Nuclear Tensions, Early Morning Livestream

Pulsar zoomed forward and her body buzzed with excitement as she got closer and closer to Lady Fortress. When she finally reached her, she pulled up short to stop right in front of the taller heroine and hover there with a wide and expectedly weird grin on her face.

Lady Fortress blinked, slightly startled.

She didn't expect anyone, let alone some overexcited kid, to interrupt her mission.

Unable to stop herself, Pulsar blurted out.

"Lady Fortress, I'm your biggest fan!"

After all, she didn't know what else to say.

Lady Fortress's eyes only flickered for a second before she turned her eyes back to the chaos below.

"Uh-huh… Alright, kid—come with me."

She tilted her head then motioned for Pulsar to follow before launching forward.

Pulsar's mouth dropped in excitement as Lady Fortress sped off, and she let out a squeal.

"Oh my God, we're doing a team-up!"

She bolted after her, soaring beside her idol as they headed straight for the source of the explosion.

The scene at ground level was more than chaotic. The air reeked of burning metal and thick smoke, and the unstable man at the center of it all wore a high-tech containment suit that was releasing devastating waves in all directions. Each wave caused the ground to tremble and anything within its reach—cars, streetlights, even entire portions of buildings—to disintegrate into dust.

Police had already secured the area and were doing their best to keep the public back, but it was clear the thirty-meter radius they'd established wouldn't hold much longer.

Lady Fortress approached the police chief.

"I need you and your men to withdraw from this area immediately. It's too dangerous."

Her voice was stern but calm.

The police chief was a stout man.

He had a very determined look on his bearded face as he shook his head firmly.

"Ma'am, it's our duty to protect these people. We're not just walking away from that!"

Pulsar stepped up beside her.

"Listen, if you don't pull back, it'll just make things harder for us… Lady Fortress and I have this, alright?"

Reluctantly, the chief eyed her, then Lady Fortress.

After a moment's pause, he nodded.

"Alright. Pull back, everyone!"

He shouted, and his officers began retreating as the police trucks and squad cars roared away from the scene.

Lady Fortress faced forward.

Her eyes narrowed on the man in the containment suit as he unleashed yet another wave.

"Alright… are you ready?"

She gave Pulsar a side-eye.

Pulsar's heart nearly skipped a beat. "Absolutely! So… how do we stop this guy?"

Lady Fortress's eyes narrowed as she used her supervision to analyze the entire area, the suit, and even the man's immensely complex physiology.

"Give me a second."

She scanned every detail of the scene and her eyes easily cut right through the thick smoke and rubble.

Overhead, the news chopper was buzzing, with the spotlight following the unfolding action below.

The reporter checked social media platforms like Chirper and WeTube for the latest updates:

[As usual, Lady Fortress is here to cook those stupid ass villains, yunno it's like they never learn!]

[Err, looks like this guy's one of those heavily generic ass villain (ー_ーゞ]

[Who's the black-haired chick though? (゜-゜)]

[Yeah, she looks kinda cute…]

[I think she's called Pulsar or something… a C-rank hero, could never be my tights-wearing goddess Rope Girl, she solos all these fodders (＾ 0 ＾)!!]

[Most normal Rope Girl fan (ㆆ _ ㆆ)…]

[Pulsar's probably a new TitanTech recruit or sum. I mean… why else would she be here? (￣ ￣|||)]

[Bruh, you say that like it's easy to even get recruited by TitanTech (¬_¬) those guys have both Lady Fortress and Fortitude on their roster mind you…]

[Ehh, overrated… Shadow Monger solos ╮(╯_╰)╭]

[Do y'all think that Nightwatch guy could get recruited by TitanTech Industries? I mean, unlike the superheroes they have on their roster, he deeply relies on combat technology!]

[Yeah, he'd be the best choice if they really wanna market their shit fr (・ε・`*) …]

[Nah, y'all are overrating him ( ・_・)ノ]

[Fr, the glazing is crazy ( ⚆ _ ⚆ ) bro is NOT TitanTech material fr, stop the glaze!]

[Bruh, his early morning stream today was fire asf! There was explosions and shit!]

[And bro walked it off like a fuckin' God!]

---

The reporter scrolled through a few more comments under the trending #RadionInFremont.

"It seems the public has named this villain Radion! We're witnessing untold destruction here in Fremont, and the renowned Lady Fortress, wearing her TitanTech-issued suit, has arrived to engage him. TitanTech Industries has yet again proved their commitment to heroism…"

Lady Fortress cut her gaze back to Pulsar.

"Listen, kid. The energy waves he's releasing… they're nuclear in nature and growing stronger with each pulse."

Pulsar's eyes widened. "Nuclear?!"

"At this rate, if the energy keeps building, the excess will gather and… well, it could level half the country."

Lady Fortress's tone was steady but grim.

Pulsar's mouth dropped. "Half the country?!"

Lady Fortress nodded.

"Yeah. So stay sharp and follow my lead."

She clenched her fists and hardened her face, but she still looked very beautiful.

"The waves come in sets of three. That means we don't have even a split second to reach him… by the time the first disperses, the second's already in motion."

Pulsar's mind whirred as she processed what Lady Fortress was saying. "But… that's impossible then! How can we even get close to him?"

Lady Fortress gave her a small, almost conspiratorial smirk.

"It's not impossible."

She paused, studying Pulsar with a hint of a challenge.

"I'll make an opening. When I do, you go for it."

Pulsar blinked. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Before she could get an answer, Fortress shot forward.

She clapped her palms together with earth-shattering force to generate an explosive sonic boom that cracked through the city streets and shattered every window in the vicinity. Pulsar was nearly blown backward by the shockwave, but she braced herself with eyes wide-open when she saw the three nuclear waves split apart.

It was the moment of truth!

Without a second thought, Pulsar shot forward and zipped through the gap Lady Fortress had made.

… VREEEEE-BZZZZZZZZZZZ!

She moved at the speed of a star as her body became a blazing purple blur as she reached Radion.

Swiftly, she scooped him up from the ground and blasted high into the sky. In a flash, she ripped his high-tech containment suit apart like it was just tissue paper to reveal the weak, frail man inside…a man scarred by radiation and looking barely alive.

"Urgh, ewwww…"

Without hesitation, she carried him back down to the ground and deposited him gently and steadied herself as she hovered back with a racing pulse.

Lady Fortress landed beside her, arms crossed and her face as unreadable as ever.

She tilted her head slightly. "Nice work. Congrats."

Pulsar's cheeks flushed as a hint of pride creeped into her face as she straightened up.

"Th-, Thank you… ma'am."

"Now, let's see what we're dealing with…"

Lady Fortress knelt beside the unconscious, scarred man and her supervision zeroed in on him with intense focus.

Pulsar hovered a few feet away, watching in curiosity as Lady Fortress's eyes gleamed with a blue light.

The superwoman's eyes cutting through each molecule, each twisted gene in his body.

Before long, Pulsar broke the silence. "Didn't you already, like… scan him before? What's left to look at?"

Lady Fortress didn't look up. "I did, but his physiology's mutated beyond the usual superabled traits. A quick scan can't break down every genetic twist in his code."

Pulsar nodded slowly. "So… what did you find this time?"

Lady Fortress took a measured breath before standing.

"He was born with powers—nuclear abilities. But the suit he was wearing… it was forcing his powers to propagate against his will, to the point where it's drained him near to death."

"Wait, wait… so you're saying someone did this to him?"

Pulsar's eyes widened.

A grim look crossed Lady Fortress's face.

"Yeah, and I've got a good guess who."

She turned her supervision on the scattered pieces of the high-tech containment suit and examined each fragment as they glowed under her piercing gaze.

"Alien tech… I should've known."

She muttered, mostly to herself.

Pulsar tilted her head. "Wait, alien tech? Who'd even have access to that?"

Lady Fortress's jaw tightened. "Black Mechanica. They're the only gang with this kind of metal, Vincenium Alloy."

Before Pulsar could say anything, the air around them grew heavy with shouts as cameras flashed and reporters crowded in, shoving microphones and phones toward the heroes. Lady Fortress barely reacted, while Pulsar, still getting used to all this, looked a bit startled by the sudden wave of people surrounding them.

"Lady Fortress, over here! Please, can you tell us what exactly happened?"

"Who's responsible for the attack? Do you have any leads yet?"

"Hey, Pulsar! Can we get a shot for WeTube?"

"Lady Fortress, do you have a statement for your fans watching on MyView?"

The questions came fast and eager, and before either hero could respond, a sharply dressed talent agent pushed forward with a slick smile, his tablet and business card in hand.

"Lady Fortress, we've got an incredible deal lined up for you—exclusive sponsorship, top-of-the-line coverage for BioPharm Corp…"

Lady Fortress raised a brow but didn't respond.

Spotting an easier target, another agent immediately turned to Pulsar.

"Hey, Pulsar! Big fan, big fan. We'd love to talk to you about a potential contract—could get you your own merch line, maybe even a series!"

Pulsar blinked, clearly taken aback.

"Uh, wow. Thanks, but, um—"

She looked toward Lady Fortress, who gave her a knowing smirk.

Meanwhile, a pair of fans rushed forward, one clutching a Lady Fortress action figure, the other holding up a poster of her mid-flight.

"Lady Fortress! Please, can we get an autograph?"

Lady Fortress took a quick glance at Pulsar, who was still trying to dodge the overenthusiastic agents.

"Alright, everyone, settle down."

She raised her hand, and the crowd miraculously fell silent, each face looking expectantly at her. Her calm yet authoritative tone carried over the hubbub as she addressed them.

"Yes, Radion was stopped, but he's also a victim in this, not just a villain. We'll be looking further into who's responsible."

She eyed a few agents still trying to get closer.

"For now, though, no contracts or endorsements, alright? This isn't exactly the time."

A ripple of laughter moved through the crowd, though a few agents stepped back, adjusting their ties and murmuring apologies. Lady Fortress turned to the fans with autographs in hand, signing a few items quickly but efficiently. Just as she finished the last one, she glanced back at Pulsar, who was looking a little shell-shocked as the cameras kept snapping.

"Alright, time's up…" she announced.

Before Pulsar could react, Lady Fortress grabbed her cape and, in a flash, they shot into the air and left the crowd below scrambling to keep their cameras focused.

As they soared away from the scene, Pulsar laughed, still a little breathless.

"Oh my God, that was insane! Do you have to deal with that every time?"

Lady Fortress smirked. "More than I'd like…"

"Does it get in the way of your love life?"

Pulsar frowned when she asked this question.

But she frowned even more when she heard Lady Fortress's unexpected response.

"Love life? What's that?"

"…"

━ ━ ━ ━

Back in Metro City…

Scott limped through the dark streets, feeling pain with every step he took. The sun hadn't come up yet so it cast deep shadows in the alley where he had barely escaped death.

His armor was ripped, and blood seeped from various cuts on his arms and face, swelling in spots where the punches had hit him too hard. He felt a sharp pain in his side, suggesting he might have broken ribs, but right now, that didn't matter.

As he activated the livestream, a notification pinged, and the chat exploded into life.

[Oh my god, is he okay? (°△°|||)]

[Pfft, bro got his ass handed to him (*￣o￣) could never be my glorious queen Rope Girl ♡]

[Really not the time bruh… (ㆆ _ ㆆ)]

[Rope Girl fans… I swear (´,_ゝ`)]

[Did that explosion actually happen tho?]

[He'd be dead if he didn't jump!]

[I can't believe he fuckin' survived! He barely jumped out in time fr! ~('.'~)]

[If he didn't, this would be a tragic end for the series.]

[Just the second stream, and it's already this intense?!]

[Someone gotta put this guy on GOAT watch fr!!]

---

Scott grimaced but didn't say anything. Instead, he pushed on, limping forward, each step reminding him of the chaos he had just escaped. His breathing was heavy, but he tried to stay composed.

The camera drone hovered nearby to capture every painful moment as he shuffled along.

[Ding! Today's mission is complete!]

[Mission Grade: B+]

[Total Accumulated Credits: 80,000]

[Congratulations, you've some acquired new gear!]

[Silent Step Boots (Tier 2), x30 Phantom Smoke Bombs (Tier 2), Echo Amplifier (Tier 3), Invisibility Spray (Tier 5)]

[You've also acquired some new skills!]

[Parkour (Tier 5), Aikido (Tier 2), Krav Maga (Tier 2)]

Scott barely took in the information and gave the screen a quick glance before dropping to his knees as he struggled to breathe. He tasted blood in his mouth, and with a harsh cough, he spat it out onto the concrete.

[OMG! He's bleeding! ( ⚆ _ ⚆ )]

[Nightwatch, are you okay, man?!]

[Is this really happening? (⇀‸↼‶) Shit…]

[Jokes aside, go to the hospital, dawg!]

His gaze was unfocused as the camera captured the raw reality of his condition, but he didn't respond. Instead, he focused on breathing, feeling the pressure in his chest ease slightly as he fought to stay conscious.

Then, he felt a rush of donations hit his account.

[$100 donation from User12345: Get well soon, hero!]

[$300 donation from NotHero87: Don't die on us, please!]

[A massive $10,000 donation from PhantomMuse89: You've got this, Mister Vigilante!]

Scott blinked in disbelief.

『That's a lot of support from them…』

He never expected that so early.

"PhantomMuse89?"

Scott managed to croak out as he looked at the drone.

"Thank you… whoever you are."

His smile barely cracked through the pain.

On the other side of the screen, Emma Graves sat glued to her laptop as her heart pounded. She hadn't slept, and the sight of Scott's battered form made her stomach twist in knots.

"Oh, Mister Vigilante…"

She murmured, touching the screen gently, as if it could somehow reach him. She blushed when she saw the donation way he smiled at the camera.

She couldn't see his face, but she could just tell.

[PhantomMuse89 really loves Nightwatch, huh?]

[This is how you know he's the real deal!]

[Can we get an F in the chat for his health?]

[I'm so lucky I stayed online even after he said that was gonna be his final stream for the night. Imagine if I missed that cool ass explosion, holeh fuk!]

[I could get hooked on this (✦ ‿ ✦)]

---

Scott finally regained some semblance of strength.

"Yeah, so, uh…"

He paused, forcing himself to sit up straight despite the pain radiating through him.

"While those guys blew up the entire warehouse and ended up as—" he took a deep breath, "—well, whatever they are now, I managed to snag something."

He pulled out a small, glowing green rock encased in thick bronze metal and lifted it for the camera to see.

[What the hell is that?]

[Is that alien tech?! ⁀⊙෴☉⁀]

[Definitely not bruh, chill out likeee]

[Dude, you're a legend!]

---

"Could be alien tech, I don't know? Guess I'll find out once I recover a bit more."

Scott was trying to sound casual, but he was a few inches from running mad because of the pain.

[You need to sleep, man!]

[Are you serious? Go to a hospital!]

[When's the next stream? (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞]

[YEAH! Next stream when?!]

---

Scott winced and leaned back against the cold wall.

"Alright, I gotta call it a night. I'm all beat up from that explosion, and… yeah, sleep sounds good."

[Nooooo!]

[You can't leave us hanging!]

[When's the next stream? (｡･･｡)]

---

Ignoring their protests, Scott forced himself to smile at the camera.

"I'll be back, I promise. Just need to recover. Thanks for all the support, guys… really."

With a final wave, he ended the stream.

The statistics for his nine-hour marathon popped up on the screen, the massive donations scrolling in a blur.

[Viewers: 6,420 | Donations: $16,600.00]

[Bank Balance: $16,863.00]

A mild smile appeared on Scott's face.

"Nice…"

━ ━ ━ ━

An hour later…

Suppressing the throbbing pain he was feeling, Scott finally arrived at a familiar sight.

His apartment building.

Still, he had to get inside.

With a quick flick of his wrist, he activated the grappling hook in his gadget glove.

… FWICK!

The metal hook shot out with a satisfying whir and latched onto the window frame of his fourth-floor apartment.

"Here goes nothing…"

He muttered, gritting his teeth against the fresh wave of agony as he pulled himself up. Each tug sent jarring pain through his side, but he forced himself to focus on the end goal.

He swung through the open window and landed awkwardly on the floor.

"Ahhh!"

A scream of pain escaped his lips as he bit down on his lower lip and the metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth again.

He rolled onto his back and gasped for breath.

Suddenly.

… Click!

The lights flickered on and the room went bright.

Scott squinted, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness, only to find a pretty, blonde girl standing next to his door with a phone in hand.

━ ━ ━ ━

Things to note:

- How do you guys feel about these long chapters? I don't like breaking it down into two as it feels lazy.

- I'm open to suggestions on a better superhero alias for the MC, Nightwatch suggests he only operates at night. That might become problematic going forward.