Chapter 1: The sudden fight

"Is that all you got?"
Luke rasped, blood dripping from his forehead. He breathed heavily beneath his black cloth mask, then slowly raised a bandaged fist, settling into a rigid fighting stance.

Looming before him was a hulking, demon-like entity. Its massive frame towered over Luke, casting a long, jagged shadow across the wreckage. They stood locked in a stare-down, surrounded by the skeletal ruins of the city—a graveyard of pulverized concrete and twisted steel. Luke didn't flinch. He locked his gaze on the creature’s hollow, blackened eyes, his resolve hardening.

"I have encountered many humans from many worlds," the creature rumbled. It cast a mocking glance at Luke’s shredded black tracksuit. "But you are more utterly stubborn than any of the fragile creatures I have faced. Is this what it means to be a 'superhero' in this world?"

The creature paced, dark energy coiling around its obsidian hide. Electricity crackled between its long claws, and its sharp teeth glinted in anticipation.

Luke stood his ground, his heavy breathing leveling off as he locked into a state of total, predatory focus. "I just don't know when to quit," he said, his voice casual. "Besides, the word 'superhero' is so 2000s. We usually just call it being a guardian and protector, or whatever."

Suddenly, the creature roared and charged at Luke. It swung its energy-filled claws directly at him, but Luke swiftly weaved to the left to evade. He immediately countered with a powerful right cross to the creature's chin. The punch triggered a massive shockwave that rippled through the empty city, the rubble and the wrecked cars went flying while The creature staggered from the hammering impact, taking a step back, but it quickly recovered and continues to swing its claws at Luke.

Luke took a sharp step back to dodge, and as he evaded, he surged forward. He unleashed a blistering combination of jabs and crosses. The creature staggered again, pummeled by the onslaught, yet it stayed on its feet, roaring at Luke in pure frustration.

"Enough!!! You puny human!!! No more theatrics...I will now show you my true strength, and destroy that puny heroism that you have!!!!" The creature shouted at luke in annoyance.

Dark energy began to flow erratically around the creature’s body. Then, in a sudden blur, it closed the gap. It swung its claws at Luke with savage aggression. Luke quickened his pace, weaving and retreating, but the creature was relentless. It lunged, driving a claw deep into Luke’s chest and stomach, the blade punching through his back.
Luke coughed blood into his mask, his head lolling forward. His body dangled, limp, from the creature's massive appendage. The creature smirked, gazing with cruel pride at its impaled victim.

"You stubborn utter fool." The creature began to talk. "Did you really think you can defeat me!!" The creature shouted in Glee as he laughed arrogantly.

 But Luke’s body began to suddenly vibrate, his muscles tightening violently despite being impaled. The creature paused, but before it could react, its claw shattered into jagged shards. Luke dropped to the ground, finally free from the limb that had pinned him.

"Impossible." The creature’s voice trembled, stripped of its earlier arrogance. "I broke you."

It looked at the man, then frantically back to its own mangled hand—the claw that should have ended the fight was now useless, pulverized. It couldn't comprehend the shift. The victim was supposed to be dead, yet here he was, still breathing, still dangerous.

"Like... I said..." Luke let out a weak, jagged giggle.

He forced himself onto his feet, his muscles groaning with the effort. "I just don't know when to quit." He rasped the words, his voice sounding like gravel grinding against stone. "And I... really, really hate that word."

The massive, ragged puncture wounds on his torso began to knit. Muscle and tissue surged forward, coiling and locking into place with a wet, sickening tear—the sound of a body rebuilding itself from the inside out. Beneath his shredded tracksuit, the ruin carved by the creature’s claw vanished, the skin sealing over until not even a scar remained.

Luke slowly lifted his head. He looked up at the monstrous creature, his lips curling into a pained, ragged smirk beneath the black cloth of his mask.

"Impossible!!! How can a body of a puny human heal like that?!!!" The creature roared at luke in frustration as he saw everything unfold.

 The creature raised a hand, unleashing a concentrated beam of dark energy. Luke didn’t hesitate; he pivoted, accelerating into a sharp dash to the right. The black light whistled past, slamming into a nearby building and detonating in a roar of flame and concrete.

Before the echoes died, Luke was already closing the distance. He moved in a flash, blurring as he arrived in the creature's guard. He unleashed a barrage of rapid-fire jabs and crosses to the head, punctuated by brutal, crushing hooks that dug deep into the creature's torso.

 The creature's stance suddenly became unsteady due to the blitzing combination, when luke saw the state of the creature, he throws a heavy uppercut right in the creature's chin, as the Punch landed, it's impact caused a massive shockwave which caused the creature to fly backwards at full force. 

The creature crashed into a nearby building, a blur of motion. It didn't waste a second, erupting from the rubble and hurtling toward Luke at lethal speeds. It lunged, arm extended into a spearing strike with its claws aimed straight for Luke’s heart.

Luke didn't flinch. He didn't even shift his stance.

He waited until the last millisecond, the air whistling as the claw tore toward him. Then, with a sudden, explosive burst of power, he launched himself into the air, clearing the strike by a fraction of an inch. While still in mid-air, he snapped his leg out, catching the creature flush in the face with a devastating flying sidekick.

When the boot connected, the force was absolute. A shockwave rippled outward, turning the surrounding rubble to dust and sending the wreckage of nearby cars skittering across the street like toys.

 The creature staggered and almost flew backwards as it felt a sudden crushing sensation in it's head, the creature began to roar loudly in frustration. 

When Luke lands back on the ground, the creature tries to retaliate. A beam of dark energy scorched the air where he had been standing. He’d already stepped left, blurring into a sprint before the energy could even dissipate. He closed the distance in a heartbeat, torquing his entire frame into a hammering left hook that collided with the creature’s cranium. Before the beast could reel, he drove a crushing right uppercut into its jaw. The impact sent the monster staggering, its vision clearly clouding.It swung a desperate claw in return, but Luke ducked under the arc with a fluid weave. He countered instantly: a crisp double-left hook followed by a thunderous right cross. The triple-hit combination snapped the creature’s head back, its knees buckling as it crashed into the earth.

"Had enough?" Luke asked, a smug edge to his voice.

The creature collapsed, gasping. "You’re right... you’re not human. I underestimated you."

Suddenly, a massive black portal tore open in the air. The creature’s eyes lit up, and it began to drag its broken body toward the abyss. "And that is why I'll survive. I’ll retreat, get stronger, and when I return, I’ll end you!"

In a blink, Luke was there. He appeared directly between the monster and the portal, blocking its path.

"Let me return the favor before you go," Luke said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

He planted his feet, torquing his hips to put every ounce of his weight into a single, piston-like straight right. His fist hammered into the creature's chest, punching clean through the ribcage. Bone shattered and viscera sprayed as his hand burst out the creature's back.The monster let out a hoarse, guttural shriek. It convulsed, black ichor spraying from its maw, but Luke remained unmoved. He yanked his arm free, locking eyes with the dying beast, his smirk cold and unyielding.

"You aren't going anywhere with a hole like that," Luke mocked.

He braced his fist for the final blow, but the creature began to glow. Dark, volatile energy surged around it, flowing erratically—not like a dying pulse, but like a bomb about to detonate.

 "Really? You’ve got to be kidding me."Luke sighed, his voice dripping with frustration. "Not only is my suit shredded, now it’s going to be burned to a crisp. Unbelievable."

He face-palmed, groaning in pure annoyance as the creature’s body reached a critical state. It began to bloat and expand, the air thickening with volatile energy. The ground beneath Luke shuddered, and then—a blinding flash of light surged, swallowing everything in a deafening roar.Then, blackness.

The ringing of the explosion still echoed in the back of Luke's skull. He drew a shallow breath behind his mask, the vibration of the blast still humming deep in his marrow. He could feel it—the sickening, wet sound of muscle fibers knitting and skin stitching itself back together in the places where the fire had seared him. As the pain gradually subsided, a new sensation settled in: the cool, soft prickle of grass against his back. He peeled his eyes open. Above him, a thick canopy of leaves blotted out the sky.

"Huh? What the..." Luke rasped, his voice rough and unused.

Luke slowly pushed himself up. Sudden aches flared across his entire body, but the pain subsided the moment he stood to his full height. He scanned the area; he was surrounded by towering trees and thick grass. He began to walk, a growing sense of confusion weighing on him.

"Where am I? Is this a forest?" he thought."I was just fighting a monster in the city, and now I'm here. Could this day get any worse?" Luke rolled his eyes, his irritation spiking.

He glanced down at his shredded tracksuit. The top was ripped to ribbons, his pants were tattered at the hems, and his shoes were riddled with holes. The bandages on his fists were stained dark with blood. His cloth mask remained intact, but it reeked of the bile he’d puked earlier.

"And this is what I’m worried about.", Luke groaned in annoyance.

He ripped away his shredded top, revealing the web of scars beneath his broad, muscular torso. Next, he kicked off his tattered shoes. He left them where they fell, though he didn't touch his mask or the bandages wrapped around his hands.

"Oh well. I shouldn't be whining over clothes." he thought. "I should be focusing on something more important... where am I?"

Luke began to wander, his movements slow and methodical. He observed the dense forest around him, his eyes scanning the thick canopy.

"Weird." he thought, casting a casual gaze at the towering trees. "I’ve been to plenty of forests, but I don't remember ever coming here. Did the explosion send me flying? Did I crash-land out here?" He shook his head. "Nah, that’s not possible. Physics doesn't work like that."

A deep sigh escaped him.

Luke pushed through the final layer of dense brush, the forest abruptly giving way to a sprawling, sun-drenched plain. The transition was jarring; the stifling humidity of the woods was instantly replaced by a sharp, cool breeze that swept across the tall grass.

He paused, the tension draining from his shoulders for the first time in hours. The vista was vast, peaceful, and untouched. Not bad, he allowed himself to think, his gaze sweeping over the horizon. Maybe today won’t be a total disaster.
The thought hadn't even fully settled when a low, tectonic growl vibrated through the ground beneath bare feet.
Luke’s posture shifted instantly—the relaxed stride vanished, replaced by the coiled, predatory stillness of a man expecting a strike. He spun, his eyes scanning the horizon, his ears pricking at the sound of the roar as it grew in intensity, tearing through the quiet.
A roar, he realized, his pulse quickening with an anticipatory hum. Whatever this is, it’s not an animal. It’s a challenge.He didn't flee; he didn't even look for cover. A thin, dangerous smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Looks like I'm not getting any answers today," he muttered to the wind, his hands clenching into fists as he began to move toward the sound. "That’s fine. I’m starting to get restless anyway."