Chapter 4: Damsel in Distress
Aaron's POV
The quirk registration was quick, easier than I expected. The doctor only ran a few basic tests, checked my reflexes, and scribbled notes before labeling it a "body-strengthening quirk." Nothing suspicious. Nothing that would make anyone question me. Perfect.
The very next day, life tried to remind me why I hated most people. James, the quirkless kid I'd been hanging out with, was cornered by some classmates and shoved around like trash. His crime? Being born without a quirk. Pathetic. Not him—the bullies.
I gave them a small taste of discipline. Not enough to break bones, just enough for bruises that would sting for a week. Parents who couldn't raise their kids properly left it to me. James looked relieved at first, almost excited when I told him I'd awakened a quirk. Then his face fell, the reality of his own quirkless life setting in again.
I didn't say it aloud, but I plan to give him a quirk before I leave for Japan. Not now—two quirkless kids awakening suddenly would draw suspicion. Besides, I don't have the right one for him yet. His mother's quirk dealt with the mind, his father had weak telekinesis. He'll need something in that vein to avoid raising eyebrows. He'll just have to wait.
....
Time moved. Days bled into weeks, weeks into months. A year and two months passed before I realized it. I joined a martial arts gym, training there for the past eight months. Fists, footwork, counters—it all helped sharpen what my quirks alone couldn't provide.
Villains, thugs, petty criminals—I hunted them in the shadows. Training by day, fighting by night. Testing my quirks on living, breathing opponents. Titan Pulse remained my strongest card, but my body was still only that of a ten-year-old. I could hold it at maximum for maybe five minutes, half an hour if I toned it down. My bones ached after, my muscles screamed. Regeneration would change everything… but quirks like that were rare. Maybe I'd get lucky when a Nomu appeared. The thought made me chuckle.
Tonight, I roamed the city outskirts, the world wrapped in darkness. My makeshift hero costume wasn't flashy—just black from head to toe, a mask up to my nose, a hood over my head. Only my blue eyes showed, faintly reflecting stray streetlights.
That's when I saw her.
A small girl darted across the empty road, sprinting toward the tree line. Her tiny form trembled as she stumbled, something slipping from her hand and clattering onto the ground. She didn't stop to retrieve it—fear drove her forward.
Moments later, a car screeched into the street, headlights cutting across the asphalt. Tires burned rubber. Four men piled out, their leader barking, "That way!"
They chased her into the forest. My eyes narrowed.
'I'm not one to judge by appearances,' I thought, 'but four grown men hunting a little girl? That's no hero's work.'
They reached the spot where she had dropped something. Then—BOOM! A small explosion tore the air apart. Dirt and smoke shot upward. Three of the men were flung backward, groaning as they hit the ground. The fourth stood firm, protected by a shimmering barrier quirk.
"Stand the f*** up and chase her down!" the leader snarled.
The three men scrambled upright, though two were badly hurt—one's arm bent at a sick angle, another limped with a torn-up leg. The third only bore scorched forearms.
Perfect. Injured prey makes for easy prey.
I slipped into the shadows, following silently. The man with the leg injury fell behind quickly, struggling to keep up. I made my choice.
'Take the straggler first. Quietly. Efficiently.'
I closed the gap, Titan Pulse igniting within me. Muscles burned with borrowed power, every step thrumming with energy. In a blink, I was upon him. My fist cocked back, then drove forward like a cannonball.
CRACK!
He didn't even register my presence before collapsing face-first into the dirt, unconscious.
"One down," I muttered, breath steady. "Three to go."
Only five seconds burned off Titan Pulse's clock. I still had time.
...
The other three had caught up to the girl, cornering her in a clearing. The leader's voice carried in the still night.
"Come with us willingly, and you won't be harmed."
Coward's lie.
I crouched behind a tree, eyes locked on them. The girl's wide eyes glistened in the dim moonlight. She hugged herself, trembling, her back pressed against the trunk.
I made my move.
One of the injured men snarled. "Let's just knock her out and be done with—"
'Now'
He didn't finish. My fist smashed into his jaw, sending him flying into a nearby tree. He slumped, bloodied and broken, already unconscious.
The girl gasped. The remaining thug's eyes widened.
"Wha—where the hell did he come from?"
Now exposed, I stepped forward, mask shadowing my grin.
'Two left. Barrier user and gauntlet boy. Not easy. But fun.'
"Who are you?" the leader demanded, barrier flickering faintly around him.
"It doesn't matter who I am." My tone was light, almost mocking. "Let the girl go, and I won't trouble you further."
His lips curled. "I can't allow that."
Figures.
The underling cracked his knuckles inside his metal gauntlets, stepping forward with a smirk. "Come on then, shortie."
A vein pulsed on my temple. Why did everyone call me that?
I lunged.
Our fists collided mid-air with a thunderous clap. The impact sent vibrations through the clearing. We both staggered back.
Fifty percent Titan Pulse—enough to test him. My speed edged him, though. My punch had landed a fraction earlier.
He grinned. "Not bad. Try this!"
His next blow came faster, a straight punch aimed at my head. I twisted, dodging easily. Another. Another. His strikes were heavy but predictable.
'He's strong, but I'm faster. Advantage—me.'
I blocked one hit, Kinetic Leak glowing faintly as it absorbed the force. Energy hummed in my hands. But I knew I couldn't keep absorbing forever. I needed a decisive strike.
Seventy percent now. My body blurred as I circled him. To his eyes, I was a streak of shadow.
WHAM! My fist connected with his chin, snapping his head back. He dropped to one knee, groaning, blood dripping from his mouth.
"Ugh…" He groaned.
Not done yet. I swung again, but didn't use the absorbed energy—only for a shimmering barrier to flare between us. My knuckles slammed into invisible resistance. Pain jolted up my arm.
The leader stepped forward, calm, controlled. "He's strong. You won't beat him alone."
Barrier quirk. Defensive type. Dangerous if I wasted energy.
I had to break him.
....
Full power. Titan Pulse at 100%. My body screamed as raw force flooded me. I dashed forward, drop-kicking the barrier with all my weight. The blue field rippled violently but held. The underling staggered upright behind it, still barely conscious.
'Four minutes. That's all I've got. End this now.'
Let's use everything I have in my arsenal.
I clenched my fist, energy thrumming in my veins. Titan Pulse surged. Kinetic Leak released its stored force. Push & Pull bent the air, accelerating my arm beyond its limit.
And finally I activated Double Up. My strength was now at 200% Titan's Pulse, my body screaming in agony.
"DETROIT SMAAAAASH!" I shouted as my punch landed.
The clearing exploded with sound. My fist hammered the barrier. It cracked. Shattered. The fragments dissolved into blue sparks. But my punch didn't stop there—it plowed straight into the leader's face.
He flew backward, crashing to the ground, unmoving.
Pain seared through me. I glanced down. My arm—broken from fingers to elbow, dangling uselessly.
"Damn…" I hissed, gritting my teeth.
No time to cry about it. The underling staggered forward, dazed. I appeared behind him in a blur and slammed a kick into the back of his head. He collapsed face-first into the dirt, finally out cold.
I crouched, checking pulses. The underling—alive. The leader—barely. His heartbeat was faint, fading. He wouldn't last without immediate help.
"Good for me," I muttered, pressing my hand against his neck. His quirk flowed into me, swallowed by All For One.
...…..
Only then did I turn to the girl. She hadn't moved, frozen in place, eyes wide with terror. She looked to be around my age.
I clutched my broken arm with my good hand and walked toward her slowly. "Who are you? Why were they after you?"
Silence. She trembled, lips pressed tight.
"I mean you no harm," I said softly. "You can calm down."
She nodded faintly, though her eyes still screamed fear. Something about her tugged at my memory. Familiar, though I couldn't place it.
I searched the leader's body, found his phone, and dialed 911. My voice was flat, controlled as I reported the location and situation.
"The authorities are on their way," I told her afterward.
Minutes later, sirens wailed in the distance. Time to go.
I turned, taking my first step into the shadows, when her voice finally broke through.
"M–Melissa… Melissa Shield. That's my name. And… thank you."
I paused. Looked back. She was small, fragile, but her eyes held a spark of courage now.
"Well, goodbye, Melissa. Take care of yourself."
I resumed walking.
"W–wait! What's your name?" she called.
I didn't answer. Didn't stop. Didn't look back.
Only lifted my hand in a wave as the sirens drew closer, and slipped into the night.