TWO WEEKS LATER
IN THE STREETS OF NEW YORK – EVENING
The city had changed.
Not physically…
…but in the way people looked at the sky.
Every now and then, someone would stop, glance upward, and wonder—
Would he show up again?
And right on cue—
BOOM!!
A streak of blue tore across the sky.
"LOOK! IT'S HIM!!"
Arthur shot past buildings, his cape-less form cutting through the wind with ease. Below him, people pointed, shouted, recorded—
But he didn't stop.
Not this time.
((You've gotten faster,)) ancestor Tang noted.
Arthur smirked slightly. "Been training, haven't I?"
((Hmph. Barely enough.))
"…You always say that."
CITY OUTSKIRTS – HIGHWAY
A truck had overturned, blocking half the road. Smoke rose into the air as civilians stood at a distance, unsure what to do.
Before panic could settle—
Arthur dropped from the sky.
THUD!!
"Everyone stay back!" he called out.
No hesitation.
He lifted the truck—effortless now compared to before—and set it upright.
The crowd watched in awe.
A child's voice broke through—
"Are you Superboy?!"
Arthur paused for a second…
Then smiled.
"…Call me whatever you want."
The crowd laughed lightly, tension easing.
But Arthur's smile faded almost immediately.
That feeling again.
((…You sense it.))
"…Yeah."
This time, it was clearer.
Sharper.
HIGH ABOVE – UNSEEN
A sleek drone hovered far beyond normal sight.
Locked and Tracking.
IN THE STREETS OF NEW YORK
Arthur had barely caught his breath when the feeling hit him again…
That strange, creeping sensation.
Like eyes.
Watching him.
He hovered mid-air, his blue aura flickering slightly as he scanned the city below. Cars moved, people walked, life continued…
But something felt off.
((You feel it too, don't you?)) ancestor Tang's voice echoed calmly.
"…Yeah," Arthur muttered under his breath. "This isn't normal."
High above, hidden behind the clouds—
A small, black drone hovered silently.
Its lens locked directly onto him.
UNKNOWN LOCATION – MOBILE COMMAND UNIT
Inside a dark, high-tech vehicle, multiple screens displayed Arthur from different angles.
"Target confirmed," a soldier said. "Visual locked."
A man stepped forward, his voice cold and controlled.
"Do not engage recklessly," he ordered. "We need him alive."
"Yes, sir."
BACK IN THE SKY
Arthur's eyes suddenly narrowed.
"…Got you."
In an instant—he vanished.
BOOM!!
A shockwave exploded where he had been.
The drone didn't even have time to react before Arthur appeared beside it—
And crushed it in his hand.
"Seriously? Spying on me?" he said, frowning.
But then—
((Arthur… behind you!!))
Too late.
ZZZZT!!
A net of electrified cables shot through the air and wrapped around him.
"GHH—!!"
Arthur's body tensed as electricity surged through him, forcing him down toward the ground.
He crashed hard into the street.
ON THE GROUND
Before he could recover—
Figures surrounded him.
Black armored soldiers. Precise. Silent. Organized.
Weapons aimed.
"Target secured," one of them said.
Arthur gritted his teeth, his body still twitching from the shock.
"…You guys seriously don't know when to mind your business, huh?"
"Do not resist," another soldier said. "You are coming with us."
Arthur slowly raised his head.
His glowing blue eyes met theirs.
"…Yeah," he said quietly.
"Not happening."
BOOM!!!
A burst of energy exploded from his body, shredding the electric net instantly.
The soldiers staggered back.
Arthur shot forward—
Too fast.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Three soldiers went down before they could react.
But the rest adapted quickly.
"Deploy restraints!"
More cables—stronger, heavier—shot toward him.
Arthur dodged, flipping through the air, but one clipped his arm—
((Careful! These aren't normal!))
"I noticed!"
He yanked it off and slammed the soldier who fired it into the ground.
But more kept coming.
They weren't random.
They were trained.
HIGH ABOVE – WATCHING
Inside a hovering aircraft, a man stood with his hands behind his back.
A single eye focused on the screen.
"Interesting…" he murmured.
BACK TO THE FIGHT
Arthur landed hard, breathing slightly heavier now.
"…Okay," he admitted. "You guys are annoying."
A soldier stepped forward.
"This is your final warning. Stand down."
Arthur tilted his head slightly.
"…Or what?"
The soldier pressed a button.
From the rooftops—
SNIPERS LOCKED ON.
Red dots covered Arthur's body.
For a brief second…
Silence.
Then—
Arthur smiled.
"…You really thought that would work?"
BOOOOM!!!
The ground cracked beneath him as he launched straight upward—
Dodging every shot instantly.
He reappeared above them—
Then slammed down.
CRASH!!!
The impact sent a shockwave through the street, knocking all the soldiers off their feet.
Arthur stood in the center, breathing steadily now.
"…I don't want to hurt you," he said, voice calm but firm.
"But if you keep pushing me…"
His aura flared.
"…I won't hold back."
UNKNOWN LOCATION – COMMAND UNIT
"…Pull back," the commander ordered.
"Sir?"
"Now."
The screens went dark one by one.
BACK ON THE STREET
The soldiers retreated quickly, disappearing just as efficiently as they came.
Arthur stood there… confused.
"…That's it?"
((No,)) Tang said quietly. ((That was a test.))
Arthur's expression darkened slightly.
"…Yeah."
He looked up at the sky.
"…Someone's coming."
LEYWIN HOUSE – LATER THAT NIGHT
Arthur quietly climbed through his window, landing softly on the floor.
He winced slightly, holding his arm.
"…Tch."
((You held back too much,)) Tang said.
"They weren't enemies like Shredder," Arthur replied. "They were… soldiers."
((And next time?))
Arthur didn't answer.
He just looked down at his hand.
The house was quiet.
Peaceful.
Normal.
Arthur sat at the dining table, lazily pushing food around his plate.
"You've been quiet today," Mary said, noticing.
"I'm just tired," Arthur replied.
"From doing nothing?" she teased.
"…Exactly."
James chuckled lightly. "That's my boy."
Arthur forced a small smile.
If only they knew.
UNKNOWN LOCATION
A screen flickered on.
Arthur's image appeared once again.
The one-eyed man watched silently.
"…He's learning fast."
He turned slightly.
"Prepare Phase Two."