The sound of the juggernaut? It's like a huge, successive blow to the ground, sending dirt flying into the air and triggering an earthquake with every step.

  The building Echo was in began to shake again.

  "They're here!" Vexra said.

  Maxwell nodded, turning to his right. They could hear their tank closing in—the only reason for the loud banging sound outside.

  Moments later, the wall to their right exploded in a pile of rocks!

  The entire building shook violently, as if struck by a missile. The glass ceiling shattered, pieces falling to the ground like snow, while parts of the second floor crumbled, raining down stone and wood.

  At the same time, men in full black armor were flung across the building. Some crashed into the opposite wall, others smashed through windows, and a few landed in the courtyard. Their bodies lay twisted and unrecognizable, blood pooling around them.

  Like fireworks announcing their entrance, a huge, eight- or nine-meter-tall man appeared. His loose Magician Hats outfit couldn't conceal his massive muscles. The giant stood slightly hunched, his chest heaving as he tried to draw in as much oxygen as possible. He was barefoot, his weight sinking his feet inches into the ground.

  A monstrosity. A mask made of rusty brown chains covered his entire face, revealing only his deep red eyes under shoulder-length black hair. He scanned the area like a predator, and when his gaze locked onto the two magicians—especially the one with a cane—he let out a roar that shook the second-floor balcony.

  The juggernaut charged toward the two magicians, causing yet another earthquake.

  Seeing this, Vexra's face grew serious. She clenched her fists, readying herself to use her power. Right now, she wouldn't be able to stop this beast unless she teleported again, which was at her current limit.

  Echo, however, remained calm, even smiling at the newcomer.

  Just as they were about to be crushed by the ten-meter, muscle-packed magician, a voice shouted.

  "Stop!"

  The juggernaut immediately halted a meter away from crashing into Echo and Vexra.

  They exchanged glances before the monstrosity moved aside, though not without roaring at the magician with the cane first.

  Echo closed his eyes as the wind from the roar whipped his hair and made his clothes flap.

  "Learn how to control your brother, bitch!" Vexra shouted angrily at the person approaching.

  The newcomer had brown hair and umber eyes, standing almost as tall as the Magician Hat's leader. Like the others, she wore the magician's outfit.

  Hearing Vexra's angry words, she only smirked, not bothering to argue with the teleporter.

  The woman walked past Vexra, frustrating her even more.

  "Bitch," Vexra muttered in annoyance. Then she felt a gaze filled with killing intent land on her. Turning to the source, she saw the ten-meter monster staring at her as if he was ready to devour her alive. "What are you looking at?!"

  "Dr. Vale," Echo greeted with a smile, glancing behind her. The other members had arrived, each one looking at him with admiration in their eyes, though he didn't have time to greet them—they had to proceed with the plan.

  "Prestige," Dr. Seraphine Vale bowed her head in greeting.

  "You guys have done a good job," Prestige complimented, looking deeply into her eyes.

  "Thank you, Sir," Seraphine replied, her milky white skin turning rosy, though the blush faded as quickly as it appeared.

  "Ten seconds," Echo smiled at her before he glanced at the other members of Magician Hats. "Scatter and make sure to look intimidating!"

  Hearing the order, the Magician Hats chuckled.

  "I'll stay by your side!" Vexra said, throwing herself to Prestige's left.

  Seraphine, on the other hand, slowly moved to the leader's right, while her brother, Ragnar, stood behind them, acting as their guardian.

  Meanwhile, Echo's other members found their own spots—some perched on the second-floor railing, some standing in each corner, and others simply positioned in random spots they found strategic.

  Good enough, Prestige thought, seeing them pose as intimidatingly as they could.

  Suddenly, individuals wearing Celestus instructor uniforms stormed into the building. Upon arrival, they didn't immediately jump into action; instead, they observed the situation. In total, they were facing twelve members of the Magician Hats.

  Some of the instructors bore injuries, their uniforms stained red, but they couldn't concern themselves with their wounds. Apprehending this new villain organization was their top priority as Official Heroes.

  The scene was silent and tense—a standoff where one wrong move could ignite another fight.

  Echo's gaze drifted to one of his instructors, primarily her, well, assets. She was breathing heavily, which made the scene even more interesting.

  "Pervert," Vexra muttered while staring coldly at the heroes.

  Prestige ignored her remark as he noticed the Fated Heroes entering the building.

  A roar sounded from behind as Ragnar glared at one of the newcomers.

  Carlo the Ultra Potential was missing one of his hands, and when he heard the roar, he locked eyes with the monster he had fought back in the stadium moments ago, fury burning within him. Standing at three meters tall, Carlo was already imposing, but compared to the chain-masked giant who had taken his hand, he seemed small, like a child.

  "It seems like everyone's here," Prestige said, stepping forward and finally drawing the attention of the heroes. They eyed him, sizing him up from head to toe, but he only looked at them briefly before raising his gaze to the sky. Squinting, he smiled at the figure floating hundreds of meters above. "Hey! You good just watching from up there? It's hot! Why not come down and stay in the shade, Mr. Number One Hero?!"

  Prestige's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear.

  Heroes and villains alike turned their attention to the sky.

  The Celestus Academy instructors and the three students' faces lit up as they spotted the figure hovering above.

  The villains, on the other hand, exchanged subtle glances, clearly nervous, but their belief in their leader remained unwavering. Regaining confidence, they turned their unwavering gaze to the Number One Hero.

  Ragnar roared, pounding his chest in frustration. He was agitated, ready to leap at the intimidating presence in the air.

  "Calm down," Dr. Vale said, easing her brother's tension. Still, the giant's muscles spasmed as if he could barely contain himself.

  The figure floating in the sky was partially hidden by the sun's brilliance, casting his form in a mysterious light. His cape flowed with the wind behind him, hands on his hips as he looked down at the villains.

  Echo's gaze fell on the symbol on the man's chest—a clenched golden fist. There was only one person in the world with that symbol: Herman the World Breaker.

  "Surrender, villains!" The booming voice from the man reverberated through the building, shaking it with sheer intensity.

  Prestige's ears rang for a moment. Shaking his head to clear the tinnitus, he shouted back, "Hell fucking no!"

  ...

  Hearing the utter disrespect toward the number one hero, Herman, the heroes on the scene frowned. But what could they expect from villains? To them, these were the scum of society who should be eradicated alongside the Untamed.

  Echo stared at the man in the sky, who was still shrouded by the brilliance of the sun, concealing his form.

  "Usually, villains tremble in fear when they see me. They run at the sight of my presence and surrender at the sound of my voice," Herman's voice echoed, calm yet forceful. He wasn't shouting like before, but everyone inside the building heard him clearly. "You are the first."

  He was hundreds of meters up in the air, yet it felt as if he were right beside them.

  He's vibrating his vocal cords to amplify his voice. Such perfect control over his body—he's truly terrifying, Echo thought, though he wasn't scared in the slightest. Rather, he was amazed at the abilities of the number one hero.

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  "I'll also be the first to beat your ass!" Prestige shouted, raising his hand and flipping Herman the middle finger. "See this? Remember it! This symbol will signify your defeat!"

  Prestige's voice echoed through the building, causing the heroes to stare at him with wide eyes.

  This was the first time any of them had seen someone act so boldly in front of the strongest hero in the world, a figure with strength akin to a god.

  Herman the World Breaker was silent for a moment before a chuckle reverberated through the air.

  "Interesting. But I won't repeat myself: surrender now. You don't want to feel my fist, Magician Hats leader," the hero said.

  "Surrender? We didn't come here for that!" Echo slammed his cane to the floor, the sharp sound reverberating across the glossy ground.

  The cane was black as a void, with a skull on top, drawing the attention of the heroes.

  "Then why did you attack the academy and attempt to kidnap the mayor's daughter?" Herman asked, genuine curiosity evident in his voice.

  "Finally, you ask the right question!" Prestige laughed aloud, placing both hands on top of the skull. "We're here to perform the greatest magic trick you'll ever see! The greatest war you'll ever face! And the greatest truth the world will know!"

  Prestige spun around a few times, his grin stretching nearly ear to ear. Meanwhile, the heroes frowned upon hearing the villain leader's words.

  The Magician Hats' founder stopped, bringing his feet together and stomping his cane once more, causing the heroes to eye the object warily.

  "So, a small, new villain organization is declaring war on the world?" Herman asked, still shrouded by the sun's burning brilliance.

  "No, no! I love the fucking world! I love fucking the world!" Echo shouted in a crazed voice. "You! I'm declaring war on you, Mr. Number One Hero! Or should I say, Dominath—"

  Suddenly, a powerful whistling sound filled the air, like a missile about to hit. The next instant, the number one hero appeared in front of them, causing the entire building to quake from the impact. The ground was upturned, causing several people to stumble, while the ceiling and wall of the building collapsed around them.

  Echo's suit flapped as a dust cloud rose. Once the wind settled, he looked around and saw his members had gathered behind him.

  And there, about four meters in front of him, "he" stood, floating a few feet above the shattered floor. If "he" hadn't stopped himself at the last second, the entire building would have been razed to the ground, causing destruction across the academy.

  Prestige whistled, observing the number one hero in front of him. Standing two meters tall with a muscular, chiseled physique, Herman's form-fitting, streamlined black-and-gold suit showcased each muscle, defining every fiber. The fist symbol etched on his chest protruded slightly, radiating strength and authority, as if ready to deliver a blow. His face, stern and angular with piercing blue eyes, resembled a model's, while sleek, short black hair adorned his head.

  Herman's black-and-gold cape flowed nearly to the ground, almost brushing it.

  "What? Did I trigger something in you?" Echo smirked. "Or do you want to see my magic trick up close?"

  "Say it again," Herman's cold voice echoed as he began floating toward the Magician Hats.

  Ragnar, standing behind his sister, roared, the wind passing through his chain mask and blowing the hero's cape into disarray.

  But Herman's body continued advancing.

  "Dominath–" Echo couldn't finish his words. In the next second, the hero became a blur, and before Echo knew it, they were face to face, with Herman's hand clutching his collar and lifting him up. Glancing at Herman's blue eyes, Echo gave a mocking smile as he whispered, "You should let me finish my words."

  "I accept your invitation," Herman said, "but I'll end the war right here and right now."

  "Oh, are you sure you'll do that? What if I told you we've planted Tier Four plasma bombs around Celestus?" Prestige's voice dropped, cold and calculated. "Is your hypersonic speed enough to defuse them all?"

  The Magician Hats leader had purposely spoken loud enough for the other heroes to hear, and dread filled their faces.

  Students and regular personnel were still evacuating. If a Tier Four plasma bomb exploded, innocent lives would be in grave danger.

  Herman glanced at the heroes behind him before focusing on the villain in his grasp. "What do you want?"

  "A war that ends with your life gone, not mine… and I want you to witness a magic trick," Prestige said, laughing.

  "Don't try anything funny. You're still in my hand," Herman growled, tightening his grip on the Magician Hats leader's collar, signaling that he held the villain's life in his hand.

  "It's a magic trick, not a comedy show," Prestige chuckled. "Okay, here we go!"

  The instructors and the three Fated Heroes on the scene took deep breaths, fists clenched. They were readying themselves for another fight against the Magician Hats.

  Echo raised the side of his robe, covering Herman's line of sight to all his members who had gathered behind him. Even the giant Ragnar disappeared from the hero's view.

  "Do you think we'll be able to get out of here?" Prestige asked.

  "No," Herman replied, smiling confidently. "No one has ever escaped my grasp."

  "Oh, good, because if you expected the unexpected, it wouldn't be a magic trick but a mere act of foolishness," Echo's voice lowered. "And you're the fool here, Mr. Number One Hero."

  "Try me," Herman challenged.

  "Tada!" Without wasting another second, Echo brought down his hand, lowering the robe. The Magician Hats members had disappeared!

  "They disappeared!" Carlo the Ultra Potential shouted from behind, clearly in shock. The other heroes rubbed their eyes in disbelief. They blinked, and in the instant that Prestige's words echoed, the magicians were already gone—as if they'd never been there at all!

  Herman stared at the spot where the Magician Hats members had been, his eyes wide, before focusing on the leader in his grip. "You helped them escape but left yourself here? Sacrificing yourself for them? How ironic for a villain leader."

  "Who said I'm still here?" Prestige replied. But something was different about him.

  The monotone, robotic voice caught Herman off guard, and his eyes flickered as he realized the figure in his hand had completely changed from human to a humanoid doll! The face of the Magician Hats leader was cracking, revealing wires and electric sparks underneath.

  When did this happen? Herman couldn't fathom when the switch had occurred. Just moments ago, the villain had been real. But when Herman got distracted by the disappearance of the other Magician Hats, the person in his hand had somehow turned into a complete robot.

  Could he have been a robot all along? A robot so lifelike that even Herman's enhanced senses couldn't tell? But that couldn't be right. Herman's ability to detect temperature and human physiology had never failed him.

  "Surprise?" the robot taunted. "Did my magic trick fool you? Hahaha! I told you—you're the fool here. Fool, fool, fool, fool, fool…"

  The robot continued, repeating "fool" over and over until Herman had had enough. His eyes flared bright red, and with a sizzling sound, the robot's head melted into scrap, sparks flying as Herman dropped the remnants to the ground.

  "This is getting annoying," he muttered, eyeing the robot on the floor. Just as he prepared to take flight and search for any real bombs, he noticed a slip of paper falling from the robot's pocket.

  Herman picked it up and unfolded it. A large "FOOL" was scrawled across it, next to a crude drawing of a mushroom cloud.

  Glaring, Herman turned to the heroes behind him. "Save the innoce–"

  But he couldn't finish. In the next instant, the entire Celestus Academy erupted in a series of explosions, shaking the school to its core!

  …

  Echo, dressed in a Celestus uniform, slipped the red button back into his pocket. The academy, spanning thousands of acres, shook with intensity as students screamed and fled toward safety zones.

  "Well, that was quite the performance," he muttered with satisfaction, watching as the ten plasma bombs exploded. Then, he turned and joined the fleeing crowd, with fire and smoke billowing behind him.

  This marked the welcoming ceremony for the new class at Celestus Academy—and the official declaration of war against the world's strongest and number one hero.