II: The awakening.

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"AAAH, I KNEW THIS IDIOT WOULD MESS UP THE MISSION SOMEDAY; NOW I HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE MESS, HAHAHA! SORRY, KID, NOTHING PERSONAL."

When Raiden heard that voice, despair clawed at his heart. His pulse skyrocketed, and cold sweat dripped down his back.

"I see the witnesses got away—what a mess. This fool had one job, and all he had to do was keep everyone inside while I was at the gas station. Now the boss is going to kill me," the man muttered as he advanced toward Raiden.

Round two was beginning. Raiden wasn't prepared… until he noticed the glow on his forearm had changed. The "0" was now a "1."

Instantly, the world around him seemed to freeze, his senses heightened, as if he had stepped into another realm. A flood of instincts surged through his body, like the missing pieces of a puzzle falling into place. He suddenly understood his Quirk. It wasn't useless. It never had been.

"I don't have much time; I'll need to act fast and escape," Raiden thought, forcing himself to breathe steadily. He knew he couldn't win. This was going to be his first time using the ability, and even with the new understanding, he had no idea of his limits. He almost could see himself losing almost instantly. But this was his only shot.

"Only one chance." 

Before the huge red man could react, Raiden activated his Quirk. The "1" on his forearm flared with intensity, and a blue light spread across his body, transforming him.

Under the glow, Raiden's shape shifted. His height increased, growing from 1.65 meters (5'5") to 1.70 meters (5'7"). A long, muscular tail unfurled from his lower back, almost as tall as he was. His legs thickened and took on a feline structure, with powerful, spring-loaded muscles. His arms grew leaner, and his hands fused into three fingers, each ending in a rounded pad.

Raiden's face transformed with sharp, cat-like features, including large, slitted eyes that radiated a deep purple glow. Instead of ears, two small, curved horns rose from his head, adding an eerie, otherworldly quality to his appearance.

When the light finally faded, Raiden's transformation was complete. His body was covered in a thin layer of sleek gray fur, with his tail standing out in a striking shade of purple. His intense purple eyes glimmered with a newfound sharpness and determination, and he felt power thrumming through every fiber of his being.

"eeeeh, AHAHAHAH SO YOU CHOOSE TO FIGHT, I ADMIT, YOU APAREANCE IS SOMTHING ELSE WHAT YOUR QUIRK NAME BOY, MINE IS STERIOD-BLOOD, MY BLOOD HAD SPECIAL TRAITS THAT ENHANCE MY STRENGHT," yelled the man, as he presented his ability, he walked around the store with confidence, looking around caresly. 

"you seem quite calm, it had been a good while from the start of the robbery" exclaimed Raiden, curiously, his voice came out clearly, even if he didn't move his voice.

Right after, Raiden looked at his arm, still with a wound, and his eyes glowed as he exclaimed, "Life Dew!" his eyes glowed, and around his arm, green water moved around the wound healing it. 

"Eeey, AHAHAHAH! So, you've decided to fight!" the man bellowed, his voice dripping with sadistic glee. "I'll give you this, boy—you look like something out of a nightmare. What's your Quirk called? Mine's Steroid-Blood. My blood has special traits that supercharge my strength!" He swaggered around the store, his movements oozing confidence as his eyes lingered on Raiden with predatory amusement, scanning the aisles carelessly.

Raiden tilted his head, observing him calmly. "You seem pretty relaxed. It's been a while since this robbery started," he remarked, curious. His voice emerged clearly even though he hadn't opened his mouth.

He glanced down at his injured arm. His eyes began to glow as he muttered, "Life Dew." Green water materialized around the wound, swirling gently until his arm was healed.

The man let out a sharp whistle. "Well, well. Quite the trick—healing, huh? Guess I found myself a little treasure here." He smirked, though his eyes flashed with a sharper gleam. "But I've got a hunch that you can do more than just patch yourself up. But even if you can do more, I suggest you behave."

His face then darkened, and he leaned in, his voice lowering to a smug, dangerous tone. "You know, no one's coming to help you. In fact, this little heist isn't even the main event." He chuckled, savoring the look of realization flickering in Raiden's eyes. "This is happening all over the city, you see—a nice little distraction. We're raiding key spots with at least seven ATMs each. Spread across different neighborhoods, with chaos all around? The police and heroes are running around putting out fires. And this? This little place here? It's nothing but a speck on the map—barely worth anyone's attention."

The man's words oozed with cold calculation, his tone both dismissive and laced with the thrill of having the upper hand. It was a ruthless confidence born of experience, a keen understanding of his strength—and the strength of the organization backing him.

Raiden absorbed the man's words, weighing his options. If no one was coming, his best chance might be to try to escape—maybe get to a hero agency where help would be waiting. But he didn't know how fast his opponent could move, and a quick glance showed the girl still trembling in fear nearby. He couldn't just abandon her. 

Then Raiden noticed something odd: he felt calm—strangely, almost unnaturally so. It was nothing like the panic he'd felt before his transformation. This wasn't arrogance, nor an adrenaline-fueled state. It felt more like his mind had sharpened, his perspective clearer, letting him see his circumstances in greater detail.

Taking advantage of this new clarity, he carefully analyzed his situation. His recent ability, "Life Dew," had healed his arm, but at a cost; he'd felt a noticeable drain of energy, leaving him a bit more fatigued than before. Clearly, he would have to use his powers carefully if he wanted to last. He glanced at the woman again—she was part of the equation now. Any escape plan would need to include her.

In a split second, Raiden crafted a rudimentary plan and began to act. He cautiously activated his Quirk again, trying to expend only minimal energy. His instincts told him that his powers were largely psychic in nature, with telekinesis as their most basic function, albeit limited for now. Still, it allowed him to lift and manipulate multiple objects, including the debris from his earlier scuffle.

Keeping the enemy unaware, he subtly tested his telekinetic reach, first lifting debris around the store, then trying something more ambitious: himself and the girl. To his relief, both began to float gently, responding to his focus. A faint smirk formed on Raiden's face. This might just work—he had a chance, and maybe enough power to carry them both out of here.

"EEEH, I SEE, THAT'S YOUR CHOICE!" the red man bellowed, spotting Raiden's telekinetically floating debris. He charged forward, his massive body hurtling toward Raiden like a freight train.

Raiden flung the debris at his opponent's face, but the red man deflected the incoming projectiles with a single sweep of his arm, barely slowing down. Thinking quickly, Raiden used his telekinesis to lift himself into the air, performing an acrobatic maneuver that sent him soaring above his opponent's head. As he passed overhead, Raiden placed his round hand on the man's head and whispered, "Confusion."

A purple light surged from Raiden's hand, delivering a shockwave that blasted the red man's face into the ground and ripped his mask apart. Dizzy and disoriented, the man staggered to his feet, his vision blurred and doubled.

Seizing the chance, Raiden pulled the girl toward him with his telekinesis and scooped her up. He tried to use his powers to fly them both away, but it was too slow; he still hadn't mastered free-flight. Instead, he reinforced his legs with telekinetic power, enhancing his strength, and sprinted out of the store with the girl in his arms.

Outside, as they dashed down the street, Raiden heard a soft whisper: "Thank you." The girl clung to him like a terrified kitten. But before he could respond, a loud crash came from behind. He glanced back and saw the red man scanning the area, his eyes finally locking onto them.

With a roar, the red man charged toward them like a bull. Unlike Raiden, who leaped and dodged between parked cars, his pursuer plowed straight through them, crushing everything in his path.

Raiden cursed under his breath. The brute was faster, and within seconds, they'd be caught. Out of options, Raiden set the girl down gently and, with an ethereal voice, commanded, "Run." He gave her a telekinetic nudge, urging her to flee.

"Round three, I suppose," Raiden muttered, steeling himself as the red menace approached. Clapping his hands, he extended them forward, and seven glowing yellow stars materialized in the air around him.

With a flick of his hands, he launched the stars straight at the red man's face. Each star hit its mark, exploding in a flurry of dust and light that obscured the man's vision. Raiden used the distraction, propelling himself with all his strength, aided by a burst of telekinetic force and a Confusion blast directed at the ground. He vaulted five meters into the air, narrowly dodging the red man's attack, just as he had inside the store.

But not everything went as smoothly as before. Just as Raiden was about to make his next move, he felt an iron grip close around his leg, yanking him down and flinging him into a parked car. The impact crushed the car's frame around him, leaving him dazed and bruised.

"Ugh," he groaned, his whole body screaming in pain. The red villain was now approaching slowly, his smirk as smug as ever.

"You put on a good show, kid," the man said, almost impressed. "Truth be told, I don't have much time left before the heroes arrive. So, as a reward for your effort, I'll let you live. Maybe next time, you'll give me a real fight. Hahaha!" He chuckled darkly, his grin widening. "But I won't leave you without a parting gift. That'd be rude."

The villain's hand wrapped around Raiden's neck, lifting him effortlessly. Raiden's vision blurred as the man brought him to eye level, then slammed him to the ground. Pain flared through Raiden's entire body, and he felt his consciousness slipping away, only to be jolted back by another slam. This happened three more times, each impact leaving him weaker and closer to passing out entirely.

The red man finally stopped, leaning over Raiden. "See you around, kid. I hope you survive. Bye now." And with that, he let Raiden drop to the ground and disappeared into the distance.

Raiden watched him go from the corner of his eye, his vision dimming. Blood poured from his wounds like a fountain, and he could feel his life slipping away. He had barely any strength left, but he gathered every ounce of his willpower, activating his Quirk one last time.

"Life Dew," he whispered, and slowly, a glowing, watery light began to swirl around him. His injuries began to close, but the healing was slow and incomplete. Still, the worst of his wounds stopped bleeding, though he knew he wasn't out of danger.

With his final bit of energy, he whispered again, "Life Dew…" before his consciousness faded completely. As his world went dark, he heard a distant voice, the panicked cries of the girl he had saved.

"Help is coming! Stay awake! You're going to be okay!" she shouted, her voice strained with worry. Raiden managed a faint, internal scoff. *Stay awake?* he thought. *Impossible.* He was on the verge of death, and it seemed like his only relief would come from whatever medical help she could summon. His only thoughts now were of rest, an ambulance, and the fading ache in his battered body.

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