--- Meanwhile – The Cemetery Police Precinct ---
Thomas Baker sat at his desk, typing up a report on yesterday's incident. Unfortunately, the culprits they had arrested refused to speak without a lawyer, leaving him with little to go on.
Early this morning, their lawyer arrived; the lawyer spoke with them briefly under the surveillance of his subordinates and left shortly after. Just as Thomas was about to finish his report, hurried footsteps rushed toward him.
"Captain! Captain! It's bad!" One of his subordinates burst into his office, panic written across his face.
"What's wrong?" Thomas asked.
"The culprits… they're… all dead!" the subordinate stammered, his face pale.
"What?!" Thomas shot up from his chair and followed his subordinate to the holding cells.
Inside, the corpses of the culprits lay motionless, their mouths frothing with saliva. Thomas stepped into the cell, donned gloves, and began examining the bodies.
Muscle rigidity and contortions… blue-tinged skin (signs of oxygen deprivation)… urine and feces released (autonomic system failure)… wide, unblinking eyes… and most disturbingly—bioluminescent patches on their skin, faces, and hands.
Despite his men's surveillance and all precautions, the culprits were still dead. Only one person could have pulled this off…
"Nano-synthesis poison…" Thomas muttered. "It's Necrotox. We've been fooled, gentlemen. The people we arrested knew too much—their boss sent a villain disguised as a lawyer to silence them."
"Sigh… Now I have to write another damn report. What a f*cking day."
"Captain! We'll check the CCTV and arrest that bastard!" one of his subordinates declared indignantly.
"You can try," Thomas said grimly, "but from experience, it's pointless. Necrotox's disguises are top-notch—he can even fool our standard DNA scans."
"What should we do, sir?" another subordinate asked.
"Contact the I.H.B. (International Hero Bureau). Tell them what happened and that we have a Tier 3 villain loose in Arkadia City."
The subordinates gulped. Tier Three. According to I.H.B. and UEC threat classifications, there were seven tiers in total:
Tier 0: Baseline Human - Ordinary people or those with common, minor, useless abilities (e.g., growing hair or nails faster). Essentially no combat advantage.
Tier 1: Enhanced – Uncommon abilities like enhanced strength or speed (up to 3x human average). Most heroes or special forces fall here—capable of handling small gangs but not armies.
Tier 2: Alpha – Can level a few buildings or a city block before exhausting themselves or need to rest. (Example: Mr. Blaster, recently apprehended by a hero, The Dragon Fist, a Tier 1 hero, was in this tier.)
Tier 3: Beta – Can destroy an entire city within hours. Extreme caution required. (Example: Necrotox, whose airborne poison could turn a city into a ghost town in hours.)
Tier 4: Gamma – Capable of sinking cities or triggering natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.). Continental-level destruction.
Tier 5+ – Classified. Beyond their clearance.
"Yes, sir! I'll call them right away!" The subordinate rushed off to contact the I.H.B.
Thomas sighed. Even though he understood the situation, a villain of this caliber was far beyond his pay grade… and also… his capabilities. All he could do now was pray… pray that the I.H.B. would send help quickly.
— Meanwhile - City Outskirt —
Maximilian walked out of a roadside eatery, having already changed out of his ancient Roman attire into Ricardo's clothes. Yes, Ricardo had been persuaded to trade his outfit for what Maximilian had been wearing.
With a full stomach, his clothing problem solved, and his money situation temporarily settled, he now needed to find a roof over his head. He didn't want to sleep with bedbugs, nor did he want to go back to that motel. Even though... it was cheap and had decent amenities. He had caused trouble there and had no money to pay for the damages, so that motel was out of the question.
As for other motels or the hotels in the city center? Forget it. He didn't have an ID… No, even if he did, he wouldn't stay there. The hotels downtown were too expensive, unless he suddenly became a millionaire, he wouldn't even consider it.
"Ehhh, where should I stay tonight?" Maximilian muttered, sitting on the sidewalk bench.
"Err… Boss?" A familiar voice spoke up. It was Ricardo, now dressed in Roman attire—the same outfit Maximilian had been wearing earlier.
"Why are you still here? Want another beating?" Maximilian teased, eyeing Ricardo and the few men still standing.
"Er… if possible, could we get some money back?" Ricardo asked fearfully.
"Huh?" Maximilian's gaze sharpened, locking onto Ricardo, who felt like prey under a predator's stare.
"Er… Medical bills, sir… er, no... Boss. Four of our brothers… their bones are broken." Ricardo flinched but pressed on. His four companions, injured by Maximilian, still needed their medical expenses covered.
Maximilian rolled his eyes. How poor is this guy? The entire ten-member gang's combined fortune amounted to barely $1,000. He considered leaving them to fend for themselves, but...
[Ding! Congratulations Host! (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ Side quest activated!]
— Side Quest: Minion Recruitment —
Description: Every great villain needs minions to do their bidding! Recruit minions today! Become the Greatest Villain tomorrow!
Time Limit: 30 days
Objective: Recruit Minions 0/10
Bonus Objective: Each minion has loyalty >50
Reward: Unlocks feature - Loyalty Scanning
Bonus Reward: Unlocks feature - Power Sharing
Seeing the side quest, Maximilian smirked. Here come new features!
He adjusted his mindset and contemplated his approach... How should he recruit these people? Then... an inspiration struck. He deliberately made his tone colder, his aura more menacing.
"Tell me, Ricardo..." Maximilian began. "Even with just hairline fractures, one of them has multiple broken ribs. That $1,200 won't cover their medical bills. Where will you get more money? Rob a bank?"
Ricardo remained silent. Maximilian's words hit home; he knew that it wouldn't be enough for his brothers' treatment even if he got their money back from Maximilian.
Watching Ricardo's defeated silence, Maximilian shook his head in mock disappointment. "Ricardo... how long has your gang been around? A month?" He locked eyes with Ricardo, searching for something.
"Ten years..." Ricardo muttered, his voice heavy with shame.
"Ten years!?" Maximilian exploded with laughter. "And what is your entire gang's savings amount to? A pitiful thousand bucks? I knew you were pathetic, but this?" He scoffed. "What kind of leader are you?"
Rather than angering Ricardo, the insults ignited his brothers. One stepped forward, fists clenched. "Don't you dare talk down on our big bro OOF!...."
BAM!
A Spartan kick sent Ricardo, a gang member who dared to talk back, crashing into a trash can behind him.
"Talk down? I'm stating the facts!" Maximilian roared.
THUD!
He planted his foot on the gang member's face, grinding it into the filthy pavement and trash on the ground. Leaning down, his voice turned cold.
"It's. The.Cold.Hard.F*cking.Fact! What are you gonna do about it?"
As Maximilian locked eyes with his victim, Ricardo suddenly charged, eyes burning with determination, fist pulled back for a desperate punch—
Maximilian sidestepped effortlessly, caught Ricardo's arm, and flipped him over his shoulder with brutal efficiency - the impact dislocating Ricardo's shoulder with an audible pop.
"ARRRGGHHH!" Ricardo screamed in agony, reduced to writhing on the ground with his useless arm.
"Big brother!" The other gang members charged at Maximilian despite the terror in their eyes. Their loyalty to Ricardo - their leader, their brother - overpowered their fear, granting them temporary courage.
It didn't matter.
Maximilian dismantled them with clinical precision - a punch to the solar plexus here, a sweeping kick there, professional close-quarters combat techniques rendering each attacker helpless. Within seconds, they all lay defeated again. Yet their eyes still burned with defiance, anger, and hatred toward their tormentor.
This reaction made Maximilian smirk.
"You're angry... good. If you've got any skill at all, then fight back! Turn the tables on me! Change your gang's pathetic fate!" With each shouted word, Maximilian delivered another kick to the prone gang members.
Bystanders glanced at the violence before quickly looking away. In this neighborhood, such scenes were commonplace - better to mind one's own business than risk involvement.
After administering sufficient punishment, Maximilian returned to his sidewalk seat, gazing down at the battered gang.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that. And loyalty to your crew - that's admirable. But..." His voice turned icy. "Guts and loyalty mean NOTHING without the strength to back them up." His piercing gaze moved from Ricardo to each member in turn.
"Someday, you'll face impossible odds. Your precious loyalty will be tested... and it WILL break without the power to sustain it. Then what?" He leaned forward. "Will you curse your killers? Or betray your brothers to save yourselves?"
Ricardo, still clutching his dislocated arm, looked up with desperate determination. "Since... since you made us call you boss... will you... teach us?"
Maximilian feigned annoyance. "Huh?"
"TEACH US!" Ricardo roared, his voice raw with years of pent-up frustration. "We want to be strong like you!" No more being the gang everyone bullied. No more sitting at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Maximilian's smirk returned. "I could..."
Ricardo's face lit with hope.
"But..." Maximilian's expression twisted into a cruel sneer. "Why should I?"
[Host... which shonen anime are you trying to imitate?] The System comment.