Benny woke up to the usual blaring of his alarm, the same as every day. The noise felt deafening in the quiet of his room, but it was the only thing that seemed to wake him from his restless nights. He had gotten used to the grind of life at Highsmith Academy.
A cold shower to shake off the sleep, a quick breakfast, and then he was off. The academy was vast, its training facilities sprawling across multiple buildings, each one designed for a different aspect of heroism. Today, as usual, he started with a lecture.
Monsters. Their types, weaknesses, and strengths. It was always fascinating, yet there was something about the subject that made Benny uneasy. He could recall the lessons from years ago—the talk about how monsters had terrorized the world and how heroes were meant to fight them.
But for some reason, Benny's eyes always lingered on the monster's weaknesses. The same question echoed in his mind: What if I'm not strong enough to face them?
Next was the fighting class. Benny could always count on the sparring sessions to get his blood pumping, though it wasn't as exhilarating as he wanted it to be. His D-tier abilities weren't exactly amazing, and the other students in his class had powers far superior to his own. Benny did his best, of course. But there was a shadow that hung over him—an ever-present fear of failing. Failing like Akio, who had fought so hard only to be forgotten, only to be left in the ice, a symbol of the past.
By the time school ended, Benny's mood was already heavy, weighed down by the constant reminder that he wasn't good enough. He had never taken any real missions, afraid that if he did, the world would see how weak he really was. How far he had yet to go.
But that night, for reasons he couldn't explain, Benny found himself standing outside the academy's gates. He was pacing at the edge of the forest, his thoughts swirling. The words of his instructors echoed in his mind—about how he couldn't stay sheltered forever. About how every hero had to take risks, face monsters, and overcome their fears.
He had always tried to push those thoughts away. But tonight, something felt different. Something in the air shifted.
This time, I won't run.
He had never taken up a mission, not truly, but now... Benny wanted to prove something to himself. The monsters were always out there. There was always a risk. But if he kept hiding from them, how could he call himself a hero?
A deep breath. And then he stepped forward, into the dense trees that lined the forest just beyond the academy. It was supposed to be a routine patrol. A simple check for any stray monsters in the area. The forest had its share of them.
Benny's pulse quickened as he walked through the underbrush, the dim light of the evening sky barely filtering through the thick canopy above. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves made his heart race. He had never ventured so deep before.
And then, he saw it.
A large, grotesque creature slithered out from behind a thicket of trees. Its scales gleamed with a sickly green hue, and its eyes glowed a menacing amber. It was a snake—a massive one, at least twenty feet long. Its body was coiled around a nearby tree, its head hissing as it looked around.
Benny froze.
It was supposed to be a tier D monster. The same as him. He should be able to handle it. But the fear settled deep in his chest, a weight that seemed to crush his ribs.
Can I do this?
He instinctively took a step back. The snake's eyes locked onto him, its head tilting slightly. Benny could see the venom dripping from its fangs, the scales shimmering like an omen.
No. He couldn't back down now. Not after everything. Not after all this time.
Benny swallowed hard, summoning his courage. He smiled—a fearful smile that betrayed his doubt. He tightened his fists and activated his powers. The air around him crackled as his aura began to swirl, but his hands shook. Focus.
Focus on the fight.
He remembered what his instructors had taught him. Keep your guard up. Don't show weakness. Be strong. Show your opponents that you have control.
The snake lunged at him with incredible speed, its mouth wide open, fangs glistening like knives. Benny barely had time to react. He dodged, his body jerking to the left as he barely avoided the snap of the snake's jaws. He could feel the wind rush by him as the snake's massive head passed just inches from his side.
But Benny was already on the move. His powers flared, his aura expanding as he summoned energy into his hands. He shot forward, using his speed to close the distance between them. His fists collided with the snake's scales, but they didn't penetrate. The creature's skin was tougher than he had anticipated.
He gritted his teeth and pulled back. This wasn't working. His hands were bloodied from the impact, but he couldn't stop. The snake had barely flinched.
I'm too weak.
The thought made his heart race faster, but he couldn't let it consume him. He couldn't afford to doubt himself.
Benny leapt back as the snake struck again, its mouth opening wide. This time, he saw it—the weakness. The soft underbelly of the creature, the only vulnerable part of its thick, armored body.
He had to move fast.
With a battle cry, Benny surged forward, throwing himself beneath the snake's mouth as it struck. He used his momentum to ram his fists into the snake's underbelly, channeling everything he had left into the blow.
The snake screeched in pain, its body convulsing before it collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash. Benny stood over it, panting heavily, his heart still racing in his chest.
I did it.
But even as he breathed a sigh of relief, doubt began to creep back in.
Had it really been a victory? Or had he just gotten lucky?
Benny stared at the fallen creature, the weight of his emotions pressing against him. He had won... but it hadn't felt like a true victory.
Was I really ready?
The silence of the forest was deafening as Benny looked down at the massive snake, lying motionless on the ground. The monster was dead, but a part of Benny wasn't sure if he was truly alive inside.