The Young Sovereigns, Kismet. This newly formed Hero Team was the current hot topic around the world. Only hours after they were announced, the Anti-Calamity Team were forced to face off against Alala the War Angel. Their battle was broadcast across the globe on almost every major media outlet, courtesy of the Global Hero Federation. Billions watched as this young and inexperienced team fought one of the apex predators of the world. They watched them walk on knives as they desperately fought for survival. A battle that defies common sense. A battle where they had no choice but to tango with death. Even so, they beat the odds and survived. This team was now on everyone's radar. As for the team members themselves—
"Did you find him?!"
Belinha asked the Rookies and Batu while out of breath.
"No, I wonder...Did you hear that?"
"I heard it too."
The twins looked around while focusing their senses. Mira looked above her for a few seconds. Her eyes widened as she pointed at the ceiling.
"He's in the ceiling!"
Mikel immediately pointed at the ceiling and fired several lasers. The roof tore open, and Impactor crashed to the ground.
"Shit, they found—"
Before he could get up, he was shoved to the ground by a burly hand. He struggled to lift himself up to no prevail.
"Give up, Celso."
As the voice entered his ears, he looked up at Batu with a glare.
"Damn you, Batu! This is power harassment!"
The ground underneath him softened. His hands sank into the floor, and it hardened before he could react.
"?!"
Impactor's eyes tore open as he realised he was trapped.
"Sorry, Celso."
Bojana stooped down in front of him with a guilty expression.
"We can't have you escaping."
"This is inhumane! A violation of human rights!"
"Stop being dramatic."
He looked up to see Belinha grinning at his misfortune.
"It's just some studying."
Around 15 minutes later, Impactor was strapped to a steel chair with his teammates around him. He was sitting in front of a monitor that was playing a video about the various laws Heroes had to follow and enforce.
"Nooooooo! This is so boring! Turn it off!"
"Kira, muzzle."
"Yes, Ma'am."
At Belinha's order, a muzzle was used to silence Impactor.
"Mhm! Mhm! Mhm!"
Defiant, Impactor still tried to voice his distress but was unsuccessful. As if to rebel, he closed his eyes.
"Mira, force his eyelids open."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Mira went behind Impactor and forced open his eyelids with her fingers.
"Mikel, fire a laser at the back of his head anytime he rolls his eyes.
"Yes, Ma'am."
Mikel pointed his finger at Impactor's head and formed a laser at his fingertip.
"Don't you think we're taking this too far?"
Batu asked as Mikel fired a laser at Impactor's head.
"Nah, he needs to start acting like a Hero. He can't just run wild all the time. It will put us in trouble."
Belinha waved her hand in front of Impactor's face while inspecting his eyes. She gave a thumbs-up and returned to the side.
"Still, I've never seen someone fight this hard to not learn. You would think we're torturing him or something."
Batu looked at Impactor, who was frothing through the muzzle.
".....Aren't we though?"
After nearly an hour, Impactor was released, and he collapsed to the ground.
"I can't believe he literally turned off his brain and blanked out just to not learn."
Belinha stooped down and poked him until his body twitched.
"We had to slap him to remind him to breathe....What manner of creature is this?"
"Looks like she no longer recognises him as a fellow human being."
Batu mumbled with a wry smile.
"Get up, Celso. It's time for combat training."
"My time has come!"
Impactor rose off the ground like he was straight out of a cartoon.
"Let's gooo! Finally, my forte!"
He started hopping in place while shadow boxing.
"Fighting is what Heroing is all about! None of that law and regulation shit!"
"This guy's thought process is identical to a villain's."
Belinha shook her head and grabbed his collar. She pulled him while everyone followed behind them. They exited the building they were in and were embraced by sunshine. Breeze brushed against their skin as the scent of the sea reached their nose.
"I still can't believe it."
Impactor grinned as he looked at the beach in front of him. He spread his arms and shouted.
"I have my own island!"
His laughter mixed with the sound of the waves hit the shore.
"It's not your island."
Belinha cut his joy short.
"It's our base."
"I've always wanted to visit Polynesia, and now I'm living here. This is great."
Mira was all smiles while Kira nodded in agreement.
"This isn't a vacation. We were sent to the Cook Islands to avoid the public eye and get stronger."
Batu looked at Mikel.
"Don't forget this was something you desired."
A week earlier.
Hours after their death-defying battle against Alala, Kismet decides to celebrate their survival with a trip to Marseille, France.
"Hahaha! Drink, Batu! Drink until you pass out!"
Belinha's laughter mixed with the noise of a loud local pub. She wrapped her arm around Batu's shoulder and pressed a cold mug against his face.
"I didn't know you drank, Belinha."
Batu took the mug from her with a smile.
"I don't. Beer affects my power and makes it hard to control."
Belinha lifted her glass with a grin.
"But this is an exception! We survived a Calamity!"
She laughed and chugged the beer.
"Blegh?!"
She nearly threw up in disgust.
"How do people drink this stuff?"
She looked at the beer like it slapped her mother.
"Well, the beer here is cheap."
Batu took the beer from her.
"Also, it's something you need to get used to. Although it would be best if you don't drink since it makes you weaker."
Belinha frowned but didn't protest.
"I'm a genius!"
Not far from them, Impactor was eating Boeuf Bourguignon with a pint of beer in front of him.
"A mouthful of beer after a bit of this stew creates a burst of flavour that could appease gods!"
He looked at the stew with wonder and excitement.
"Batu, if the locals jump him, we don't know him."
"I can't believe he actually took a pot of stew with him from the restaurant. The staff were furious."
Batu let out a low laugh.
"He's going to get banned from the country by the end of the night."
Belinha shook her head. She caught a glimpse of the rest of her team in the corner of her eye. They were all silently drinking without much emotion on their faces, except for Mira, who didn't hide her frown. Belinha stood up and walked over to them.
"What's up?"
She sat in front of Mikel.
"You guys seem down."
Mikel smiled at her.
"It's nothing, we're just tired. Today was so overwhelming."
"That's true, but I don't think that's it."
Belinha scanned their faces for a bit.
"I see...You guys are frustrated."
"It's nothing like that. We're just—"
"Frustrated because you're so weak."
Mikel's body twitched. Belinha grinned from ear to ear.
"You can't trick me. I've seen that look of frustration and anger countless times."
"....On other Rookies?"
"Nope, whenever I look in the mirror."
The Rookies' eyes widened.
"What? Is that surprising?"
"Well, you're the #5-ranked Hero in the world..."
Bojana spoke with a tone lacking confidence.
"So what if I'm #5? To the Three Calamities, the Hero's Rankings are a joke. They could easily wipe us all out."
Belinha spoke with a frown.
"Well, the Calamities aren't my main issue. It's closer to home."
"....Does it have to do with the Blood Tyrant and the Flame Sorceress?"
Belinha nodded at Mira's question.
"My parents were Legendary to say the least. They were a part of the strongest Hero Team in history alongside Sin Sentinel. They were on another level."
She pointed at herself.
"And then they had me, who was born with a combination of both of their abilities, someone who was "destined" to be greater than my parents."
She showed a dry smile.
"Can you imagine the pressure?"
No, they could not. They never stopped to think about the pressure of expectations and how it could've affected her life. After all, why would the weak think about the struggles of the strong?
"Anyway, no matter what I did, I never felt like it was enough. I couldn't match up to them unless I defeated a Calamity or something."
"But you've accomplished so much at your age and is considered the best healer and doctor in the world."
"And yet, I still feel like I need to improve."
Mikel's eyes slowly widened.
"Are you getting what I'm saying? The desire to improve and the frustration that comes with it is natural. There's no need to hide such feelings."
"....We just didn't want to spoil the mood."
Bojana mumbled.
"Don't worry about that."
Belinha pointed at Impactor. He was in the middle of his "Ingenious" culinary experiment with his stew and beer.
"With him around, there's nothing you can do that can....Wait, is he putting beer in the fucking stew?!"
Belinha stood up.
"Batu, stop that idiot before the locals kill him."
She looked back at Mikel and the others.
"Anyway, if you guys are frustrated about how you did against Alala and her subordinates, then grow and get stronger. Don't worry, we'll help you to the best of our ability."
She turned in Impactor's direction.
"Hey you, big guy! Put down the knife! It's just stew! It won't kill him anyway!"
She started to walk away, but shouted at the Rookies one last time.
"Be prepared to go through hell when the time for growth comes!"
She went to help Batu calm the drunk crowd that was gathering around Impactor. Mikel and his team smiled as they watched the commotion.
Present time, everyone had made their way over to the beach. Belinha faced everyone with a stern expression.
"Let me first say this: we survived Alala on pure luck."
She looked in everyone's eyes.
"Yes, we survived. However, we in no way won."
She started walking back and forth.
"I rewatched our battle against her over and over again the last couple of days....It was a disaster."
She touched Impactor's head.
"If it wasn't for the fact that this had a few screws missing, we would've all died."
She created a flame in her palm.
"My Blood Flames was also needed to give us a chance."
She closed her hand and extinguished the flame.
"However, I never want to use that kind of strategy again. It's inhumane and frankly suicidal. It's not the way the Young Sovereigns should fight, it's not the way kings should live."
She spread her arms.
"That's why we're going to make sure that doesn't happen by becoming stronger, stronger than everybody else!"
Blood flames danced around her arms.
"And the first step to do that is trying to kill each other."
"Huh?"
"Kill?"
Everyone looked at each other and then at Belinha who wore a smile.
"That's right."
The flames spread and formed a ring around everybody. The light from the flame cast a shadow on Belinha's face as she showed a devilish grin.
"Don't worry, I'll be here to resurrect you over and over again."
Chills ran down their spines as they realised they were about to experience hell.