The rest looked at me with fear after that, but I was a few steps too far from caring.The archer tried to speak again, barely making an audible voice, "I'm s- sorry."

I eased up the pressure on her by a bit, letting her breath more easily, however if everything today could be solved with "sorry" and apologies, I wouldn't be this mad.

My store could be rebuilt, it was barely of any consequence. My people though? My employees and friends? The trauma from today? That wasn't fixable by an apology and a monetary reward.

"If I see you five working as "Heroes" again, I swear to the tiny thread that's holding me back right now, I will kill you."

I eased up the pressure on all of them but one. At that point, there was only one face in front of me as I lifted the red haired man into the air, ruble falling from his struggling body.

"As for you?" I said, not even remembering the man's name, only focusing on the same hateful look that their leader had previously given me, "You won't get a second chance."

And then the man stopped moving. Just like that, without a hand gesture, without any torture, without a warning, the man was dead.

I could see the brown haired barrier mage wet his pants and frowned at that.

I let the pressure around them fade completely, however I was still vigilant and if they decided to test me, I would show them just how fast a life could disappear a second time. Though looking at their terror stricken faces, that was unlikely.

I moved towards the ambulance, where my friend lay unconscious and barely breathing. To this point the police were holding their gaping mouths and quite honestly it was surprising how they hadn't already run from the scene.

The doctor beside him, who seemed to have a healing type of superpower and likely the only reason my friend was still alive, was the only one not perturbed. Technie, or as his real name would soon be known, Nick Evoland, looked at the doctor with gratitude.

I turned my head towards my best friend and hesitated as I uttered what would probably be the last time I spoke to him, "I'm sorry Greg, old friend. Recover well and don't worry about me. You have a child and a family, so don't you die on me. I-" I stopped. I didn't know what else to say.

Guilt and sadness filled my voice and if it weren't for the mask, the public would have seen me cry, though it wasn't lost to the doctor that tears dripped down the mask.I very much wanted to see how the others were doing, but it was unlikely they would let me have the chance.

With a sorrowful sigh, I disappeared from everyone's sight, much to everyone's relief and to the oncoming A-grade Heroes annoyance.

While I was strong, I didn't want to test myself against an entire team of A-grade Heroes, nor did I see the need to. What started off as a joke, what started off as a good day ended up like this.

What a messed up joke this was...

But while what'd happened today was fucked up, I'd come to love messing with the heroes and testing myself and my knowledge against them. Perhaps not with Technie, but I knew what my focus would be for the near future. Technie deserved a well fought for rest.

As I reappeared outside the city, looking back at the empty dark sky, I wondered how best to fill it with light. Problem number one, light pollution, and I knew how I would start my carrier with the next supervillain.

(2/2)