The lights buzzed weakly above, casting flickering shadows on the concrete walls of Zone 7's underground den.
Scars from the last battle were still fresh—half the planning boards were burnt, gear was scattered, and one of the old terminals was leaking smoke.
Five villains sat around a table, none of them laughing for once.
Razorback cracked his knuckles, his voice rough. "That last attack from the Hero Association… cost us more than just muscle. We lost half the squad—Ripper, Thornclaw, Sable… gone. And for what? A bloody warning shot."
Coiljaw snorted darkly. "They hit us with everything. Labs burned. Supply lines cut. They want to erase Zone 7, not just scare us."
Sootshade's eyes glinted coldly in the dim light. "We're bleeding. And all because those higher-up idiots couldn't keep their egos in check and got two of our A-rank villains killed by that S-rank hero, Volta."
There was visible frustration among them.
