Chapter 246 – Floor 45: Part 3

  The ground trembled from the aftereffects of the Heroes' attack on the Tower. Sirens wailed in the distance, and smoke rose into the sky, giving it a sense of impending doom. Amidst the turmoil, the heroes, police, and onlookers gathered around the tower, craned their necks, and looked upwards as a streak of light cut through the grey clouds.

  “That’s enough, Mr. Larson. I won’t allow you to cause more trouble here.” A voice said as the streak of light slowed to reveal a figure hovering just above the ground.

  It was Vanguard. A ‘SS’ hero and one of the most powerful people in the world. One of only three ‘SS’ Heroes in the United States, he was a symbol of hope and freedom.

  Vanguard floated calmly, like a sentinel against the chaos. His presence was larger than life despite his unmistakably human appearance. He was tall with a muscular frame, and his posture was relaxed, but anyone watching him knew that he held a tremendous amount of power.

  His features were handsome, with a square jaw, high cheekbones and piercing blue eyes, but it was his confidence that made him so memorable. There was an assurance about Vanguard that let the public know that regardless of what disaster struck, he would be there to stop it.

  Vanguard's suit was red and black, with the chest bearing a bold golden ‘V,’ while his cape was bright red with gold edges that fluttered behind him.

  Lumina stared up at the ‘SS’ Hero with awe. Vanguard was a legend; he was the Hero. One of the original founding members of the League, he had saved an uncountable amount of people.

  And now he was here, opposing Mathew. Lumina couldn’t help but allow her gaze to flick back and forth between the pair of men, assessing them.

  She knew Mathew was strong and capable, but this was Vanguard! He once stopped a meteor from striking the Earth, pushing it off course with his own two hands! He had fought the Ashen Tyrant, an ‘SS’ Villain, to a standstill over the Atlantic Ocean after that monster had emerged from the waters and attacked a cruise ship!

  Vanguard wasn’t like Blaze, a person so full of themselves that he didn’t understand his own limits. Vanguard was the real deal!

  “I’m causing trouble? They were the ones who started attacking my Tower without cause.” Mathew replied, his eyes sharp as he locked gazes with Vanguard. The tension between the two men was palpable, an electric charge hanging in the air that seemed to explode at any moment.

  Mathew’s voice carried an edge, his words laced with a quiet confidence that dared Vanguard to challenge him.

  But the ‘SS’ Class Hero didn’t flinch. Standing tall, flying above them with his crimson cape catching the breeze, he exuded an unshakeable calm that only a true Hero could muster.

  “Mr. Larson. I know that you have served this city well, even becoming an ‘A’ Class in a short amount of time. I would like to think that you have an altruistic purpose for what you are doing. But speaking of a strange ‘deity’ and creating this…monstrosity in a public park?” Vanguard’s voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of warning in his tone.

  The Hero paused and motioned towards the Tower.

  “The world isn’t your playground, nor does it belong to the ‘Unyielding Declaration’ you claim to serve. Stand down before this goes any further.”

  Lumina could barely breathe as she stood frozen between the two titans. Mathew didn’t show any expression aside from a slight frown, but his body was tense as he stood next to Lumina. He seemed to be slightly conflicted as if he were being forced to do something he didn’t want to.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “If this was a long time ago before I entered the Tower, I have no doubt that I would admire you. Hell, I’d probably be cheering you on.” Mathew muttered as he let out a sigh and ran his fingers through is hair in frustration.

  “But this isn’t that time, and this isn’t my world. And you’re standing in my way. I have places to be and things to do. If I’m told to build a Tower and defend it in order to get where I need to go, then that’s what I’ll do.” Mathew's face turned hard, and Lumina shivered at the sudden change in the young man.

  “This world is now part of Unyielding Declaration’s demesne, and there is nothing you can do to change that.” Mathew stated, and this time, it was Vanguard’s turn to frown.

  “I won’t claim to understand what you’re saying or what your motives are, Mr. Larson, but I have a duty to protect the people of this world. And right now, every instinct I have is telling me that this Tower is the biggest threat we have ever faced.”

  “Move aside, or you will be moved.” Vanguard threatened. In response, Mathew reached to the side and gripped the empty air before drawing his hand back. A sword appeared from nothing, a long and heavy blade with a flat end and a rusty appearance.

  Mathew swung it slowly to rest it on his shoulder, and Lumina could feel its weight as it moved. Setting his feet into a wide stance, he prepared himself.

  Vanguard shot forward like a living missile; the air around him crackled with the force of his acceleration. He broke through the sound barrier in an instant, leaving a thunderous boom in his wake. His cape billowed behind him like a streak of fire, trailing a blur of crimson behind him.

  To Lumina, it appeared as if the ‘SS’ Class Hero was above them one moment and directly in front of Mathew before she could register the movement.

  Mathew barely had time to react as Vanguard closed the distance in a fraction of a heartbeat. The ground below quaked from the shockwave of his flight, and debris erupted into the air as the force of his speed displaced everything around him.

  Vanguard’s fist, glowing faintly with concentrated energy, drove forward with unstoppable momentum, aimed straight at Mathew’s chest. The attack wasn’t wild or reckless but a masterful blend of speed and control, honed through training and battle. It carried not just the force of Vanguard’s immense strength but his resolve to end this conflict quickly.

  As his punch connected, the impact sent out a concussive shockwave that rippled through the air, scattering dust and light in a brilliant explosion of power. Vanguard saw that Mathew was able to position his weapon in front of the Hero’s fist, blocking the attack, but he expected the rusty sword to crack and shatter as soon as he touched it.

  Instead, Vanguard felt as if he had punched something as hard as his own hand. Surprisingly, the sword resisted the blow.

  But Mathew was still knocked backwards by the force of the strike.

  The moment Vanguard’s fist connected with the Wrathful Blade, it was as though time itself snapped. Mathew’s body was driven backward with such force that the ground beneath him seemed to give way. The blow reverberated through his entire body, sending shockwaves through his bones.

  For a split second, Mathew was weightless. His body was propelled through the air like a ragdoll; his vision was nothing more than a blur of colour and motion. Mathew’s head snapped back as he tumbled through the air, the sound of rushing wind and the crackle of energy in his ears.

  His body slammed into the side of the Tower with a deafening ‘crack,’ the impact leaving a massive dent in the reinforced stone structure that had resisted the combined attacks of the city’s top Heroes. The force of the blow sent a ripple through the Tower’s walls; vibrations shuddered through the entire building as the impact cratered deep into its exterior.

  Mathew slid to the ground, groaning as he slowly pushed himself upright. His vision swam, and his bones and muscles screamed in protest. The force of the hit left him slightly disoriented. There was a pain in his chest that was a reminder of the speed and strength behind Vanguard’s assault.

  Lumina stared, wide-eyed and stunned, as Mathew regained his feet and spat out a mouthful of blood. She had expected him to be nothing more than a smear on the side of the Tower. No one was stronger than Vanguard.

  Conflicted, she had no idea what to do. Mathew was her friend and had saved her multiple times, but Vanguard was the League of Heroes. Despite her indecision, Lumina was about to rush forward to check on Mathew’s injuries and help him in some way when she was stopped by a strange sound.

  Mathew was laughing.

  It started low, a murmur of disbelief and then it grew louder and sharper, tinged with a hint of madness. His eyes, still narrowed slightly from the pain, began to spark with wild energy. The sound of his laughter seemed to reverberate through the still air, as though Mathew was mocking the power that had injured him.

  To Lumina, there was something extremely unsettling about the way Mathew laughed, and a chill went through her at the sound. Even Vanguard seemed slightly unnerved by the response to his attack.

  As Mathew laughed, his lips curled into a twisted grin that looked almost feral. Mathew raised his sword and pounced toward the Hero.