“Sir, you really should slow down.” Vella’s cybernetic voice chimes in my ear as I pour on the gas, forcing my bike to roar across the cracked pavement of the undercity. Rows of massive steel archways zip past my vision on either side, foundations used to hold up the corporate monoliths in the city above. I lean hard to the left, nearly touching the ground as I whip the cycle around a tight corner before exploding down the street, leaving a cloud of exhaust in my wake.
“How close are we to the contact point?” I ask as the wheels of my bike hit the ramp, taking us to the city’s upper levels.
“Pyromight was just spotted thwarting a bank robbery about two miles up ahead. We should be arriving on scene in a matter of moments.”
“Good.” I respond as I crouch forward on my bike. Pyromight was a class B hero, a ranged fighter with the ability to both create and manipulate fire. He was also the next target on my list…
You see, on Terrax Prime a small percentage of the human population is born with special gifts, or super powers as they’re more commonly referred to. These powers begin to blossom around adolescence and continue to grow in strength as the wielder reaches adulthood. Most people that are born with powers are vetted by the government before eventually being enlisted into Terrax’s Hero program. Once there, they receive direction and proper training until eventually they’re deemed fit to be released back into the world, acting as the government’s paid police force... They called them Heroes.
Most of the people of Terrax Prime looked up to the heroes. Children idolized them, while adults found a sense of safety and security in their presence.
Me? I kill heroes.
` “We’re approaching the bank, Aiden.” Vel’s cybernetic voice seemed to rise an octave as we closed in on our target, as if she was reacting to an increase in my heart rate. Vella was quite possibly the world’s most advance form of artificial intelligence, a program attached to my central nervous system that provided ample support in the work I was doing. She was also one of the few things left on this rock that I trusted.
I cut the engine to my bike as I veer off into a nearby alley. A crowd had formed about a quarter mile down the road, likely there to gawk at Pyromight as he took the bank robbers into custody. I take a quick look around the alley to ensure I was completely alone, then I suit up.
A soft digital glow crawls up my torso and limbs as thin pieces of black body armor appear beneath my coat and form over my muscled frame. A thick belt clicks into place around my waist with a holstered gun dangling on either side and a jet-black mask form over my short blond hair, stretching over my face and concealing all but a pair small blue lenses that rest over my eyes. I step away from my bike and throw a pair of errant punches into the air, testing the suits mobility. It was almost time.
Vella’s voice echoes in my mask as my suit fully powers on. “Initializing program: Hero Hunter.” That was the other thing that made Vella so invaluable.... an augmented reality application built into my suit that allowed me to scan a hero and gain information on his vitals, his powers, his weaknesses, and just about any other pertinent information that could I could use to my advantage. It was part of what made me the Hero Hunter.
The tips of my gloves magnetize as I latch onto the side of the nearest building and begin scaling its wall. Thankfully, buildings in the banking district were built low to the ground, providing the perfect opportunity to strike form above.
I climb to the top of the building and begin to fully assess the situation. One patrol car present with two policemen loading up the alleged criminals. Fourteen civilians, mostly adults with no powers. And him... Pyromight.
“Give me a scan, Vel.” I say, focusing in on the hero. The man is dressed in a dark red hero suit with tall black boots and gloves designed to look like flames. He didn’t wear a mask… What was the point, really, when the government had all your information.
“Scanning now, Aiden.” Pyromight’s form illuminated in my vision as a translucent screen appeared in front of me.
Pyromight
Class B Hero
Vitality: 98%
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Abilities:
Flame blast- Pyromight can generate powerful flames that he can launch at his opponents
Flame dance- Pyromight can manipulate flames at will, making them change in both direction and intensity.
Weaknesses:
Water will slow Pyromight’s flame abilities, but only a lack of oxygen can completely extinguish his fire.
“Thanks Vel.” I say as I wave off the translucent screen. Vella was once a government program, meaning she had access to all the information in the government’s Hero database. She was the ultimate weapon in my quest for-
“Looks like Pyromight’s getting ready to take off.” She says with urgency, interrupting my thoughts. I nod, then take a step over to the building’s ledge.
Go time.
I leap from the rooftop, soaring directly towards the hero’s location. With his flame-blast ability, Pyromight could melt any bullets that were fired in his direction. Therefore, this hunt would require things to get up close and personal... just how I liked it.
The fiery hero notices my descent at the last second and launches a wave of flame in my direction. Luckily, my suit is able to absorb most of the heat as I emerge through the fire, blasting the man across the face with a fist that carries all of my momentum with it.
Pyromight slams into the wall of the bank, creating cracks in the cement that crawl towards the building’s foundation. Those who were born with super powers possessed a much greater physical resistance than other humans. Otherwise, that punch would have left him crippled.
Pyromight peeled himself off the bank’s wall and raised a pair of clenched flaming fists into the air.
“So, the Hero Hunter has come for me.” He says as he wipes a line of red hot blood from his chin. “I imagined that you hit a lot harder than this.” The lens in my helmet displays a thin reticle above his head.
Vitality: 78%
This fool was just postering…that punch had definitely done some damage! I ignored his comment and charged in his direction, hands outstretched to either side. Pyromight grinned, then launched a ball of flame in my direction and I can’t help but chuckle inside my mask. This Hero was nothing more than a one trick pony... he was no match for me. I was goddamned living arsenal!
I leap into a spin over the ball of flame, landing on the bank’s wall in a crouch. The magnets in my boots hold me firm as I hover over the surprised hero. The man tries to duck away, but I grab a hand full of his hair and slam his head against the wall, creating another crack in the cement.
Pyromight grimaces as I separate him from his senses. Then, with a quick flip, I drop from the wall and kick the man in the chest, sending him crashing through the concrete and into the bank lobby.
Terraxian credits flew through the air as Pyro rolls across the carpeted floor, coughing up blood that looked more like magma than anything else. Bullets begin to bounce off my back as the police take aim at me, but deep down, in a world of heroes… they know they are helpless.
“You bastard!” Pyromight roars as I enter the bank, his eyes flickering as he begins to summon a giant torrent of flame inside the lobby.
“Be careful, Aiden.” Vella says in my ear. “These flames are quite a bit hotter than before. I don’t know if the power armor can handle them.” As the words enter my head a sudden flame blast connects with my chest, dropping me to ground in a smoking heap. I gasp for air, but the smoke in the bank had thickened considerably. As I begin to rise another wall of flame puts me back on the ground.
“Shit! Vella, find me a way out of here!”
Her cybernetic voice returns, more worried than it was before. “I’m scanning Aiden, but it looks like he’s cut off all the exits. He’s going to burn you alive right here in the bank!”
Like hell he is. I hug the floor and do a manual scan of the lobby, which is now mostly covered in fire and smoke. I spot something behind the counter... if only I can reach it...
“My stock is going to increase tenfold once I bring you down!” Pyromight yells, pouring on more heat. “I will be remembered as the one who took down the Hero Hunter!”
“You won’t be remembered for shit!” I yell as I force myself back to my feet. I point my left arm towards the bank’s counter and launch a small grappling hook from my wrist. The hook latches onto a large, silver cannister hanging from the wall, and with a yank I rip it free and swing it towards Pyromight.
The industrial strength fire extinguisher explodes as it slams into Pyro’s side, dousing him in a thick, gray cloud of flame-repelling solvent. He lets out a cry as the chemicals eat at his skin, washing away what little power that he thought he had. I casually walk through the burning lobby and take a knee next to the hero. His face is wrought with terror... He knows that his time has come.
“W-why?” He sputters before I blast him across the face for good measure.
I lean in close as a thin blade ejects from my right wrist. “For Valor.” I mutter, then
I plunge the blade through his back and into his heart. The vitality bar above his head immediately drops, reaching 0% before fading and forming into the word deceased.
As I rise, Vella’s voice chimes in once more. “Good work Aiden, but it’s time to go. I’m picking up activity on the scanners... reports of an S class hero heading this way.” I nod, then hop the counter and exit through the back of the bank. In seconds I maneuver my way through a pair of back alleys until finally I return to my bike. With a mental command, my armor begins to compartmentalize, folding within itself until it disappears beneath my jacket.
I smile as my bike roars to life and I exit the alley, tires screeching as I speed off down the street.
Another Hero crossed off the list.