Chapter 32: The Origin of Kid Flash

The Flash came and went in a flash. As a world-renowned superhero, his mere presence was worth the trip. Getting his autograph was a piece of cake. Many girls hadn't even made it up to him with their Flash posters before he had already signed them, even leaving the letters "FLASH" scrawled across Kaito Haruno's shirt.

"Damn!" Kaito exclaimed, staring at the messy letters on his shirt, unable to contain his frustration.

"What's wrong?" Wally, holding his poster signed by The Flash, was excitedly shouting the hero's name when he heard Kaito's outburst and turned to ask.

"This is AJ! Man!" Kaito pointed at the logo on his shirt, feeling heartbroken. AJ—a shirt he had worn for less than two weeks—now marred by The Flash's marker.

"Are you really planning to erase it?"

Seeing Wally on the verge of sticking his poster on his face, Kaito chose to back down. It was best not to provoke a rabid fan. The autograph session wrapped up quickly; encountering the fastest hero in the world made everything feel streamlined. Signatures took a second, photos were snapped in mere moments, and he could pose with everyone in just three seconds. If it weren't for the group photo commemorating the anniversary at the end, the event would have wrapped up in three minutes, possibly becoming the shortest fan meeting in history.

Wally was ecstatic with his signed poster and figurine, completely forgetting about Kaito, who stood off to the side, while he posed for selfies. The crowd began to thin out as The Flash's departure made the gathering feel lackluster. Everyone was there just to see him, and with the hero gone and signatures collected, staring at the display booths lost its charm. Better to move on to the next spot.

"Wow, the crowd's dying down! Where's Aunt Iris? I need to go show off!" Wally muttered to himself, making Kaito think that maybe Wally was just a typical high school fanboy who hadn't even grasped Barry's secret identity. If that were the case, what did that mean for his earlier comments?

Kaito couldn't figure it out and didn't want to dwell on it. It wasn't his business. He wasn't like other characters who might disrupt the story, as he had no clue about the plot in this DC universe. With a blank slate, it felt like anything he did would be fair game. Following Wally, he spotted Barry and Iris sharing a passionate kiss.

Kaito didn't mind; after all, being a lone wolf for so long had made him accustomed to such scenes. Wally, on the other hand, was blushing bright red, and Kaito couldn't help but want to laugh at the awkwardness of the guy who wasn't yet the Lightning Kid.

"I told you, you shine too brightly. Now you understand, right?" Seeing the lovey-dovey scene unfold, Kaito decided it was time to leave. He noticed Wally still standing there and pulled on his collar to drag him away. "Stop staring. Don't worry; you'll get your chance to be the one feeding the lovebirds."

At this point, Wally, still a regular guy, couldn't resist Kaito's strength and was pulled along. Barry, the speedster, noticed Kaito's actions and silently approved. His nephew could be a bit clingy, especially since he was his biggest fan, so he didn't want to say anything.

"Hey, can you let me go now?" Wally said, feeling uncomfortable as Kaito released him once they exited the museum.

Kaito had no intention of lingering, waving a hand as he prepared to leave.

"Where are you planning to go?" Wally asked, having no ill feelings toward this acquaintance. Just the fact that Kaito managed to venture out to Central City impressed him.

"Just going to explore, take some pictures, catch some thieves. We'll see each other again. I hope the next time we meet, you'll be the person you want to be."

"Then at least leave a way to contact you!"

"I trust you can find me when you become who you want to be."

With a wave, Kaito strolled away, running quickly and leaving behind the cool persona he initially had. "Damn it, I still have a mission to complete. Being with you might catch The Flash's attention!" Cursing under his breath, Kaito glanced at the city guide map in his hand and headed toward the most neglected area of Central City.

Since the system tasked him with making a name for himself in the city he passed through, he needed to achieve something noteworthy. The most neglected part of Central City was where Kaito planned to make his mark. However, he had no intention of unleashing his robot minions there, especially since it was The Flash's territory, not to mention the Star Labs nearby. Who knew how many satellites were keeping an eye on that area? Attracting attention wasn't in his plans.

The ideal scenario clashed with reality as Kaito stood in front of a shop in Central City's most chaotic district, watching the police patrol cars go by every fifteen minutes. His head started to ache.

"Is this what American police are like? So efficient?" Kaito could hardly believe his eyes. He thought he would catch a few thieves and bash some robbers to complete his task, but the police response time was turning his plans into mere fantasy.

Kaito watched two officers dash past him like sprinters, swiftly tackling a guy ahead of them, cuffing him, and tossing him into a patrol car. Their smooth operation left Kaito in awe. But he couldn't fathom why there were so many police officers lurking in an area that was supposedly the most crime-ridden. Was there a bigwig in town for an inspection?

"It's your first time in Central City, huh?" The convenience store owner was a chatty Black man. He could tell from Kaito's confused expression what he was pondering.

"You know this city is protected by The Flash, right? He's the fastest man alive. Basically, no one would choose to commit a crime here because the moment you shove your wallet into your pocket, the next second you'll find yourself locked up in a cell at Central City Police Station."

The store owner's words left Kaito at a loss for how to express his frustration. Even without running at light speed, just using supersonic speed was enough for The Flash to patrol this city several times. Anyone with half a brain wouldn't engage in activities that would land them in trouble here.

"However, you know that if the Flash handled everything, the police would end up being out of work. After that damn alien invasion, since the Flash became one of the founders of the Justice League, he hasn't had much time to manage Central City. To avoid disappointing the public, the police in Central City began putting in all their efforts to tackle the chaos in the most troubled districts, just like you see now. I think only Metropolis and Central City have the best security in the entire United States. Guess we can thank that alien invasion for that."

The boss's explanation made Kaito Haruno abandon his hopes of making a name for himself here. He couldn't possibly compete with the police for their jobs; what kind of situation was that?

"Yay, just wasted another day! Looks like it's going to rain. I should bounce." Kaito mumbled, glancing at the thick clouds overhead. He hailed a cab and left, heading back to the youth hostel where he lived.

Central City, 156 First Avenue, East District. This was where the Flash, Barry Allen, lived with his fiancée. Earlier that day, Kaito had met with Kid Flash, Wally West, who was now in his second-floor room wearing a tight yellow suit with red accents on his arms and legs. Unlike the Flash's half-covered mask, Wally's mask left his mouth exposed, revealing his chestnut hair, with red lightning bolts on his ears.

"I am the future guardian of Central City, Kid Flash!" Wally proclaimed, striking a pose in front of the mirror.

He struck a few cool poses in front of the mirror, feeling like he looked pretty awesome.

"Ha ha, I'm going to find Uncle Barry and surprise him!" Wally thought to himself. Satisfied with his costume, he realized that Barry was the only one home, still busy with crime scene analysis. With his mind made up, Wally quietly tiptoed up to the attic, ready to give Barry a surprise.

In the attic, Barry was in his personal lab analyzing evidence when he heard the rumble of thunder above. He couldn't help but reminisce about the time two and a half years ago when he got his powers due to a freak accident during similar weather.

Speed Force! This incredible power, which defied the laws of physics, made him the fastest man alive. However, gaining that power came with a price. The Speed Force set Barry's thoughts, movements, and reflexes far beyond those of an ordinary person. When he used the Speed Force, a normal conversation for others could stretch into an hour or more for him. Because of this, when he ran, he felt incredibly lonely. If he didn't slow down, he wouldn't even hear his teammates calling him over his earpiece, as their voices couldn't keep up with his speed.

"Another stormy day," Barry sighed, watching raindrops gather along the edge of the skylight. He returned to his work.

As a forensic investigator, he could use the Speed Force to speed up his tasks, but he refrained from doing so. If he finished too quickly, he would be left in the solitude of having nothing to do.

The attic door creaked open, and Wally, dressed in his custom Kid Flash suit, quietly slipped inside. Seeing Barry focused on his work, Wally rushed up and shouted, "Surprise!"

However, Barry didn't flinch. As a speedster, there was no way he could be startled by a sudden surprise.

"Wally, shouldn't you be watching TV in the living room at this hour?" Barry said without turning around.

"Come on, I'm eighteen! Who watches those childish cartoons? Uncle Barry, you should tell me about your stories with the Flash instead."

Wally really liked his future uncle—kind, honest, knowledgeable, and, more importantly, someone who had collaborated with his idol. An uncle like that was simply the best!

"Alright, I'll tell you a story about the Flash. But wait, what's with that outfit?"

Barry couldn't resist Wally's enthusiasm and turned around, taken aback by Wally's tight suit.

"I designed it myself! The future guardian of Central City, Kid Flash! Cool, right?" Wally struck a pose, hands on his hips.

"Cool~"

Barry couldn't help but admire his fiancée's nephew's costume, ready to share stories of his heroic past.

Boom! At that moment, a bolt of lightning streaked through the night sky, crashing through the skylight above Wally, just two meters away from Barry.

The lightning struck Wally, sending him flying, and behind him were the bottles and jars Barry had set up for his experiments. As Wally slammed into the cabinets, everything scattered over him, triggering a bizarre chemical reaction.

It was only then that Barry realized the joke nature had played on him and shouted, "Wally!"

(End of chapter)