The park was still smoldering, trees scorched, chunks of concrete scattered like scars of battle.
Beast Boy and Starfire worked side by side, clearing rubble from the plaza. The young shapeshifter shifted forms—gorilla, then rhinoceros—pushing massive debris while Starfire lifted the heavier blocks with her superhuman strength.
On the other side, Cyborg projected blue holograms from his arm, scanning the fallen villains. He transmitted live reports to the authorities who were arriving with reinforcements, guiding officers on how to secure Mammoth and Doctor Light safely.
In the midst of controlled chaos, Robin crouched beside Raven.
He was wrapping a makeshift bandage around her burned shoulder, his face set, eyes hidden behind the mask, watching her every reaction.
"Who was he?" Robin asked in a low, direct voice. "What do you know?"
Raven averted her gaze. Her body still ached, but her mind was elsewhere. The memory of the boy left her strangely unsettled.
"I don't know who he was, but he gave me his name," she murmured, almost emotionless. "Ethan."
Robin tied the bandage tightly but didn't reply immediately. He just stared, the silence heavier than any word.
"He fought like someone used to killing. Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't, judging by the state Mammoth and Doctor Light are in," Damian finally said. "And he used guns. That's not something I'd call heroic."
Raven didn't argue. She lowered her eyes, withholding whatever else she thought.
A moment later, the Titans gathered around them. Starfire landed, smiling despite the tension, while Beast Boy dusted off his hands.
"That guy was awesome!" Beast Boy exclaimed, excited. "Did you see what he did to Mammoth and Doctor Light?! Not just anyone can pull that off!"
Starfire added, her usual optimism shining through:
"Yes! Perhaps we have found a new ally… a new friend."
Cyborg, without looking up from his visor, reported calmly:
"Final analysis: Mammoth has no external fractures, but his body is covered in wounds made by some kind of unknown projectile. No bullets were found. He collapsed from blood loss and exhaustion. Doctor Light suffered precise shots to non-vital joints, three broken ribs, and several fractures. Nothing lethal in either case, but..."
Robin rose slowly, his expression colder than ever.
"I know," he cut in flatly.
Silence hung heavy. Raven remained lost in thought, Ethan's words still echoing in her mind. Beast Boy and Starfire exchanged hopeful looks. Cyborg stayed neutral, observant. Robin, however, stared into the night.
"Until proven otherwise…" he murmured, the shadow of Batman in his tone, "that boy is an unknown. And unknowns… can be dangerous."
Finally, he looked at the Titans.
"We need more answers."
The tension among them stretched like an invisible thread ready to snap.
"Until then," Robin said sharply, "we don't treat him as an ally."
Hours Later
The room was dim, lit only by a lamp in the corner. Ethan had just stripped off his sweat-soaked shirt, revealing a body marked by combat. It wasn't just the dried blood on his forehead or scratches across his arms.
Sofia sat at the edge of the bed, watching in silence until she finally spoke.
"You look… different," she whispered. "I didn't notice before, I was too caught up in finding you again. But now I can tell. You're not just stronger. You're taller… bigger. Even your face looks a little different."
Ethan let out a humorless laugh, wiping his face with a towel.
"Maybe it's just in your head."
"Don't play me," Sofia shot back, crossing her arms. "I'm not stupid. It was the explosion, wasn't it? It changed you physically. Not just give your powers."
He froze for a moment, neither confirming nor denying. Instead, he stared at his reflection in the mirror, searching for an answer. And for the first time, he saw it clearly—the more defined muscles, the stronger posture, even the extra inches of height.
And then he remembered the manhwa… what the System had done to its previous user.
" It's true… I had completely forgotten." He thinks.
Sofia bit her lip before asking what had been gnawing at her.
"Does Mom know?"
Ethan turned slowly, serious.
"No. Just you and Abel."
She sighed, disappointed.
"You should tell her," she said suddenly, her voice firmer than expected. "What if something happens to you? What if you disappear again, like last time?"
"Seven days gone… did you really think we bought that 'camping trip' story?" Her voice didn't waver.
Ethan swallowed hard, remembering the Rift and how close he came to never returning.
Sofia gave him a sad half-smile.
"You want to be a hero, don't you? But heroes still have family. We have the right to know what's happening."
Ethan didn't reply. He only stared at her, knowing she was right.
Fifteen minutes later.
Steam still drifted from the bathroom when Ethan stepped out with a towel around his neck. The hot water had soothed his muscles, but not his thoughts. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Mammoth's fists, his roar, his monstrous endurance.
"He was too strong… and that was just the beginning. There are worse threats out there."
The Rift Key lingered in his mind. "is this the time to use it again?" he wondered, a weight pressing down on him.
He tossed the towel aside and slipped on a loose gray cotton shirt and long shorts, seeking comfort amid the chaos his life had become.
As he descended the stairs, the smell of garlic and onion sautéing filled the air. His mother, wearing an apron, stirred a pan absentmindedly while Sofia set the table. The scene looked almost cruel in its peace, as if it didn't belong to the same world he had just come from.
But the TV in the living room caught his eye. Sirens flashed on the screen, the reporter's tone grim:
📡 REPORTER'S VOICE FROM THE BATTLE LOCAL (live):
"Reports confirm the Teen Titans were not alone in tonight's battle. Witnesses claim a mysterious figure intervened and nearly single-handedly defeated Mammoth."
The image cut to a boy in a cap, sweaty but grinning at the camera:
"I saw it! He kicked Mammoth like a thunderbolt! Then pulled out these weird guns and—man, he won! It was insane!"
Ethan froze, heart racing.
Then a woman's face appeared, her short hair framing eyes sharp with fear. Her voice trembled but carried conviction:
"I saw him too. He was on top of Mammoth, pointing his weapons… and his eyes… they weren't a hero's eyes. They were a killer's. I don't feel safe with someone like that on our streets."
The reporter's words were sharp, neutral in tone but cutting deep:
"New protector or potential threat? The city remains divided on who this dark vigilante is—and what he truly represents."
The sound echoed in Ethan's mind louder than the actual volume. He felt gutted, as if he were being judged by the whole world.
From the kitchen, his mother's voice called, snapping him out of it:
"Ethan, dinner's ready, sweetheart."
He shut off the TV quickly, forcing the silence back, and walked to the table. But the question burned inside him:
Hero… or threat?
The food smelled rich, filling the air as his mother served with a tired smile. Sofia poked at her rice absentmindedly, still distracted.
"You took a while in the shower," she commented, trying to sound casual though curiosity leaked through.
"Needed… to clear my head," Ethan said, sitting down.
Their mother glanced at them but said nothing. She ate in silence, her restraint betraying that she too felt the tension.
Sofia leaned toward Ethan, whispering:
"You saw it, didn't you? The news…"
Ethan stayed quiet, the clink of cutlery stretching the silence. Finally, he nodded.
"I saw."
Their mother frowned.
"What is it? Did something happen?"
Ethan gripped his utensils tightly, then looked at Sofia. She nodded, urging him on.
He turned back to his mother, his voice steady:
"Mom… I need to tell you something."
Her fork froze midair. A dozen fears flashed through her mind.
"What are you talking about, Ethan?" she asked, concerned.
Seeing her son's serious expression, a million thoughts rushed through her mind at once. Girl trouble? Problems at the company in Gotham? Drugs?!
He exhaled sharply, fingers digging into the cutlery.
"When that accident happened… something changed in me.. I think it's easier if I show you."
His mother raised her eyebrows, not understanding.
He extended his hand over the table. The air vibrated faintly. The salt shaker near his mother rattled, then lifted smoothly into the air, floating until it landed gently in Ethan's palm.
The silence was absolute. She froze, the utensil slipping from her fingers and clattering onto the empty plate with a metallic sound. Her wide eyes reflected the suspended object. Ethan calmly set the salt shaker back in its place, unhurried.
"...How?" she whispered.
Before he could answer, her shock hardened into something else—a firm, cold stare.the he gaze of someone who had faced too many crises in life to allow herself to falter, even in that moment. She straightened, and said with her voice calm but commanding:
"Alright… You're going to explain. Everything. From the beginning. And don't you dare hide from me this time, Ethan."
His chest tightened. Sofia looked on, heart racing, but relieved that the truth was finally surfacing.
"I've lost too much already to tolerate lies," his mother said gravely. "If you're risking yourself—if this could affect us—I need to know."
Ethan drew a deep breath. The meal lay forgotten. And then, he told her everything.
He spoke of the accident, of how his body changed that night. Of the nights in Gotham, helping strangers, returning home bruised but alive. Of the battles no one else knew about.
"In the past weeks, I've done things I never imagined I'd do," he said, voice heavy. "I didn't choose this, Mom. But if I don't use what I've been given, people could die. And I can't just… pretend nothing happened."
Her hands trembled, eyes wet with fear more than anger.
"Ethan, this is too dangerous! You talk like a soldier, but you're just a boy—a boy who could be killed at any moment. It isn't fair for you to carry this burden!"
He met her eyes steadily.
"I know the risks. But I can't deny who I am. Or what I can do."
Her tears finally fell.
"It's not your responsibility. The world can't rest on the shoulders of a boy your age."
Ethan drew in one last deep breath, his words cutting clear:
"Mom… with great power comes great responsibility. I can't change what I've become. But I can choose what I'll do with it. And I choose to help. To protect. To save. Like I have these past weeks. Like I did tonight."
Silence crashed down, heavier than ever. Sofia's eyes brimmed with tears. Their mother covered her mouth, overwhelmed. She had no reply—because deep down, she knew he was right.
Finally, she lowered her eyes and whispered through tears:
"I… I just don't want to lose you too.."
Ethan softened, standing to place a gentle hand on her shoulders.
"You won't. I promise."
The promise lingered in the air, fragile yet resolute, as if destiny itself were listening.
(Continue...)
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Hello everyone!
I just want to give a huge thank you to the very first Patreon subscriber!
May your name be forever recorded in the great hall of the Order!
Thank you so much, Nate Carroll.
Your support truly means the world to me!