New Opportunities

Scott leaned against the door of his small apartment.

The dim light of the setting sun threw shadows across the cluttered living room.

He shut the door with a heavy thud and paused for a moment to gather himself.

The frustration of another letdown pressed down on him like a dark cloud. Maya had ditched him again… though this time, it wasn't just for a routine patrol or a small superhero mission.

"Her period... seriously?"

He fretfully kicked off his shoes.

His apartment was small and messy, with every surface covered in half-read comic books, action figures, and empty takeout containers.

The walls were plastered with posters of some of Metro City's top heroes—Miss Mercury, Lady Fortress, Rope Girl.

It felt ironic, given how much he was starting to resent the space they took up in Maya's life, and by extension, his own.

Scott threw his jacket over the back of a chair and headed to the bedroom, his steps slow and his mind spinning from Maya's sudden disappearance. He couldn't shake the feeling of being a sidekick… always on the sidelines of something bigger, never the center of attention.

『Guess that's what I get for dating a superhero…』

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he pushed open the bedroom door.

The bedroom wasn't any better than the living room.

Clothes scattered everywhere, a cluttered desk with an old computer, and a single bed pushed into the corner.

He dropped onto the mattress, the springs creaking under him as he stared up at the ceiling. The faint light from the street lamps outside barely lit the room, casting a soft glow on the comic book covers he'd taped up there when he was a kid.

His phone buzzed in his pocket again.

Scott groaned and reluctantly pulled it out.

[Ding! Welcome back, Scott McQueen! The Harem Streamer System is now fully active!]

The neon-blue screen from earlier popped up again.

He stared at it, still in disbelief.

Was this some kind of prank?

Had he accidentally downloaded a virus?

The whole situation was so ridiculous it almost made him laugh, but instead, he just rolled his eyes and swiped at the screen, trying to ignore it.

But it didn't go away.

In fact, the more he tried to dismiss it, the brighter and more insistent it became.

Another notification popped up:

[First Mission: Initiate Your Heroic Stream!]

Scott raised an eyebrow. "What the hell is this?"

The screen flickered, and a new message appeared:

[Objective: Find and stop a crime in the city within the next two hours. Start your stream to gain viewers and unlock rewards!]

[Reward: Beginner's Hero Kit (Tier 1), 2,000 Credits, and a Viewership Boost]

[Penalty for Failure: System deactivation and penalty reset.]

Scott sat up.

His curiosity started to take over everything else.

His heart beat a little faster as he reread the message.

This couldn't be real. Could it?

He tapped the screen again, and another window popped up, showing a map of Metro City. The downtown area was highlighted in flashing red, signaling a crime in progress.

[Location: South Trill Street – Corporate Building 26]

[Crime Type: Armed Robbery]

"Armed robbery?"

Scott blinked, staring at the flashing red dot on the map.

Suddenly, the screen shifted, and a new panel slid into view.

[Tier 1 Gear Unlocked: Shadow Cloak (Stealth Mode Activated)]

[Skill Unlocked: Basic Parkour]

[Weapon Unlocked: Stun Baton (Tier 1)]

Scott jumped up from his bed as the items materialized in front of him.

A sleek black cloak, simple yet undeniably cool, shimmered into existence at his feet.

Next to it, two short batons with a glowing blue tips leaned against the bedframe.

"Holy… shit."

Scott whispered then bent down to pick up the cloak.

It felt real—smooth and lightweight, like it was made from some high-tech material.

He draped it over his shoulders, and the fabric fit perfectly to his body. A faint hum of energy ran through it, almost as if it were alive. As soon as the cloak settled around him, the room seemed to darken and his figure blended into the shadows.

Stealth Mode.

Next was the batons—a solid, compact weapon that fit perfectly in his hand. When he pressed the button on the side, it crackled to life, blue electricity sparking at the tip. It wasn't lethal, but it looked like it would pack enough of a punch to take down any low-level thug.

Scott stood still for a moment, letting the craziness of the situation sink in like a ton of bricks.

He was just an ordinary guy, standing in his messy apartment, now suddenly decked out in what looked like high-tech gear from a superhero movie.

It felt ridiculous, but at the same time… thrilling.

The phone buzzed again.

[Mission Countdown: 1 hour, 45 minutes.]

He glanced at the clock.

If he was going to do this, he had to move fast.

The robbery was happening downtown, not far from where Miss Mercury had been earlier.

He took one last glance at the neon-blue screen.

『It's a school night, but it's not like I have anything else to do, right? I've tried playing the vigilante before, but that was just a phase. This, though… it feels different, like it might actually be the real thing. I mean, the gears just spawned out of nowhere, and now…』

Too much thinking.

Scott steeled himself.

"Alright… time to see what this is all about."

He walked into the hallway, the shadows almost sticking to him as he moved. His cloak made him nearly invisible, and the batons buzzed quietly at his side.

He felt different.

More sure of himself, more ready for anything.

As he made his way out of the building and into the streets, his phone buzzed again.

[Streaming Mode Activated! You are now live.]

A small counter appeared in the corner of the screen.

[Current Viewers: 10… 50… 100…]

Scott's heart raced as the numbers kept going up.

Were there really that many people watching him?

Hundreds of them?

The more viewers he got, the more real everything felt.

『Nah, this shit better be for real…』

He clenched his teeth, gripping the baton tighter as he headed toward South Trill Street.

This was it.

His first mission.

His first stream.

His first step toward becoming the type of hero he'd always dreamed of being.

━ ━ ━ ━

Meanwhile…

Maya walked down the quiet streets at night

The glow from the streetlights reflected in her violet eyes.

The city had calmed down after the big fight with Titanus Magnus, but she could still feel the rush of adrenaline in her body.

Her dainty fingers touched the sleek business card Vincent Lakewood had given her earlier, and she pulled it out of her pocket. The card caught the soft light as she read the silver letters for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Vincent Lakewood, Hero Agency…"

Maya's heart raced at the thought of it.

『Fortitude… Lady Fortress…』

She had looked up to them for years.

Real heroes, not just famous faces like so many others.

Vincent's words echoed in her mind: "We don't just look for marketable heroes. We build legacies."

A part of her wanted to run to Scott and tell him the news, excitedly sharing the opportunity.

But she knew she needed to hold back.

Scott had always been cautious about the corporate world.

He had seen how it changed even the best heroes, turning them into brands instead of real protectors. He often told her that fame could be dangerous, a double-edged sword, and that the more successful she became, the less control she would have over her own life.

That was why he was always careful about her rising popularity, even when she tried to reassure him that she wasn't in it for the money or the fame.

But this was different.

This was her chance to be more than a fleeting name, more than just "the girl who glows like a star."

Fortitude was the epitome of real heroism.

To be counted among heroes like him…

It was too much to resist!

Maya sighed as she turned the corner, her footsteps softly tapping on the pavement.

Scott's apartment was just a few blocks ahead.

She smiled at the thought of having a key now.

『Kekeke, I'm slowly becoming more than just his childhood friend turned girlfriend. I might even become his wife one day… no, no I shouldn't jinx it, you know?』

She loved visiting his place; it felt comforting and personal.

It was simple—not flashy at all, with a worn-out couch and bookshelves filled with old, dog-eared comics.

Scott had always appreciated the simpler things in life.

The real things.

He was different from most people in her world.

When she reached his building, she quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside. The familiar smell of cedarwood hit her right away—Scott's cologne still lingered in the air, but there was no sign of him around.

『Odd…』

Maya closed the door behind her, flicking on the light and walking through the small living room.

"Scott?"

There was no answer.

Still holding the card, she walked into the bedroom and couldn't help but smile at the sight of the rumpled sheets.

『Tee-hee! He never makes his bed…』

She plopped on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

『Sigh~ I wonder what Scott will say…』

She knew his expression would change; his face would tighten and his eyes would narrow in that quiet, thoughtful way he always had when something bothered him. He would likely sit her down and talk about integrity, about not selling out, and how the world didn't need another corporate hero.

『But what if this is my chance to be different? Yunno, prove him wrong, maybe?』

Her heart raced with joy at the idea of being in the same league as Fortitude, training alongside him, and becoming more than just Pulsar, the rescue hero.

Vincent had offered her something she didn't even realize she wanted… a chance to be remembered for more than just her powers.

『But Scott…』

Maya closed her eyes.

She pictured him coming home and laughing gently as he teased her about using the key like she owned the place.

She imagined curling up in his arms and whispering everything to him—about the fight, the mech, and Vincent's offer.

『How does he sound again… Oh!』

She cleared her throat and forced a mean face.

"AHEM! You know how this ends, Maya. I've seen it too many times. They chew you up and spit you out. You're better than that, babe."

She giggled softly after.

『I don't want to disappoint him. But I also want to matter.』

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

『Just one meeting…』

She could always say no. She wasn't signing her soul away—she was just exploring her options. Right?

Rolling over, she pressed her face into Scott's pillow and deeply inhaled his scent.

The bed was comforting, familiar.