The Hero Society holds 50% of the known world while the Empire and the Religious Sects hold an equal power of 15%. Then there is 10% to the hermits, super strong people that live a reclusive and independent lifestyle. Then, the remaining 10% is held by the underworld like Zentury and a lot more like-minded individuals.

Meanwhile, a Kingdom such as the one Eron serves is a neutral party. Such neutral parties are not truly neutral at all. This is a facade commonly implemented by many nations to survive in this world. Openly admitting subservience might result in their country being swallowed. Not respecting the wishes of the known world overlords will make enemies. This might pose harm to their kingdoms creating unnecessary hardships.

Eron arrived at the burning orphanage his father so much loves. He searched the blaze unfettered from the heat.

Because of the too much smoke, the visibility is too low, so the search is not going any smoother.

"I haven't seen any corpse yet. There is still hope." Eron carefully flew around the burning manor for the fear that more debris fall, causing unwanted deaths. He has no helpful means to search for survivors in the burning orphanage. Eron specializes in pursuit and not rescue.

He arrived at the main hall. There's a dead body, guts spilled. It's still fresh. Eron frowned at the sight.

He knows this executive, Palnes Palmer, an infamous merc of Zentury.

According to their data bank, his tapped potential is at 78%, not an ordinary dude. Eron is at 82%.

...

The fire is big, but it will get bigger sooner. Eron traced the blood trail of the fight, leading to the wine cellar.

With small explosive bursts of flames, Eron flew like a swallow drifting in the wind as he hurries to the wine cellar. The flames are uncannily persistent in these parts even with the damp soil.

Eron smelled the trace of wine. Eron has a guess of what transpired here. Eron calmed the flames in front of him. If it were his teacher, he can easily absorb these flames with his power.

It took Eron a lot of his concentration, but the flames easily returned burning like it once was. The flames are too strong.

First, Eron needs to see if there is someone inside. Eron fears for the worse, but such fears are unnecessary for hero business.

He felt the flames becoming weaker as he further advanced. To his surprise, on the other side of all this scorching hell, there is a sanctuary guarded by one man.

"Deron?!"

"Bi-big... Brother! Kuff! Kuff!"

Deron slumped on Eron's shoulder. Eron saw the other kids already fainted on the ground. There is hope! Brought by this brat nonetheless!

"You did well Deron."

Eron summoned an artifact from his inventory ring. It's called a Radiophone, a modified version of Communications Incorporated. It's a rectangular black box used for long-distance communication. Its range goes as far as 200 kilometers. That's like 5 times farther than the best Radiophones in Alfir's old world.

"This is Furious Flames. There is a fire outbreak here in Zest Orphanage. I need backup. There are kids in here. I repeat... There is a fire outbreak..."

"This is command center, copy. The nearest hero in the area is Sword Blue, Mind Link, and King of the Hills. Just hold on for five minutes."

"I can't five minutes is too much. They will be brain dead by that time..."

"Just hold on. We can only hope for the best."

Eron fought the flames with fervor. It has been a minute since the orphans fainted. Deron did his job, so it is his turn now.

'Helloooo!? This is Mind Link speaking.'

It is a girlish voice with a cheery nuance. It is telepathy, Mind Link's Special Ability.

'Where are you?'

'Still a kilometer away, but Sword Blue is hurrying. He is literally running on the water surface. He's at least short of half a kilometer run. Sword Blue is carrying King of the Hills to your destination. 3 minutes tops! Just hoooold tight!'

...

"BRAAAAAT! THIS IS SCARY! BRING ME DOWN!"

King of the Hills, with his dwarf-like physique, is crying hysterically. It is quite pathetic to see a Destructive-grade Hero with 93% tapped potential cry like this, but Sword Blue can't be excused either. To the hydrophobic King of the Hills, this is a nightmarish roller coaster.

"Shut up! You are a shame of all Destructive-grade Heroes. Furious Flames needs help, so suck it up."

Sword Blue isn't really running on water, it's more apt to describe it as skating as if the water surface is nothing but an ice floor. Sword Blue's powers allow him to sharpen anything he touches. Through his shoes, he slashed the water surface as if skating. And with his phenomenal movement coordination, he is able to cross large bodies of water like this.

"It is easy for you to say! I want to ride a boat like Mind Link-CUTIE, kyah!~"

Sword Blue sped up as if he can escape Mind Link's rants from the telepathic connection.

'CUTIE MY ASS! YOU WERE PUKING ALL OVER THE DECK JUST A WHILE AGO! DON'T ACT CUTE ON ME!'

The once girlish voice is now like a thug. This is Mind Link and her two-faced personality. She's incensed that this old kid of a dwarf is this immature. The Iron Vessel is fast given the level of technology devoted to it, but Sword Blue is faster.

Venahama Lake is known for its enormity. And also for the water transportations that helps to contribute to the welfare of the common populace.

Sword Blue wears a cerulean robe matched with dark trousers and boots. This is his signature costume.

Meanwhile, the King of the Hills wears a leather brown jacket paired with orange pants and a shirt. He looks like the stereotypical dwarf in the fantasy genre, except he is not. This is simply the result of his mutation. The King of the Hills has a bushy beard and a stout figure. He looks like an old kid. It's a chaotic combination that perfectly describes his character.

Since Sword Blue and the King of the Hills is recognizable enough to the fishermen, they made a path for the duo. The duo easily traversed the lake without any interference.

"Bring me down brat, we are already on land. Let me run by myself!"

"Your legs are too short, let me."

Sword Blue ignored the King of the Hill's request and continued to run on land as he carry the dwarf, like baggage.

"Is this how you treat a Destructive-grade Hero?!"

"I am running out of patience, Dwarf... How about you make yourself useful and make a road for me to run."

"Argh!~ have it your way!"

With a single wave of his hand, the King of the Hill toppled trees and made the ground evenly flat.

"Be careful, dwarf! What if there are civilians?"

"It's fine, no one got hurt."

The orphanage is not so far from Venahama Lake. Sword Blue alerted Mind Link through the telepathic connection.

'Mind Link, the orphanage is already in our sight!'

'Hurry, have the dwarf improvise!'

'Yeah, yeah... I know you don't have to tell me twice! And I am not a dwarf! I am the King of the Hills!'

Sword Blue released the King of the Hills from his grasp.

"Back away, you don't want to get caught in it."

Sword Blue reluctantly backed away.

Then the earth shook. It was subtle, but it can't escape Sword Blue's heightened senses.

The King of the Hill squatted. From where his bum is pointed, an enormous force was rising. A rough pole of rock was squeezed from the earth creating an impact strong enough to shatter bones—

~then the King of the Hill flew in a parabola...

Sword Blue is doing his best to resist facepalming. The King of the Hills' specs is monstrously superhuman. He deserves to be called a Destructive-grade Hero if not for his childish antics.

The King of the Hills can feel the wind in his cheeks.

He landed several distances from the orphanage. He felt the struggling Eron through the vibrations of the earth. According to Mind Link, Eron is already by the orphans' side, so he has to be very cautious in the extraction procedure. He must avoid harming the kids at all costs. With his powers, the King of the Hills dug to the ground. No, he more likely swam with speed as swift as a fish. He can't do this for long since he can't breathe in this state.

...

Eron is sweating bullets. He is far from tired of suppressing the flames, but seeing the state of the orphans is very mentally exhausting.

"Hey, kid! Just wait a second. Mind Link will tell you if you can stop with the fire suppression. I will get these kids out of here."

Eron heard a vigorous voice just by his side. It was the King of the Hills. Eron is aware of his name. This guy is famous for his specialization— RESCUE!

The King of the Hills buried the orphans with his Special Ability, then swam with the orphans in tow of his earth control.

'Hey, fiery! The dwarf says you're clear, please return to the surface!'

Eron with Mind Link's words explosively escaped the orphanage. Eron is immune to fire to some extent. Though, if it is his teacher's fire, he might as well be toast.

Eron went after where the King of the Hills sent the orphans. It's on the side of the forest where the vegetation is the thickest. He saw Sword Blue performing CPR on the kids one by one.

The King of the Hills approached Eron.

"Furious Flame. Sword Blue will take care of this. He possesses professional medical knowledge, so we can trust him in this one. I want you to suppress the fire so that we can avoid more damage. We can't have forest fires at this juncture of the operation. I will get Mind Link, she has an ability that can restart the heart. I am not as fast as Sword Blue, but we desperately need him to stay here."

Eron felt conflict inside him. He watched as the King of the Hills fly away in a rock. He knows Sword Blue too.

Sword Blue with only 62% tapped potential is one of the most recognized fastest heroes in the Hero Society. Eron felt bad that they don't have Mind Link right now.

Eron is tempted to get Mind Link himself.

"What are you dilly-dallying for?! Suppress the fire! What!? Don't tell me you want me to go and get Mind Link to save all of these brats?!"

"How can you be so condescending?"

Sword Blue continued to yell as he pump the kid's chest with his palms. Sword Blue felt irksome by Furious Flames's selfishness. Sword Blue has seen too much of this side of humanity— good intentions born from desperation tend to bring more harm than the pure honest efforts of wanting to save lives.

Eron found his reasoning amidst his chaotic emotions. He should save those he can reach, just like what his father thought him.

With a heavy heart, Eron went to the flames to do his job.

...

TRIVIA!

Jean Weizer Bluefield AKA Sword Blue— He wields a single-edge straight sword. Knows professional medical knowledge. He is a trained surgeon.

"Behave yourself, or you're dead."

Can make stuff sharper through his touch. Have phenomenal intuition, swiftness, and wits. Average superhuman physique, with miraculous speed. Hides a secret power.

At 62% potential.