6.1 Graduation and the Leap to Vigilantism
June 2009. Aarav 'Ronin' Sharma graduated from high school, a top student, martial arts champion (using his carefully controlled strength), and the quiet boyfriend of two equally brilliant and complicated young women.
The world outside, however, was rapidly spiraling into the Age of Heroes. Iron Man had revealed himself, and the political and technological landscape was shifting. Ronin knew his decade of preparation was over. It was time to enter the field.
His first major move was acquiring a secure, legitimate base of operations. Using his saved college fund (which he secretly planned to replenish via lucrative, if illicit, tech consulting for Felicia's 'family business'), he leased a derelict, four-story building in a quiet industrial sector of Brooklyn.
The subterranean level of this new base was where the Ronin MK-I suit, powered by a customized, self-sustaining battery based on his initial Ki research, finally came to life.
"Suit status, Aether," Ronin commanded, standing in the center of his new hidden lab.
"All systems nominal, Ronin," the calm voice of the AI responded, a holographic schematic of the charcoal-grey and black suit shimmering before him. "The Ki-Dampening weave is operational, designed to suppress ninety-eight percent of latent energy discharge. The Avalon sheath remains secured to your spine plating, ready for instant access."
Ronin suited up. The armor was surprisingly lightweight, fitting his Saiyan-dense frame perfectly. The helmet dropped down, giving him a HUD view of his surrounding environment, overlaid with thermal, sonic, and Ki-detection scanners.
The Phantom of Queens—a dark, efficient vigilante whose movements were too fast and skills too precise for any conventional human—was born. He didn't seek out major villains. He focused on cleaning up the streets of Queens and Brooklyn, disrupting organized crime networks, and stopping violent assaults, always prioritizing non-lethal, efficient strikes.
6.2 The Whisper of Whiplash
Ronin's activities soon brought him into the periphery of Tony Stark's world. In early 2010, the US government, led by Senator Stern, began intense pressure on Stark to hand over the Iron Man technology.
"Aether, focus surveillance on any significant technological or scientific breakthroughs that could destabilize the Iron Man legacy," Ronin instructed during a routine patrol. "Specifically, look for individuals with genius-level knowledge in arc reactor technology, especially those with a grudge against the Stark family."
"Searching global scientific and criminal databases," Aether replied immediately. "Match found: Ivan Vanko, Russian physicist, son of Anton Vanko, former partner of Howard Stark. Vanko has a documented obsession with replicating arc technology, coupled with a deep-seated grievance against the Stark name. Current location: Monaco."
"Monaco? Too far for a quick trip, and Tony is there for the Grand Prix," Ronin mused. "But if Vanko is a threat, he's going to hit Tony where he's exposed."
Ronin couldn't fly to Monaco. But he could prepare.
"Aether, prioritize the fabrication of the Anti-Kinetic Phantasms," Ronin ordered. "We need high-impact, focused defensive tools that can disrupt and disable energy whips or high-speed metallic projectiles."
From the Gate of Babylon, under Aether's guidance, Ronin fabricated specialized items: high-density, rapidly deployable Chakrams of the Wind King—low-level Noble Phantasms that were essentially perfectly balanced, super-durable throwing rings capable of cleanly slicing through metal cables or deflecting energy blasts. They were small, non-descript, and appeared to be highly advanced, conventional weapons.
6.3 The Unexpected Alliance and the Favor Owed
The problem solved itself a few weeks later in New York, after the Monaco incident confirmed Vanko's capabilities. Ronin was out on patrol, testing the limits of his Z-Sense—the ability to move at near-supersonic speeds without transforming.
He encountered an unlikely person trying to scale the side of a massive skyscraper.
"Felicia," Ronin whispered into his comms. "What in the seven circles of nerd hell are you doing?"
Felicia Hardy, now dressed in a surprisingly sleek, prototype black leather catsuit (a gift from her 'father'), looked up, startled. She was still just Black Cat, a master thief, not yet a hero or villain.
"Ronin? You're actually real?" she hissed playfully. "I thought the Phantom of Queens was just an urban legend!"
"Felicia, that's a federal building, and the security grid on floor twenty-three is a multi-spectrum laser array," Ronin warned, landing silently on a ledge beside her.
"I know, Ronin! That's why it's fun!" She was trying to break into a high-security Stark Industries data annex.
Ronin knew he couldn't let her get caught. S.H.I.E.L.D. was watching everything now. He had to save her career before it even began.
"Stop. I'll get you in and out, but you owe me a favor, and you will leave behind a warning, not a theft," Ronin commanded, his voice modulated by the suit.
Felicia's eyes narrowed behind her mask. "A favor? What kind?"
"When I call it in, no questions. Now, look." He pulled two Chakrams of the Wind King from his wrist bracer (summoned and stabilized by Aether). "Aether, give Felicia the code sequence to bypass the final door lock, but leave a breadcrumb leading to the Vanko surveillance file."
Felicia was stunned by his technology and planning. In a blur of perfect efficiency, Ronin used the Chakrams to disable the laser grid without triggering an alarm. Felicia slipped in, dropped a subtle message warning Stark about a security breach involving "arc replications," and was back out in three minutes.
"You saved my hide, Phantom," Felicia breathed, her eyes shining with admiration. "That tech... you're playing on a whole other level. What do you want?"
"The favor is outstanding," Ronin said, leaping away before S.H.I.E.L.D. security arrived. He had given Stark a clean warning about Ivan Vanko and now had the Black Cat in his debt. A dangerous but useful asset.
6.4 The Starfall and the Cosmic Threat
The year continued its chaotic progression. Ronin began attending college in the fall, maintaining his perfect student facade for Gwen. He and Gwen were a stable, loving couple, focusing on their future careers while subtly supporting each other's secret struggles (Gwen's burgeoning research, Ronin's escalating vigilantism).
Then, one night, Aether blared a terrifying system alert.
"Ronin, multiple governments are detecting a major anomalous atmospheric entry over the Southwestern United States. Energy signature is immense and unknown. Classification: Cosmic Threat Level Gamma."
Ronin stopped his patrol immediately. Gamma? That's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s classification for entities like the Hulk!
"Source?"
"New Mexico desert. S.H.I.E.L.D. is mobilizing a massive quarantine force. There are multiple secondary energy signatures consistent with highly advanced, non-Terran technology," Aether reported urgently.
Ronin didn't need Aether to tell him what this was. He knew his lore. This was the opening act of Thor.
"Aether, plot a trajectory for immediate travel to New Mexico. We need a faster mode of transportation than the suit can provide. Access the Gate of Babylon: Level 4, Mythological Transportation."
Gate of Babylon: Searching Level 4... Match Found: The Wagon of the Sun.
"Fabricate it, Aether. We're going to New Mexico. I need to be there when the Destroyer arrives."
Ronin knew the Destroyer armor was coming—a powerful, armored construct designed to enforce Asgardian law. It would be an ideal test for his dormant Saiyan power and a high-stakes, high-visibility act of heroism that would trigger an even greater unlock from the Gate.
He had faced thugs and gangsters. Now, he was about to face a literal weapon of the gods.