"I don't care if you're out of my league. I'm coming for you anyway." Unknown
CHICAGO - THREE DAYS LATER
Mark met Titan on the same rooftop where they'd first discussed taking down Machine Head. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the city. Both of them wore their hero identities—Mark in his black and red suit, Titan with his grey hoodie pulled back, ready to transform.
"I've been inside Machine Head's building dozens of times," Titan said, pointing toward the gleaming skyscraper in the distance. "Security is tight but predictable. Guards on every floor, cameras everywhere, but I know the patrol routes. I can get us in."
Mark crossed his arms. "What about Isotope? Machine Head's teleporter could make him disappear before we even get close."
Titan smiled grimly. "I took care of Isotope. Gave him a little visit yesterday. Made it clear that if he interferes with this, I'll crush every bone in his body. He won't show up."
That's a lie, Mark thought, his enhanced hearing picking up the slight elevation in Titan's heartbeat. But either he's being played or he genuinely believes it. Either way, Isotope will definitely show up.
Which means Battle Beast will definitely be there.
Mark felt excitement and terror war inside him. He'd spent the last three days preparing for this—extra training sessions in the Milano's gravity chamber, combat simulations.
Battle Beast was one of the strongest beings in the universe. A Dornian warrior who lived only for combat, who had fought and killed countless opponents across multiple galaxies.
Can I survive a fight with him? Mark wondered. Maybe. If I'm smart. If I'm lucky.
If I don't die in the first thirty seconds.
"Once Machine Head is down," Mark said, refocusing on the mission, "we take him to the GDA. Cecil will handle the rest—arrests, evidence gathering, taking down his organization."
Titan nodded. "Agreed. I just want him gone. Away from my family."
"Your daughter—Fiona, right? Where does she spend most of her time? Just in case something goes wrong and we need to make sure she's safe."
Titan looked surprised that Mark knew his daughter's name, then realized he probably shouldn't be. "Beckwell Community Center. It's like a second home for her. They've got after-school programs, tutoring. She's there most afternoons."
"Good to know." Mark pressed a button on his wrist communicator, sending his location to the Guardians. "Alright. Let's do this."
They flew toward Machine Head's building—Titan couldn't fly on his own, so Mark carried him, which must have been humiliating for the larger man, but he didn't complain.
MACHINE HEAD'S PENTHOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
They crashed through the reinforced doors with minimal effort—Titan's stone fists shattered the locks while Mark ripped the metal frame apart.
The penthouse was exactly as opulent as Mark had expected. Expensive furniture. Priceless art on the walls. Floor-to-ceiling windows showing the Chicago skyline.
And sitting behind his rebuilt desk, completely calm, was Machine Head.
His mechanical head gleamed in the low light, LED lights flickering around his temples as he processed information. He didn't even look up from the tablet he was studying.
"Machine Head!" Titan shouted, his entire body transforming to stone as his anger rose. "Get up. We're taking you in."
Silence.
"Hey!" Titan slammed his stone fists on the desk, cracking the expensive wood. "It's over. You're way out of your league."
Mark floated near the ceiling, scanning the room with his enhanced senses. No immediate threats. No hidden weapons. But something was wrong—Machine Head was too calm, too unconcerned.
Mark pressed another button on his wrist, sending a priority alert to the Guardians. Come now. Situation escalating.
Machine Head finally looked up from his tablet, his magenta eyes focusing on them. "Carry the two..." He set the tablet down. "Oh, hello, Invincible. Titan, nice to see you. Why are you so worked up? You're usually so calm, bro."
"Boss..." Titan growled through gritted teeth, frustration evident in his voice.
"You're right, you're right," Machine Head said, leaning back in his chair. "You're so strong, Titan. And tough. And you, Invincible—you fly all over the goddamn place. You might currently even be as strong as Omni-Man, based on my calculations. It's amazing."
Mark's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "You know a lot about me. You're buying time, aren't you?"
Machine Head's LED lights flared brightly. "Yesssss. You're smarter than you seem, Invincible. I also knew exactly when you and this giant pile of shit would walk in here and ruin my doors. Italian maple, by the way! Cost me a fortune."
"No way you saw this coming..." Titan said, but his voice lacked conviction.
"Aw, is that what you think?" Machine Head's synthesized voice carried amusement. "See, this is what happens when your head's a fucking rock."
Green rings manifested in the air, expanding outward with a soft humming sound.
Isotope appeared, standing casually near Machine Head's desk. He was a Caucasian man with green hair tied back and a goatee, wearing a black shirt with a white "I" logo and a violet business suit.
Mark turned his head slightly to look at Titan, giving him a look that clearly said: You said you took care of him.
Titan, without even looking back but feeling Mark's gaze burning into him, replied: "I know what I said."
"This little upgrade—" Machine Head tapped the side of his mechanical head "—shows me all kinds of possibilities. Quantum probabilities. Which is how I knew you were coming. But I won't bother explaining what that means to you two morons because, like I said, Titan's right. I'm out of my league."
He stood up, his white suit pristine, his mechanical face unreadable.
"Except... I've got money!"
Isotope raised his hands, green rings manifesting from his palms and expanding into portals.
Five figures appeared.
Battle Beast materialized first—a towering leonine humanoid, easily seven feet tall, covered in orange and white fur with a wild black mane. He wore primitive armor made of leather and bone, and a massive spiked mace hung on his back. His yellow eyes swept the room with predatory intelligence, and his mouth—full of fangs—curved into a slight smile. This was a being who lived for combat, who radiated violence like heat from a furnace.
Furnace appeared next—a hulking figure in brown robotic armor. The torso was circular and combined with the head piece, featuring orange grid-lined eye pieces and highlights. Dual flamethrowers were mounted on each hand, and a larger cannon protruded from the back. The armor hissed and steamed, and through the seams, molten lava could be seen flowing—the pilot inside wasn't human anymore, but a humanoid mass of living magma controlling the mechanical suit.
Kursk materialized beside him—a Russian man in a yellow suit that covered his entire body. His eyes were covered by orange lightning bolts that pointed outwards in opposite directions. Yellow lightning bolt designs adorned his elbows and the upper part of his calves, and a yellow crest shaped like a lightning bolt sat on top of his head. Electricity crackled around his hands as he flexed his fingers.
Magmaniac was next—a woman whose body was partially transformed into living lava. Her skin cracked and glowed orange-red, magma flowing through the cracks like blood through veins. Her hair was literal flames, and when she moved, drops of lava fell from her body and burned holes in Machine Head's expensive carpet.
Finally, Tether Tyrant appeared—a lanky man in a dark costume covered in glowing energy whips that writhed around him like living things. The whips crackled with power, leaving scorch marks on whatever they touched.
Five supervillains. All dangerous. All looking at Mark and Titan with varying degrees of hostility or interest.
The room was silent for a moment, tension thick enough to cut.
Then Mark spoke.
"Before we get started, I have something to say."
Everyone paused, turning to look at him.
Mark slowly floated down until he was standing on the floor, then turned to face Battle Beast directly. He spread his arms wide in a gesture of openness.
"Why is Battle Beast, the legendary Dornian warrior, here on this backwater planet?"
"The fuck is he talking about?" Machine Head said, looking at Isotope, who shrugged in equal confusion.
Battle Beast's ears perked up, his yellow eyes focusing on Mark with sudden interest. "You know of Battle Beast?"
"Of course I do," Mark said, taking a step closer. "I also know what you seek. I know you seek a worthy opponent to test your might against. Everyone else you've fought are nothing but pebbles beneath your feet. But if you want to be disappointed, you'll continue this little scuffle."
The other villains shifted uncomfortably. Furnace's flamethrowers ignited briefly, testing their systems. Tether Tyrant's energy whips coiled tighter.
Mark walked directly up to Battle Beast, stopping just a few feet away. He had to look up—Battle Beast towered over him by more than a foot. But Mark didn't look intimidated. He looked... respectful. Like he was addressing a legend.
The tension in the room became suffocating.
"And why is that?" Battle Beast said, his voice a deep rumbling growl. A predatory smile spread across his feline features. "What's stopping me from killing you and this man right now?"
"Because killing us will be an act of mercy," Mark said calmly. "And I know of an opponent in the future that you will love to fight. Someone who will actually challenge you. I can directly set it up for you."
"Hey, wait a moment!" Machine Head shouted, his LED lights flaring erratically. "I promised you the opponents you wanted! Kill them! That's what I'm paying you for!"
Battle Beast's head snapped toward Machine Head with such speed and violence that everyone in the room flinched.
He roared—a sound that shook the windows and made primal fear spike through everyone present.
"The next insect that takes a step will die a slow death," Battle Beast growled, his voice carrying absolute certainty. He swept his gaze around the room, making eye contact with each villain. "This does not concern you."
Furnace's flamethrowers extinguished. Magmaniac's flames dimmed slightly. Even Isotope looked nervous, his hands lowering.
Battle Beast turned back to Mark, his expression returning to curious interest. "Who is this enemy you speak of?"
Mark met his gaze without flinching. "Viltrumites."
Battle Beast's eyes widened.
Then a smile spread across his face—not the predatory grin from before, but genuine joy. Anticipation. His mouth opened slightly, and drool actually began to drip from his fangs.
"You are not toying with me, boy, are you?" Battle Beast growled, leaning down until his face was inches from Mark's. His breath smelled like meat and violence.
"Why would I lie?" Mark said. "After all, the only reason I know is because I am half-Viltrumite."
The room went silent.
Battle Beast's eyes widened in shock, then sheer glee. He threw his head back and laughed—a booming, genuine laugh that made the windows vibrate.
"You amuse me, boy! What is your name?"
"Invincible."
"Invincible!" Battle Beast laughed again, louder. "Would you like to test that theory against me, boy?"
"I would," Mark said carefully, "unless I have your word that I would survive?"
"And where is the fun in that?" Battle Beast's grin widened, showing all his teeth.
"Because just like you used to," Mark said, "I fight for my planet. For Earth. I can't protect it if I'm dead."
The room was silent except for breathing and the steady drip-drip-drip of lava from Magmaniac's body burning holes in the carpet.
Battle Beast stared at Mark for a long moment, his predatory instincts warring with something else—respect, perhaps. Recognition of a fellow warrior.
"I will not participate in this scuffle, as you have mentioned it," Battle Beast finally said, straightening to his full height. "But give me your word as a warrior that I will face these Viltrumites you speak of."
Mark took a step back and bowed—not deeply, but enough to show respect. "I will, if you will do me a little favor and humor this half-Viltrumite with the honor of sparring with you."
Battle Beast smiled—a genuine, pleased expression. He reached back and touched his mace, then deliberately left it where it was, showing he wouldn't use his weapon.
"Yes," Battle Beast said. "But you will have to prove you are worthy of surviving, Invincible."
He turned his head toward the shattered entrance, his enhanced senses picking up what Mark's communicator had already told him: the Guardians had arrived.
Robot's mechanical form appeared first, followed by the rest of the team—Rex, Kate, Eve, Monster Girl, Bulletproof, Black Samson, Blue Rush, Shrinking Rae, and Throwbolt. They filled the doorway, weapons ready, powers activated.
But they didn't move. They just stared at the scene inside—Mark standing next to Battle Beast, five supervillains positioned around the room, Machine Head behind his desk, and Titan frozen in stone form near the window.
"I am guessing they are with you?" Battle Beast asked.
"Yes. They are here to take care of this scuffle while we have our spar."
Mark looked at Robot, making eye contact with the mechanical hero's green eyes. "Take care of everything here."
He raised his wrist and pressed a button.
The massive window behind Machine Head's desk shimmered as the Milano decloaked, its bay door already opening. The ship hovered perfectly steady despite being thirty stories up.
Mark walked toward the window, his footsteps echoing in the silent room. He pulled back his fist and punched the reinforced glass, shattering it into thousands of pieces that fell like deadly rain toward the street below.
Eve immediately created a pink construct below, catching all the glass before it could hurt anyone.
Mark flew through the opening and into the Milano.
He turned back to look at Battle Beast. "Not here. I'd rather not kill anyone while we fight."
Battle Beast's grin widened. He crouched, his powerful legs coiling, then launched himself through the opening. He landed in the Milano's bay with a heavy thud that made the ship rock slightly.
The ship pulled away from the building, accelerating into the night sky.
Silence filled the penthouse. Wind blew through the shattered window, rustling papers on Machine Head's desk and making the curtains billow.
The silence was broken by Machine Head's synthesized voice, raised to a near-shriek: "WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!"
THE MILANO
Mark stood in the cargo bay across from Battle Beast, who was examining the ship's interior with interest.
"Impressive," Battle Beast said, running a clawed hand along the wall. "You built this?"
"With help from technology I acquired," Mark replied. He was trying to project calm, but inside his heart was racing. "Milano, take us to the desert. Nevada. Find somewhere isolated."
"Acknowledged," the AI responded. "ETA: twelve minutes."
Battle Beast looked at Mark with those predatory yellow eyes. "You are brave, Invincible. Or foolish. I have not decided which yet."
"Maybe both," Mark admitted.
"You truly are half-Viltrumite?"
"My father is Omni-Man. Full Viltrumite. My mother is human."
"And your father taught you to fight?"
"He did."
Battle Beast's expression became contemplative. "Viltrumites... I have heard stories. Warriors without equal. Conquerors. Planet-breakers." His grin returned. "I have wanted to fight one for decades. But they are rare. Secretive. Hard to find."
"They're coming," Mark said. "Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not next year. But they're coming. And when they do, you'll get your fight."
"And in the meantime, I get to test the spawn of one." Battle Beast cracked his knuckles, the sound like breaking rocks. "You understand that I will not hold back more than necessary to keep you breathing?"
"I understand."
"You could die."
"I know."
"And still, you do this?"
"Still, I do this," Mark confirmed. "Because if I'm going to defend Earth against Viltrumites, against beings like you, I need to know what I'm capable of. I need to test my limits."
Battle Beast laughed. "You think like a warrior. I approve." He removed his armor, stripping down to just his fur and a simple loincloth. The mace remained strapped to his back, unused. "When we land, I will teach you the difference between sparring and fighting. Between training and combat. Between childhood and war."
Mark swallowed hard but nodded. "I'm ready."
"No," Battle Beast said, his smile predatory once more. "You are not. But you will learn."
MACHINE HEAD'S PENTHOUSE - SAME TIME
The Guardians filed into the room, spreading out to cover all exits. Robot's green eyes scanned the villains, calculating threat levels and combat strategies.
Machine Head was still standing behind his desk, his LED lights flaring rapidly as he processed this unexpected turn of events.
The five supervillains stood in a loose formation, uncertain. They'd been hired to fight Invincible and Titan. But Invincible was gone, having somehow convinced Battle Beast to leave with him peacefully.
"Well," Rex said, breaking the silence. He pulled out his expandable staff, charging it with explosive energy. "This is new."
Furnace took a step forward, his armored suit hissing as internal temperatures rose. The flamethrowers on his hands ignited. "We were hired to kill Invincible. He's not here anymore. But I don't like letting contracts go unfulfilled."
"Then you will have to go through us," Black Samson said, activating his jetpack and rising into the air. His earthquake bracelets began to glow.
Isotope raised his hands, green rings beginning to form. "Machine Head pays well. Very well. Enough that I'm willing to teleport some Guardians into very uncomfortable places."
"Your choice," Robot said. His mechanical voice carried no emotion, but his posture shifted into combat readiness. "Guardians, engage. Non-lethal force preferred but not required. Priority one: subdue Machine Head. Priority two: neutralize supervillain threats. Priority three: secure Titan's safety."
"Wait, I'm a priority?" Titan asked, surprised.
"You are a cooperating witness," Robot replied. "Your testimony will be valuable."
"Right. Thanks."
Eve flew forward, already creating constructs. "Enough talking. Let's do this."
And then the penthouse exploded into violence.
Furnace charged at Bulletproof, his flamethrowers unleashing torrents of fire. Marcus flew straight through the flames, completely unaffected, and slammed into the armored villain with the force of a truck. They crashed through what remained of Machine Head's desk.
Kursk raised his hands, electricity crackling between his fingers. He unleashed a massive bolt of lightning at Robot. The mechanical hero's body conducted the electricity, sparking and smoking, but his systems were hardened against EMP and electrical attacks even getting empowered by it. He kept moving, dodging the follow-up strikes.
Magmaniac sent a wave of lava toward the clustered Guardians. Eve created a barrier that caught it, but the heat was intense enough that everyone had to back away, sweat immediately beading on their faces.
Tether Tyrant's energy whips lashed out, grabbing Blue Rush mid-sprint and slamming him into a wall. The speedster groaned but was back on his feet in seconds, moving even faster now, angry.
Dupli-Kate split into fifteen copies, half of them drawing Flaxan plasma rifles while the others engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Kursk. Multiple attacks from different angles overwhelmed his ability to counter, forcing him to discharge electricity wildly just to create space.
Monster Girl transformed mid-charge, her human form exploding into her massive green monster form. She grabbed Furnace's armored suit from behind and lifted the entire thing off the ground, her incredible strength more than a match for the heavy machinery.
Black Samson descended on Magmaniac, his earthquake bracelets discharging directly into the floor beneath her. The localized earthquake disrupted her balance and caused her lava body to lose cohesion temporarily, chunks of cooled rock breaking away.
Throwbolt drew power from the building's electrical systems, the lights dimming throughout the entire floor as she absorbed energy. She unleashed a massive bolt of lightning at Kursk—electricity against electricity. The two powers collided in mid-air, creating a blinding flash and a thunderclap that shattered the remaining windows.
Rex pole-vaulted over Tether Tyrant's whips, came down with his staff, and released a charged explosion directly in the villain's face. The man went flying backward, his whips dissipating as he lost concentration.
Shrinking Rae, tiny and unseen, flew directly at Kursk's eyes—the only vulnerable part of his costume. She landed on his face and started using her small size to disorient him, blocking his vision. The electricity-controlling villain swatted at his own face, unable to use his powers without electrocuting himself.
And in the middle of all this chaos, Titan charged toward Machine Head.
"This ends now!" Titan roared, his stone fist pulled back for a finishing blow.
Green rings manifested around Machine Head.
Isotope appeared next to his employer, one hand on Machine Head's shoulder.
"Sorry, big guy," Isotope said. "Nothing personal."
Both of them disappeared—just Isotope and Machine Head, leaving the crime boss's chair empty.
Titan's fist hit empty air and pulverized the already-damaged chair into splinters.
"NO!" he screamed in frustration, his stone form cracking slightly from the force of his rage.
"He's gone," Robot said, having observed the teleportation. "Isotope can travel anywhere within approximately one hundred miles. Finding them will require time and resources."
"I don't care!" Titan shouted. "He can't get away! He'll kill my family! He'll—"
"Your family is safe," Robot interrupted calmly. "When Invincible sent us his location, he also sent us coordinates for Beckwell Community Center. We have GDA agents there now, protecting your wife and daughter. Machine Head cannot reach them."
Titan stopped, breathing hard through his stone body. "He... he did that?"
"Invincible is thorough," Robot confirmed.
The battle continued around them, but the outcome was becoming clear. Without Machine Head's money and Isotope's teleportation support, the supervillains were just individuals fighting a coordinated team.
Furnace, his armor overheating from sustained combat with Bulletproof and Monster Girl, ejected from the suit. The humanoid mass of living lava tried to escape, but Eve encased it in a molecular construct that slowly cooled and hardened, trapping it.
Kursk, blinded by Shrinking Rae with a flashbang and overwhelmed by Dupli-Kate's simultaneous shots set on stun, finally collapsed from exhaustion, his electrical powers depleted.
Magmaniac found Himself caught between Black Samson's earthquake attacks disrupting his footing and Throwbolt's electrical blasts superheating his body until he lost control of his form, collapsing into a pile of cooling rock.
Tether Tyrant tried to flee through the broken window but was caught by Blue Rush, who delivered a dozen supersonic punches in the span of a second, knocking the villain unconscious before he could fall.
Within five minutes of Machine Head's escape, all four remaining supervillains were unconscious or restrained.
The Guardians stood among the wreckage of the penthouse, breathing hard, but victorious.
"Building secure," Robot announced. "Villains neutralized. Machine Head escaped but his organization will be crippled without this base of operations. Cecil's teams can move in and seize all evidence."
"What about Invincible?" Eve asked, looking toward the broken window where the Milano had disappeared. "We should go after him. Make sure—"
Blue static crackled in the center of the room.
Cecil Stedman appeared, flanked by GDA agents in tactical gear who immediately began securing the unconscious villains.
"Stand down, Atom Eve," Cecil said firmly. "Invincible knows what he's doing."
"He left with that cat!" Eve protested. We can't just—"
"We can, and we will," Cecil interrupted. "Battle Beast could have killed everyone in this room in under a minute if he'd wanted to. The fact that he left peacefully with Invincible means something. Trust your teammate."
"Is that the name the kitty cat?" asked rex as he walked forward with his staff.
"Yes, Invincible briefed me on the possibility of a "kitty cat" showing up named Battle beast. according to the Martians, Battle beast is one of the strongest beings in the universe who had being lurking around this section of the galaxy searching for a fight. The fact that machine head was able to contact him is concerning" Said Cecil
Eve looked like she wanted to argue, but eventually nodded, though worry was clear on her face.
"Besides," Cecil continued, pulling out a tablet and showing it to the group, "I'm tracking the Milano. They're heading to Nevada. Middle of nowhere. If things go south, I'll know immediately."
"And what will you do?" Rex asked. "Send a nuke?"
"If necessary," Cecil said without a hint of humor.
The room went quiet.
Titan stepped forward, his stone form slowly reverting to flesh. "Thank you. All of you. For protecting my family. For helping me."
"That's what we do," Black Samson said, clapping a hand on Titan's shoulder. "We help people."
"What happens now?" Titan asked.
"Now you testify," Cecil said. "You give us everything you know about Machine Head's organization. Names, locations, operations. We dismantle his empire piece by piece. And in exchange, you get witness protection for you and your family. New identities. New life. Far away from Chicago."
Titan nodded slowly. "And Machine Head?"
"We'll find him," Cecil promised. "He can't hide forever."
The Guardians began helping GDA agents with cleanup, securing evidence, and ensuring the building was safe.
But Eve kept glancing toward the window, toward the night sky where Mark had disappeared with a monster.
Please be okay, she thought. Please.
NEVADA DESERT
The Milano touched down in the middle of nowhere—miles from the nearest town, surrounded by empty desert and rocks. The sun had set completely, leaving only starlight and the ship's external lights.
Mark stepped out of the bay door, his boots touching sand.
Then he reached down and deactivated his gravity belt. The constant fifty-times pressure that had been his companion for weeks vanished instantly.
He felt incredibly light. Like he could fly faster than ever before. His movements felt effortless, his strength amplified.
Good, Mark thought. I'll need every advantage I can get.
Battle Beast followed, stretching like a cat, his muscles rippling beneath his fur.
"Good choice," Battle Beast said, looking around at the emptiness. "No one to interfere. No one to die accidentally." He turned to face Mark. "Are you ready, Invincible?"
Mark rolled his shoulders, getting used to the absence of the gravity belt's resistance, as he threw the belt into the ship. His body felt good without it—so light, so free.
"I'm ready," Mark said.
Battle Beast's grin was feral. "Then let us begin your education."
He charged