The screen doesn't fade in. It glitches. A sudden burst of neon pink static rips through the air, and suddenly, we aren't in Asm's quiet, gray bedroom anymore. We are back in the Pink Dimension, a place where gravity is a suggestion and the sky looks like strawberry cotton candy melting over a giant disco ball.
Little Johnny, a floating head with oversized, white cartoon gloves, is currently trying to eat a cloud. He bites it, and it squeaks.
"Johnny! Stop eating the scenery! We're on!" Pixie-Bell shouted, her tiny wings buzzing like a caffeinated hummingbird. She was wearing her signature miniature tracksuit today, looking more like a gym teacher than a magical fairy.
Johnny stopped chewing, a piece of pink fluff hanging from his mouth. He blinked his huge, glassy eyes at the "camera"—at you. "Oh! Hello, people in the wall! We are back!"
The State of the World (and Why Japan Looks Weird)
Pixie-Bell cleared her throat and pulled down a giant, holographic map of the world. "Alright, listen up, because the lore is getting thick. People keep asking, 'Where are we?' Well, we're in Japan. But it's not the Japan from your history books. This is Japan after the 'Gift Outbreak' ruined the property market."
"I like the new names!" Johnny chirped, pointing a gloved finger at the map. "This city used to be called Tokyo, but now it's called 'Magnificent Justice City'! And Osaka is now 'Golden Shield Town'!"
"Exactly," Pixie-Bell sighed. "In this world, if you're a high-ranking Hero, you don't just get a medal. You get a Mayor position. The government basically said, 'Hey, you saved us from a giant monster, so here, have a whole city to run.' They changed the names of the cities to honor the Heroes who 'liberated' them. It's a huge ego trip."
Johnny tilted his head so far it nearly fell off his neck. "So the Mayor is a Hero? Does that mean the trash gets picked up by someone in a cape?"
"No, Johnny," Pixie-Bell facepalmed. "It means the Hero has total control. And that's where the Corruption starts. Since these 'Heroes' have mayors' powers and superpowers, they do whatever they want. They tax people for 'Protection Fees' and build giant statues of themselves. It's basically a playground for people with Curses and Gifts."
The "Real" Hero vs. The "Title" Heroes
"But wait!" Johnny shouted, his gloves clapping together. "What about the girl who hugged Asm? The one with the scary eyes?"
Pixie-Bell's expression turned serious. "That's the big secret. See, the Hero Agency has thousands of 'Heroes.' They have hero names like Captain Punch or The Blue Streak. But those are just titles. They are just employees with powers. Even the Hero Mayors are just title-holders."
She pointed to a golden icon on the map.
"The girl from Asm's past... she is the Original Hero. In her world—the one she was transmigrated from—she was the only one capable of killing the Demon Lord. She doesn't have a hero name because she doesn't need one. She is the concept. Everyone else in the Agency is just a flashy imitation. That's why she can treat Asm like a 'little bro' while everyone else is terrified of him. She knows she's at the top of the food chain."
Breaking the Fourth Wall (The Guest Arrival)
"Wow," Johnny whispered, his mouth hanging open. "She sounds scary. I hope she never comes here—"
RIP.
The pink fabric of the dimension suddenly tore open like a piece of cheap wrapping paper. A pair of stylish boots stepped through the rift.
"Did someone mention me?"
Johnny let out a sound like a deflating balloon and hid behind Pixie-Bell. Pixie-Bell just froze, her wings stopping mid-air. Standing in the middle of their private dimension was The Hero. She looked casual, a small smirk on her face as she looked around the pink void.
"Nice place," she said, poking a floating bubble. "A bit bright, though."
"Y-you can't be here!" Pixie-Bell stammered. "This is the Intermission! You're supposed to be in the story!"
The Hero laughed, reaching out to boop Johnny's floating nose. "I'm a transmigrator, sweetie. Fourth walls are more like screen doors to me. I just wanted to check in on the viewers." She looked directly at the audience, her eyes gleaming. "Hope you guys are enjoying the show. Just so you know, the Pink Dimension will be popping up every two chapters to explain the stuff Asm is too moody to talk about."
Johnny peeked out from behind Pixie. "Are... are you going to eat us?"
"Only if you're made of chocolate, little head," she joked, making Johnny giggle like a toddler.
The Truth About Corruption and the "Evacuation"
The Hero's face turned slightly more serious as she leaned against a holographic pillar. "I heard you talking about the Mayors. You're right. Corruption in this world is on a whole different level. Take Asm's parents, for example."
"They were villains, right?" Johnny asked.
"In the eyes of the law? Yes," the Hero said. "But they were able to 'evacuate' hundreds of thousands of people from an entire city because they made a deal. They worked with the President and the corrupt Mayors. They guaranteed a new location for the citizens, and the government signed off on it because the Mayors wanted the land for themselves. It wasn't a rescue; it was a business transaction involving human lives."
She sighed, looking at her nails. "That's why the world thinks Asm is a monster. His family moves whole populations like chess pieces. And the government? They're just happy to get a cut of the profit."
The Hero Prevention Center
"And what about the 'Splat' sound?" Johnny asked, referring to the people who died when Asm leveled the building.
The Hero's expression darkened. "That's the darkest part. Whenever I move into a city to fight, the government is supposed to deploy the Hero Prevention Center (HPC). Their only job is to evacuate citizens before the 'Real Hero' arrives, because they know my fights turn cities into dust."
She shook her head. "But like everything else, the HPC is corrupt and lazy. Over the years, they've started taking bribes to evacuate the rich first, or they just get forgetful. They leave the 'unimportant' people behind in the basements and then blame the 'Villain' when the building collapses. It's easier for the public to hate Asm than to realize the government forgot to ring the alarm."
She patted Johnny on the head one last time. "Anyway, I've got to get back. Asm is probably waking up under that blanket Nyra gave him, and I have more 'disrupting' to do."
"Wait!" Pixie-Bell cried. "Give us a hint about the next chapter!"
The Hero stepped back into the rift, waving over her shoulder. "Let's just say... the 'King' is about to find out that his first castle is a lot harder to defend than he thought. See ya in two chapters!"
The rift snapped shut.
Johnny blinked, then looked at Pixie. "She was nice. Can we keep her?"
"She's a menace, Johnny," Pixie-Bell sighed, shaking her head. "But she's the only one who knows the truth. Now, let's get out of here before the pink clouds start raining glitter again!"
The screen glitched one last time, returning to the quiet, gray room where Asm was just beginning to stir.