Can We Be Heroes?

Chapter 25• The Hunt Begins.

The streets of Musutafu was currently ablaze with an undercurrent of danger, whispers of a new bounty spreading like wildfire and at the center of it all was a name that struck both intrigue and fear into the underworld: Hex, the infamous vigilante and information broker.

Hit Ringer stood in the criminal infested room, the glow of a flickering neon sign casting shadows across his scarred face. He was a towering man with a reputation as unforgiving as his appearance.

A notorious hunter of men, Ringer never missed his mark. He prided himself on his ability to track down anyone, no matter how elusive, and deliver them—dead or alive.

And now, now a sweet dream come true, Hex was his next target.

The bounty posted by the powerful law firm Eisen & Thorns was enough to draw attention from every corner of the criminal underworld. The reward was also very generous—more than enough to make seasoned bounty hunters and desperate lowlifes alike sharpen their weapons and take up the chase.

But for Ringer, it wasn’t just about the money.

This was personal.

Hex had exposed one of Ringer’s most lucrative employers months ago, dismantling a trafficking ring and crippling Ringer’s own operations in the process. The humiliation he had suffered since then festered in his mind, turning into a vendetta. A very personal one.

"Hex is mine," Ringer growled, his voice a low rumble as he tightened the straps on his gear. His fingers traced the edge of his signature weapon—a pair of reinforced metal gauntlets that amplified his already devastating punches.

He glanced at the dossier in his hand, his frustration mounting. Despite the open bounty and the swarm of criminals now searching for Hex, no one had even the faintest clue who the vigilante really was. Hex’s identity was a closely guarded secret, a fact that both frustrated and intrigued Ringer.

But Ringer wasn’t just any hunter. He thrived on challenges.

“If it’s a ghost they want caught, then I’ll catch the ghost.” he muttered, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

-----•-----

The bounty on Hex’s head sent ripples through the underworld, drawing attention from hitmen, mercenaries, and criminals of all kinds.

“You hear about Hex?” one thug muttered to another in a dingy bar. “They’re offering a fortune just to bring him in.”

“Yeah, but no one even knows who the guy is,” the second thug replied, taking a swig of his drink. “How’re we supposed to catch someone we can’t find?”

In another part of the city, a sleek mercenary leaned back in her chair, sharpening a knife as she considered the bounty. “Information broker, huh?” she mused. “Bet he’s got dirt on everyone. Might be worth taking a crack at it.”

For Ringer, however, all the nonsense chatter circulating around meant nothing. Let them come. Let the underworld chase shadows. None of them had the skill or drive to take Hex down.

“This hunt isn’t for amateurs,” he muttered to himself, stepping out into the cold night air. “Hex is my prey. And I’ll tear through anyone who gets in my way.”

-----•-----

Meanwhile, in a small hideout tucked away in the heart of the city, Izuku sat at his laptop, completely unaware of the storm brewing around him.

His fingers flew across the keyboard as he sorted through files, transferring critical information for his next job. The events of the mall incident were still fresh in his mind, but he pushed the memories aside. Work came first.

“Another client, another payday,” he murmured to himself, his green eyes focused on the screen.

He had no idea that his name—and his alter ego, Hex—was now at the top of Musutafu’s most-wanted list.

But it wouldn’t be long before the hunt reached him. And when it did, Izuku would find himself in a game far more dangerous than he had ever imagined.

And in the shadows, Hit Ringer prepared for his ultimate showdown. Hex was his, and no one would take that from him.

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Word Count [675]