Streets of horror

The transport's engines roared, cutting through the eerie silence of Horoku City's ruined streets. Neon lights flickered, casting warped shadows over the shattered remains of storefronts.

Sirens blared in the distance, blending with the occasional inhuman screech that echoed from somewhere deeper in the city.

As the doors hissed open, Takeru and Akari stepped out.

And then they saw them. Puppets. Hundreds of them.

Men, women, even children, all standing in complete stillness, their heads lolling slightly, their limbs twisted in unnatural ways. Lifeless expressions.

Empty eyes. But their bodies trembled, as if barely restraining themselves from attacking.

A sharp chill ran through Takeru's spine.

"This is worse than we thought," Akari murmured, scanning the motionless crowd.

Takeru's grip tightened. "We taking them down?"

Akari narrowed her golden eyes. "We restrain them. No killing."

Then, the puppets moved.

Like a hive-mind, they snapped their heads toward the two heroes simultaneously, their bodies convulsing. Then they charged.

Takeru barely had time to react before one of them lunged. A former construction worker, still wearing his tattered vest, his movements unnatural and jerky, but fast.

Takeru ducked, dodging the first strike, but two more puppets leaped at him from the side. ''Shit, too fast!''

One grabbed his arm. Another latched onto his shoulder. Cold hands tightened around his throat.

A sharp crack rang out.

A burst of golden flames ripped the puppets away from him, sending them flying.

Akari stood beside him, her fist smoking, golden sparks crackling along her knuckles.

"Focus," she snapped. "They're strong, but they're still just people. Keep moving."

Takeru coughed, rubbing his throat. "Yeah, yeah. I got it."

But before he could step forward, a blur shot toward him.

A puppet, moving impossibly fast.

Takeru's eyes widened. He couldn't react.

The puppet's claws shot toward his chest and stopped inches away.

Akari had grabbed its arm mid-air.

With a sharp twist, she sent the creature crashing into the pavement.

"You almost died," she said flatly.

Takeru exhaled shakily. "Yeah… thanks."

Akari cracked her knuckles, golden energy swirling around her. ''Please don't slow me down."

Takeru grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it."

A few blocks away, Ryoma Kazuki, a b-ranked hero stumbled through the ruins of a collapsed building.

His once-pristine hero suit was torn and soaked in blood. His Gauntlets were cracked. His breathing was ragged, and his legs threatened to give out beneath him.

He activated his comms again, voice weak. "This is Ryoma… Is anyone there? …I need backup."

Silence.

His hands trembled.

Then, he saw her.

Standing in the middle of the street was Saya. His former partner.

She looked… exactly the same.

Same black and red hero suit. Same fierce stance. Same short, dark hair. But her eyes were dead.

"…Saya?" Ryoma whispered.

She tilted her head. Then she moved. Faster than he expected.

Steel glinted.

Pain exploded in his gut.

Ryoma gasped, looking down. Her hand was buried deep in his stomach.

"…S… Saya…"

No hesitation. No emotion. Just cold efficiency.

Tears blurred his vision. He reached up, fingers trembling.

But Saya didn't stop. Her other hand shot up and then she drove her blade-like fingers into his throat.

A wet gurgle.

Blood splattered across the pavement, Ryoma collapsed.

His eyes dimmed and as his last breath escaped his lips… he shed a single tear.

A low chuckle echoed through the street.

Heavy footsteps approached.

And then, ice spread across the pavement.

A new figure emerged from the shadows, exhaling a cloud of cold air.

A man in his 40s, with dark gray hair slicked back, a cigar resting between his fingers. His hands emitted freezing mist, the temperature dropping with every step he took.

He smirked, taking a slow drag from his cigar before exhaling. "S-Ranked Hero Tyuji… has arrived."

He turned to Saya, the woman who had just killed Ryoma Kazuki.

He laughed.

Then, he raised a single finger. A wave of ice exploded outward.

In an instant, Saya and the surrounding puppets were frozen solid.

Just as Tyuji was about to step over Ryoma's corpse, a new presence loomed.

A deep, guttural growl.

A massive puppet, standing at least four meters tall, its body twisted beyond human recognition. Its tentacle-like appendages writhed unnaturally, reaching out toward Tyuji.

The tentacles shot forward. Tyuji sighed. "Tch."

He flicked his wrist, Ice bursted outward, freezing the appendages instantly.

In a single second, he reappeared in front of the massive puppet, his hand already raised to deliver the final blow.

But, he was stopped. A cane blocked his strike.

A calm, collected voice spoke.

"You should be more remorseful," the man said. "These are still human beings."

Tyuji narrowed his eyes. "…Gugada."

Standing before him was another S-Ranked Hero.

A tall, slender man, wearing a dark suit and a top hat, an ornate harp strapped to his back. His gaze was filled with wisdom, and sadness.

S-Ranked Hero Gugada.

Tyuji exhaled, stepping back. "Hmph. You're too soft."

Gugada turned his attention to the monstrous puppet. He extended his cane, tapping it against the ground.

A sonic wave pulsed outward and the massive puppet staggered.

Gugada frowned. "Whoever's controlling them… isn't just making puppets."

He raised his hand. Invisible threads wrapped around the creature.

Then, with a single movement, he restrained it completely.

"…They're giving them abilities," Gugada muttered. "And altering their forms." He sighed, adjusting his gloves. "This… is bad."

Meanwhile, Takeru and Akari fought desperately.

They knocked out puppets one by one, moving fast, trying not to kill.

Then, a new puppet attacked. This one was different.

It moved with unnatural speed, its strength overwhelming.

Akari gritted her teeth, struggling to keep up. Takeru? He got beat.

The puppet slammed him into the ground, knocking the air from his lungs. Takeru gasped, barely able to move.

The puppet raised its hand for a final strike. Then, Takeru's vision glitched.

Something inside him clicked.

And then, he rewrote reality.

[Rewrite Combat Rules – Remove Speed Limit]

In an instant, Takeru vanished and when he reappeared, the puppet was already on the ground, unconscious.

Akari blinked. "...What?"

Takeru stood up, breathing heavily, his fingers twitching with raw power.

"…I think I just broke the rules."