Owen walked through long hallways where advanced technology could be seen everywhere.
Between locks, devices, and all kinds of highly advanced equipment.
A while ago, he had finally removed the bandages that had accompanied him for quite some time.
At last, completely healed from his last battle.
As always, his body truly looked like it no longer carried a single trace of past damage. Aside from the permanent scars that would remain on his right arm, now covered by a glove, though thankfully he no longer needed the mechanical one that kept freezing over trying to contain the flames that were now under his control.
Through the nearby window, the sea of clouds could be seen alongside the massive turbines keeping the gigantic island afloat.
At last, the Hero Association bases were finally operational.
Many of them currently placed in international waters, since the creation of the association was still something many governments were desperately trying to stop.
But when among the founding members of said organization you have people who can literally destroy entire cities with ease, very few actually dared raise their hand to prevent its creation.
Of course, this wasn't something sustainable long term, since those same countries, especially the most powerful ones, would quickly begin creating contingency measures against the association.
But by then, the world would go through so many attempted attacks from powerful beings that they wouldn't be able to face without the association, that there would no longer be many voices capable of opposing powerful beings creating a group.
As long as, obviously, they themselves didn't become the danger to the world.
But that would be difficult. After all, there was a reason it was called the Hero Association.
Though, of course, it also served to keep some level of control among themselves over the most powerful heroes on Earth. One of the reasons many immediately agreed to join.
Even though it had only just begun, the association already had dozens of departments operating immediately.
Among them were assistance departments for heroes during dangerous missions, prepared to provide support and rescue if necessary; civil protection surveillance and response, covering everything from natural disasters to terrorist attacks; and other divisions that for now were focused on supporting heroes and protecting civilians in general, based on the roots of VITAE.
But the most important and necessary thing was that heroes would no longer fight alone.
They would always have something backing them up.
And that thing where you fight the current threat alone while everyone else only gathers with you once the entire Earth is in danger would finally end forever.
Now, if you are a supervillain, or even just a normal criminal, you automatically become an enemy of the entire Hero Association and every single one of its members.
Owen walked through the hallways until he arrived in front of a door with the words "Training Center" written above it.
One of the many places created for heroes to improve their abilities.
The door opened on its own, allowing Owen to look inside.
There he saw several young people training and fighting each other, learning from retired veterans or others who were simply interested in teaching the next generation of heroes how to control their powers.
Many of them invited personally by Owen to prevent young heroes from going out and causing more chaos than help, trying not to repeat many of the problems born from inexperience.
The instructors turned toward Owen when they saw him at the entrance and nodded at him in greeting before focusing once again on the young talents, who still weren't even officially registered as heroes unless their instructors agreed they had passed all the necessary tests.
Owen turned around and continued walking through the hallways, passing by several more rooms.
Medical room.
Research room.
Technology room.
Library.
Monitoring room.
And many more.
Until he reached what seemed to be the central point of the entire island and building.
The general hall.
The moment he crossed the massive doors that opened by themselves, an enormous room, perhaps the largest in the entire building, revealed itself before him.
A large circular table stood at the center displaying a hologram of planet Earth.
And small red dots showing live threats.
And blue dots showing heroes moving toward those threats.
Meanwhile, the surroundings were filled with seats and heroes, both young and old, talking calmly among themselves.
Others entering and leaving the room in a hurry.
And others simply relaxing after a long day.
Owen saw quite a few familiar faces around him.
All those heroes now gathered in the same place.
Under the same association.
Any enemy that appeared would need to be ready to face them.
Because all of them were.
No matter who came.
The heroes were united.
To be continued…
…
It's time for the final act to begin.