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  Thursday, 18th August 439 A.E.D

  Astea, Opavix

  Terravia

  The Island of Astea was a strange place; it was quite big with a few smaller islands nearby surrounding it and, technologically speaking, it was one of the most advanced city states in the nation of Opavix. After all,It was also quite famous for its tourist attractions, beaches and Asha research laboratories, which were some of the most advanced in the world.

  Currently in a small, modest apartment on the island, with sunlight spilling through the curtains, Carlos Hickson, a young man in his twenties, lounged on his couch, phone pressed to his ear. He had smooth black hair, green eyes, and tanned brown skin.

  “Yes, Mr. Dalton, I’ve got the documents ready for tomorrow,” he said with a casual tone, as if he had done this many times before.

  A voice crackling through the line replied, “Great job, kid! Just checking—did you make sure everything’s in order?”

  Carlos rolled his eyes; this man could be a perfectionist at times. “Yeah, I went over them earlier. So far, everything looks good to me.”

  “Did you manage to add in the notes from last week’s meeting?”

  “I did! I also included the main points for discussion and highlighted them. Should make it easier for everyone to follow along and understand.”

  “Excellent work, Carlos, but remember to keep it simple. No need to overcomplicate things.”

  “Yessir. I kept it straightforward—just the usual updates and reminders.” Carlos replied back, his eyes showing he wasn’t even paying that much attention to the conversation. After all, he had already done this kind of stuff for his boss a million times before to the point it was practically a routine for him.

  “Good, that’s what I like to hear, son. But regardless, thank you, Carlos. I will see you tomorrow then.”

  “No problem, Mr. Dalton. I will see you later too.”

  Carlos hung up, feeling relieved that the phone call was over and he could relax for the day. Having a normal office job working as an assistant for an architect could be boring, but hey, it paid the bills well enough, and at least he got some other enjoyment from his other, more exciting life.

  Just then, Carlos turned on the TV to watch his favorite show, but a news broadcast interrupted.

  A young woman with purple eyes and tanned brown skin, similar to Carlos, came onto the screen and reported, “We have breaking news, Asteans. A villainous astral spirit who calls himself Voltaris has escaped from containment and is wreaking havoc in the Dendriki district. Eyewitness accounts describe him as a massive figure with a bull's head and glowing red eyes—his energy pulses have injured several Orderkeepers trying to subdue him. Various superheroes, including Vanguard, Impact, and Ignition, are on their way, but many formidable keepers are currently unavailable.”

  She then glanced off-screen, clearly worried. “We urge all citizens to remain indoors and stay calm. Seek shelter wherever necessary, and do not engage with the spirit. I repeat, do not engage! Help is on the way.”

  Visibly agitated by the tone of the report, Carlos switched off the TV.

  With a smirk, he thought to himself, *‘It's about damn time I get some action around here.’* He quickly got up, put his things away, and threw on some clothes before heading out of his apartment. As he made his way to a nearby alleyway, he glanced around to ensure no one was watching.

  Once there, he pressed a button on his watch, and a bright flash of light engulfed him. When the light faded, Carlos stood transformed. He sported a sleek, form-fitting suit that embraced his athletic build. The primary color of the suit was a deep, rich green that complemented his tanned skin, while intricate silver patterns traced along the arms and torso, resembling circuit-like designs. The high collar of the suit hugged his neck, adding a sharp touch. Instead of a full mask, a half-mask covered his eyes, giving him an air of mystery while leaving his green eyes visible and striking. Functional yet stylish, the suit had pockets seamlessly integrated into the design for carrying essentials, and a pair of durable sleek boots allowed for agile movement. With a final glance in the reflection of a window, Carlos nodded to himself and stepped out of the alley— as Overdrive, a hero ready to take on whoever was causing trouble or bringing chaos to the citizens of Astea.

  Overdrive was one of many individuals on the planet who possessed unique supernatural objects known as Sacred Treasures. His younger siblings referred to his own Sacred Treasure with the title,"fuel cell”, which Carlos liked and agreed to calling it that. It is a remarkable modified object that let him to be able access extraordinary powers and abilities.

  Firstly, the fuel cell enhanced his physical capabilities, making him much faster and stronger than an average human, though he still fell short of some of the more formidable beings on the island but that's neither here or there.

  Secondly, Overdrive could generate electricity within his body, allowing him to produce his own electrical energy. He also had the remarkable ability to create hydrogen peroxide internally or externally, depending on his choice.

  When Overdrive generated both electricity and hydrogen peroxide simultaneously, he effectively supercharged his body, significantly amplifying his physical attributes. This unique combination allowed him to run, think, perceive, and react at astonishing speeds.

  As he prepared to sprint, his body crackled with electricity, and the air around him hummed with energy. He got into position and surged forward, quickly reaching the road and heading toward the Dendriki district, where Voltaris was located.

  In just 20 seconds, he arrived and saw several men and women in vibrant peacock and plant-styled uniforms—the Orderkeepers, the city's specially trained police force—marked with a five-flower badge on their chests. They were valiantly trying—and failing—to combat a large, seven-foot-tall man with a bull's head, red eyes, and a fur-covered body. The creature, a spirit of chaos, hurled energy orbs at them; some Orderkeepers were getting hit, while others shielded themselves with their force-field techniques, struggling to maintain their composure against the overwhelming assault.

  Overdrive sprang into action, a blur of electricity propelling him to safety as he deftly moved several injured Orderkeepers out of harm's way.

  The street around him transformed into a chaotic version of how the Dendriki district typically was. Ornate architecture loomed above—a blend of classic grandeur and modern vibrancy.

  Neon lights flickered erratically, casting colorful shadows that danced across the debris-strewn pavement. The air crackled with tension, amplified by the eerie glow of swirling energy emanating from the menacing spirit before him.

  Amidst the chaos, the sounds of nearby theaters boomed with music, the clattering of arcade games mixed with the distant wail of sirens. Overdrive could see citizens frantically fleeing down the streets, shouting to one another, “This way! We need to get out of here!” and “Where’s the nearest shelter?!”

  Darting to the side, he assessed the situation with keen eyes. ‘Damn, this guy looks like he could be a decent threat. Better keep my distance and see how I can manage him,’ he thought, a smirk creeping across his face as he watched the hulking minotaur adopt a fighting stance, muscles tense and ready for battle.

  The speedster called out, mixing bravado with a touch of sarcasm. “You know dude, if you want a fun fight, you can just go to the Battle Arena downtown, right? No need for a whole ass temper tantrum, mate.”

  Voltaris growled, the sound rumbling like distant thunder, reverberating among the towering buildings. His voice boomed through the chaos of the street. “Please. Ever since you humans became obsessed with maintaining peace, you’ve grown soft—too soft to even allow your enemies to die after being defeated in combat. Back in my world, fighting was a personal rite of passage, a means for anyone to earn their own place in society!”

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  With a sudden flick of his wrist, he conjured three glowing energy orbs that hovered menacingly beside him, pulsing with destructive power. “Now you people are just content with a bunch of ingrates in silly costumes playing pretend warriors,” he sneered, unleashing the orbs toward Overdrive.

  The orbs shot through the air, exploding in a violent burst of energy.

  “Crap!” he yelled, narrowly dodging the blasts as the ground where he had stood moments ago was now just a smoking crater.

  With reflexes sharpened by adrenaline, Overdrive twisted mid-air to weave through the chaos. The explosion sent shards of debris and cascading glass raining down, fragments of nearby storefronts and lampposts becoming lethal shrapnel. He could feel the heat wash over him as he landed deftly on his feet, the remnants of a shattered neon sign flickering dangerously close.

  In quick succession, Overdrive unleashed a flurry of swift punches, precise kicks, and agile strikes aimed at the minotaur’s massive body. Each blow landed with the reverberation of electricity behind it, momentarily stunning Voltaris, who staggered back, his fingertips barely grazing a ruined storefront's display, causing even more chaos in his wake. Overdrive danced around him, a blur of speed and precision, weaving through scattered debris as if the street were a dance floor turned battleground. Beyond attacking, he also moved quickly to usher civilians away from the area before turning back to face the minotaur.

  Rolling his eyes, Overdrive thought, ‘Oh great, it’s one of those back in the day warrior types. Why do they always have to prove everything by fighting? Can’t they just write a blog or a book about it or something?’

  Around them, the Orderkeepers began to regroup. Their expressions—a mixture of admiration and concern—mirrored the tension in the air. They watched in awe as Overdrive maneuvered effortlessly—at speeds they couldn't even hope to match—among the remnants of a district that was meant for celebrating life and entertainment. They hoped he could turn the tide in their favor and, just maybe, end this confrontation with more than bruised egos.

  “Hey, guys, I appreciate the admiration, but you should really get out of here,” Overdrive said, glancing over his shoulder at the onlookers.

  One of the keepers looked surprised, shooting back defiantly, “But we can still fight!”

  “Yeah, and you’d just get in the way," Overdrive replied, rolling his eyes in exhaustion. "You’ve been nothing but collateral damage in the fight before him. Just leave this to me.”

  Another keeper, visibly irritated, wanted to argue—but before he could, another spoke up in agreement with Overdrive. One by one, the rest of them left.

  With a crackle of energy pooling around him, Overdrive prepared for the next exchange, adrenaline surging as he readied himself to outmaneuver the towering beast before him.

  This time, Voltaris intercepted Overdrive's dash, a ball of energy appearing just in front of him. Overdrive barely managed to avoid it at the last second. Even with his superior movement speed, Voltaris can still keep up with him or at least perceive him enough to react on time to his high speed.

  Suddenly, he felt himself being pulled in by an invisible force. Turning around, he saw a vortex of black energy drawing him closer. Before he could react, it erupted, launching him back with incredible force.

  He got up, his suit badly damaged, and quickly assessed the situation. Since Voltaris was an astral spirit, Overdrive had expected more typical elemental abilities, as those were the most common. But it seemed Voltaris had limited skills in energy and gravity manipulation.

  ‘Okay, so he can't just create these orbs of energy inside people, or else he would have done that to me by now. He also can't spam that black hole-like vortex against me, given how he’s been fighting. There must be a fucking workaround for his ability. Hmm maybe that trick Leon showed me can work’ Overdrive thought, strategizing his next move.

  Just then, Voltaris charged in and slammed his fist into Overdrive's face, sending him flying into a nearby building. As Overdrive struggled to recover, Voltaris was about to finish him off till he noticed several cards stuck to his body, each adorned with various glyphs and runes.

  “What the…?” Voltaris exclaimed, while staring at the cards in confusion.

  Before he could finish his sentence, the cards erupted in multiple flashbangs of bright light, clouding the monstrous creature’s vision and leaving him disoriented.

  “Aaaargh!” he roared, blinded for a moment.

  Seizing the opportunity, Overdrive got up and launched more cards and marbles at Voltaris, this time with a different effect. They collided with the creature's chest, releasing a strong electric force that knocked him back, leaving Voltaris barely able to stand.

  ‘Alright, let’s wrap this up already,’ Overdrive thought to himself. He raised his hand and began running in a cycle around Voltaris. This was one of his special moves; by building up sufficient momentum and velocity, he could charge a powerful electric attack to use against his opponents.

  Finally stopping his spinning, Overdrive launched forward like a professional athlete, punching the minotaur square in the jaw and sending him flying into the concrete. Voltaris hit the ground, knocked out cold.

  Overdrive couldn’t contain his excitement. “Ha! In your face, you overgrown bullhead!” he shouted, though he winced in pain afterward. He put his hands on his hips and stretched, feeling some bones pop as he did. At least he had dealt with Voltaris; now all he needed was to call the Order Keepers to take him away and lock him up.

  Suddenly, a blast of energy hit him right in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground with a groan of pain.

  “Sorry, my electrolyte friend, but I can’t let you take him away just yet,” a voice called out.

  Before he could recover, another projectile struck him—a disc that emitted energy bindings, immobilizing Overdrive and leaving him unable to move.

  Desperately struggling against the restraints, Overdrive looked up to see a tall man, at least 6 feet in height, looming over him. Clad in sleek cybernetic armor, Dr. Cybosis embodied a dark fusion of green and black, streaks of white light tracing intricate patterns across his exoskeleton like veins of electricity. The armor hugged his muscular frame, offering a menacing combination of agility and strength, while a high-tech helmet obscured his facial features, save for a glowing visor that glinted with malice.

  Cybosis leveled a polished firearm at Overdrive, its barrel emanating a faint hum, while with a wave of his other hand, a drone whirred to life from the rubble, floating toward the unconscious form of Voltaris.

  Gritting his teeth, He recognized the armored figure almost instantly.

  “Cybosis!” he spat.

  The man raised a finger in a taunting gesture, his voice dripping with mockery. “Ah, ah, ah, my thunderheaded friend—it’s Dr. Cybosis. And I must say, I really appreciate you doing all the hard work today. Dealing with Voltaris made my job so much easier.”

  The glow from his visor flickered as he smirked beneath the helmet, clearly relishing the triumph over Overdrive. “I’d love to catch up, but I have an experiment to run on this guy.”

  He tosses a cube onto the ground, and with a flash of light, a portal shimmers into existence beside it. From the swirling depths, a sleek jet emerges, its surface glinting and shifting with intricate futuristic like machinery. Once fully manifested, he climbs aboard with Voltaris being carried by his robots right behind him, and the jet roars to life as they soar through the sky and pass into another portal leaving the scene entirely.

  As he left, other order keepers and capes looked for overdrive in the chaos, their eyes scanning the environment for one superhero in particular. In the midst of the turmoil stood Insectoid, his imposing figure marked by a distinctive green beetle symbol emblazoned on his chest. He donned long, fitted trousers that hugged his athletic frame, and sturdy combat boots that grounded him firmly against the shifting chaos around him. His black mask concealed his entire face, but he had pure white eye slots, he saw overdrive bounded by the energy binding and used a device he had on him to free him.

  As the energy bindings dissipated, Insectoid looked over at Overdrive, who was regaining his composure. After handing him a special potion, he asked, "Are you alright now? What happened? Where is Voltaris?”.

  Overdrive unscrewed the cap and gulped down the potion, feeling vitality surge through him. "Ugh, Dr. Cybosis happened. After I took down that minotaur, Voltaris, Dr Cybosis ambushed me and took the spirit away through some kind of portal! Damn it! I didn't even get a chance to fight back."

  In frustration, he kicked a nearby stone, cursing himself for allowing the tech villain to escape.

  Insectoid maintained his calm demeanor. “Don’t worry, My Friend. We can devise a plan to stop him later. For now, it’s best if we both get some rest.”

  Overdrive glanced at his tattered clothes, the remnants of Cybosis's attack weighing heavily on his mind. He felt utterly drained and recognized that heading home for a breather was the wisest choice.

  With a nod of acknowledgment, he said goodbye to Insectoid and dashed toward his apartment.

  A few minutes later, Overdrive finally collapsed onto his couch, utterly exhausted, his costume dematerializing from existence. The whole battle with Voltaris had taken more out of him than he had anticipated.

  A sudden buzz pierced the silence however, jolting Carlos awake. With a groan, he reluctantly got up and glanced at his phone. Seeing who was calling, he took a deep breath and answered.

  “Hey, Mom.”

  “Kiddo? Oh, thank goodness you’re alright! We saw the news about you fighting that astral spirit. Do you want us to come and see you?” the voice on the phone exclaimed in worry.

  Carlos chuckled. It was usually his dad who worried about him the most when he's off doing capeshit. “Eh, don’t worry, Mom. I’m okay. Besides, I have to get to work early in the morning, so I’d rather get some sleep.”

  “Alright, dear. But remember, I'm a mom—I can always sense when you're in trouble, and I will track you down if I have to, Young Man” she replied with humor.

  Carlos laughed. “Yeah, I know, Mom. See you later.”

  The call ended, and he slumped down on the couch. Thinking about how he could find Voltaris and stop Cybosis but decided to sleep for the night.

  The next day, Carlos was just walking out of the building he worked out at. His boss ended up being quite pleased with the presentation he made in the office for him so he was allowed to leave early for the day, which he was happy with since it gave him more time off to himself.

  Feeling eager to train his abilities, Carlos made his way to the Avenmoth District. As he strolled through the bustling streets, he passed by vibrant markets, quaint shops, and the bustling harbor before finally arriving at the city junkyard. This neglected space was his preferred sanctuary for practicing his powers, a place where he could unleash his abilities without the scrutiny of others, unlike in the crowded Battle Arena further down the island.

  Once inside the junkyard, he took a moment to absorb his surroundings—rusted machinery, discarded electronics, and heaps of scattered debris provided the perfect backdrop for training. With a determined expression, Overdrive found a clear patch of ground amidst the chaos and began warming up.

  He focused on his electrical energy manipulation abilities, conjuring pulses of electricity that crackled in the air. With each surge, he shaped the energy into various forms, weaving it around the remnants of cars and old appliances. He practiced launching bolts at a set of aluminum cans he had set up as targets, feeling the rush of adrenaline as the energy displaced the metal with each precise strike.

  Determined to improve, Overdrive shifted his focus to enhancing the strength of his lightning blasts, which had always been weaker than his direct lightning-infused punches and kicks. He concentrated hard, pushing himself to infuse more energy into each burst, willing them to explode with greater force. Additionally, he worked on increasing the speed of his electrical attacks, recognizing that they were usually much slower than normal electricity. .

  ‘Though maybe after enough practice I can control electricity as well as Impact’ Carlos thought to himself though he doubted it given how far above Impact was in terms of electrokinetic powers.

  As he lost himself in the rhythm of his training, he felt his worries slip away, replaced by a sense of purpose and determination. The junkyard had always been a refuge for him, a space to transform his raw potential into mastery. And today, he was more focused than ever on honing the skills he would need for the battles yet to come.

  Just then he heard a rumbling noise and hid behind the junk, after that a glowing green portal appeared and out of it a group of robots came in and started collecting random materials from the junkyard, pipes, broken phones, broken computers, damaged hologram tech, etc.

  As they were collecting, overdrive flicked a pebble at one of them which attached itself to the inside of its leg.

  In reality it was a normal pebble but thanks to a new Sacred Treasure he acquired yesterday night he can make those pebbles be coated in his Asha energy and be able to be tracked anywhere within the city without other Asha harnessers being able to sense them.

  The robots passed through the portal and closed seemingly not noticing the young hero, afterwards he began to concentrate and felt where their location was. He soon conjured his costume around by pressing the watch and ran out of the junkyard towards the location.