Chapter 6
In his entire career, Endeavor had never been so humiliated. First, the villains fled from his fire. Then they took hostages, and now this kid in front of him had defeated them all...
But that wasn't the worst part.
The worst part was that this kid used earth, fire, water, and ice, and also stopped a gunshot. Four or five quirks in one.
This means that someone not only decided to create a child with an even better quirk... but that someone was far more successful...
His son had a combination of only two quirks...
It had to be some unfunny joke... or a dream.
The boy's skills indicate that someone was clearly training him to fight... just as he trained his son...
What if someone had the same plan as him... to create someone stronger than All Might?
And on top of that, this kid had the audacity to turn his back on him... on HIM! TO ENDEAVOR!
Fortunately, he can now eliminate Shoto's competition. All the boy has to do is fight him... and the media and government will label him a vigilante... and no school will accept him for a pro hero course...
"Vigilante! Surrender!"
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Zuko stared at the gray-haired girl with a worried expression. The sound of the gunshot could have stunned her. His ears were ringing, but he was used to it from his training.
Her gaze darted past him, but he sensed no villain had broken free. Only Endeavor stood behind him.
"Hey. Look at me... look into my eyes. It's okay. You're out of danger now."
The girl focused her gaze on him.
"I... um... thank you."
Zuko simply nodded in response.
"Vigilante! Surrender!"
Zuko slowly stood up. Vigilante? What vigilante? He just... ah... damn. Right. In Japan, any use of quirks is prohibited without a pro hero license.
Only if he hadn't done anything, that girl would have died.
He closed his eyes. Adrenaline pumped through his body. He might be mentally older, but there was no fooling biology. His fifteen-year-old body screamed 'fight or flight'. And he was too stupid to run away...
He turned toward the pro hero and opened his eyes. He raised his hands slightly.
"Hey, calm down. It was self-defense, or something."
Zuko narrowed his eyes. He felt Endeavor shifting his center of gravity beneath his feet... the idiot was about to attack him. He couldn't avoid his punch because civilians were behind him. Oh fuck.
Flames shot from Endeavor's fist, flying straight at Zuko.
There was no room for thought here. Only pure fighting instinct. And instinct told Zuko only one option.
He took a deep breath, standing with his legs slightly apart.
Endeavor could create fire... but Zuko could control it.
Zuko made a gesture with both hands, concentrating the flame in one spot, then punched it back to the sender.
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Fire shot out the doorway, and Endeavor flew backward, slamming his back against the asphalt.
It took Zuko a moment to realize what he had done.
He had just sent the No. 2 Pro Hero flying backwards several dozen meters... in full view of onlookers and cameras.
Oh fuck. His mother will kill him.
Zuko slowly stepped outside, feeling the chill of the afternoon air. He thought he had finally managed to shed that old arrogance and overconfidence.
Now he knew he had simply buried it deep within his psyche.
Iroh had taught him humility... He knew it was foolish to run, but he couldn't help himself.
He felt like a furnace being constantly fed coal...
He didn't have time to think any further as the enraged Endeavor roared forward. The fire rushed towards him.
The last bit of reason told him not to attack. That didn't mean he wouldn't defend himself.
He took control of the fire, which was growing in volume. Endeavor seemed to want to burn him for his wounded pride.
He redirected the flames to create a vortex of fire. After several seconds of this attack, Endeavor finally stopped.
Then Zuko shot a stream of concentrated fire upward.
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Reiko watched as the fire consumed the boy who had saved her. She wanted to do something. Anything... but she couldn't. She watched helplessly... until suddenly the fire shot into the sky... and beneath it stood the boy... unharmed, his fist pointing upward.
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Endeavor was shocked... how dare this child humiliate him like this. Anger fueled his fire. He was about to attack again when the ground beneath him began to make disturbing sounds.
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"Leave my son alone, you jerk!"
Astalt opened up under Endeavor, engulfing his legs up to his thighs. Pixie-Bob emerged from the crowd, dressed in a pleated skirt that fell below her knees, a white off-the-shoulder T-shirt, and simple flat shoes.
Zuko closed his eyes. His worst-case scenario had come true.
The crowd and the media immediately knew who they were dealing with.
"It's Pixie-Bob!"
"She attacked Endeavor!?"
"That vigilante is her son!?"
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Endeavor escaped the trap. He looked at the woman, who had turned her head towards the boy when the word "vigilante" was uttered.
Now he could do nothing. His humiliation had transformed into a shame that would be broadcast on television for weeks.
He looked at the woman, who ran to the boy and hugged him with such force that the boy was struggling for breath.
How could someone like him possess such power... He had to do something... he had to save his reputation.
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"Mom...Mom, you're choking me..."
"OH MY GOD, ZUKO, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? ARE YOU IN ANY HURT? ARE YOU INJURED?"
Embarrassed, Zuko submitted to his mother's examination, who was feeling his arms and back for any signs of pain.
"I'm fine, Mom. Really."
Pixie-Bob breathed a sigh of relief. She finally let go of her son and glared at Endeavor.
"You. Explain to me what right you have to attack my son..."
Endeavor narrowed his eyes. He managed to regain control, and the flames in his body diminished.
"Your son broke the law. He used his quirk to fight villains."
Pixie-Bob snorted angrily.
"You better get out of my way, Endeavor!"
Endeavor took a step forward... then another.
"He also attacked a Pro Hero. Whether you like it or not, he's under arrest."
"Leave my son alone!"
Zuko grabbed her arm.
"Mom. Don't escalate. He's not worth it."
Pixie-Bob looked at her son, not seeing the grimace of anger on Endeavor's face at Zuko's words. He, however, only shook his head.
"You're a Pro Hero, Mom. You know exactly what needs to be done now."
The blonde nodded slowly.
"Okay... we'll go to the police station and explain everything there."
Endeavor roared.
"The boy is coming with me! I'll arrest him!"
Zuko glared at the fiery idiot.
"Oh no! It looks like Pixie-Bob has caught me! Oh, what an unfortunate fate! I will not fight her! I submit to her arrest! Ah, my career as a vigilante ended before I even knew it had begun! Oh, woe is me, I say woe!"
Pixie-Bob immediately caught on to her son's plan. She grabbed him by the arm.
"Yes! There I am! Pixie-Bob arresting her own son! What a true symbol of the law!"
The surrounding audience burst into laughter, though the police remained professional.
Endeavor knew he had lost when the police approached the two. They didn't handcuff the boy, but instead directed him to a nearby ambulance, where a doctor briefly examined him. Then, accompanied by the police, they drove to a nearby police station.
Meanwhile, the police and paramedics rushed inside to help the hostages and arrest the villains.
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Reiko was being examined by a doctor. She had trouble hearing. Her ears were still ringing, and the doctor diagnosed her with shock.
Yes. She was in shock. Today she almost died... She witnessed something incredible today. The boy's name was Zuko... and he was the son of Pixie-Bob... and he had a truly powerful quirk... and he was also highly trained... and at the same time... he had empathy.
He expressed his concern for her condition... he saved her life. Her goal was to become a Pro Hero... now she realized she was far behind. It looked like Zuko would also become a Pro Hero in the future... she hoped they would both go to UA... and with any luck, they would be in the same class.
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They spent several hours at the police station. Zuko answered the officers' questions about his day and the incident with the villains.
Finally, a question about his quirk arose. His file stated he had a quirk called 'Firebending.' There was no mention of elements other than fire. Zuko looked questioningly at his mother, who scratched her head sheepishly.
"Um... you know... there wasn't time to go to the doctor to re-examine Zuko and change the name of his quirk... but that wouldn't have helped anyway! My son starts using a new element every few years. At this point, it's not just fire anymore, but also water, earth, and air."
"And ice?"
One of the officers asked. Zuko decided to answer.
"Ice is water, just in a different state."
"So, for example, you could control fog?"
"Hmm... somehow I never thought to try that. Thanks for the idea, Mr. Officer."
The conversation continued for several more minutes. The recordings of the incident were saved and will be used in court. The police decided to only issue Zuko a warning, as it was his first time and he didn't put up much resistance.
Besides, being the son of a Pro Hero certainly didn't hurt him in this situation. One officer even dared to say that Zuko had more luck than sense today, to which the boy replied,
"Well... after all, I am the son of my beloved mother."
"Hey! What was that supposed to mean?"
Pixie-Bob narrowed her eyes at her son's words, but no argument broke out... at least not in the police station.
Zuko wondered if Endeavor could somehow legally threaten him now, but the footage from the security cameras inside the building reassured him. It was obvious he'd been attacked, and he couldn't have avoided the blow.
Pixie-Bob was furious about this. She was ready to bombard Endeavor with lawsuits for endangering a minor with grievous bodily harm, but on the way home, Zuko managed to calm her down.
"Come on, Mom... There's no point in making a fuss. Besides, Endeavor received a much worse punishment than the court's sentence."
"Hmm? And what kind?"
"A 15-year-old boy managed to treat him like a rag doll and, on top of that, didn't even notice his attack. The scythe hit a stone. His reputation is seriously damaged, and I don't want to bother myself with a multi-year trial. Besides, things like that would be permanently on my record, and that could prevent me from becoming a Pro Hero."
Pixie-Bob sighed, looking at the road ahead as she drove.
"Okay, you're right. But how dare he attack you?"
"It's simple. He thinks he's the best, and I'm a threat to him. The truth is, he didn't attack me with full force, but he also underestimated me. He made a fool of himself in front of the cameras."
The moment the fight was over and the emotions subsided, Zuko could think clearly again. Those stupid teenage hormones had at least momentarily stopped affecting his brain. Still... he couldn't resist commenting.
"Hmmmm... honestly... I thought he was stronger. I know he underestimated me, but... once he attacked me... I was a bit disappointed. I thought it would be harder..."
"Zuko, you're talking about fighting the No. 2 Pro Hero like it was a video game..."
Zuko smiled.
"I'm sorry, Mom... that wasn't how I meant it... I meant something else, but I worded it poorly... What I mean is that you, Grandpa, and the others have prepared me well for any fight."
Pixie-Bob nodded in response. She glanced in the mirror to meet Zuko's eyes. There was no smile on her face. She was worried. She feared Zuko could quickly become arrogant and overconfident. He was still just a teenager, after all.
Then she remembered something.
"Zuko?"
"Yes, Mom?"
" 'Well... I am, after all, the son of my beloved mother.' "Do you want to explain what that meant, or did you just choose your words poorly?"
Zuko closed his eyes and mentally cursed.
*Fuck...*
End of Chapter 6