idle, I suppose.
As the Chinese dance commenced, Carter's gaze sharpened upon someone among the performers.
Carter: Wait a moment… that woman is—
He suddenly realized.
Carter: EVERYBODY, GET OUT!!!
In the next instant, the Chinese woman—moving in seamless rhythm with her shanzi—abruptly unleashed a torrent of fire that spiraled outward with her dance. Flames erupted throughout the mansion, engulfing sections of the grand hall, injuring guests and guards alike as alarms blared in violent succession.
Through the chaos, the woman advanced toward De Moreau. The moment he saw her face, recognition dawned upon him.
DeMoreau: Ling Na? What are you doing?
LingNa: Silence, old man! It was because of you that my father died. I have waited eight years for this moment. Repent for your sins!
She resumed her dance and released another blazing arc toward De Moreau. But Leona arrived just in time, stepping before the inferno and conjuring an energy shield that absorbed the flames in a radiant barrier.
Seizing the opening, Michael launched "Cord Breaker" at Ling Na from behind. Yet before the strike could reach her, a slab of rock surged upward, intercepting the attack and shielding her from harm.
The force behind Michael's strike was sufficient to shatter the rising rock and drive the impact through to Ling Na, sending her hurtling away from De Moreau. Yet her reflexes ignited in an instant; twisting mid-air, she performed a fluid aerial dance, summoning spiraling winds to steady herself and dissipate the force of the blow.
Carter: SpiceGirl, end this tyranny. You've caused enough destruction. Look around you—look at the people you're hurting. You are not a Dark Knight. You know that.
LingNa: Silence, Under Pressure. You have no idea what I have endured. This bastard—(She pointed at De Moreau, who was being tended to by Leona)—killed the only person who ever loved me in this world.
DeMoreau: That is not true. While he was—
LingNa: Enough lies! I will see his corpse displayed in this mansion!
Once more, Ling Na resumed her dance, but this time her movements shifted—sharper, more volatile. Lightning erupted from her whirling form, lashing toward Leona and De Moreau. Leona had no time to summon another barrier to shield either herself or her father.
Then, abruptly, the world seemed to decelerate. Movement thinned into sluggish fragments; even the lightning crawled forward at an unnaturally diminished pace inside the bubble.
It was Carter. He had activated his ability—the power to slow time, sustained for a maximum of four seconds inside a bubble that naturally came out from him.
With swift calculation, Carter seized a nearby table and positioned it directly in the lightning's path. Yet the four seconds elapsed, and the moment time resumed its natural flow, the lightning struck the table with catastrophic force. It detonated upon impact, the explosion hurling Carter violently backward.
Michael rushed to assist Carter. Leona remained at her father's side, ensuring his safety, while Juliette guided her sisters and mother toward evacuation. Additional guards stormed in with firearms, but Ling Na dispatched them with effortless precision.
Kael resolved to confront Ling Na head-on, determined to buy De Moreau the time needed to escape.
He charged toward her, intent on closing the distance and inflicting meaningful damage.
Ling Na noticed his approach and flowed into a succession of intricate movements, unleashing a barrage of lightning bolts, fireballs, and slicing gusts of wind.
Yet Kael remained composed, continuously erasing space to shift his position from left to right, evading each assault with calculated precision. When he closed within two meters, a massive slab of rock erupted from the ground to shield Ling Na. Kael perceived through the obstruction and erased the stone from existence.
However, to his surprise, Ling Na had already prepared another strike—a concentrated sphere of water.
The water projectile launched directly at Kael's chest, sending him hurtling backward before crashing onto the royal table.
The impact forced the air from his lungs. As the water sphere struck with crushing force, Kael struggled to draw breath.
Immediately after Carter and Michael concluded their brief exchange regarding strategy, Michael seized Carter and hurled him toward Ling Na. She braced herself against Carter's incoming strike, and as their fists collided—
Carter: Please, don't do this. It doesn't have to end this way.
LingNa:(Angrily) Yes, it does. You always choose to see the good in people—but you cannot save someone like him.
Carter:(Inhales) Then you leave me no choice.
Carter raised his left fist, angling his body in the opposite direction. At that precise moment, Michael unleashed Cord Breaker and drove his fist into Carter's raised hand.
Carter's body possessed the elastic properties of rubber, enabling him to absorb impact and redirect it outward—amplifying the force in the process. The momentum of Michael's punch coursed through Carter's frame and surged into his right fist, which remained locked against Ling Na's arm. The redirected force detonated upon contact, inflicting damage and sending her staggering backward.
Ling Na could no longer restrain her fury. With seething rage, she initiated her "DeathDance"—a devastating sequence designed to unleash the entirety of her arsenal in a single, catastrophic display.
She ascended into mid-air, her elemental forces—fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning—whirling around her in a violent constellation of power. Before she could grow further beyond restraint, Michael lunged toward her in an attempt to halt the escalation. Yet Ling Na had crossed into a terrifying threshold of strength—greater than even Carter had ever witnessed.
Michael propelled himself forward, but Ling Na overwhelmed him utterly. A crushing gale struck him from above, driving him downward, while a massive slab of stone surged upward from beneath, colliding into him with brutal force. Blood escaped his lips as the impact launched him skyward, smashing him through the ceiling and out of the mansion.
Recovering with fierce resolve, Michael plunged back down into the fray. But Ling Na had already prepared another ambush. As he descended near her, a lightning arrow pierced through the air and struck him, hurling him backward—until Carter intercepted him mid-flight.
Ling Na's focus shifted once more toward De Moreau.
Leona could do nothing but brace herself and shield her father with her energy barrier. Yet with every successive assault, the barrier dimmed—its glow weakening as Ling Na's attacks intensified without mercy.
Carter turned to Michael and instructed him to throw him with all his strength. Without hesitation, Michael unraveled both of his arms—preparing to comply.
Michael gripped Carter's arm firmly and spun him with tremendous force, generating additional momentum before releasing him. Ling Na detected the maneuver and swiftly fortified herself with rising stone. Yet Kael stepped in at the precise moment, hurling pieces of candy from a nearby bowl—each infused with his Second Erasure.
The candy fragments dissolved the rocky barricade upon contact, clearing a direct path to Ling Na.
Carter offered Kael a brief nod of gratitude before activating his ability once more, slowing time at the critical juncture between himself and Ling Na. Aware that the restraining band would not function within the distorted flow of time, he made an immediate decision. Squaring his stance, he raised both fists, murmured a quiet apology, and unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes upon her—using the full span of four seconds to weaken her as much as possible.
As the final blow drove her to the ground, time resumed its natural pace. Leona, being closest, swiftly secured the power nullifying band around Ling Na before she could recover.
Moments later, the ballroom doors were forced open as Charlie and Diego rushed inside—only to discover that the battle had already concluded.
Kael: You two are late. Anyway, how was the date?
Charlie and Diego froze in place, neither able to utter a word, their shared embarrassment rendering them speechless.
Kael: Oh… I see.(Smirks)
They prepared to send Ling Na to the Ice Box, but De Moreau intervened and stepped forward to confront her.
DeMoreau: I know that you despise me at this moment, but I need you to hear the truth. Your father and I were once close friends—partners in every sense. However, when I discovered that he had been supplying our technology to dangerous individuals, he had to be stopped and brought to justice. Yet he was still my dear friend. So I instructed my men to bring him to me so we could speak. But he panicked on the road and fell into the freezing river. I never intended harm upon your father—nor upon you. That is why I concealed his crimes, for your sake.
He picked up her shanzi.
De Moreau: This was your father's final gift to you.
He placed the shanzi gently into her hands.
De Moreau:And I will take nothing from you ever again.
As the truth settled upon Ling Na, the fury that had sustained her began to crumble. She could no longer restrain her tears. Sobs overtook her as she apologized.
De Moreau embraced her in quiet consolation and gently wiped away her tears. In that moment, Ling Na's vengeance dissolved along with her hatred, and she agreed to go to the Ice Box.
Kael: I realize I perhaps shouldn't ask this, but… did you two share a history?
Carter: Two years. We were together for two years. But this was the first time I have ever seen her like this. She was a B-Class hero—known by the codename 'Spice Girl.'
Michael: Hatred has a way of blinding people.
Carter: …Yes. So does love.
They turned their gaze toward Leona and her family, who stood together in a quiet embrace—grateful simply to be alive.
Charlie: Maybe she's better off with her family. She needs them more than she needs us.
Kael: …You're right. She'll be happier with them.
Soon, guards, paramedics, and police flooded the mansion. Kael and the others, exhausted from the ordeal, decided to withdraw for the night.
Far across the city, atop a towering building, a solitary man sat in silence as his phone rang.
Stranger:(Answers the call) Yes, of course. No problem, boss. Tomorrow morning? As you wish.
He ended the call—and the phone was crushed instantly, without a single touch.