Shadows of Strength

Chapter 1: Shadows of the Hero

The city of Riverton came alive beneath the setting sun. The glow of streetlights flickered on as people made their way home, unaware of the silent figure that hovered far above them-Laser Beam. His eyes scanned the streets, watching the people as they went about their lives, unaware of the darkness he carried within him.

Laser Beam was no stranger to saving lives, but for every life saved, another was lost. He could feel the anger bubbling inside him again, that raw, uncontrollable force that made him who he was. He wasn't a hero-not in the way the world wanted him to be. His super strength, flight, invisibility, and the searing lasers he could shoot from his eyes made him a force of nature, but those powers came at a cost. Anger and violence were his companions, often steering his actions when emotions ran too high.

In a flash, Laser Beam turned invisible and swooped down toward a dark alley where his instincts told him something was wrong. When his feet touched the ground, the scene before him ignited the rage he kept buried: three men were closing in on a terrified woman, their cruel laughter echoing off the alley walls.

He materialized in front of them without warning, his body shimmering as his invisibility dropped. The men froze, shocked by his sudden appearance.

With a flick of his wrist, bright red lasers shot from his eyes, slicing the men's weapons in half before they could react. The air hummed with power as the energy pulsed through him. The woman looked at him, her face torn between hope and fear. She had heard the stories-about how Laser Beam was no saint, about how people he saved had ended up dead.

"Run," he growled, his voice laced with barely controlled fury.

The men didn't hesitate. They bolted, leaving the woman standing there, trembling. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She knew what might happen next. She had heard whispers of a group called DALL·E-a secret organization linked to the deaths of those Laser Beam saved. And though no one dared to confirm it, many believed Laser Beam himself was behind some of the killings, his unchecked rage leading to brutal consequences.

She swallowed hard, her gratitude mixed with terror. "Thank you," she managed to whisper, but in her eyes, there was something else- a fear of him.

Laser Beam stared at her for a moment before turning away, his fists clenched. His chest burned with frustration. Even when he did what was right, people still looked at him like he was a monster. Maybe they were right.

Without another word, he shot into the sky, disappearing into the growing night.

---

Elsewhere, in a luxurious penthouse, Marcus Blackwell watched the news reports of Laser Beam's latest actions. A small, satisfied smile played on his lips as he watched the footage of the so-called hero in action.

"He thinks he's unstoppable," Marcus muttered to himself, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "But everyone has their limits."

Years ago, Laser Beam had failed Marcus in the worst way possible. When the bridge collapsed, Laser Beam had chosen to save only the women-leaving Marcus's father to fend for himself, trapped under the rubble. His father survived, but the injuries left him paralyzed, a shell of the man he once was.

Since that day, Marcus had vowed revenge. He knew Laser Beam wasn't the hero people made him out to be, and soon, the world would know the truth too.

Over the years, Marcus had built a network of powerful individuals. His allies were no ordinary criminals-they possessed abilities of their own. Dante, a hulking figure with super strength that rivaled Laser Beam's. Flame, a woman who could **control fire, her mere presence enough to scorch the earth around her. But the most dangerous of them all was Silva. She didn't just have powers-she could manipulate the abilities of others. Her gift wasn't to take away powers, but to twist and warp them, using someone's strength against them.