Frostvein ravaged the place he stepped upon, his facial expression saying it all.
A young man who wanted to defeat his opponent.
But why was Axel smiling?
That was the question. Why?
Frostvein was seeing it now, and he couldn't quite say why Axel was doing it.
Axel suddenly closed his eyes and scanned his skills.
[Hero Skills]
1. [Active Skill] Power Punch (Rank F) – Throw powerful, tooth-aching punches. (Next Upgrade: 10 more uses required)
2. [Passive Skill] Battle Instinct (Rank F) – Slightly enhances reaction speed in combat. (Next Upgrade: Defeat 3 Elite Enemies)
3. [Unique Ability] ??? (Locked) – (Unlock at Rank C)
4. [The Pinch Swoop Loop] [Rank 1] – Takes your opponents on a swoop loop, flinging them to the sky.
[UPGRADABLE]
His smile widened into a grin. By the way, this all happened in just a second (to him).
Frostvein ran closer to him, and, clenching his fists, he gained distance and—
The unexpected happened.
Axel pinched Frostvein, with a very swift motion one couldn't see, by his index finger, and…
KAPOOOW!
Frostvein was high in the sky and—
THUD!
He hit the ceiling, cracking it once more, and now he came down.
SWIIIIOOO!
Axel only watched, not budging. The expression on his face was grin-like.
Royal Cloak almost stared in awe, but his gaze was seemingly fastidious, studying every detail—what was about to happen, anticipating what Axel would do.
Just a few steps from the ground, Frostvein almost fell when, with the speed of lightning, Axel came at him, maneuvering his feet under where he was supposed to fall so he landed on his legs.
Axel didn't want to hurt him, and he made that known through his actions by not allowing him to fall and instead showing sportsmanship.
Frostvein was kicked up gently, and so he was on his feet, a really scared expression on his face. He had been terrified, alright, and Axel could see it now.
Sunken eyes, hollow cheeks, and a face that screamed:
"Man, I'm scared."
Axel was shocked by that. To be honest, he never meant any harm. He simply did what was instructed. And when Frostvein had taken it way too seriously, he too had done the same, taking it a bit too seriously as well.
Frostvein was about to walk away when Axel held him by the shoulder and said:
"Great fight, man. I'm impressed."
Royal Cloak watched, not wanting to interfere, pleased with what Axel was doing.
"Must have had good parents," he whispered to himself.
Frostvein smiled and turned to face Axel, hugging him tightly now. That stunned everyone in the hall, and some girls even had to gasp.
Frostvein had certainly gone out of character. He now acted like a kid (at least to the other superheroes). Axel didn't mind. He took in the warm embrace and said:
"Sorry if I made you scared. I just had to make sure you didn't kill me, as apparently, that was what you were trying to do." He accompanied that with a laugh.
"I get a bit awkward when fighting, and when I lose, I feel anxiety and act all weird, like a psychopath."
Axel smiled and said, not even minding that others were looking at him:
"Nah, don't act like that. Be confident."
Frostvein nodded in the affirmative.
"Thank you," he said.
Axel stretched his hand forward for a handshake.
"So, we cool?"
Frostvein hesitated for a few seconds (about four) before taking it.
"Thanks."
Royal Cloak clapped now, just three hits of his hands, actually.
"Nice show of sportsmanship, Axel," Royal Cloak said. "You are a real gentleman."
"Thank you, sir," Axel said.
"And nice work too, Nolan."
Nolan (Frostvein) bowed slightly and said: "Thank you, sir."
"Well, class dismissed," Royal Cloak said. "In a few hours, I'll be sending those who did well to my office for a talk."
With that, Royal Cloak sauntered to the elevator and entered.
The other superheroes chatted and hung around. Frostvein sat alone in a corner, a book in his hands, reading.
Axel decided he was a kid. He looked the part, and he decided he was going to dig up information on his life and stuff.
Rhea was staring at him now. He didn't know, but she might have been impressed with his performance. Her face concealed her true emotion because it was just blank.
Axel, looking at her, really found her beautiful. She had alluring lips that he himself already felt like kissing. Her eyelashes looked unreal, and her white-tan skin made her simply a goddess.
Axel hadn't really had a girlfriend before. He had crushes back at school, but he was just too shy to ask them out. He hadn't been too obsessed with any, by the way, the only one he was almost obsessed with being Katie, but she—well, let's say he was afraid to talk to her, so he even agreed to just let go.
He could hear one of the girls say now:
"Oh, the Inferno guy is simply the best-looking out of the guys, but we haven't really had to see his face. But him covered in flames—he is hot."
He didn't actually know what they meant, but he was HOT anyway. Covered in flames— wasn't he hot?
Axel's costume was the most mysterious here. Only he was someone one could not guess the secret identity of. He appeared to look inhuman. Completely covered in flames, his head ablaze and sprawling backward. His eyes were white, and the most awkward part was his costume. While others were clothed in bodysuits or robotic-looking armors, he was clothed in a dope-looking ancient Chinese outfit. His hands were gloved.
Well, he was unique, alright. That was what made him different. To him, they didn't know him, he guessed. They didn't know he was only an Inferno Hero, and at that, the fourteenth Inferno Hero.
A soft voice brought him out of his thinking zone. Turning to look, he saw that it was Rhea.
"Hi," she said.
Axel was startled, and that was even an understatement.