Chapter 5

Nashino City, morning.

A blazing sun hung over the city, its golden rays stinging the skin. The asphalt road hissed faintly under the heat, like a red-hot iron plate.

A black truck with a long trailer pulled up in front of the bank, and several men jumped out from the rear. They wore ridiculous animal masks and shabby clothes barely better than a tramp's, brandishing all sorts of firearms as they stormed through the bank's entrance.

The robber in the pink pig mask sprayed the surveillance camera at the entrance to pieces with a burst of gunfire. The one in the zebra mask rushed to the center of the lobby, firing a circular arc of holes into the ceiling, and bellowed in a rough voice, "Everyone! Get down on the floor and don't move!"

The crowd panicked for a moment, but under the threat of gunfire, they quickly quieted down and obeyed. A brave security guard instinctively reached for his holster, but the pig-masked robber gunned him down without a second thought, and he soon breathed his last in a pool of his own blood.

The hostages were too terrified to make a sound. Two robbers tossed coarse burlap sacks in front of the tellers behind the counter, ordering them to stuff as much cash inside as possible. Two more patrolled among the hostages with their guns, making sure no one tried anything, while the last man stayed at the bank's entrance, keeping watch for his accomplices.

The Nashino City police would need at least three minutes to arrive on the scene—plenty of time to grab enough cash and make a clean getaway.

Cody Hawkins, just twenty-five years old, was a newly sworn-in officer of the Nashino Police Department. Like many young men his age, he'd pinned on his badge with a head full of passion and ambition. Now, unluckily for him, he was caught among the hostages. He lay calmly on the lobby floor, observing the situation like a crouching hunting dog waiting for the right moment to strike.

The zebra-masked robber was yelling at a trembling teller, briefly drawing the attention of the two patrolling thugs. Cody realized this might be his only chance. Silently, he reached for the pistol under his jacket.

But maybe today wasn't his lucky day. The rabbit-masked robber suddenly turned his head, catching the movement. The dark muzzle of his gun swung around instantly as he shouted, "What are you doing? Don't move!"

All eyes were on him. Cody had no choice but to freeze.

The robber kept his gun trained on Cody while crouching down to fish out the pistol and badge from his coat. Furious, he kicked Cody in the face and snarled, "We've got a damn cop here!"

"Hey, take it easy," his accomplice urged. "Don't stir up more trouble. Let's just grab the cash and get out."

But the rabbit-masked robber had a short fuse. Before his partner could finish, he pulled the trigger without hesitation. The rifle's muzzle spat a flash of fire, and three bullets tore out almost simultaneously, speeding straight for the young officer's back.

At that range, a gunshot was as good as a death sentence from the Grim Reaper—unless a miracle happened.

And then a miracle did happen. She came with a red-and-blue blur, crashing through the lobby ceiling like a cannonball, descending far faster than the bullets. Her graceful figure landed between the young officer and the flying rounds, her chest blocking the path of the three deadly slugs.

She was a girl with golden hair and blue eyes, skin as white as snow, features so delicate they stirred an irresistible pity. She wore a blue bodysuit, long red boots that reached past her knees, and a red cape billowing like a battle flag from the wind of her supersonic landing, highlighting her heroic poise.

But the most striking thing was the "S" emblem on her chest. Once upon a time, that symbol had meant something extraordinary across the entire Earth.

The bank lobby fell into a strange, frozen silence. Everyone held their breath at the girl's sudden appearance. A glint of malice flashed in the rabbit-masked robber's eyes, as if he was ready to fight to the death. He roared and pulled the trigger again, the rifle spitting a long tongue of flame. A hail of bullets pattered against the girl's body like raindrops, each one leaving only a tiny spark before ricocheting away. Some of the ricochets landed near the hostages, making them scream in fright.

Supergirl, like Superman, was a Kryptonian. Unreliable rumors said she was Superman's sister. She'd been active in Nashino City during the superhero era six years ago. Her status here was the same as Superman's in Metropolis—she'd been a regular on the front pages of Nashino's newspapers. But like other superheroes, she'd rarely appeared in public since the Doomsday Crisis six years ago, and her image had vanished from the media. While gossip claimed she still watched over the city from the shadows, most people dismissed it as just a rumor.

Supergirl blurred, moving like a ghost, and flashed in front of the robber in an instant. She blocked the gun with her body and crushed the barrel in her grip. The rifle let out a screeching whine as it exploded, and the rabbit-masked robber screamed, falling backward with his hands stained red.

In an instant, the other robbers stopped what they were doing, abandoning any thought of resistance or escape. The zebra-masked robber, who'd just been yelling at the teller, stared dumbfounded. "Super... Supergirl? I thought... I thought you didn't exist anymore."

No wonder he thought that—most people did. For six whole years, she hadn't appeared in any newspaper, major media outlet, or reputable website, only occasionally popping up on unverifiable forums or small sites. It was hard to believe. People generally thought the age of heroes was over, that superheroes had become history after the Doomsday War.

Supergirl met his eyes and replied calmly, "I'm real when I'm needed."