Chapter-7 Tides of conflict

General: "Gentlemen, thank you for attending this meeting."

Prime Minister Sato leaned forward, intrigued by the General's urgency. 

Prime Minister Sato: "What is it this time, General?"

Defense Minister Furukawa scoffed, rolling his eyes as he sat back in his chair. 

Defense Minister Furukawa: "It's really quite unnecessary to gather us all for a single threat. It's unlikely to be anything major."

The General remained calm but firm, his voice unwavering. 

General: "Minister Furukawa, I assure you, this threat is imminent."

The Secret of Police raised an eyebrow, his voice skeptical. 

Secretary of Police: "If it's imminent, why is it already too late to act?"

The room went still, tension thickening as the General delivered the news. 

General: "The 7th Sector Series Hero, Enigma, has fallen."

Shocked silence filled the air. A wave of unease spread across the room as the ministers exchanged uncomfortable glances. 

Prime Minister Sato broke the silence, his voice sharp with concern. 

Prime Minister Sato: "Who is responsible for this?"

General: "A new villain. A Bismarck-class threat has recently emerged."

The Defense Minister leaned forward, his expression serious now. 

Defense Minister: "We need a full strike force. A squad of 7th Sector Heroes. Just give us the orders, and we'll take care of it."

The Secretary of Police cut in, his tone firm. 

Secretary of Police: "Hold on, Harukawa. It's not your jurisdiction. Neutralizing threats is our job, not yours. This isn't just a classified mission—it's a nationwide emergency."

Prime Minister Sato raised his hand, silencing the debate. 

Prime Minister Sato: "Enough. We need to assess just how dangerous this villain truly is before making any rash decisions."

The General nodded in agreement. 

General: "We're not certain of his full capabilities, but initial reports suggest he's somewhere between mid-high and high-level invulnerability."

Prime Minister Sato thought for a moment, his gaze intense. 

Prime Minister Sato: "Study him. Observe from the shadows. We need to know where he comes from and what his true intentions are before we act."

The ministers exchanged uneasy nods, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. 

Prime Minister Sato: "I don't want another Kenshiro incident."

---

Ivan walked through a dense forest, his heavy steps barely making a sound as he breathed in deeply. 

Ivan: "Well, that was quite the warm-up."

He muttered to himself, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction as he glanced around at the trees. 

Ivan: "I do miss oxygen."

Suddenly, a sharp voice broke the quiet. 

Unknown Girl: "Hey, you there! Identify yourself!"

Ivan turned his head slowly, his imposing figure casting a long, dark shadow. His gaze locked onto the girl stepping out from behind the trees. She was young, her stance unsure yet defiant.

Unknown Girl: "I'm Violet," she introduced herself, her voice wavering. She tried to stand tall, assuming a fighting stance, but her foot caught on something.

She tripped over the lifeless body of Enigma, her eyes widening in horror. She clapped a hand over her mouth, barely able to suppress the urge to vomit.

Ivan watched her with an expression of mild pity, but his eyes betrayed no real emotion. He glanced at Enigma's corpse, then, with a slight glow in his eyes, he disintegrated the body into ashes in an instant.

Ivan: "Are you a hero or something?" His tone was dripping with mockery.

Violet's eyes darted from the pile of ashes to Ivan, panic beginning to rise. She took a step back, but Ivan blocked her path effortlessly. 

Violet: "White Trace," she stammered, clearly terrified.

Ivan sighed, unimpressed by her fear. 

Ivan: "You're not hero material, are you?"

Violet clenched her fists, her voice trembling but defiant. 

Violet: "I'm not scared."

Tears welled in her eyes, betraying her words. Ivan, growing impatient, grabbed her by the waist, lifting her effortlessly off the ground.

Violet: "What are you doing?!"

Ivan: "You don't want to fall behind? Then stand up. The world is harsh, and it won't wait for you."

Violet: "You say that like it's easy," she said, struggling in his grip.

Ivan set her down gently, his voice cold but not unkind. 

Ivan: "When did I say it was easy?"

Wiping away her tears, Violet looked up at him, confusion evident in her eyes. 

Violet: "Why are you helping me?"

Ivan shrugged, turning slightly. 

Ivan: "It doesn't matter to me. I do what I want."

She looked at him, disbelief etched across her face. 

Violet: "Who did you kill?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ivan paused, thinking for a moment before answering. 

Ivan: "I guess his name was Enigma. Sound familiar?"

Violet's face paled, her breath catching in her throat. 

Violet: "You mean… the Japanese 7th Sector Hero?"

Ivan shrugged nonchalantly. 

Ivan: "Something like that."

Violet stared at him in shock, trying to piece together the situation. 

Violet: "Are you… are you Japanese?"

Ivan let out a low chuckle. 

Ivan: "No. Pretty sure I'm Russian."

Violet blinked, struggling to comprehend what she was hearing. 

Violet: "How did you even get here?"

Ivan smirked. 

Ivan: "Flying. Five times the speed of light. Chased Enigma across the globe."

Violet: "Wait, what?" Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You can travel that fast?"

Ivan's smirk deepened. 

Ivan: "It's not even my top speed."

Violet shook her head, still reeling. 

Violet: "What did you mean when you said I have potential?"

Ivan's gaze softened, just for a moment. 

Ivan: "I said you have potential because you have room to grow. Push yourself to your limits. Break them. Mold them. You'll find what you're looking for."

Violet frowned, unsure of how to respond. She felt broken, like she had already reached her limits and had nothing left to give. 

Violet: "I don't understand," she whispered.

Ivan began to float slightly above the ground, looking down at her with a mischievous smile. He tossed his headgear to her, catching her off guard. 

Ivan: "Figure it out."

Violet caught the headgear, confusion etched across her face. 

Violet: "What?"

Ivan winked, and with a sudden burst of speed, he created a deafening sonic boom, blasting off into the sky and leaving her standing alone in the clearing.

Still reeling from the encounter, Violet muttered to herself. 

Violet: "That's not fair. He didn't even give me his full name."

She looked down at the headgear in her hands, turning it over as if it might hold the answers she was looking for. 

Violet: "Why did he give this to me?"

Suddenly, the headgear shifted, its solid form softening like melted wax.

Violet: "What the—?"

Before she could react, the headgear liquefied completely, the dark substance slithering up her arms like living tendrils. It enveloped her in a seamless black liquid, creeping up her body, covering every inch of her skin. Her breath hitched as she felt it tighten around her, almost like it was alive, reshaping itself to fit her perfectly.

Violet: "What's happening to me?!"

Her voice was panicked as she tried to pull away from the strange material, but it was too late. The substance solidified into a sleek, black outfit—a perfect, form-fitting suit that seemed to hum with energy. Violet stood there, stunned, as a surge of power pulsed through her veins.

She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers as they glowed faintly with energy she had never felt before.

Violet: "What... what is this?"

Her mind raced, but she couldn't deny it—she felt stronger, faster, more alive. Her muscles seemed to hum with newfound vitality, like she had tapped into a well of power that had been lying dormant inside her all along. The overwhelming sense of potential—of growth—was intoxicating.

Violet: "I—this… this is incredible."

She clenched her fists, feeling the raw power surging beneath the surface of her skin. The weight of doubt and fear that had clung to her moments before felt distant now, replaced by a hunger to test her limits. To push further.

Ivan, floating nearby, watched her transformation with an amused expression.

Ivan: "Not bad, huh? Told you—you have potential. Now, are you going to use it or keep whining?"

Violet: "Use it?" She looked up, her eyes now burning with resolve. "I'll do more than that."

Ivan smirked, his eyes narrowing.

Ivan: "Good. About time you started taking yourself seriously. Keep growing. You might actually survive."

He shot her a final, knowing glance before rocketing off into the sky, leaving a deafening sonic boom in his wake. The shockwave of his departure made the trees around her tremble, but Violet stood her ground, unmoved.

She stared at the spot where he disappeared, her heart still racing, adrenaline pumping through her veins. The suit pulsed with energy, like it was feeding her strength. Her doubts were gone—replaced with determination.

Violet: "I'll grow stronger," she whispered to herself, her eyes narrowing in focus. "No more limits."

She looked down at her new outfit, feeling the power humming through her, and clenched her fists. The world might be harsh, but she wasn't about to be left behind anymore.

Violet: "No more falling behind."

With a deep breath, she turned and started walking. She wasn't sure where her path would take her, but she knew one thing: she wouldn't stop growing. She wouldn't stop fighting.