Villain's Rising

The Special Exam was called off and the students were taken back to the cruise.

Right now, they were making their way back to Academy City while the media was making their way here to the Island.

"Are you both fine?" In a genuinely concerned tone, Arthur asked.

"I'm fine." Arthur nodded.

"Don't act as if you care." Rebekah curtly replied.

"Haa," Arthur could only heave a sigh at her daughter's response. It wasn't a new treatment. In fact, he was used to it now.

But just because he was used to it didn't mean it didn't hurt to be treated like this.

"She's fine too, dad." Anthony waved his hand and dismissed his father's concern. "But shouldn't you be asking that to other students?"

"Medical Heroes are treating them right now. They'll handle their panic-stricken mind better than me." Starsuper shook his head.

"How many casualties?" Anthony questioned directly.

"Haaa," letting out another deep sigh, Starsuper decided to earnestly reply to his son. "8 students dead and 45 injured, 4 teachers died, and 189 Supervillain lives lost."

"Fuuuu," Anthony was expecting the numbers to be much higher so this was a relief. But he still couldn't help and feel guilty about the lives lost. Even Supervillain's lives.

Anthony viewed the lives of every living being equally. No, he wasn't ignorant or in denial of the discrimination, he just chose to view the world like that.

For him, a perfect world was a world where everyone was equal and safe. A world with no hate crimes and misdoings. A world where people live by abiding by the law but also retain their freedom.

A world of his dreams where no one has to suffer.

Even Sam knew his thought process. Anthony had many chances to kill Medusa and NightCrawler for their crimes. But he always chose to stop them instead of hurting them.

But today– today he couldn't help but question his morals. So many deaths, so much bloodshed, all for what?

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Arthur shook his son out of his thoughts.

"Oi, no need to blame yourself now."

"...Why? Why do they kill each other?"

"Humans?"

"Yes… Why do humans kill each other? Can't they see how beautiful they are and what wonders they can achieve if only they work together?" Anthony's voice deepened and his throat felt heavy as he said those words.

"I don't know, son. Maybe that's what makes them so beautiful. And they need us to protect their beauty, yeah?"

Anthony silently nodded at his father's words, making Arthur smile.

"And you young Miss, where do you think you are going?"

While they were engaged in their talk about humanity and beauty and whatnot, Rebekah tried to sneakily step out of the room and escape dying from boredom.

But before she could even reach the door and taste her freedom, her father called her out from behind.

"Tsk" clicking her tongue in annoyance, Rebekah turned and walked back to her seat.

"Good. I wanted to talk to you, Becca." Arthur addressed her daughter while crossing his arms.

"What's it?" With absolutely zero interest, Rebekah asked while rolling her eyes.

"What happened when you were kidnapped?"

*

"Are you sure you're fine?" A hero in a medical coat asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." With a tint of irritation visible in his voice, Sam replied and closed the door, and hopped onto his bed.

He was in his room. The medical Heroes were going room to room and treated students for their injuries while the students with severe injuries were taken to the medical room of the cruise.

(Damn these guys are irritating!)

"I know right! Like bitch, I can regenerate after taking a dip in lava! I don't need your lousy healing power to heal me!"

(It's like asking a fish to join a swimming course!)

"Exactly! Like, let me rip apart every single one of your muscle fibers, and then let's see how you heal that!"

(Or let us burn all of your muscle tissues and then try and use your healing on that!)

"Haha! The screams from that would be a melody~!"

(Yeah, it's an excellent way to torture!)

"But nothing beats the skinning method for torturing! You know where you peel the skin of your victim slowly without any sedatives!"

(Nah, the best method for torturing is breaking bones or ripping off fingernails before healing them just to repeat the process!)

"Yeah but don't forget the eyeball needle method-"

Before Sam and the voice in his head could indulge in their sadistic talk anymore, Sam heard a knock on his door.

-Knock

-Knock

-Knock

"Tsk," clicking his tongue with an annoyed look, Sam got up from his bed. "Who is it now?"

Walking up to the door, Sam grabbed the doorknob before twisting it.

-Click

With a click sound, he unlocked the door and swirled it open just to find a black-headed boy standing in front of him.

Sam knew who he was and he wasn't the least bit happy about him showing up at his doorstep.

"It's you."

"Yes, big brother."

"Don't call me that, yeah?"

It was, to no one's surprise, Micheal.

"Can I come in?" After asking for permission but not waiting for a reply, Micheal was about to barge in.

But he couldn't do so because Sam stepped in between and blocked the entrance.

"No, no you can't come in. Now tell me why are you here?"

"Sigh," after failing his attempt to get into his brother's room and hopefully spend some quality time with him, Micheal sighed in disappointment.

But he didn't give up hope just yet. He spoke about his purpose for why he came here.

"Brother, please don't refuse but I was asked by our mother to ask you this. Would you like to join us for dinner this Sunday?"

"Haha!" A sarcastic laugh escaped Sam's lips as soon as he heard those words.

"Okay, first, she is not our mother. She is your mother. She made that very clear in my childhood. Second, are you out of your mind-" however, before Sam finished his sentence as if he realized something he instantly changed his answer.

"Ahem," after a fake cough he replied in the politest tone he could possibly muster. "Fine. I will join you two."