The walls of the buildings were plastered with the same poster, "Vote for General Titan." Lately, it was the only thing the media could talk about: General Titan's candidacy to become the new world president of heroes.
Allen stared at the hero's smug face, tore it from the wall, and shredded it to pieces.
"Hero…? He doesn't deserve to be called that…"
Allen sighed, heavy with sadness, before turning his gaze to the sky.
On other buildings, graffiti bore names like "The Puppeteer" or "Crimson Shadow," people who opposed the imposed rules and whom the world called villains.
Soon, a graffiti of a starry sky appeared before Allen, making him smile faintly. At the top, it read: "Firmament, the Killer."
No one had seen Firmament, but the stories were the same: monsters found slaughtered, or criminals with broken bones and deep wounds. Everyone debated his alignment: the government labeled him a villain; the Federation, an EX-Class monster.
Allen didn't care about the pseudonym. Firmament was an echo of his pain-filled past, a vehicle for delivering justice the Federation ignored, and Allen firmly believed he was doing the right thing.
Half an hour later, Allen arrived at his home, an apartment on the outskirts of the city, quiet and with incredible views of the stars.
Upon entering, he turned on the television and made himself dinner. He couldn't help but watch the news. The anchor reported several monsters wreaking havoc and, in passing, announced that a hero had died in the line of duty.
Suddenly, sirens blared throughout the city. Allen walked to the balcony. In the sky, a blimp projected the image of the mayor of City F.
"Citizens of City F, remain calm and proceed to the underground bunker. This is not a drill."
Allen calmly pulled out a cigarette and lit it. On the screen appeared the image of a giant wolf with black fur and eyes.
"The current distance between the monster and the city is ten kilometers. Its arrival is expected in about an hour. A Federation team will come from the city center to stop it."
After these final words, the screen went dark.
Allen took a drag, exhaling smoke into the night. The idea of going to the bunker was absurd. He returned inside and pulled an object from a drawer: a small prism glowing with a faint blue light, as if it contained a miniature nebula.
He slipped it into his pocket.
"Why does it have to be so close to home?"
Then he went up to the building's rooftop. He sat down, and in the distance, he could already see a black shadow approaching.
Fifteen minutes later, the team of heroes was still struggling against the wolf with no success; the monster brushed them aside effortlessly.
One of the heroes, dressed in a yellow military suit, struck the ground, causing a slight tremor that momentarily disoriented the wolf.
"Team!"
Shouted the man in the yellow military suit, as the other four gathered beside him.
"If your lives are in danger, fall back."
The need for such a warning was ridiculous. Allen knew the Heroic Federation had been created to govern humans with abilities, which emerged with the appearance of pseudo-creatures. Yet all they cared about were achievements. Under the Heroic Duty Treaty, heroes received payment based on the criminals or monsters they killed or captured. The only rule they had to follow was "do not kill humans without abilities." Everything else was a business that justified greed.
One of the apprentices looked behind him. He had felt as if someone were watching them.
At that moment, the wolf swiped at them with its front paw. Only two remained alive: the man in the military suit, and the apprentice who had sensed the presence.
"Sir…!"
The apprentice pointed ahead.
Right in front of the wolf, in the sky, was a person wearing a white robe. The figure looked at the heroes.
"This is what happens when you let your guard down. This big guy shouldn't even be Class 1. Not strong enough to destroy a city, but strong enough to kill humans instantly without being noticed."
The man in yellow, a General, looked at the intruder and pointed at him with his index finger:
"Who do you think you are?! You're just a flying hero, you have no combat abilities!"
"I wonder… if that's the case…"
With a smile, the man in the robe raised his hand to the sky and clenched it into a fist, as if he had caught a star inside.
"Stars are truly beautiful… depending on the perspective, of course."
The fist became a blinding beam of light, giving the impression of a fallen star. The man pulled his fist behind him, and at that moment, the apprentice hero realized who he was.
"Sir, we need to leave!"
The wolf began to growl and back away, surprising General Titan.
"Lesser Star Fist."
The robed man directed his fist at the wolf. Within seconds, the monster swelled and exploded in white light, spraying blood around.
"What do you think you're doing?! The Federation needed that specimen alive!"
The man in the white robe simply smiled and looked at the sky.
"The stars are very clear tonight."
The apprentice looked at General Titan.
"Sir, who is the only human with unregistered abilities in the Federation?"
The man adjusted his robe.
"So… you are that… 'Firmament'?"
The man did not confirm, only stared back.
"With your abilities, the Heroic Federation would pay you quite well."
"You're an apprentice. Let me give you some advice: if you follow General Titan, all that awaits you is death because of his… 'eagerness' to fight without preparation."
Firmament vanished instantly. General Titan clenched his fists so tightly that his skin began to bleed.