The heavy schoolbag tugged at Virat's shoulders as he shuffled home, his eyes low and heart even lower.
His mind echoed with the cruel laughter of Salman and Shin. Their words, their fists — they stung worse than any injury. "You'll never be a hero," they said.
Maybe... maybe they were right.
The sun was dipping below the skyline, painting the city in bruised oranges and purples, when a strange rumble snapped Virat out of his thoughts.
Boom!
A blur shot across the street — a figure, half-human, half-elephant, panting heavily, its massive trunk swinging wildly as it stumbled in terror. Something was chasing it.
Before Virat could even move, the world flashed bright yellow.
WHAM!
A scorching flame, shaped like a fiery tornado, slammed down from above, smashing the hybrid creature into the ground with explosive force. The hybrid lay still, unconscious.
Hovering just above the cracked sidewalk, laughing loudly, was a man clad in a burning gold suit, his fists glowing like miniature suns.
"Again! I saved the day! HAHAHAHA!"
The voice boomed with confidence and power.
Virat stood frozen, his mouth slightly open.
There was no mistake — this wasn't some random hero.
This was the legend himself — Inferno, the Number 1 Hero in the world.
Inferno noticed Virat's stunned expression and floated toward him with a casual smirk.
"What happened, kid? Are you a villain too?"
His tone was half-joking, half-serious.
Virat jumped back, waving his hands frantically.
"N-n-no! I'm just a student, sir! I was just going home!"
Inferno raised an eyebrow, his bright golden eyes narrowing in curiosity.
He studied Virat for a moment longer, then crossed his arms.
"Hmm. I sense sadness in you. Something bad happen?"
Virat hesitated. He looked down at his scuffed shoes and whispered,
"No, sir... It's just..." he swallowed hard, "everyone says I can't become a superhero... because I have no powers."
For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by the distant city sounds.
Then, Inferno leaned closer, a spark of interest lighting up his features.
"Are you sure about that?" he said slowly. "Because I can sense something strong inside you. Something... powerful."
Virat's eyes widened.
"W-what? That can't be true...!"
Inferno chuckled, tossing the hybrid creature over his shoulder like a ragdoll.
"Let's not guess. Come with me. I'll take you to Dr. Issac. He can figure out exactly what's inside you!"
Before Virat could even react, Inferno grabbed him under the arms like a sack of potatoes and blasted off into the sky — leaving a flaming trail behind.
"WAAAAAH SIRRRRRRR!!"
Virat screamed as the wind blasted against his face, flattening his cheeks comically and making his mouth flap wildly.
They shot across the city like a missile, racing at a terrifying 200 miles per hour, buildings becoming blurry streaks of gray and blue.
Inferno laughed heartily.
"Come on, kid! This is just a warm-up speed!"
Virat could barely breathe, the sheer air pressure making his body shiver.
"H-have... some... mercy!!" he managed to croak, tears and spit flying backward from the force.
After a few minutes that felt like hours, they descended smoothly toward a colossal white building — sleek, futuristic, and crowned with a giant blue "W.H.O." logo.
The World Heroes Organization.
The very heart of hero society.
Virat stumbled onto the landing pad, his legs trembling like jelly, his mind spinning.
He had no idea that this strange meeting would be the first step toward a destiny greater than he ever imagined.
---
[To be continued...]