The lights were blinding.
Cameras flashed like lightning in a storm, each burst capturing a man who looked calm on the outside… but was anything but.
Sir Ferguson stood behind the podium, hands resting firmly on its edges. His face was composed, practiced—even reassuring.
But his eyes betrayed him.
They were tired.
"Sir Ferguson!"
"Is the public in danger?"
"Are these… individuals connected to the Shift incident?"
"Is DARC losing control?"
The questions came like bullets.
Relentless.
Overlapping.
Demanding answers he couldn't fully give.
Ferguson inhaled slowly.
Measured.
Controlled.
Then he spoke.
"Recent events have understandably caused concern among the public…"
A pause.
Cameras clicked.
"…but I assure you, the Department of Anomalous Research and Control is actively managing the situation."
Murmurs spread across the crowd.
Not convinced.
A reporter raised her voice above the rest.
"Managing? People are dying. Superhuman individuals are appearing across the city. Are these experiments gone wrong?"
Another voice followed immediately.
"How many are out there, Sir Ferguson?"
Silence.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
Ferguson's jaw tightened slightly.
He adjusted his tie.
"We are still gathering data. Jumping to conclusions at this stage would be irresponsible."
Unclear.
Careful.
Safe.
But not satisfying.
Another reporter leaned forward.
"Is it true they are connected to the Shift incident?"
Ferguson looked directly at him this time.
"…We are investigating all possible links."
That was it.
No confirmation.
No denial.
Just enough to keep the truth hidden.
But as the flashes continued, one thing became painfully obvious—
The world wasn't convinced.
Kade exhaled sharply.
"…Alright… let's try this again."
He stood alone in an abandoned section of a construction site, staring at the massive water tank in front of him.
It wasn't small.
It wasn't light.
And it definitely wasn't something a normal human could lift.
Kade flexed his fingers.
His hand still felt… strange.
Like something lived beneath his skin.
Watching.
Waiting.
He stepped forward.
Placed both hands on the metal surface.
Cold.
Solid.
Real.
"Just… lift," he muttered.
He pushed.
Nothing.
He frowned.
Tried again.
Harder.
Then—
Something shifted.
Not outside.
Inside.
His muscles tightened.
His breathing changed.
And suddenly—
The tank moved.
"…Wait—wait—WAIT—"
He lifted.
And it kept going.
The tank rose off the ground.
Water sloshing violently inside.
Kade's eyes widened.
"…No way…"
He adjusted his grip, raising it higher.
His arms didn't shake.
Not even a little.
"…No way…"
"Whoa."
Kade froze.
Slowly—very slowly—he turned his head.
A kid.
Maybe seven or eight.
Standing a few meters away.
Staring like he had just witnessed a miracle.
"…Are you Superman?" the kid asked, dead serious.
Kade panicked instantly.
"W–w–what? N–no! Wh–why w–would you th–think that?!"
The kid pointed aggressively.
"You just picked that thing up like it was nothing! Even my dad can't carry gas!"
Kade quickly dropped the tank.
It landed with a loud THUD.
"Th–that's n–not—th–that's j–just—uh—ex–exercise…"
The kid squinted.
"That's not exercise. That's cheating."
Kade blinked.
"…Ch–cheating?"
"Yeah. Humans don't do that."
Kade swallowed.
"I'm n–not Su–Superman."
Right on cue—
"HEY!"
A woman rushed over.
The kid's mom.
"What did I tell you about talking to strangers?!"
"But mom—he lifted a whole—"
"I don't care! Come here!"
She dragged him away.
The kid still looking back, struggling.
"I'm telling you he's Superman!"
Kade stood there.
Alone again.
Silence settling around him.
He scratched his head slowly.
"…Am I Superman?"
He shook it off.
"…No. No way."
As he walked off, still lost in thought, his eyes caught something.
Across the street.
Elena.
"…Oh."
He straightened slightly.
Took a step forward.
Then another.
He didn't notice the car.
🚗 HONK!!!
Too late.
His body reacted before his mind could.
💥
He jumped.
Not a normal jump.
Not even close.
He shot into the air, clearing the entire car effortlessly.
For a moment—
He was weightless.
Then—
He came down.
Landing perfectly on both feet.
The street went silent.
The driver slammed the brakes, head sticking out the window.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!"
Kade blinked.
"…S–sorry—"
But the driver had already sped off, still shouting.
People were staring now.
Everyone.
Phones out.
Eyes wide.
Mouths open.
And then—
From behind—
"I SAID IT!! HE'S SUPERMAN!!"
Kade slowly turned.
The same kid.
Pointing proudly.
"…Oh God…"
He looked around again.
More people watching.
More eyes on him.
Then—
Elena.
Their eyes met.
She looked shocked.
Confused.
Trying to process what she had just seen.
Kade said nothing.
***
The bar was alive.
Music blasting.
Glasses clinking.
People laughing, shouting, dancing.
Normal.
The door creaked open.
A man walked in.
Slim.
Lanky.
Quiet.
No one noticed him.
At first.
He walked straight to the counter.
Sat down.
"Drink."
The barman nodded.
Turned.
Poured.
Placed it in front of him.
The man stared at the glass.
Unmoving.
Then—
In a flash—
💀
His hand shot out.
Grabbing the barman by the collar—
And in one brutal motion—
Slaughtered him.
Blood splashed across the counter.
The barman dropped.
Dead.
For a second—
Just one—
The bar went silent.