Chapter 8 - You're Weaker Than Me

Outside the club, the police had built a perimeter around the building, evacuating all civilians from the area, including the club. Up above, three helicopters hovered over the area, one belonging to the police while the other two belonged to news agencies.

This event was being televised across all of Japan, it was a big joint operation between heroes and the police. Millions across Japan stood in front of their TVs looking on with anticipation.

[Ladies and Gentlemen, I am reporting to you live from above the streets of Tokyo. Earlier today, we got a report of a hero and police operation on a human trafficking ring, one of the biggest in modern times. The police have set up a blockade in a three-block radius of my current location. According to my sources, this seemingly normal club is the epicenter and headquarters where such atrocities are being done to fellow human beings… Look! Our heroes who were chosen to participate in this mission have arrived!]

…

Styxx walked up the stairs with the three girls following closely behind, just as he stepped on the ground floor, he stopped. Styxx finally noticed that the rest of the club was empty.

"Prepare yourselves," Styxx stated,

Seemingly out of nowhere, he pulled out three black hooded coats and draped them over the girls. Styxx slowly made his way out only to be met with a giant searchlight from the helicopter pointed at him. The possibility of news helicopters were the reason Styxx wore the mask.

Styxx ignored the light, his focus was on the five people lined up in front of him in hero costumes. Mirko, a short, well-toned, and dark-skinned female with bunny ears in a white one-piece swimsuit-like costume stood out first. She was similar to the bunny girl behind Styxx, but they didn't seem to be related. Next to her, Eraserhead, a black-haired man with dark clothing and a long white scarf around his neck stood readily as he put goggles over his eyes. Styxx didn't know much about him except for his name and face.

On the right of the lineup, there was Best Jeanist. His jean-like costume always appeared weird to Styxx, but it didn't matter. To Jeanist's left, there was the current hero that had been recently in Styxx search parameters, Endeavor. His flaming facial hair and mask, along with the fire running through his costume made him look intimidating to everyone except Styxx. Disgust was the only thing in Styxx's eyes as he looked upon Endeavor's soul, it was a sickly gray color, just a few sins away from turning fully gray. And right in the middle, All Might stood tall and mighty, that irritating smile plastered on his face, as if begging to be smashed in.

It was likely the ones looking from home were only watching due to the few popular heroes in the current lineup.

"Came a little late to the party fellas, only body parts left downstairs now~" Styxx teased the heroes.

"Who are you?! I suggest you surrender!" Hollered Endeavor,

"I apologize but I don't surrender to those weaker than me," Styxx said,

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?!! WEAK?!!?" yelled Mirko and Endeavor.

Endeavor's flames seemed to erupt from his body, while Mirko cracked her knuckles and began to stretch.

"Besides, why would I listen to such failures that call themselves 'Heroes'?" Styxx said,

Almight began to frown, it seemed there was more to this situation than it meets the eye.

"Young man, I'm sure you think you are doing the right thing here, but vigilantism and murder are wrong…" Almight said, his self-righteousness disgusting Styxx who heard his words.

"And who decided that? You?!?" Styxx responded,

"You people have no idea have fucked up you all are, do you?"

"Eh?" All Might exclaimed,

"You stand above others like gods, on these golden pedestals that the masses have put you on, thinking that you are better than everyone else, why? You went to school and got a license? You have gone blind to your arrogance and greed and self-righteousness that you have no business having in the first place. Why is it that when I save someone, it's a criminal offense but you give out hero licenses to rapists and traitors?!"

"What are you talking about?! Who's a traitor?!" Endeavor screamed,

"That's what I'm talking about! You have your heads so far up your asses that you didn't think your peers, your fellow heroes, would betray you and be worse than some villains! Are you stupid?! You think I just came here and killed everyone indiscriminately?! Ha!" Styxx let out a laugh,

"When I arrived, they were already killing the captives. The ones behind me are all that remain of them, they are the lucky ones!" Styxx said,

The heroes' gazes turned to the three behind the masked man, they couldn't see their faces, but the rags and the bruises were clearly visible to them.

"You have failed the innocent, so I call you failures," Styxx simply said,

"And I'm going to drag you down from your thrones up above, even if I have to dismantle them, Brick! By! Brick!"

Just then as Styxx spat out his words, A vertical eye opened from between the colors of his mask. Though, Styxx called the mask 'simple', it was in fact an advanced piece of technology he had created. The masks lets you project images with just a thought, like a mask made out of a computer or television screen.

The eye made them jump back, as it was unexpected for them.

"Kitty! Puppy!... Tell these failures how old you are!" Styxx said, his voice suddenly amplified so that even the news copters above could hear him.

Behind him, the two little girls shivered, but they took a step forwards and answered.

"W-w-w-we are 10 years old, nya!" exclaimed one of the girls, her voice too was amplified.

"And how long did they hold you captive?!" Styxx's voice echoed through the streets.

"F-f-f-five years!" the other little girl said after counting with her fingers.

The little girl's voice pierced the hearts of all that heard her answer. Almight seemed to have taken the worst of the damage, as if the words hit his soul and tried to destroy it.

"Now, Bunny! Tell these so-called heroes your truth!" Styxx exclaimed, the eye on his mask darting back and forth between the heroes, the police, and the choppers hovering above.

Behind Styxx, the taller of the three captives was shivering uncontrollably. Everyone present and at home could tell she was crying underneath that hood.

"I am *sniff* 15 years old…*sniff*… and I was made a slave when I WAS 5 YEARS OLD!" Her gut-wrenching scream hit like a war hammer to those that heard the pain in her voice, the betrayal and anger she felt towards those that didn't save her.

"…"

Silence permeated the scene, only the sound of the helicopter above could be heard.

"… How were-" Mirko started to say awkwardly,

"Were you going to say: 'How were we supposed to know?' 'How was that our fault? We didn't know,' …I SAW 10 HEROES WALK BY THIS PLACE EARLIER TODAY!!! TWO OF THEM EVEN WALKED IN!!"

Styxx's shout broke the sound barrier blasting Mirko into the air but she just backflipped and safely landed unharmed. The others took a stance ready to defend but Styxx didn't move, the eye on his mask quickly turned red.

"'A hero should put their life on the line to save people'… isn't that what you said, Almight?" Styxx said, just loud enough for the heroes to hear,

'Those words…' All Might frowned at those words,

*ZZZZ*

In the blink of an eye, while the heroes contemplated on his words, Styxx shot a laser killing a police officer three blocks away, a cauterized hole right in between his eyes.

"NOOOOO!" All Might screamed,

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?! HE WAS A GOOD MAN! HE HAD A FAMILY!"