The faint rays of sunlight filtered through the window left ajar, giving a nice atmosphere to the room, awakening him from sleep.
The morning without an alarm clock had another flavor, the time slowed down and this did not displease him. Of course, the smell of freshly brewed coffee would have completed the ideal awakening, perhaps accompanied by toast, but there was no one who could do that...at least not that morning.
With a quick movement he rose from the bed, exposing his body to the dim but warm light that illuminated his defined muscles. He wasn't possessed of who knows what kind of imposing physique, but was lean and dry, so much so that it seemed he had been hardened and subjected to various intense workouts.
He brought a hand to his right shoulder, gently massaging the still sore deltoid, a sign that the previous day had been particularly challenging. Slowly he made his way to the bathroom, trying to catch a glimpse of the junk scattered here and there so he couldn't trip over it, vowing to clean up the damn mess once the mission was completed.
- Stupid troublemaker! - he blurted, while he was washing his face, then being hit by a blast of cold air that made his skin crawl. It was as if the temperature of the room had dropped fifteen degrees in an instant, probably the heating was damaged again and this time it wasn't the boy's fault, or so he thought. The lukewarm water from the sink fogged up the mirror in front of him at an unnatural speed, preventing any view of it. He turned off the faucet, wiping his face with a soft cotton-fiber towel, testing its texture and the faint aroma of white musk, and began to wipe the moisture from the glass. He looked at his reflection: the pale, dreamy face was framed by a mass of raven, velvety, disheveled hair, ending in a few cobalt strands, which set off the beautiful lilac eyes. He was the kind of guy with an enigmatic beauty, the kind that all the girls would have lined up for, but he wasn't interested in such frivolities, he was focused on his task, his only reason for living.
He left the room, striding down the long corridor towards the kitchen, after all breakfast was the most important meal to start the day well. On the way, his foot bumped against something small and solid, mentally cursing himself for not having put an end yet to that absurd chaos that reigned supreme there, meanwhile feeling a strange smell wafting through the air, something he had never felt before, coming from his destination. He quickly reached the aforementioned room, nailing his magnetic gaze on the creator of this smell, an unexpected guest lying comfortably on the table, a cat.
The boy took a closer look at it: its slender build was wrapped in a soft and shiny ivory fur with grey spots on its chest and back, its triangular and chubby face held large emerald eyes, which stared at the boy with a bored air.
He wondered where such a sack of fleas could have come from, since the location of the house was so isolated and on the outskirts that he had no neighbors to disturb him. The most plausible explanation was that it could be a stray, who had come there after wandering far and wide, or even worse, someone with a transformation quirk, who had gone there to get some kind of information about this mysterious individual. But who could be so idiotic or insane as to sneak into the enemy's stronghold and risk his own skin? The young man decided to find out.
His eyes glowed a dense blue and in a short time the room was surrounded by a medium-sized electric blue force field, deactivating all devices in the area. But the feline remained impassive, admiring with an air of curiosity that figure wrapped in electric discharges that stood in front of it.
Having established that it could not be a human being, he went to the pantry, took two bowls and gave one to the cat who was licking his lips, looking forward to a good meal. He tossed a few strawberries into the bowl with the fruit cereal, as a treat for a healthier diet. He ate it leaning against the kitchen counter, watching the feline who was ravenously eating his breakfast, laughing with pleasure. It was the first time he felt such a pure sensation, since until now his life had been nothing but a combination of anger and indifference.
As he observed the little beast, memories of an old enemy of his, a lover of such creatures, came to mind. He was the last opponent worthy of the name that he had ever faced,and in some ways their quirks could be considered similar. Their final confrontation was bloody and no-holds-barred, lasting for endless hours before a winner was declared.
That day the boy earned a conspicuous scar on his right forearm as a souvenir, proving how formidable his contender had been. But the rewards of that event were even greater, having removed one of the most valid and powerful Pro Heroes in circulation and having conquered the nickname that would accompany him throughout his career, due mainly to the mastery demonstrated with Kudan, his favorite weapon, proving to be an exceptional and lethal dispenser of death.
However, he was awakened by the incessant ringing of his cell phone. He examined the number on the display, sighing as soon as he saw the name of the caller, running a hand through his thick hair in a sign of discomfort. The man on the other end of the phone had a deep, hoarse voice that was awe-inspiring when he first heard it.
- Get ready, tonight we go hunting - he declared
The young man nodded, rolling his eyes after hearing the umpteenth reference to this discipline, he hated it when he did it, it was unbearable.
- I see you're always talkative - he ironized, before closing.
He had the feeling that he was short of air and still partially naked, he went out to the balcony, trying to enjoy the fresh morning breeze, followed closely by the cat.
The view was breathtaking: huge skyscrapers stood out on the horizon, blending harmoniously with the surrounding natural landscape. The weather was gloomy and a thin drizzle, falling transversely, made him shiver, an infinite melancholy seemed to come from the sky.
The feline approached him, rubbing against him. She bent down to stroke his head and he purred back.
- I've decided, I'm going to call you Zorba! - he exclaimed.
He then turned towards that magnificent landscape, holding in his hands an old worn and crumpled photo, probably he had turned it over in his hands for a long time. It depicted a beautiful girl with long, flowing brown hair and piercing amber eyes. In the lower right corner there was a small but incomprehensible writing.
- From this evening it will all be over, I promise - she whispered to the wind.
Today he would finally have his chance, completing his longed-for mission.
Today, he would finally avenge her