Hero? More like a villain-Chapter 46 - 43: Hero festival

’What is your goal, Iris?’ Death wondered, her thoughts trembling under Iris’s oppressive gaze.

’That’s none of your business,’ Iris’s voice rang out again, her expression emotionless. ’Iris shall be free to do what she wants. You are merely a servant—know your place.’

Death gritted her teeth, her grin fading as a nervous laugh escaped her lips. "Hehe... y-you’re still full of surprises, Iris," she muttered under her breath, casting a wary glance at Isakawa and Jennifer.

The oppressive force lifted, but Death remained visibly shaken. For the first time, a flicker of fear crossed her face. ’She’s stronger than I thought...’

After a tense silence, Death finally broke it, her voice cold.

"Well, I’ve said my piece. I need to rest now—I’m not as active as Iris." Her sharp gaze flickered between Isakawa and Jennifer. "But take my advice to heart: we share the same abilities. Whatever I can do, Iris can do a hundred times better. And she’s far smarter than she lets on."

Before anyone could respond, Iris’s body collapsed onto the couch. Her breathing steadied as she slipped into a silent, seemingly peaceful sleep.

_______

In the dark void of Iris’s mind, Death stood before Iris, the tension between them palpable.

"Why the act, Iris? I don’t understand you," Death muttered, crossing her arms as she gazed at the girl.

Iris’s cold, emotionless eyes fixed on her. "If Iris remembers... they’ll find Iris. They can’t find me yet," she replied.

With that, Iris stepped forward and pressed her hand against her head—and then into Death’s skull. Both of their forms flickered in the void.

"I’ll seal our former memories," Iris said, her voice void of hesitation. "When the time is right, we’ll get them back."

Death didn’t resist, though a sly smile played on her lips even as their connection shifted. "Heh... always the clever one, aren’t you?"

______

Meanwhile, Isakawa, who had stepped out of the living room, strolled through the quiet hallway. His measured steps echoed against the polished floor before he suddenly vanished, reappearing inside his office.

A wicked grin spread across his face as he leaned against his desk, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the wood.

"I wonder..." he mused aloud, his tone dripping with intrigue. "What can I do to make Iris’s second personality resurface? She’s fascinating—a true anomaly. And she seems to know things about Iris that even I have yet to uncover."

Behind him, a flicker of dark blue flame swirled and lingered ominously, casting strange shadows on the walls.

The sharp ring of his phone cut through the room and the falwm disappeared as well. Isakawa picked it up, and a holographic screen appeared before him. On it was the image of a strikingly beautiful woman with pale skin, flaming red hair cascading down her shoulders, and piercing yellow eyes. She wore a sleek black gown that accentuated her alluring presence.

"Shall we proceed with the operation, Sir Isakawa?" she asked, her voice sultry and smooth.

Isakawa’s grin widened, his eyes glinting with malicious excitement. "Yes," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Let’s wreak some havoc at the Hero’s Festival."

_________________________________

Iris sat in a private het, her gaze unfocused as she stared out of the window. It had been three months, and she was quite happy to spend the trip with her parents. She happily kicked heregs as she hummed a song. Three months ago, Iris had been at home as always, with her mother taking care of her.

But now, she sat with her family on the jet. Her father working on his computer and her mother sleeping soundly,

For the last few months, she hadn’t been able to reach Alka. She missed her a bit, and the uncertainty of not being able to talk to her made her feel a bit tad lonely. There had been so many things she had wanted to ask Alka about, one of the biggest being about Death—the personality that had been lingering in her mind for quite some time.

Her thoughts wandered back to the event that had led her family to take this trip. It had only been four days ago. The memory of that day was still vivid in her mind.

______

"Daddy! Daddy!" Iris squealed, her voice filled with excitement. "The Hero’s Celebration Festival is coming on August 7th! Can we go, pleeeaaaseee?" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

She gave her father the best pair of puppy eyes she could muster, her bottom lip jutting out in the most dramatic way. Jennifer, her mother, giggled from the couch, watching her daughter with a mix of affection and amusement. The family was gathered in the living room, the flicker of the TV casting soft light around them.

"Oh, honey, a little vacation would do wonders for us," Jennifer chimed in, her voice sweet as she tugged at Isakawa’s shirt. She slid closer, her arms snaking around him in a playful embrace.

Isakawa’s brown skin and face flushed crimson, his eyes widening as he was caught off guard by Jennifer’s flirtatious gesture. But there was something about her pleading eyes that made him weak, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Iris, who had been quietly watching the scene unfold, crossed her arms and pouted in response.

"Hmph. Cheater," Iris muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowed as she glared at her mother.

Jennifer burst out laughing, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "What’s wrong, Iris?" she asked innocently, feigning confusion as she glanced at her daughter.

"Mummy stole Iris’s moment!" Iris exclaimed, turning her head away with a dramatic huff. "By showing Daddy your chest!" She crossed her arms tightly, as though she was somehow protecting her own space.

Jennifer blinked in surprise, stifling another giggle. "Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry. But, you know... sometimes Mommy has to steal the spotlight."

Iris’s pout deepened, her lips trembling slightly with the weight of her complaint. "I don’t want to share Daddy with you! Mummy has bigger boobs. And Daddy likes boobs," she declared, crossing her arms stubbornly.

Isakawa nearly choked on his own laughter, his face turning a shade darker as he realized what his daughter had just said. "Iris! Don’t do this to your poor father!" He faked a dramatic gasp, placing a hand over his heart as if she had just delivered a crushing blow. And he wiped the tear seeing from his eye.

Iris burst into laughter at her father’s antics, her earlier frustration forgotten as she saw how ridiculous he looked. "You’re so silly, Daddy."

With that, she gave him a big hug, her small arms wrapping around his neck as she buried her face against his shoulder. Isakawa chuckled, pulling her closer as Jennifer smiled fondly at the two of them.

"Alright, alright. I’ll take that as a ’yes’ for the festival," Isakawa said with a grin, patting Iris’s back affectionately.

Iris beamed, and jumped around happily. They settled back on the couch, the laughter continuing as they resumed watching TV.

__________

They had arrived in Singapore for the Heroes Celebration Festival, and Iris couldn’t contain her excitement. The festival, held once every three years, was a massive event, celebrating the heroes who had helped protect the world from the disastrous Rift outbreaks. It was a time when Heroes from all over the globe came together to mingle with the people they fought to protect. Iris had heard so much about it, and she was now here!

She stepped off the private jet with a wide grin on her face, eyes sparkling as she gazed at the vibrant sky, alive with colorful helium balloons depicting the faces of the world’s greatest Heroes. She could feel the festive energy around her—laughter, music, and delicious food scents.

Isakawa’s calm expression turned cold, and he had a dark aura surrounding him as he stared at the floating balloons. His eyes were narrowed, his expression unreadable, and for a moment, Iris caught a flicker of hatred in his gaze. She wasn’t sure if it was that, but it made her stomach turn a bit.

’No time for that,’ she told herself, pushing the uneasy feeling away. ’I’m going to have as much fun as I can with Mom and Dad before he has to go to work.’

She silently promised herself that she would make this trip a memory worth holding onto. They climbed into an expensive black sports car, brought by one of Isakawa’s workers. The worker got out of the car bowed before Isakawa and handed him the Key. The interior of the car sleek, and very fancy, and they drove off toward the heart of the festival.