Eric drew in a long breath.

"The Annual World Hero Convention is coming up soon! And we can’t afford to lose this year!" Eric pumped his fist passionately.

Nicholas expression turned curious.. "Annual World Hero Convention? What’s that?" Nicholas asked.

"It’s a test of power, strength, resilience, and a show of brotherhood amongst heroes from all six continents!" Eric’s voice resonated as he pumped his chest out in a dramatic display, his hands moving all around as he described the annual convention.

Nicholas could only stare at him blankly as he entered into his usual dramatic state.

"Please don’t mind him. He acts like this whenever the convention is around the corner," Dana said with a chuckle as she stepped forward. "Allow me to explain it better."

"The convention is a gathering of notable heroes from China, Australia, Germany, Nigeria, Brazil, as well as our lovely country, America, for a friendly event. Think of it as a gathering held to strengthen ties between countries and foster better relationships among heroes." Dana explained.

"Indeed! This convention not only creates good relationships among other nations, but also serves as a reminder of the first hero who appeared—the one who brought hope for us all! Megaman, a true man who conquered his desires and became the first hero."

"Although he has long since left this world, his name still remains etched in our hearts to be remembered for years." He pressed his hands to his chest as he stared up into the horizon, as though he could see the figure of Megaman in the air.

"If I’m to take a guess, he’s also a big fan of Megaman. I guess that must’ve been where he got inspiration for his own name," Nicholas thought, seeing the admiration sparkling in Eric’s eyes as he spoke about Megaman.

"He was a symbol of hope with the emergence of the impures, and he led the first group of heroes that also appeared at the time, ultimately building the first Hero Association. During the tournament, whichever country wins takes the Heroes’ Emblem home, a signet of hope and peace. An honour to every hero," Dana added.

"And what does any of that have to do with me?" Nicholas asked, breaking Eric out of his reverie.

Eric cleared his throat, returning to his calm demeanor. "It has everything to do with you. You see, during this convention, a friendly tournament is usually held. There are several events that take place during the tournament, but the combat tournament..." Eric paused, his face darkening. "That’s where you come in."

"There are several top heroes from the other continents, but only two have been besting us for years now. And they’ve been taking the Heroes’ Emblem for almost a decade now, since we lost Dr. Bane," Eric said, falling into mock tears.

"A disgrace to our dear Megaman. They’ve carried his gracious badge of honour away from his country! We can’t let such continue." Eric’s voice turned bitter as he said this.

"Star Dragon Tianzun from China and Miss Mercury from Australia. Those two have been really difficult to deal with for the past decade. They always clear the combat tournament, and gather the most points. It’s almost as though its only the two of them competing each year" Eric’s tone took a sad turn, but reignited just as quickly.

"... But this year, we have you!" Eric said, his eyes lighting up as he turned to Nicholas.

"Basically, we’ve seen your capabilities, and we believe you stand a chance against them and possibly defeat the two," Dana said. Her excitement seemed to be growing as well as she now looked at Nicholas with beaming eyes.

"And what do I get?" Nicholas asked, glancing at Eric blankly.

"Well, of course, you’ll get the Heroes’ Emblem! It’s a show of great strength and honour."

"No, thank you."

Nicholas’ blunt reply made Eric pause for a moment, shock written on his face as he glanced down at him.

"Do you know what the Heroes’ Emblem signifies? That emblem places you as mankind’s hope! The fort that will stand to protect the—"

Eric’s speech was cut short by a gentle cough from Dana.

"Sir Eric, I think you’re missing the point," she said, glancing towards Nicholas. "The tournament winner will get reward money as well, and their performance will open the door to international deals which will generate even more royalties for the hero."

Nicholas’ head moved in a gentle nod as he heard Dana’s explanation.

"If that’s the case, I’ll reconsider joining in. I won’t be giving any final answers now," Nicholas replied casually.

"You have no idea what the emblem means! No amount of money can give you the respect the emblem comes with. You have no idea what it means!" Eric persisted.

"When I get the money, I’ll find out," Nicholas replied nonchalantly, making Eric’s expression fall as he stared at Nicholas in utter shock.

Dana chuckled from the side. "Phantom doesn’t want respect, Sir Eric. All he needs is his money."

Eric scratched his head, letting out a sigh of resignation. "Well, that doesn’t matter much. What matters is that we reclaim what rightfully belongs to us!" His eyes gleamed as the words left his mouth. "That said, the convention should be starting in about two weeks’ time, so we would love to get a response from you before then," Eric said, stretching out his hand.

"I’ll make sure to do that." Nicholas reached out, taking the handshake before turning toward the hallway to leave.

Looking at his silhouette, Eric could only let out a sigh.

"He makes the Hero Association look like a business."

"Well, it is, to some extent... It’s just that he acts more like a hitman than a hero. He needs a payslip to do anything," Dana said with a smile as she watched him disappear into the distance.

As Nicholas walked out of the Association building, he was stopped when he heard his name from behind.

"Phantom! Could you wait?"

Nicholas turned to find the figure calling out to him. Standing there was Vixen, making him raise a brow in surprise.

She hesitated, as though searching for the right words. After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke.

"I want to talk to you... Please, could you spare me a bit of your time?" she muttered.