A small TV in a bar in city X was showing the evening news.
Today, city X experienced another moment of anguish as a result of yet another attack caused by fear.
The suspect this time was a woman in her 40s. The attack took place near a subway station. The suspect used a fear device from the Spotlight organization. The incident caused chaos and damage to the station, but fortunately, Heroine Queen, currently ranked second, neutralized the suspect and no fatalities occurred. Exact images of the attack were not released, and Heroine Queen declined interviews for today.
This was the fifth incident involving fear in a period of just over two weeks. The Association issued a statement on Fomo regretting yet another case like this and stated that the investigation against the Spotlight organization is a priority.
"I want more one..." A clearly drunk man spoke in a slurred voice as he slammed his beer mug on the table.
The waitress moved her eyes away from the TV and looked at him with a tired expression.
"Sir... I think you've had too much to drink—"
"I SAID ONE MORE!" The man stood up with an angry expression, a flush from the drink visible on his face.
Before he could do anything else, two security guards grabbed him by the arms.
"Hey! Let me go! Do you know who I am?!"
"You haven't paid yet..." the waitress looked at him with a disgusted expression. "And you're making a scene, so please calm down—"
"Who do you think you are to talk to me like that!?"
The attendant sighed, giving up on him.
"Get him out of here."
"HEY!"
The man was thrown by the security guards to the back of the establishment, into a dirty, dark alley, unlike the normal streets of the city, which were full of lights.
He sat on the floor while trying to recover what little dignity he had left in this situation.
"Damn you... and my wallet—"
Before he could protest further, the wallet was thrown in his face, and the security guards left the scene laughing at him.
"Shit..."
The man leaned against the wall with an expression of defeat, his black hair and dark brown eyes clearly showing fatigue.
He raised his arm and looked at his wrist, where the value of his trust continued to fall.
"This isn't fair..."
38 A.C
A crowd of students left the school happily, it was the end of graduation day.
"FINALLY!" A girl shouted, throwing her arms up in the air as the group stood together.
"I thought we would never finish school."
"With your grades, it was certainly hard to imagine." One of the boys in the group commented, smiling smugly.
"Idiot! You weren't any better than me!"
"Really... now it's time to think about what to do next, isn't it, Tian Hao?" Another boy said to the person walking in front of everyone.
Tian Hao turned around, smiling confidently at everyone.
"I'm already ready to move on. I'm going to help my father with the family business."
"Really? I thought you would try to be a hero, you have the charisma for it." The girl said, surprised by his decision.
"I'm in no hurry... I can make being a hero a hobby." Tian Hao said carelessly.
"Hey, who's that?" One of the boys asked, looking ahead at the school gate.
A brown-haired boy was hugging an elderly lady who smiled proudly at him.
"Idiot, he also went up on stage to get his diploma." The girl replied, exasperated by his questions.
"Look, I didn't pay attention to everyone... what's his name?"
"I... forgot..."
"You're an idiot for still judging me."
"Shut up!" The girl choked as she replied defensively.
Lin Ling...
Tian Hao looked at the scene of the young man with the lady with a thoughtful look on his face.
His dream is to be a hero... good luck, he'll need it.
"Aren't you coming, Tian Hao?"
Tian Hao stopped walking and stood still on the sidewalk.
"No, my dad is picking me up today, I'll see you guys another day."
"Okay, good luck."
"See you."
"Bye."
Luck... I don't need that.
A long time has passed...
He's late.
Tian Hao picked up his cell phone to make a call, a vein of anger visible on his forehead.
"Mom! Where is that old man?!... What do you mean he had an emergency meeting!?... Whatever... I'll find him at the company."
A few hours later
Domus Empire - Real Estate Company
Tian Hao was in the elevator going up to the floor where his father's office was located.
I should have known he wouldn't be out of work for a day...
Getting out of the elevator when he reached the floor, he encountered a strange scene: the secretary was visibly trembling.
She must have been scolded for some mistake she made...
"My father is in there, isn't he?" Tian Hao casually walked past her as he approached the office door.
"W-wait! this isn't a good time—"
Before Tian Hao could open the door himself, the door opened in front of him and a man stopped slightly in front of him. This man was wearing a dark red suit with a red tie and a daisy on his chest. He had dark brown hair with gray strands on the sides and a small strip of sparse beard.
But what caught his attention the most was the look in his eyes, which were cold and dark. Tian Hao felt a chill run down his spine when he quickly exchanged glances with him.
The man started walking again and headed for the elevator.
The secretary visibly shrank when he passed by.
Who was that...?
Tian Hao decided to try to forget about it, but it became difficult when he returned to the office and found his father with his hands on his head and a distressed expression. A small stand with his father's name, Tian Wanjun, was visible on the table. It could be said that he was an older version of his son, only with a less athletic body.
The office was simple and organized, with a perfect view of city X.
"D-Dad?" Tian Hao asked with obvious surprise in his voice; he had never seen him like this before.
"Son!? That's right, I promised to pick you up... it's just that today—shit... what am I going to do?" Tian Wanjun looked desperate.
"Does this have anything to do with that guy who was here?"
"That guy is Shang De, CEO of the Treeman Group, a hero agency that also operates in the real estate market..." Tian Wanjun explained, trying to remain calm, but with growing anger in his voice.
"I've talked to him a few times in the past, but he never showed any interest in acting like this. However, due to Nice's popularity, which reached 18th place in the rankings, everything has changed. Our clients are being lured away to Treeman; they want the security that only a hero agency can promise. We are accumulating debts, and today he offered me a pittance for our areas."
"So why are you like this? Can't you just refuse?"
"IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE!" Tian Wanjun slammed his fists on the table.
Tian Hao jumped in surprise at this action.
"I'm sorry... it's not simple, their influence is enormous, even our loyal customers have asked Treeman to take over the projects in our place, if I refuse his offer, there's a chance we'll go bankrupt soon. All because they have heroes... and we don't." Tian Wanjun collapsed on the table, hopeless.
Heroes...
"And what if I become a hero?" Tian Hao smiled confidently.
"At least for our company, it's impossible. On average, the evaluation period to receive a license to operate as an agency takes months. The regulations are extremely thorough due to the demand for heroes who appear and disappear every day. After all, if one of your heroes reaches the Top 10, it's a sign of great success. I didn't pursue this idea in the past because I didn't imagine it would affect our business so much... what a fool I was."
"I just need to use any agency to rise to the top, and then I'll give up the contract, or rather, if I become one of the Top 10, that company will become unnecessary. Our family will rise in life like never before!" Tian Hao spoke with the absolute certainty of someone who knew he would succeed.
"Okay... okay... you just graduated, I won't stop you from pursuing what you want. However, if you don't get results soon, give up, pursuing results in something flawed is shameful." Tian Wanjun finally spoke, regaining a firm tone of voice.
"Don't worry... I've always been seen as a kind of hero by others. This will be easy."
A few weeks later
Tian Hao was at yet another agency evaluation, one of many he had attended.
"I'm sorry, young man, but your profile doesn't match our goals," said a bored evaluator from a low-level agency as he handed Tian Hao a piece of paper stamped "rejected."
"Why?" Tian Hao asked, his voice emotionless.
The evaluator sighed wearily before responding.
"It's nothing personal, you're just not what we're looking for."
"That doesn't make sense." Tian Hao clenched the paper tightly, crumpling it in his hands.
"What?"
"I've been participating in these stupid evaluations for almost a month, and the answer is always the same! After all, why can't I be a hero to you guys!?" Tian Hao exclaimed indignantly, rising from his chair.
The evaluator looked at him with disinterest, but soon settled back into his chair to give an explanation.
"Listen, do you really think you're unique? Everything you said and showed in those videos from your time in school is nothing special." The evaluator let a small smug smile appear on his face.
"Let me guess... your friends told you that you were the kind of person who was born to be a hero?"
Tian Hao looked away, feeling angry that this man was so right.
"Those words are empty without it." The evaluator raised his own wrist. "Confidence is what matters, the numbers decide what you are capable of, and apparently, your dear friends didn't trust you enough to validate those words."
"What do you know about me, anyway!?"
"Tian Hao, the only son of the family that runs one of the most influential real estate companies in City X... or did you think you were getting the chance to do these evaluations on a whim of the agencies? Having someone like you come to us already attracts a lot of attention, so thank you for coming." The evaluator let out a sarcastic laugh.
"Listen here, I'm capable of reaching the Top 10 like anyone else!" Tian Hao growled.
"Your story isn't innovative, you don't have the 'charm' of a Top 10, you're not special enough to stand out. The Top 10 is made up of the best, heroes we can't compare ourselves to... Young man, understand this once and for all: you're not special, accept your life and live according to what you're really capable of, don't lie to yourself with the kind of illusion that anyone can be a hero." The evaluator finished, already exhausted from the conversation.
Tian Hao gritted his teeth before turning and storming out.
"I'm not just anyone..."
A few days later
They will definitely understand what I am capable of.
Tian Hao stood in front of the building of one of the largest hero agencies: the DOS agency.
"They didn't respond to my emails, but that's okay, I just need to introduce myself and they will understand."
Tian Hao walked through the entrance, admiring the lobby. It was a place worthy of the weight that this agency carries due to its history of success. He could even see some low-ranking heroes walking around the building.
He approached the reception desk, but the receptionist was too busy to notice him.
A few seconds passed before he decided to cough fake to get her attention.
"Hm?... Excuse me! Sir...?" The receptionist turned her attention to him with a small apologetic smile.
"I'm Tian Hao. Listen, I came here because I know the best are here, could you speed things up and put me as one of the new ones? I bet your boss would praise you for it." Tian Hao smiled, confident in his words.
"One of the new ones...?" The receptionist tilted her head, uncertain. "Oh!... You came for the new position? I didn't think anyone would show up so quickly." She began searching for some papers on her desk.
I knew they wouldn't ignore me...
"Please sign here, so you can start right away." The receptionist handed him the contract.
"I'm looking forward to it." Tian Hao quickly signed the papers without bothering to read them.
"Great, now follow me so you can get started." She got up and walked toward the interior of the building, with Tian Hao right behind her.
A few minutes passed and Tian Hao became curious; they had entered a more secluded area, between narrow corridors.
"Please come in." The receptionist stopped in front of one of the doors.
"Thank you... what!?"
Tian Hao did not hide his surprise as he entered. It was a small room filled with cleaning supplies; a storage room for janitorial work.
"Your things are in that closet. I'll let the others know you've arrived so they can guide you," the receptionist explained, smiling sweetly.
"Wait, there must be a mistake! I didn't come here for that! I came to be a—"
"Mr. Tian, I hope you are aware of the veracity of the contract you signed." Her smile widened, and Tian Hao could sense a slight malice in her voice.
"B-but—"
"Thank you very much, and welcome to DOS." The receptionist left the scene, satisfied.
Tian Hao stood still in that room, processing everything that was happening in absolute silence.
Three months later.
Just a little longer...
Tian Hao was in the agency lobby cleaning the floor, wearing his work uniform.
An opportunity will come... I just have to be around.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Tian Hao's attention was drawn to the stage in the lobby, where a crowd of reporters had gathered.
"It is with great pleasure that DOS announces the new album by Heroine Lucky Cyan! And, as a surprise, she will perform a short preview for you!"
The heroine took the stage smiling cheerfully at the crowd, wearing her traditional idol costume.
"To think that someone like her is already so successful..."
A pair of reporters began talking near Tian Hao, who couldn't help but overhear.
"From what they say, she is only 18 years old. In addition, she has been ranked 7th for two years."
"Really... some people are just born for this, she was chosen by luck."
Lucky Cyan began to sing as the crowd cheered, but Tian Hao, on the other hand, couldn't even hear the music; he was lost in thought, gripping the broom handle tightly.
What's the difference between me and her? Her story only happened by luck... It's not fair.
"I'm home."
After a day at work, Tian Hao entered his family's luxury apartment. As he walked through the property, he saw his father sitting slumped on the sofa, watching TV, wearing the suit he always wore to work in a messy way; Tian Hao could feel a heavy tension in the air.
He's not usually home at this time.
Looking around, he realized his mother was not around.
"Where's Mom?"
"She's gone," Tian Wanjun replied dryly, without emotion.
"...What?"
"She left. She said this wasn't the kind of life she expected to live... she said she didn't recognize me anymore." Suddenly, his father raised a can of beer. As he approached, Tian Hao noticed that several other cans were scattered on the floor.
"What happened?"
"You tell me..." Tian Wanjun looked at his son with an expression of pure scorn. "Was your training at an agency... just to clean the floor that anyone walks on?"
"What!? Of course not—"
"DON'T LIE TO ME!" Tian Wanjun stood up in a rage, "Our investors contacted me saying they would no longer do business with Domus. The reason? My son, apparently, is in a job that does not match the image they want to invest in."
"WHAT!? Dad, that's a lie, they—"
Tian Wanjun took some photos out of his pocket and threw them at his son. Tian Hao's eyes widened; they were photos of him in uniform, cleaning at DOS.
"Did you really think that an agency like DOS wouldn't have important people who know us there?"
"Dad, listen to me! I'm just there waiting for an opportunity to get their attention! When I get it... my videos on Fomo have been getting more views lately, it's only a matter of time before I help Domus—"
"There is no more Domus... I closed the deal with Shang De. It's over. We lost not only the company, but also the credibility we had." Tian Wanjun stared intently at his son as he spoke.
"I can still do it! I can convince them to make me a hero, I just need to get their attention—"
"You ignored what I said. We could still use the influence of our name to support ourselves, but you had to throw yourself into a failed dream, one that thousands of people fail at every day."
"I'm different! I can—"
"Get out of this house."
"...What?"
"I don't need a son who lives on illusions, I've already wasted too much time on you." Tian Wanjun sat back down on the sofa and opened another beer.
Tian Hao processed the words slowly, until he gritted his teeth in anger.
"YOU NEVER HAD TIME!"
Tian Hao stormed out, holding back tears, and spent the night wandering aimlessly through the streets of City X.
Six months later
Tian Hao was cleaning one of the corridors. His appearance had changed noticeably: his hair was longer and messy, deep dark circles marked his face, and a sparse, unkempt beard was visible.
What should I have for dinner tonight...?
"I'm telling you, Bowa was crazy!"
His thoughts were interrupted when a pair of heroes entered the hallway, both wearing what appeared to be baseball uniforms—one holding a bat and the other a glove—and each carrying a milkshake.
"Did Bowa leave Queen in that state?"
"Apparently, she was under the influence of fear, just like what happened at that orphanage in District 70. Queen is still recovering."
"I hope I never have to face that fear."
"That's why heroes like her exist. We just take it easy, enjoying the comfort of our place in the rankings."
As they passed Tian Hao, one of the heroes threw his milkshake cup toward a trash can, but missed, spilling it all over the floor that had just been cleaned. They continued walking, laughing, without a care in the world.
Tian Hao felt a vein pop out on his forehead.
"HEY, YOU IDIOTS!"
The heroes stopped and turned around with angry expressions.
"What did you say?"
"HOW ABOUT YOU SHUT UP AND ACT LIKE DECENT HEROES AND CLEAN UP YOUR OWN MESS!?" Tian Hao exploded. It wasn't the first time they had done this.
"Look what we have here... a guy like this trying to teach us how to be heroes?" One of them approached with a smug smile.
"I think he forgot what his job is," the other one sneered.
Bastards...
"Listen here, buddy: we're heroes, we help people every day, you? You clean up the mess in front of you, I'm just helping you be useful at what you do best." The hero broadened his smile.
"Anyone would be a better hero than you guys." Tian Hao retorted hatefully.
The two heroes laughed in response.
"Then tell me..." one of them calmed down after laughing. "Does that anyone include you? Why aren't you a hero, then?" He pushed Tian Hao, who fell sitting on the ground.
"I..." Tian Hao tried to respond, but the words wouldn't come out.
"See? Not everyone can be a hero. We were chosen for this role, you were chosen for that one. It's okay not to have talent; you just have to accept who you are to live happily," the hero said, crouching down with cruel sarcasm.
Tian Hao clenched his fists against the cold floor, hearing the same thing again.
"I have an idea! How about this: punch me, as hard as you can." The hero turned his face, pointing to his cheek.
"Huh?"
"You're angry, aren't you? If you have the courage to do that, I'll admit you might be a hero. Come on, show me your motivation!"
Tian Hao processed the challenge. He raised his fist, but after a second of hesitation, he lowered it again.
"Just as I thought, someone who isn't even capable of fighting for what they believe in can never be a hero."
Tian Hao lowered his head, feeling like a complete idiot.
When did I become like this?'
"HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON?"
The two heroes froze when they heard the voice coming from the end of the hallway. They turned around, sweating nervously.
"W-we can explain..."
"Explain."
They swallowed hard.
"W-want to know? We're late, aren't we?"
"Oh, yes! Definitely!"
They both ran off, quickly disappearing.
The person who interrupted the scene approached Tian Hao and crouched down beside him.
"Hey... are you okay?"
Tian Hao looked up and his eyes widened. It was Lucky Cyan. But what struck him most was what he saw in her eyes: it was genuine concern. Compassion.
A memory from school flashed through his mind.
"Watch out!"
A boy in one of the physical education classes had fallen to the ground.
"Need some help?"
Tian Hao approached and offered his hand to help him up.
"Thanks, but you didn't have to."
"No problem, it's what someone like me has to do, I'm just someone who wants to help others."
Other students around them began to talk about the scene, making Tian Hao happy with his actions. He certainly attracted attention.
Returning to reality, he saw Cyan's hand extended to help him. With a sudden movement, he slapped her hand away, refusing her help.
"I don't need your help," he said curtly, getting up on his own.Cyan looked surprised, but she just accepted it and continued on her way down the hallway.
Tian Hao watched her leave.
This isn't me...
Later
Tian Hao was on the crowded subway heading home after a stressful day at work.
He was browsing Fomo on his phone, reading posts about a specific hero, Enlighter, a hero who values the truth. Currently, this hero is posting about the falsehoods that the perfect hero Nice possesses. Being a Treeman hero, Tian Hao ended up interested.
As long as Treeman shows no signs of defending himself... these accusations without evidence will have no credibility...
"Next station..."
Damn, I get off here...
Tian Hao awkwardly pushed his way through the crowd in the train car until he managed to get off at the station.
"Ah!"
As a result, he ended up bumping into someone already at the station.
"Hey, watch where you're going!" the person said indignantly.
"I could say the same thing—" Tian Hao froze when he saw who it was. It was Zhao Siyu, a girl from his former class who always hung out with his group. The visible changes in her were that her dark brown hair had grown considerably, and she now wore more formal clothes, suitable for an office environment.
"Siyu... what are you doing here?"
The woman looked at the man curiously.
"Who are you?" Siyu asked, looking at him as if she had never seen him before in her life.
"What?" Tian Hao's eyes widened when he heard this.
Siyu quickly got on the subway car, not caring about the person in front of her.
Tian Hao stood there lost in thought.
Who am I?
Tian Hao now sat in the old armchair in his home—a simple two-room apartment: a living room that doubled as a bedroom, a small TV, a tiny kitchen, and a bathroom. He had in his hands the instant noodles he ate regularly.
"Hey..."
Tian Hao's attention was completely drawn to the TV when he heard the voice that many in City X know, the perfect hero Nice.
"Do you have a home?"
"I think so..."
"A lifelong partner is essential for a perfect family, but you also need a stable home. The Treeman Group makes the dreams of everyone who wants."
The commercial ended with Nice smiling and doing his signature pose.
Tian Hao trembled visibly as he processed the words.
Make dreams come true...?
The next day - Treeman Agency
Shang De entered the building lobby with his usual emotionless expression.
"HEY! STOP RIGHT THERE!"
"STOP!"
"SHANG DE!"
He finally turned toward the entrance where the commotion was happening. Two security guards were holding a man who looked disheveled but was visibly agitated. It was Tian Hao.
"The Treeman Group makes the dreams of everyone who wants..." Tian Hao said breathlessly.
Shang De stared at him. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
"Then... prove it..." Tian Hao challenged, looking him straight in the eye.
A few seconds of silence passed until Shang De turned his back, signaling the security guards to release the young man.
"Okay... let's see how far you can go..."
40 A.C - March
"Remember, your name is Lucius Dawnbringer, the paladin hero who fights to guide other heroes, Nice's rival for the top."
Tian Hao was in yet another of the rehearsals he had been doing for over a year. He was now a new persona, Lucius, a hero who would shine like a light.
Now, his hair was blonde and his eyes reflected a bright blue, matching his new image.
I still can't believe my appearance changed on its own... confidence really is powerful.
"Your rank has been rising secretly lately, so Starting this month, in addition to participating in Treeman's closed events as you have been doing, you will appear in the background of Treeman's posts to attract people's curiosity so that your trust value will rise enough for an official announcement from Treeman upon your arrival. People may be drawn to the news about Lucky Cyan, but it won't affect your progress for those who are closer to Treeman."
"Okay." Lucius accepted the words spoken by the Treeman agent while other staff finished his makeup.
It seems she couldn't bear to continue as a heroine...
Lucius remembered the time she offered to help him; he could no longer be the person to play that role.
Even if I throw away who I was before, I won't forget who I am. I'll prove to everyone what a true hero is.
Lucius's attention was drawn when he heard his cell phone alerting him to a new notification.
DON'T FORGET THE HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI REUNION...
Class reunion...?
Lucius let a confident smile appear on his face.
A hero will definitely show up.
40 A.C - Class reunion
"You really became a hero!?"
"Amazing!"
"Give me an autograph."
"What's your current ranking?"
Lucius smiled and laughed confidently at the comments from his former classmates, dressed in his appropriate armor, the attention he received was unprecedented, the same kind of emotion he felt hit him again, He used some false stories, such as having met some famous heroes, fought against fear, nothing that would hurt to say, it was just him saying something that would happen in the future as a hero. That night seemed to have been made for him, even.
"Hey, who is he? Was he in our class?"
"I don't remember him... Was there anyone in our class who read comic books?"
"I think it was that weird guy in the corner who said he was going to be a hero."
"Pffft, him? A hero? Just look at him, he's nothing like a hero, at least I would never trust him."
"We'd be lost if someone like him was a hero."
Lucius was feeling strange, but at the same time invigorated. That person who wanted to be a hero and was being judged for not looking like one was going through something that Lucius himself had gone through, but in his defense, that had always been people's mistake. In comparison, Lin Ling accepted these words. To Lucius, he deserved it. The person who never showed anything special was truly the person who was not special enough to be a hero.
Now Lucius smiled, seeing the world showing him this, it gave him certainty that the world was finally moving in agreement.
"I found you!"
"What!?"
That woman smiling at Lin Ling... Lucius could see it very well, the way those eyes shone with compassion.
It's her... I don't know what she's doing with him, but this is my chance. He's not able to help you enough, is he? Now, when I help you, you'll finally understand who needs help. In return, your luck will help me a lot.
Lucius approached the two who were about to leave, he would finally have luck on his side.
The next day—after the school reunion.
Lucius stood in front of the gate of a building. He pressed the intercom button for a specific apartment number, his bandaged hand clearly visible.
"Who is it?"
The nearby camera turned to look closely at Lucius.
"Just someone seeking the truth," Lucius said proudly.
"Come in."
Upon entering the apartment, Lucius could see a dark room with a hallway surrounded by what appeared to be an aquarium. At the end of it, several bright screens were being operated by someone sitting in a chair.
"Well... look who we have here, Treeman's secret hero."
The person in the chair turned to look at Lucius, revealing a tall, thin man with pale skin and green eyes. He wore his long black hair loose, reaching down to his waist. He wore rectangular half-frame glasses and a long traditional olive green coat over an elegant black suit with gold details, fastened with an olive green and gold sash. This was Enlighter, the hero who sought the truth in the world of heroes.
"It's an honor that a veteran already knows me, but it's no surprise, my rank is already higher than yours..." Lucius couldn't help but provoke the hero in front of him.
Enlighter narrowed his eyes in anger in response.
"So much confidence... what could that confidence be hiding?"
"Good move... I came here because I need your help. I need you to find someone for me... in exchange, I'll give you a tip on how to attack Nice to bring him down for good."
Enlighter spun his chair around a few times, thinking.
"Interesting... but why would you do that? Aren't you from Treeman?"
A strand of energy came out of Enlighter's equipment and stuck to Lucius' wrist.
"I don't care about Treeman. I'll just use them until I don't need them anymore, their downfall would be a relief for me."
The screen behind Enlighter flashed a green light.
"I like how you talk... I helped the person in charge of Treeman before, but I'm always on the side of truth, no matter who it is."
"Great... his name is Lin Ling..." Lucius showed Enlighter a photo on his cell phone. "I don't know anything useful about his location or what he does, I just have this photo that someone took at the alumni reunion."
"Alumni reunion? That kind of event is stupid, people only go to brag and feel better about themselves with the failure of others."
"Can you find him?" Lucius didn't want to talk about these things.
"Yes... but it's going to be tough with just a photo." Enlighter turned away as he connected Lucius' cell phone to his equipment and began analyzing the photo.
"So... who is he? An ex-boyfriend—"
Enlighter stopped at the question with the hateful look Lucius gave him.
"Wow, it's not that bad."
"He's just someone I need to settle some disagreements with, nothing major..." Lucius said calmly, and soon the screens signaled that they had found something.
"Did you find him?"
"Not exactly... 477,000 compatible results were found..."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Lucius said indignantly.
"What? If he hasn't posted anything on Fomo involving his own face, the results won't be accurate."
He hasn't posted anything like that... what bad luck.
"Okay... can we still find him?"
"It'll take a while... because we'll have to look at the results one by one."
"This has to be a joke..."
"The truth isn't easy."
"Stop!" A few hours later, Lucius shouted, pointing to a photo of a woman in office attire taking pictures with some other employees.
"What?" Enlighter didn't see anything special.
"There, in the back, that person sitting down."
Enlighter zoomed in on the background of the photo, where a man was sitting hunched over the table.
"Is that him?"
"I'm betting on it."
"Okay... so now let's filter based on her profile."
They browsed through some photos until they found another photo where he appeared in the background, but it was clearer than before.
"You can see his name tag, Lin Ling, employee." Enlighter read as he adjusted his glasses.
"The company is Toadman... that's..."
"The company that does marketing for Nice and Treeman in general. You're in luck." Enlighter commented, enjoying the coincidence.
I've heard of them. Since I don't have any official connection with Treeman yet, I'll introduce myself as a hero without an agency looking for marketing. It'll be a good excuse to meet you.
"Right... now for your part of the deal." Enlighter turned, looking at Lucius with some expectation.
"Okay...the information is..."
A few months ago.
Lucius was walking exhausted through the corridors of Treeman after another character rehearsal.
"I'M TIRED OF THIS!"
Lucius was startled to hear this voice a few corridors ahead, but quickly approached and hid to observe the scene.
"The script for this commercial has already been approved and everything is ready for filming." A man in a suit was visibly shaking as he spoke to the angry woman.
"Why does everything I have to do involve him!? Can't I have a little space of my own!?" The person was the heroine Moon, Nice's current girlfriend.
"I'm sorry, but it's in the contract, you have to act like a couple on every possible occasion, that's what the public wants to see."
Moon stamped her foot hard on the floor before agreeing to continue in this situation.
"Okay... but I hope you'll tone down all these sappy scenes from now on."
"We'll see."
Both continued walking down the hallway while Moon kept a scowl on her face.
So the perfect couple... doesn't even exist?
Lucius allowed himself to smile at that thought.
Back with Lucius and Enlighter
"As I imagined... that couple is a complete sham." Enlighter spoke as if he already felt victorious.
"I hope you use this well."
"I'll use it at the right time, but for now I need to delve deeper into this research, I need to make them confess this."
"Okay..." Lucius started walking towards the exit.
I'm going to make Lin Ling pay for the shame Lucky Cyan put me through, and then I'm going to use her kindness and guilt to secure myself a spot in the top 10.
After the last meeting between Lin Ling and Lucius
Those individuals... they believe they can mock me like this, but I do not require her luck. In the next tournament, I will demonstrate to them the hero that I am!
"Hold on there."
Lucius was about to enter the Treeman building when two security guards he remembered well stopped in front of him, blocking his way.
"What are you doing? Let me in!"
"No way, you have no business here anymore." One of the security guards smiled smugly at him.
"What!? I'm Lucius Dawnbringer, hero—"
"Not anymore." One of the security guards opened the camera on his cell phone, showing Lucius's current face.
His eyes were back to their original dark brown color, and his hair had returned to black.
No...
He quickly raised his arm and looked at his wrist with trembling eyes.
No...
The numbers that had been rising at a good pace were now falling rapidly.
"THIS IS NOTHING—Shang De... LET ME TALK TO HIM!"
"Forget it, you're not a hero anymore, he'd just be wasting his time."
"LET ME THROUGH!"
Lucius-Tian Hao began to struggle to get past the security guards.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned CEO of Treeman, Shang De, watched everything from his office on a screen on his desk, as always, maintaining the same emotionless expression.
"Mr. Shang," a tall woman with blonde hair and blue eyes entered his office door, wearing a distinctive short blue dress with gold accents.
Shang De looked in her direction, signaling for her to speak.
"The team is already working to take down that video on Toadman. It should be resolved in a few hours."
"Great..." Shang De took one last look at the screen. Tian Hao was thrown to the ground by security.
"Get out of here before things get worse for you."
Tian Hao gritted his teeth as he got up to leave.
"That's not fair..."
"Should we send Blankster to take care of him?" the woman asked Shang De.
"No... a person like that has no credibility. No one will listen to what he has to say."
Shang De picked up an envelope from the table and handed it to the woman.
"As a guarantee, deliver this personally to Toadman. It's an apology to the main person involved. Take the opportunity to include them in the next marketing campaign as I mentioned before; they have been instrumental in Nice's image in recent years. They should have some good ideas."
"Okay." The woman accepted the envelope and walked to the door. Before leaving, she stopped and asked, "If I may... why did you let him get this far?"
Shang De looked at her. It was impossible to decipher his silence with that usual expression.
"The Treeman group fulfills the dreams of everyone who wants..."
Shang De remembered the day Tian Hao arrived challenging him with the company's own words.
"Maybe..." Shang De looked at a frame with a specific photo on his desk, a young man with dark brown hair smiling in the photo.
"Curiosity."
40 A.C—back with Tian Hao in the alley.
"Who I am isn't enough... even being someone else isn't enough, so what is needed?" Tian Hao said to himself emotionlessly.
"They don't understand."
"What—" Tian Hao staggered to his feet when he heard that voice. "Who's there?!" He looked around the alley, but couldn't find anyone.
"Trust is weak."
Tian Hao turned around, trembling, when he heard something crawling on the walls.
"People only believe what suits them, even if it's lies."
Suddenly, what appeared to be spiders began to descend from the walls around Tian Hao.
"AAAAH!" He fell to the ground in fear.
"They are incapable of understanding the sacrifice that is necessary."
The spiders approached, and Tian Hao could see that they were actually small robots with spider legs.
WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?
"Their ingratitude is a disease. They are blinded by something that does not exist, but there is one thing they have no control over..."
A larger robot approached, and Tian Hao could see a symbol on it.
"Fear."
"Spotlight Organization!?"
"Do you want to be strong? To be able to prove how wrong they are? Fear can make you powerful enough to do that."
A group of robots approached, carrying something for him, a sword with a dark purple hilt and golden details.
Fear...
"Accept fear and then you won't need anyone else, you will be strong on your own and you will no longer be afraid of being forgotten."
Tian Hao's eyes widened upon hearing these words.
"Become strong with the fear that those ungrateful people have of you, prove to them who you really are."
Tian Hao approached, trembling, until he grabbed the sword, still shaking.
As a result, something dark and viscous began to circulate through his body.
"They did not accept the light, now they will have to live with darkness, you will be responsible for that, you are now Blayke.
The dark, viscous thing began to dissipate from Tian Hao-Blayke, and now a man in black armor with a light dark purple cape appeared, his eyes now shining in the same shade of purple, remnants of the dark, viscous thing marked his face.
"I will prove who I am."