1 The City of Superheroes (prologue)

In the heart of Megalopolis, a city known as a melting pot of superheroes and villains, lived Johnny Hide. He was an ordinary coroner, spending his days dealing with the aftermath of battles between the so-called "mutant miscreants" and the heroes who fought them.

Megalopolis was a typical city in that world, showcasing its grandeur with skyscrapers that stretched to the azure horizon, and futuristic avenues illuminated by neon lights. It was the epicenter of a world where people with extraordinary abilities were common, and these individuals, known as superheroes and villains, shaped the city in their image.

For example, at the city center, there was the Heroes District, a neighborhood that housed the headquarters of the most powerful heroic factions. Each faction had its own base, where superheroes trained, planned missions, and relaxed between battles. These bases were true bastions of power and technology.

In the shadows of the city, hidden from the public's eye, were the villains and their organizations. They operated from secret hideouts, conspiring to carry out thefts, kidnappings, and acts of terror. Each villain had a secret identity and an insatiable thirst for power.

The city's citizens watched the news and street battles closely. They marveled at the superheroes flying through the skies and the villains shooting energy beams and causing explosions. But, at the same time, they bore the consequences of these battles, which often resulted in massive destruction.

With the constant destruction of buildings and properties, specialized repair and reconstruction companies emerged. They thrived thanks to superhuman battles, although many questioned whether the city was held up by the heroes or sustained by the constant need for assistance.

Megalopolis had an annual celebration called "Heroes' Day." During this event, superheroes paraded through the streets in dazzling costumes, waving to enthusiastic crowds. However, not everyone in the city viewed this with enthusiasm, especially those who had lost loved ones in the battles.

Johnny Hide lived in the city's common residential area, a tranquil neighborhood away from the chaos of superhuman battles. He had always seen superheroes as both a boon and a curse to the city. They could accomplish amazing feats but often caused more destruction than they prevented. Amid this chaos, he valued his peaceful life and his family above all else.

...

As Johnny Hide walked the bustling streets of Megalopolis toward his son's house, he couldn't shake the feeling that everyone around him regarded him with disdain. The unmistakable scent of formaldehyde that clung to him due to his work at the morgue preceded him, causing people to recoil with looks of disgust.

While Johnny made his way along a crowded sidewalk, an inquisitive and unwitting child approached him. The boy, no older than 10, looked at Johnny and made a distasteful face.

"What's that smell, mister? What's your problem?" The boy asked sincerely.

The boy's mother, embarrassed by her son's bluntness, tried to apologize, "I'm sorry, Mr. Johnny, my son hasn't learned proper manners yet. You know how kids can be."

Johnny merely nodded, trying to hide the hurt he felt from being the constant target of disdainful looks.

Johnny's life as a coroner had made him an outcast in the city. People shunned him because of his association with death and the lingering odor of formaldehyde in his clothes. He was invisible to society's eyes, except when his presence was needed to deal with the victims of the constant superhuman battles.

Johnny was determined to keep his dark impulses hidden. He didn't want his son, Jacob, to discover the horrors he witnessed at work. To Jacob, his father was just an ordinary man who worked at the city morgue.

Johnny Hide continued his walk through the streets of Megalopolis, the memory of the unfortunate encounter weighing on his mind. He was determined to reach his son's house, where Jacob represented the only ray of light in his otherwise dark life.

As he traversed the residential neighborhood, Johnny noticed that the people around him were busy with their lives. Children played on the sidewalks, neighbors engaged in animated conversations, and the neighborhood seemed like an oasis of normality amidst the chaos of superhumans dominating the city.

Johnny finally arrived at the modest house he shared with his son. He climbed the porch steps and knocked on the door. It didn't take long for the door to open, revealing a young man with brown hair and green eyes—his son, Jacob.

"Father?" Jacob asked with surprise and concern on his face.

Johnny woke up with a start, a thin layer of sweat covering his face. He looked around, trying to adjust to the darkness of the small room he called home. Slowly, he realized that it had all been a dream, or rather, a cruel and painful memory of his past.

He sat up in bed, gasping, as the memory of the argument with Jacob and the bitterness he felt continued to haunt him. Johnny knew he couldn't change the past, but it didn't stop him from reliving those painful memories every night.

Looking at the clock by his bedside, Johnny realized it was time to begin another day at the morgue. He got up, took a quick shower in an attempt to wash away the bitterness that clung to him, and dressed in his coroner's uniform.

As he prepared for another day of dealing with the dead, Johnny tried to push aside the memories of his old life, but they continued to linger, like unyielding shadows in his mind.

Johnny arrived at the morgue, the somber place where he spent most of his time. The familiar scent of formaldehyde filled the air, and the room was bathed in the pale light of fluorescent bulbs. He began examining the cadavers that had been brought in, attempting to maintain the emotional distance that his work required.

However, his heart raced when he saw the lifeless face of a new cadaver, a boy who bore an uncanny resemblance to his son Jacob. The brown hair, the green eyes—it was as if Jacob himself lay there.

He couldn't help but remember the superhero in the red cape, the self-proclaimed champion of justice. The same hero who, in an accidental act, had taken his son's life. The hatred that Johnny felt toward those who had caused him and his family so much suffering boiled within him. The world of superheroes, which should have represented justice and protection, had been responsible for his son's death.

Johnny's morality began to crumble. He questioned what was right and wrong in a world where heroes, who should be exemplars of patience and justice, caused so much destruction and death. The line between light and darkness seemed increasingly blurred.

"Cursed mutants!" Johnny muttered, returning to his grim work. But, deep down, a dark plan began to form in his mind, one that would forever change Megalopolis and its superheroes.