The Blacksmith's swords weren't just for show.
He had spent years mastering the art of the cut, under his father's brutal discipline, under real war conditions, under pressure. He'd sliced through concrete, armored tanks, even superhumans with skin tougher than steel.
This was different.
A laser wasn't something you blocked. It wasn't solid. It was light, pure, deadly heat. But to The Blacksmith, it was still something he could read… time… and break.
As the beam screamed toward him, he stepped forward.
His sword began to glow, not from any power source, but from friction, heat, focus. His grip tightened. His breath slowed.
Then, he struck.
The slash wasn't wild or desperate. It was clean. Intentional. Timed to perfection.
The laser collided with his blade, and split.
A deafening crack echoed through the gym as energy sheared away in two directions, carving molten trenches into the floor and walls. Sparks exploded like shrapnel. Steam hissed. Tiles shattered.
The Blacksmith stood in the center of the aftermath, blade lowered, shoulders heaving.
Smoke curled from his sword.
His arms trembled.
But he was still standing. And the beam was gone.
"No... no way," Froststorm breathed, eyes wide with disbelief.
Red Ray's visor dimmed slightly as he stared at The Blacksmith. Then, a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"Impressive," he said.
...
Above.
"Did you see that? Did you see that?" Kurt practically shouted, laughing as he slapped the glass. "I told you! I told you he wouldn't disappoint!"
The other managers stood frozen. Even Laura, usually composed, said nothing, just watched, eyebrows slightly raised.
.....
Below.
Red Ray stepped forward, clapping slowly. A gesture of respect. His grin lingered.
"Very well done," he said. "That wasn't just power. That was skill."
But he'd forgotten one thing.
Steel Alfredo was still breathing.
Still angry.
The sound came too late. A rush of movement. A grunt. A step.
Red Ray turned.
Too slow.
A fist of solid steel slammed into his jaw like a wrecking ball. The impact echoed like a gunshot, snapping his head sideways with bone-rattling force. His visor cracked on one side, a thin fracture blooming across it.
Red Ray flew backward, airborne, his body crashing through a row of reinforced training dummies.
Then he hit the wall.
Hard.
Concrete buckled. The impact left a crater.
And for the first time since the match began… Red Ray didn't land on his feet.
There was a sharp silence in the gym.
Then.....
"I landed a hit," Steel Alfredo muttered, almost in disbelief. "I actually punched the laser guy."
He let out a whoop, half-laughing, half-cheering. "Let's gooo!"
Froststorm slowly got to her feet, brushing frost from her sleeves. Her eyes stayed on the crater.
"Tsk." The Blacksmith muttered, folding his arms. "Bro pulled off the heist of the century. That was my thunder."
....
The managers rushed down from the balcony.
"That was amazing," Salma said, clapping Alfredo hard on the back. "You sent the damn legend flying."
Emily grinned at Froststorm. "You were incredible. You held back a full blast. I'm seriously impressed."
Kurt strolled up to The Blacksmith, giving him a light jab on the shoulder.
"That was your show, kid," he whispered with a grin. "Then that pitbull bastard went and stole the final scene."
The Blacksmith sighed. "Typical."
Laura approached, her gaze sweeping over them all. Then she turned and gave The Blacksmith a brief, unreadable smile before walking toward the crater.
Kurt caught the look and raised a brow.
"Damn."
The Blacksmith frowned. "Damn what?"
Kurt smirked. "Read between the lines, boy."
....
Laura stepped up to the crater, the dust finally settling.
Red Ray lay flat on his back, one arm across his face, visor cracked.
"You finally kick the bucket?"
He groaned. "I don't die. I multiply."
Then he sighed. "The little imp caught me off guard."
He raised a hand. "Help me up?"
She pulled him to his feet without a word.
The talking died instantly.
All eyes turned as Red Ray rose from the crater.
He brushed the dust from his suit, calm and unbothered. Only his visor was broken—his face untouched. Not a scratch.
"Man's built different," Steel Alfredo muttered, half in awe. "That punch didn't even faze him."
The Blacksmith narrowed his eyes. "Yeah. You don't beat him by punching. He needs a clean cut. A deep one."
Red Ray looked around, then casually removed the shattered visor and let it fall to the floor with a clink.
His eyes were exposed now, cool, unreadable, and unexpectedly grey.
"Now," he said, voice level and unfazed, "where were we?"
Froststorm's heart sank.
Not again.
Her legs trembled. She had nothing left.
Steel Alfredo's shoulders tensed. If that didn't work… what will?
The Blacksmith tightened his grip on his swords. This time, I'll cut him in half. I swear it.
All three were drenched in sweat. Breathing hard. Bracing for the next round.
But then Red Ray raised a hand.....
....and smiled.
"The trial's over," he said calmly. "You've all done well."
"What...?" Froststorm breathed, half-relieved, half-stunned.
"Did we pass?" Steel Alfredo asked, blinking.
Red Ray's grin widened. "You did. Congratulations. You're now part of Horizon Heroes... unofficially."
The recruits erupted into cheers.
"Hear that, my boy!" Kurt whooped, grabbing The Blacksmith by the shoulders and shaking him like a winning lotto ticket.
The Blacksmith just folded his arms and smiled. This was it. Step one. He was in.
And soon, he'd meet Firepower. The god of superheroes heroes. His idol… and one day, his rival.
"Still a long road ahead," Red Ray said, pacing slowly. "Tanaka. Froststorm. You two make a solid team, keep sharpening that synergy.
Alfredo… thatpunch? Land it on anyone but me, and they'd be in a coma."
Steel Alfredo beamed, pride swelling across his bruised face.
Laura stepped forward, cool and composed. "The Blacksmith, huh? That two million dollars we spent on your buyout… worth every cent."
"Two… two million?" Alfredo choked.
Heads turned. Eyes widened.
Only Laura, Kurt, and The Blacksmith seemed unfazed.
"For the record," she added smoothly, "Steel Alfredo cost us 1.5. Froststorm, 1.1."
Alfredo's jaw tightened.
He stared at Tanaka. The guy hadn't even done anything that impressive. So why…?
Red Ray raised an eyebrow. "Well. If they paid that much, there must be a reason."
All eyes landed on The Blacksmith, calm, unreadable, arms still folded.
Froststorm looked at him with new curiosity. Alfredo looked away, jaw clenched.
Laura clapped her hands once. "Alright. Since we are done here, we will soon move on."
"Move where?" Emily asked.
Laura smiled. "To the next stage."
Laura glanced at the eager, worn-out faces in front of her, faces of future heroes still catching their breath from the fight, unsure whether to celebrate or brace for more.
"You've passed the trials," she said evenly. "But you're not officially part of Horizon Heroes yet."
"Let me guess…" Salma muttered. "Contract signing?"
"Bingo." Laura nodded. "That's what's next. Once those are signed, your status becomes official. Then comes the Unveiling Ceremony."
"The fans will be there?" Froststorm asked, eyes lighting up with excitement.
"Oh yes," Laura replied, smirking. "Fans, flashing cameras, reporters, livestreams, trending hashtags… the full PR circus."
Froststorm's grin grew. She had dreamed of this.
The Blacksmith stepped forward slightly, his voice low. "Firepower… will he be there?"
At that, Red Ray let out a loud, dramatic sigh and threw up his hands.
"Why is it always Firepower? Firepower this, Firepower that! What am I? Chopped liver in a power suit?"
Everyone chuckled, except The Blacksmith, who still waited for an answer.
Laura smiled, but there was a faint hesitation in her voice. "He might show up. Depends on... well, him. He's been laying low since the Caitlin Night Show explosion."
The room went still.
The energy vanished, replaced by a heavy pause that settled over everyone like a weighted blanket.
The Blacksmith's jaw clenched slightly.
Froststorm's smile faded.
Even Red Ray went quiet.
No one spoke about that night casually.
The explosion. The rumors. The chaos. The innocents lost. Dr Ryan Campbell.
Half the world accused him of causing it.
The other half refused to believe he could.
He hadn't been seen since.
Laura continued, her voice softer now. "Whatever you've heard, the truth hasn't come out yet. Not officially."
"Do you believe he's guilty?" The Blacksmith asked.
She paused, eyes unreadable. "I believe in facts. And right now, the facts are blurry."
Red Ray clapped his hands to break the tension. "Alright! Enough ghost stories. You lot did well today, but the hard part starts now."
He paced a step forward.
"Two weeks from now, you'll stand on a stage with cameras in your faces, thousands of fans watching, and the world waiting to judge you. Get rest. Train harder. And don't embarrass us."
He pointed at Alfredo. "That punch was a highlight reel. Keep it up."
Then at Froststorm. "Your control under pressure? Impressive."
Finally, he looked at The Blacksmith. "And you... you cut my laser beam. I don't even know how that's possible."
The Blacksmith just smirked. "Neither did I."
Laura turned to leave. "We'll send over the contracts tomorrow. And don't worry, there'll be a clause about social media management. Some of you tweet like drunk pirates."
Froststorm laughed. Alfredo looked guilty.
"Dismissed," Red Ray said. "But remember… you're Horizon's future now. The world will be watching."
But what none of them knew… was how fast everything was about to change.