"I order you to stop in the name of the hero division," a woman clad in a midnight-black tactical suit, and a similar color mask.
This was the C rank kinetic hero, Impact.
"I won't let you get away this time" she muttered under her breath as she used Dash burst to boost herself forward.
Her ability allowed her to absorb Kinetic energy and use it in different ways, which was what currently allowed her to keep up with this super speeding freak.
Or maybe it was because the person was still clumsy in using their abilities.
Just ahead of Impact was the said super speeding freak. He donned a black and red hoodie, with the hood covering his face.
Just as impact thought, he was a complete newbie in using his abilities but he had successfully used them to evade her the last time, so doing it again shouldn't be that hard.....right?
He was snapped out of his thoughts when he was suddenly faced with a wall, luckily he reacted fast enough to change directions.
The hooded figure sprinting ahead was none other than Zayne Kade, our main character.
And to understand why he was currently fleeing from a Hero Division enforcer, we need to rewind the clock a few weeks.
____________
Ring! Ring!
The phone's alarm went off for the nth time today only for a hand to emerge from beneath the covers and slap it into snooze, just like all the times before.
A couple of minutes later, the same hand sluggishly reached for the phone again, this time with the intent to check the time.
There was a moment of silence before —
"Shit!"
The blanket flew off like it had been ejected as Zayne Kade shot up from bed, his amber-golden eyes wide with horror as the numbers on the screen glared back at him: 8:47 AM.
He was supposed to be at the Hero Algorithm Screening Center by 8:30.
In a blur of motion and pure panic, he tripped over his bedsheet, stubbed his toe on the corner of his desk, cursed like a sailor, and scrambled to throw on whatever vaguely clean clothes he could find.
He had no time for breakfast or even to brush his teeth. He'd be lucky if his shoes even matched.
"Mom's gonna kill me," he muttered under his breath, bolting for the door.
Then, as if the universe hadn't had enough fun yet, he skidded to a halt, ran back, grabbed the official letter with his appointment QR code, and finally dashed out like the apartment was on fire.
This was not how a future hero was supposed to start their day.
Hurrying to the train station, he was lucky enough to catch the last morning training heading to Central Sector – Hero Division Hub. The doors had almost closed before Zayne squeezed through, panting and clutching the letter like it held his entire future because, well, it kind of did.
He collapsed into the nearest seat, ignoring the stares from neatly dressed professionals and students in academy uniforms.
Compared to them, he looked like he'd been dragged backwards through a laundry bin. His hoodie was wrinkled, his shirt was half, tucked, and he was almost certain he was wearing two different socks.
But all that didn't matter, what mattered now was making sure not to miss his screening.
He looked out the window, watching the buildings pass by in a blur as the train continued moving.
Zayne focused on his reflected self on the train's window as it stared back at him. His head looked like a battle field, with his curls falling to his face and a low taper cut on the sides, but that was how he preferred it.
A faint bandage crossed the bridge of his nose, yesterday's reminder that balance was still a work in progress.
He sighed and slumped back against his seat, despite all the chaos, he couldn't deny his excitement.
After all, this was the day he would make fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a hero.
The train ride continued quietly, well as quiet as a train ride can be, until the automated voice of the train system chimed in, announcing their next stop:
Central Sector – Hero Division Hub
Zayne sat up straight, taking his phone out to look at the time again.
8:58 AM.
"Cutting it close…" he muttered, stuffing the phone into his pocket as the train began to slow.
The moment the doors hissed open, Zayne was already on his feet. Jumping out of the train, he immediately switched back to running.
The Hero Division Hub was a massive, futuristic fortress of steel and glass. Massive sky scrappers, that seemed to touch the sky, towered the bustling hub.
Giant banners displaying the Hero Division's emblem, a silver gauntlet clenched around a radiant star, fluttered in the artificial wind generated by high-altitude turbines.
At ground level, the hub resembled a fortified civic center crossed with a sci-fi military base. Armed personnel and drones patrolled the perimeter, scanning IDs and watching the crowds that constantly moved through the area.
Hovercrafts passed overhead, and massive LED displays broadcast the latest hero rankings, footage of rescue missions, and public announcements.
The front plaza was a wide expanse of polished stone inlaid with glowing circuits, where hero candidates and certified heroes walked shoulder-to-shoulder.
Golden statues of legendary S-rank heroes stood proudly along the path leading to the main entrance, each one frozen mid-pose in an epic moment of triumph—reminders of greatness, and of what Zayne was supposed to be aspiring toward.
But for now, he didn't pay any attention to the spectacle as he ran past the statues, nearly tripping over a kid taking a selfie beside one of them.
"Sorry!" Zayne shouted over his shoulder without stopping.
The entrance itself was guarded by an arching gateway of reinforced alloy, manned by uniformed staff.
Just before reaching it, Zayne skidded to a stop in front of a glowing panel labeled:
"Hero Candidate Verification – Appointments Only."
He fumbled for his letter and held up the QR code. A soft beep, followed by a pulse of light, scanned his ID. A second later, the panel turned green.
ACCESS GRANTED.
Zayne exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding as the gate slid open, and he stepped through.
This was the start of his journey as a hero....or so he thought.