Overnight Superstar

The drive home felt surreal.

Adam sat in the back of a black SUV. This time, only one officer accompanied him, along with the driver, so he got the window seat.

He looked out the window, watching the neon lights pass by. They looked extra beautiful today for some reason.

"Crazy night, huh?" the officer driving the car asked. "You're all over the news, kid."

Adam had a smile on his face. "Yeah… I noticed."

The driver chuckled. "Bet you weren't expecting this when you woke up today."

Not at all. This morning, he was just a E-Class sidekick, barely scraping by. Now, his phone hadn't stopped buzzing since the interview ended.

The car pulled up outside his rundown apartment complex. Adam wasn't embarrassed by where he lived, but right now, seeing it after everything that had happened? It felt strangely distant—like a place that no longer belonged to him.

"You sure this is your stop?" the driver asked, raising an eyebrow. "No offense, but with your new status, this place might not be safe for you anymore."

Adam sighed. "Yeah, I know. But it's home… for now."

The driver nodded. "Get some rest, kid. You're gonna need it."

Adam stepped out, shutting the door behind him. As the car pulled away, leaving him alone under the dim streetlights, Adam felt mentally exhausted. But more than that—he was satisfied.

He climbed the stairs, happily humming a song. His phone didn't stop buzzing, so he quickly opened his door, eager to finally lay down and see what was happening.

Kicking off his shoes, he jumped onto his best friend—the couch—and unlocked his phone, lighting up the dark room.

The first thing he checked was his HayPal balance.

[Bank Alert] Deposit Received

From: Hero Association Payroll

Amount: $140,000

Available Balance: $140,047.32

"Holy shit, I made 140k off just one interview... Being famous is sure convenient," Adam shouted excitedly, dropping the phone on his face.

He groaned, picking it up again and rubbing his face. "Let's see why my phone was buzzing so much."

[NEW EMAIL: Sponsorship Opportunity – 5 Million Offer]

[NEW MENTION: YOU JUST BROKE A RECORD!]

[NEW NOTIFICATION: YOU HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE TOP 100 MOST FOLLOWED HEROES OF ALL TIME]

Adam blinked. Wait. What?

"ENDURE'S INTERVIEW BREAKS ALL-TIME RECORDS – 107 MILLION VIEWERS!"

Adam sat up straight.

Opening Y, one of the popular social media app, he saw he had gained over 30 million followers in the span of three days.

"…What the hell is happening?"

Trending Topics:

#EndureSweep (5M Tweets)

#EvenEndureCouldDoIt (8M Tweets)

#WeakestW To BiggestW (3M Tweets)

A viral tweet from a famous comedian read:

"If Endure can take down a villain like that, maybe I should start fighting crime too. #EvenEndureCouldDoIt"

Someone had edited an anime-style opening with his fight, adding dramatic music and slow-motion effects. The video already had 20 million views.

Another post had a picture of an average-looking guy, captioned:

"This is literally just some dude. How did he become a legend overnight??"

Adam laughed at the absurdity of things. He didn't know if he should be happy or embarrassed.

And like any popular personality, here came the haters.

The first wave started with hero interviews on morning talk shows.

B-Class Hero (StrongArm) – Live Interview:

"Look, no disrespect to the kid, but let's be real… ONE fight? That's all it took? I've been grinding for years, risking my life, and I barely get any coverage. Feels kinda unfair, don't you think?"

A-Class Hero (Drake Fist) – Hero News Panel:

"It's cool that he had a moment, but let's not act like he's suddenly on our level. He got lucky. Let's see him do that for 10 more years before calling him a 'legend.'"

C-Class Hero (Thunderkick) – Social Media Post:

"Nah, man. This gotta be scripted. No way an E-Class hero pulls that off legit. He's gonna fade out in a week."

Some heroes did publicly come out to support him, but on social media, hate always got more attention than anything else.

D-Class Hero (Scarlet Flash) – Y Post:

"Y'all are just mad he made it first. Stay salty, lmao. #EndureSweep"

Adam exhaled. So it begins.

Then, another notification. This one was a link to a MeTube video.

"The TRUTH About Endure – A Rigged Rise to Fame?"

The thumbnail had "EXPOSED" written in bold red letters over his face.

"…You've got to be kidding me."

The video was from a famous commentary MeTuber known for deep-diving into the hero industry, exposing scandals, and stirring controversy. The title alone had 15 million views in 24 hours.

A bit mad and annoyed, Adam pressed play.

Narrator (AI-generated serious voice): "Let's talk about the biggest overnight success in hero history—Endure. This nobody E-Class hero somehow took down a villain way above his weight class. But was it real? Or was it all staged?"

Adam gritted his teeth.

The video continued.

Narrator: "Endure used to be a sidekick for Adheso, the D-Class hero not known for being strong himself. According to sources, Endure was nothing more than a glorified errand boy. So how did he suddenly surpass a B-class Villian?"

The screen cut to a clip of Adheso laughing on a podcast.

Adheso leaned back in his chair, sipping coffee. "Endure? You mean my old chore boy? Pffft. Man, that kid used to clean my gear and fetch my drinks. He was never a fighter."

Adheso smirked. "I'm saying, if he really thinks he's strong, he should fight me. Let's see how long he lasts against his mentor."

The MeTuber paused the clip.

Narrator: "You heard it here, folks. Adheso just called Endure out. Will he respond?"

Adam set his phone down, his fingers tightening into fists. He hadn't even processed his fame yet, and people were already trying to take him down.

He took a deep breath, feeling something stir inside him.

Rage? Excitement? Maybe both.

He had spent too long thinking he wasn't good enough.

Too long holding back because he believed the words of people like Adheso.

Adam grabbed his phone, opened Y app, and typed out a single message.

"You want the fight? You got it."

And with that, the fans erupted in excitement once again.