Utopia: Land of Power

Chapter 7

Kumiko's parents, Tatsuya and Akane, were watching TV on their couch.

"A superhero..." Tatsuya murmured. "What even is that?"

Akane flipped the channels. "I don't know, dear, but maybe the government will have the answers! They always do..."

She stopped at the news channel. "There! A new news report!"

"Breaking news! It's Reporter Miku, and I've just stumbled upon ANOTHER mysterious sighting!"

The camera turned to a hospital, where black tendrils were ripping through the building as people ran outside, screaming.

"Could this be the work of the superhero? Or are we witnessing a NEW government secret? Stay tuned, everyone!"

Both parents stared at the screen in horror. Akane immediately recognized the hospital.

"That's the Yasuragi Medical Center! It's right by where our daughter and her friends are!"

Tatsuya quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Kumiko's number, but after a while, there was no response, so Tatsuya left a voicemail.

"Kumiko, honey, this is your Dad! Call back whenever you can, and please stay safe!"

Akane looked outside the window, wearing a hopeful smile on her face. "Maybe she's okay, maybe this is all a dream...a really bad dream..."

Tatsuya got up, glancing at the news one more time. "I hope so."

Meanwhile, at the hospital...

BOOM.

Mykhail watched as the tendrils ripped through the walls and roof, and he also noticed the street filled with people running in terror.

"AHHHHHH!"

As the tendrils appeared to grow, Mykhail closed his eyes, and then began laughing.

"HAHAHAHA!"

And without warning, he dropped the pizzas and began running towards the hospital, opening his backpack.

"Finally! Something GOOD!"

He navigated through civilians, jumped over cars, and hopped inside of an alleyway, before bursting out of it, fully in costume.

"Let's do this!"

A bunch of shocked people watched as he ran past them, holding his hand out.

"Hey, it's that hero!"

Mykhail ran right toward the hospital and jumped up. His sword flew right up to him...

...and right past him.

"Man, what the hell?"

He quickly picked it up before leaping up and crashing into the third floor of the hospital. As soon as he entered, he saw Takehiro and Kurumi cornered by a bunch of tendrils.

"Ahhh! Takehiro, that is this?" Kurumi exclaimed.

Takehiro tried to grab a broom and bat the tendrils away, but they simply absorbed the hits and continued attacking.

"I don't know!" Takehiro replied. "We need help!"

"Did someone say help?"

By the time Takehiro and Kurumi could blink, they saw every tendril in front of them slashed to pieces.

"What?" Takehiro wondered.

Justice dropped down, blade in hand. "No, that intro won't work. Definitely got to work on that."

Both Kurumi and Takehiro stared at him in shock, unable to move.

"Well, guess it's time for some hero duty! Stay safe, you two!" Justice announced.