Hemolymph.

He was a low-powered hemokinetic, rated at D-grade due to his lack of range and inability to control the blood of others. His biggest crime was a bank robbery, where he had successfully escaped with fifty thousand dollars. Overall, not very threatening.

The Champion Trio. Three young heroes just coming into their own. A speedster, a strongwoman, and a telekinetic made up their numbers, and while all were certainly stronger than Hemolymph individually, their lack of experience made them an equal match.

Or so the world at large thought.

Hemolymph was a villain hired by the world hero organization, a trainer for new hero teams to help cultivate their strength. Hemolymph, under the name Daniel Gould, also ran The Red Cup, a coffee shop that exclusively sold drinks in blood-red cups

A coffee shop that, as Daniel could clearly see, currently stood destroyed, with it's three employees alive but injured. Joanna, the highschool girl who just wanted some spending money, was underneath what remained of the register and parts of a cabinet. Juan, the immigrant worker just trying to make ends meet, was wincing as he removed shards of window glass from his face. One of his eyes was ruined, and without a healer...

And that was ignoring Maive, who was in the worst state of them all. According to Juan, the Champion Trio had interrogated her for information on Hemolymph, and when she had stayed silent, they began to break things. First, her left wrist, courtesy of the strongwoman Brute. Then her other wrist, at the hands of Minder. After Juan had turned away, they continued, breaking her body piece by piece. It was all Daniel could do to contain the bleeding.

Thankfully, all three were alive, and with his help, would stay that way. Joanna, he excavated with the help of Juan's blood, and Juan needed no immediate help. For Maive, he kept her heart pumping, and her blood flowing. It wasn't perfect, but she would survive.

The Champion Trio received an unexpected visitor in the aftermath of their celebration. It had been a few hours since the Latino man had told them about the Red Cup's owner, their nemesis.

The best part was, they didn't even have to go looking for him! He had come right to-

Three C-ranked heroes floated, held aloft by their own blood at the hands of Hemolymph. Three Heroes found out why supers of all varieties respected the Rule.

"Do not interfere with the life behind the mask."

The next day, Daniel Gould read the news as he finished writing his after-action disciplinary report.

"3 fledgling heroes in coma at the hands of Hemolymph after breaking the Rule."

Daniel, Hemolymph, and former A-ranked villain Bloodbath sighed. Maybe it was for the best, that he had retired from supervillainy. Heroism was much better for the soul.