Mark hovered above the battlefield, his chest rising and falling as he took in the sight below. The ground was littered with broken Flaxan corpses, their once-imposing army now reduced to piles of twitching limbs and shattered armor. His gaze lifted to the massive portal that pulsed with energy, its edges shimmering like molten steel as it began to close. Through it, he locked eyes with the Flaxan commander, a grotesque, battle-worn figure with fury burning in his alien eyes.
The commander snarled something in his native tongue, his voice laced with hate, but Mark didn't need a translator to understand the threat behind his words. A smirk tugged at the corner of Mark's lips as he reached down, scooping up a small stone from the ground. He tested its weight in his palm before flicking it idly into the air and catching it. Then, with a lazy flick of his wrist, he hurled it forward just as the portal sealed shut.
On the other side, the stone shot through like a bullet, striking the commander dead center in the gut. His chitinous armor shattered instantly, and the sickening crunch of splintering ribs echoed through the Flaxan war chamber. He was flung backward, crashing against a jagged wall with enough force to leave a deep crater. Blood bubbled at his lips as he struggled to sit up, clutching his broken torso. Glaring at the now-vanished portal, his vision swam with pain and unrelenting hatred. He spat a thick glob of green blood and hissed a single promise:
"Revenge."
Back on Earth, Mark turned to find himself surrounded by the Teen Team. Nearly all of them were looking at him with awe, except for two. Robot, ever the unreadable machine, merely observed in silence. And then there was Rex Splode, who stood with his arms crossed, his expression twisted into a mix of frustration and begrudging respect.
"Hey, hot shit," Rex snapped, breaking the silence. "Which team are you on?"
The question sent a ripple of tension through the group. Eve shot Rex a glare, her arms folded as if ready to reprimand him. The others, however, simply waited for Mark's response.
Mark hesitated, rubbing the back of his head. But before he could utter a word, a heavy presence loomed behind him.
A large hand ruffled his hair.
"You did good, kid," came the deep, authoritative voice of William Parker, who had descended from where he had been observing from above. His two-toned hair caught the light as he gave Mark an approving nod before his tone darkened. "But don't get cocky. They'll be back. And next time, they'll come prepared."
Rex's patience had already worn thin, and the sudden interruption only pushed him further. Scowling, he stepped forward and jabbed a finger in William's face.
"And who the hell are you?" he demanded.
Mark's expression shifted in an instant. His body tensed as memories of his own brutal training resurfaced, the countless times William had shattered his confidence, and nearly his bones, in the name of making him stronger. His voice dropped as he spoke, his words laced with a mixture of warning and lingering fear.
"Watch who the fuck you're talking to," Mark said, his eyes locked onto Rex. "He could hit you so hard you'd quite literally Rexplode."
The other members of the team chuckled nervously, but Rex wasn't laughing. He scoffed, clearly not buying into the intimidation. "Yeah, okay, dude. I don't scare easy."
William, however, had already made up his mind. He let out a low hum, as if considering his next move. Then, in a blink, he reached up, his fingers snapping shut around Rex's still-wagging digit.
And then—
"CRACK!"
A sickening pop echoed through the air. The banter ceased. The world went silent.
For a moment, Rex simply stood there, blinking. Then his brain finally caught up with reality.
"AAAAAHHHH! WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Rex collapsed into a heap, clutching his hand and writhing in pain. His screams rang out as he curled into himself, his face contorted in agony.
Mark winced but couldn't help rubbing his own fingers. He still remembered the first time he had tried to take a swing at William. The impact had shattered nearly every bone in his hand, leaving him with a grotesque mess of broken fingers and shredded flesh.
"Thank god for senzu beans," Mark thought to himself, flexing his fingers just to make sure they were still intact.
Before anyone could comment on Rex's predicament, the deep rumble of approaching vehicles filled the air. Government cleanup crews had arrived, their trucks and personnel already moving in to clear away the alien corpses and begin repairs.
Elsewhere in the city, a bald man stood beneath the shadow of a massive skyscraper. His gaze drifted up to the penthouse level, Machine Head's domain. The heart of the city's organized crime.
He exhaled slowly before turning away, his feet carrying him toward the deeper parts of the city. Pulling a burner phone from his pocket, he pressed it to his ear.
"Did you get the information?" he asked.
A brief silence. Then, a response.
A slow smile crept across his lips. He ended the call.
"Convenient."
Without another word, the man vanished into the streets.
Meanwhile, Mark walked alongside his girlfriend, Amber, the two wrapped in a heated discussion.
"You promised, Mark!" Amber said, throwing her hands up. "This keeps happening, how am I supposed to trust you when you keep ditching me?"
Mark exhaled sharply. "Amber, you don't understand. This isn't just—"
"No, Mark! I get it. You're a hero. But you're also my boyfriend. And right now, it feels like I'm playing second place to everything else in your life."
She shook her head before turning on her heel. "I'm done talking about this," she muttered, walking away.
Mark clenched his fists but didn't call after her. Instead, he forced himself to take a slow breath, suppressing the frustration bubbling inside him. After a moment, he turned, ready to head home, only to find a figure standing in his path.
A man in a hoodie.
Mark narrowed his eyes, immediately recognizing him.
"Titan?"
The hooded man nodded before lowering his hood, revealing a bald, dark-skinned man with a build that screamed experience and hardship.
"I need your help," Titan said, his tone serious.
Mark remained still for a moment before exhaling. "With what?"
Titan wasted no time explaining, the state of his neighborhood, the stranglehold Machine Head had on the streets, and his plan to take down the crime lord at the top.
At first, Mark hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't care, it was that this sounded complicated. But as Titan spoke, his conviction became clear. This wasn't just about crime, it was about survival.
Eventually, Mark gave a slow nod.
"Fine," he said. "I'll help you."
Later, Mark relayed everything to William, who listened carefully, his expression unreadable. But deep in his mind, a single thought ran through his head.
"Mark's getting stronger, no doubt about that."
His fingers curled slightly.
"But he's still nowhere near strong enough for Battle Beast."
William's gaze darkened slightly as he exhaled.
"I'd better stay nearby."
William hovered silently above the towering skyline, concealed within a thick cluster of clouds, his keen gaze locked onto the skyscraper at the heart of Mark's plan. The city lights flickered beneath him, a sea of artificial stars stretching across the vast metropolis. He took a slow breath, feeling the crisp morning air brush against his skin, before shifting his focus.
From a distance, a sonic boom split the air. A smirk tugged at William's lips as Mark shot toward the building at supersonic speed, his approach shaking the glass windows with sheer force. In a burst of movement, Mark crashed onto the rooftop, the impact sending shockwaves rippling across the structure.
Inside, Mark stood tall, his figure exuding an unshakable confidence as he faced off against the crime boss seated before him. A thin man with a mechanical head reclined leisurely in his chair, his golden-plated cranium gleaming under the dim overhead lights. Machine Head didn't seem the least bit perturbed, despite the fact that he was being stared down by a Viltrumite.
Titan stood beside Mark, his stony frame tense, fists clenched at his sides as he locked eyes with the crime lord. There was a silent intensity in the air, until, suddenly, it shattered.
A series of green flashes lit up the room like warning sirens. In an instant, a team of killers materialized beside Machine Head, their presence exuding an air of lethal precision.
A green-haired man with eyes sharp as daggers.A molten entity that bubbled with barely contained heat.A seemingly ordinary man, until a massive, writhing tentacle emerged from his stomach.A figure crackling with electricity, his body a living conduit of power.A towering robot whose servos hummed ominously.And finally, a beast, no, a warrior, unlike any other.
Battle Beast stepped forward, his furred muscles rippling with every movement. His feline features twisted into a sharp grin, and his grip tightened around the massive war mace resting on his shoulder. His piercing, bloodthirsty eyes locked onto Mark, and in the span of a heartbeat—
He lunged.
Mark barely had time to react before the colossal warrior was upon him. The Viltrumite ducked just as the brutal weapon sliced through the air, missing his skull by inches. With a counterattack swift as lightning, Mark launched an uppercut into Battle Beast's jaw. The impact sent the alien warrior spinning, his form hurtling through the air before he crashed into a reinforced steel wall, denting it on impact.
The room exploded into chaos.
Titan was immediately beset by Furnace and Tether Tyrant, the robotic brute and the tentacled enforcer coordinating in a brutal assault. Sparks flew as their blows clashed against Titan's hardened body, each impact shaking the ground beneath them.
Meanwhile, Mark found himself surrounded. Kursk, the electric assassin, lashed out with arcs of pure energy, but the moment his lightning made contact with Mark's body—
Nothing.
Mark blinked, feeling nothing but a mild tingle. His training under William had desensitized him to electric attacks. Compared to the agony of being struck by William's Omega-fueled lightning, this was nothing more than static.
A savage grin formed on his face.
He lunged.
One punch. Kursk's body went limp, his consciousness flickering out like a blown fuse.
But Mark had no time to celebrate.
A molten beam surged toward him, roaring with blistering heat. The lava man, Magmaniac, unleashed a relentless stream of molten fury, engulfing Mark in a torrent of liquid fire.
For a second, Mark felt the searing heat wrap around him. Then, he growled, forcing his way forward. His fists clenched as he began pushing through the lava itself, each punch cutting through the burning tide. His muscles burned, but his resolve was stronger.
BAM, BAM, BAM!
His blows connected, hammering into Magmaniac's face like thunderclaps. The lava-man's molten features warped under the sheer force, until he crumpled, his glowing form flickering into unconsciousness.
Then—
CRACK!
A blur of movement.
A mace swung with terrifying speed.
Mark barely registered the blow before it smashed into the side of his head.
His vision erupted in a storm of white stars. The world spun violently, his body flung across the room like a ragdoll. He crashed into a wall, his skull ringing with the aftershocks of the strike.
A deep, rumbling chuckle echoed through the wreckage.
Battle Beast stood over him, his massive frame imposing, his chest rising and falling with exhilaration. His grin stretched wider, revealing gleaming fangs. His voice rumbled, dripping with satisfaction.
"Congratulations, Viltrumite." His golden eyes burned with untamed excitement. "You are worthy prey. I shall relish this battle, savor every moment."
Mark's breath hitched as he shook his head, trying to clear the stars clouding his vision.
Battle Beast didn't wait.
With a roar, he raised his mace high, its immense weight humming with destructive force. In a flash, he brought it down, aiming to crush Mark's skull into the floor.
Mark barely rolled away in time.
The moment the mace connected—
BOOOOOOOM!
The entire side of the building disintegrated in an explosion of shattered concrete and steel.
Cold sweat trickled down Mark's forehead. His heart pounded against his ribs.
He had never fought an opponent like this before.
And for the first time, he felt something crawl up his spine.
Dread.
Battle Beast licked his lips and was about to swing downward for a potentially finishing blow when suddenly a large man appeared in front of the young Viltrumite and grabbed the mace mid swing with one hand.
William stared at Battle Beast's blazing and battle hungry eyes with a challenging expression and suddenly he applied some pressure to the mace, "Crack!" the large metal mace began to crack and suddenly the mace was missing the entire chunk where William's hand was resting.
"You will find no prey here!" William said before sending a powerful kick into Battle Beast's gut sending the powerful alien flying into the sky where he flew for many blocks before he began skidding to a stop on the rough earth.