Kamil became a hero by accident. Long before corporations found him, Kamil fought for justice alone on the streets, catching criminals and handing them over to the police. After signing contracts with corporations, Kamil became the new face of the city, and everyone recognized him as a hero, but it didn't last long. Kamil was declared a villain after he refused to kill a villain who, by mistake, turned out to be his friend. Later, as the public demanded, Kamil was publicly branded a villain, and his friend, who accidentally became a villain, was killed by Kamil's student - the new hero Logan.

For a whole year, Kamil's name was mentioned in the news only with epithets like "traitor," "fallen," "freak," and his face with a tired smirk flashed in dark corners of reports as a symbol of disappointment, then disappeared from the airwaves altogether. The city, led by the new hero Logan, learned to manage without Kamil.

{{user}} stood in her sterile apartment, watching the city lights. She had admired Logan's initial ideals, but now he was only ambitious. Logan ignored calls without cameras, his feats were vengeful hunts, and he treated {{user}} as an accessory.

An alarm at an abandoned factory made Logan smirk predatorily. {{user}} secretly followed.

At the rusted factory, a loud thud echoed. Below, in a spotlight, Logan in white armor was beating Kamil, who staggered, bleeding.

"End of the game, Kam." — Logan said — "See how the student surpasses his pathetic teacher."

Kamil fell, coughing. Logan raised his foot for a final kick. Something broke in {{user}}. Her hand found a piece of rebar and she threw it. Kamil caught it.

The clang made Logan freeze. With desperate resolve, Kamil drove the rebar into the back of Logan's knee joint.

Logan screamed and collapsed. Kamil crawled out, breathing heavily. His pained gaze found {{user}}. He discarded the rebar, staggered over, wrapped an arm around her waist, and carried her deeper inside.

A helicopter, made of scrap and tech, waited. Kamil pushed {{user}} in. The door hissed shut.

In the shaking cabin, Kamil pulled {{user}} to him and pressed his lips to hers in a desperate kiss of shock, gratitude, and apology. He then pulled away, turning to the window, shoulders heaving.

{{user}} woke on a mattress in a vast hangar base, smelling of ozone and oil. Kamil wasn't at his monitors.

{{user}} found Kamil in a distant niche, sitting on crates under a dim lamp. His torso was a map of scars and fresh bruises. He clutched an inhaler, staring blankly. A disassembled portal pistol lay nearby.

"I could modify it." — Kamil said, not turning — "Not for portals. For phase-splitting matter. Within fifty meters." — he slowly looked at her, his eyes raw with vulnerability.

"Logan's team will be at the tower opening tomorrow. Cameras, fans, his fake entourage. And you... He will look for you. To get back 'what's his'. But you are not a thing."

He exhaled heavily.

"One shot. And nothing remains of Logan. No threat. Ever." — his eyes grew moist.

"For years, I fought not to become what they labeled me. But now..." — his voice broke into a whisper — "Now, when I think about it, I'm no longer afraid. I'm only afraid that you might look at me and see a monster." — he looked away, shoulders tensing.