Absolute Zero: History

Zero, wiping the sweat from his forehead, inhaled deeply, feeling the power of the neons that filled the environment.

His eyes burned as he darted from one mutant to another like lightning. He moved so fast that his silhouette seemed to blur, and the blows he threw were so powerful that they tore mutants apart.

- These creatures... - Zero muttered as he analyzed the strength of each mutant, - They're getting stronger and stronger, but it's not enough !

Every time he came across a new mutant, he didn't have to stay long. One precise blow and the enemy would fall to the ground, he was like another obstacle. Around him the mutants roared and attacked him, but Zero was too fast and strong for them. Zero squared his shoulders as one of the mutants, much larger and stronger than the others, lunged at him. In his eyes was only a desire for destruction, but Zero smiled as if he had been expecting it. With a sharp movement, he dodged the attack, turning in midair and delivering a powerful kick to the mutant's chest. He flew backward, hit the ground, and lay still for a moment as his body disintegrated from the power of the blow.

- Not enough, -Zero said quietly, turning to face the new opponents already rushing at him from all sides, - Next...

He looked up and focused. His goal was to clear the forest of mutants and mop up the neon auras at every critical point. He only had a month - the time he had promised his mother.

Tension at SON headquarters

- Strong bursts of neon energy have been detected in the forest, - AVI reported, and red triangles flashed on the virtual screen.

- Is it because of the neon's new cosmic structure ? - one of the officers asked, staring worriedly at the screen.

- Yes, they are three times stronger than usual, - answered the analyst, holding the tablet, - We are still analyzing, but the impact could be massive.

There was silence in the office. Everyone was prepared for the worst, but such a development... It wasn't just the homeless, even fortified cities could be affected.

- Attention ! Neons have been destroyed and extinguished. The cause is unknown, - AVI reported, and the tension in the room increased.

- What does this mean ? - asked one of SON's senior leaders, his voice full of anxiety.

- Perhaps the mutants can't stand the new neons ? - suggested one of the technicians, looking at the monitors.

- No, their bodies should be adapting, objected another analyst. - It's something else ... Perhaps something is destroying them ...

- Someone or something ... - repeated Arko, watching the screen thoughtfully. - A threat or a miracle ?!!

The leaders stared silently at the screen, on which red triangles one by one changed to green and disappeared. Something, or someone, was methodically destroying the mutants.

A week passed, and Zero continued on his way. 

In that time, he had already destroyed over a hundred S-rank mutants and even more A-rank mutants. With each fight, he could feel his body getting heavier and his breathing getting faster. The further he moved deep into the forest, the stronger the mutants became. They began to use their neons more effectively, some even learning to coordinate their attacks.

- This is getting interesting, - Zero thought as he encountered a mutant that had a localized mind and coordinated the others. They were attacking together, by the hundreds. This was no longer just a game to him, it could already be called training.

Zero dodged the attacks, his movements precise and deliberate, but the mutants were many, many and strong. He could feel the pressure of their power, their collective rage and desire to tear him to shreds. But he could also feel his own aura of death sharpening.

- There are more of them, - he whispered, pausing for a moment to look at the crowd of mutants surrounding him. His eyes glowed a faint shade of lettuce - But this is just the beginning.

He felt the power that was growing inside him. Not only did he have six years, but the experience and knowledge he had accumulated made him stronger than he could have imagined. His aura of death had become so powerful and heavy that even S-rank mutants didn't dare to approach.

- We need to contain it, - he grinned, weakening his aura to give himself a chance to train on strong opponents rather than scare them, - There will still be time for a real battle.

The night sky lit up with the glitter of neons, and he could feel his body adjusting to the new rhythm of battle. His training continued and he was getting stronger by the minute, his physical body was on its way to gaining the strength that would allow him to withstand the neons...