The sky above New York City was a dull gray blanket, streaked with the amber haze of a dying sun and choked with acrid smoke from yet another villain attack. Sirens wailed from every corner of Lower Manhattan, their shrill cries weaving through the chaos of shattered glass and crumbling concrete. Fires raged in the streets below, licking at the skeletal remains of buildings, while civilians screamed, their footsteps a desperate drumbeat against the pavement.
Heroes scrambled like ants beneath the towering skyline, their bright costumes smudged with soot and blood, their Quirks flaring in bursts of light and sound as they fought to stem the tide of destruction. Multiple villain factions had torn through block after block, overwhelming even America's finest Pro Heroes in a relentless assault that had dragged on for hours.
Above it all, hovering in perfect stillness like an omen carved into the clouds, was Kael Ishiro—no, not Kael anymore.
Equinox.
The wind tugged at his fur-lined cloak, the red trim shimmering faintly under fractured rays of sunlight piercing the smoke. His long black coat, frayed at the edges, billowed slightly, a stark contrast to the sleek tactical vest and dark combat pants that clung to his battle-hardened frame.
His black eyes, deep and unreadable, gazed down at the city below, taking in the chaos with a calm that belied the storm within him. The streets burned, the air vibrated with the clash of Quirks, and yet Equinox remained motionless, a solitary figure suspended against the gray sky, his presence both a question and a warning.
A news helicopter circled high overhead, its blades chopping through the smoky air, its camera zoomed in on the lone figure. The reporter's voice, tinged with awe and unease, crackled through the broadcast. "There he is," she murmured, her words carried to millions of screens worldwide. "That's Equinox. He hasn't moved for almost an hour. Just… watching. No declaration, no attack. Just him, floating above the city."
The pilot's voice cut through, tense and low. "Why's he here? What's he waiting for?"
"I don't know," the reporter replied, her tone heavy with the weight of the unknown. "But everyone's watching."
She wasn't wrong. Every major news station had cut to live coverage, their feeds dominated by the image of Equinox suspended in the sky. Across the world, millions of eyes were glued to their screens, from Tokyo's bustling streets to London's quiet pubs, all captivated by the man who'd become a symbol of rebellion.
Some saw him as a savior, others a threat, but none could look away. His silence was louder than any explosion, his stillness more commanding than any speech.
On a rooftop a few blocks away, another figure watched, his posture rigid, his mind a whirlwind of calculations. The man in the tailored suit had been observing Equinox for nearly an hour, his augmented lenses analyzing every detail—wind patterns, Quirk energy signatures, even the faint ripple of power emanating from Kael's form. He was Steel Savant, America's number 14 Hero, a man whose intellect matched his Quirk's raw power. His suit, a masterpiece of nanotechnology, hummed softly beneath his clothing, ready to deploy at a moment's notice. He'd run the variables, weighed the risks, and now, it was time to act.
With a sharp exhale, he leapt from the rooftop. Midair, his suit activated, gold-trimmed silver plates snapping into place across his chest, arms, and legs with mechanical precision. A black underlay expanded beneath the armor, sleek and seamless, as boosters hissed to life, their blue flames roaring against the gray sky. "Steel Savant Suit Online. Initialization complete. Power: 100%," a synthetic voice chimed in his earpiece. He landed with a ground-shattering crack, scattering dust and debris in all directions, the pavement fracturing beneath his boots. In one fluid motion, he launched skyward again, rocketing toward Equinox like a bolt of golden lightning, his armor glinting with the shifting light of the dying sun.
The reporter's gasp cut through the helicopter's feed. "Steel Savant! The number 14 Hero in America—he's heading up to confront Equinox!"
Below, the chaos paused. Civilians stopped running, their faces turning skyward. Heroes froze mid-battle, their Quirks flickering as they glanced up. Sirens faded into a distant hum, the city holding its breath as all eyes locked on the confrontation unfolding above.
Steel Savant halted ten meters from Equinox, his boosters humming softly as he hovered, his armored silhouette stark against the smoky skyline. His mask, a sleek fusion of metal and glass, gleamed with reflected firelight, and his voice rang out through embedded speakers, clear and commanding. "Kael Ishiro—Equinox. You've caused enough destruction and pain. What are you doing here?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. His black eyes drifted to the side, gazing down at the burning streets below—children huddled behind makeshift barriers, Heroes struggling to hold back a tide of villains, buildings crumbling under the weight of chaos. A flicker of something—sorrow, perhaps, or resolve—crossed his face before his gaze returned to Steel Savant, steady and unyielding.
"Why aren't you saving them?" Kael asked, his voice quiet but piercing, cutting through the wind. "I'm not a threat."
Steel Savant's suit hummed, its internal systems recalibrating as he processed the response. His voice was cold, professional, but edged with suspicion. "You're not in a position to decide that."
"Then who is?" Kael replied, his tone calm but carrying a challenge that hung in the air like a storm cloud.
"You think you are?" Steel Savant shot back, his boosters flaring slightly, holding his position.
Kael's lips twitched, not quite a smile but a shadow of one, laced with bitter amusement. "I know I am."
The air between them thickened, the tension spiking like a live wire. Below, civilians clutched each other, their whispers drowned by the distant roar of flames. The helicopter's camera zoomed closer, capturing every nuance of the standoff, broadcasting it to a world on edge.
"I didn't come here to fight," Kael added, his voice softer now, almost weary. He turned slightly, his cloak billowing as he gestured toward the city below. "Look at them. They're dying, and you're up here, wasting time on me."
Steel Savant's mask tilted, his lenses analyzing Kael's posture, his vitals, the faint pulse of Quirk energy radiating from him. "You've hovered over this city for an hour without uttering a single word," he said, his voice hard. "People are scared. They think you're charging some ultimate attack, planning to level what's left of Manhattan."
Kael's eyes narrowed, a flicker of frustration breaking through his calm. "They have no need to be afraid. I just want to see what America's finest can do—whether you're worth the titles you wear."
Steel Savant's boosters flared, a low hum vibrating through the air. "What do you want, Equinox? Really?"
Kael raised a hand slowly, pointing at the armored Hero, his gesture deliberate but not threatening. "That depends. Are you here to protect them—or to uphold a broken system that keeps letting this happen?"
The question hung between them, sharp and heavy. Steel Savant didn't flinch, his suit's systems whirring softly as he processed the words. "I'm here to protect lives," he said, his voice resolute. "Period."
Kael nodded once, a flicker of respect in his eyes. "Then we don't have a problem."
He turned slightly, his gaze drifting back to the city, the fires below casting an orange glow across his face. "I won't stop you from doing your job," he said, his voice low but firm, "as long as you don't try to stop me from doing mine."
Steel Savant's mask tilted, his lenses narrowing. "And what job is that?"
Kael looked back over his shoulder, his black eyes burning with a quiet intensity that seemed to pierce the smoke-filled sky. "Changing everything."
The words landed like a thunderclap, their weight reverberating through the air. Steel Savant's suit hummed louder, its systems shifting as he tensed. "You think you have the power to do that?" he shouted, his voice crackling through his speakers, laced with defiance. "You think just because you have multiple Quirks you can do whatever you please? That's bullshit!"
Below, the reporter's voice rose, frantic with excitement. "Oh my God! Steel Savant is going all out immediately! He's raised his suit's power to the maximum. Equinox is in real trouble now!"
Kael's eyes flicked toward the helicopter, catching the reporter's words. "After increasing the power of his suit, even Heroes in the top ten would have trouble dealing with him!" she shouted, her voice trembling with anticipation. "When in this empowered mode, Steel Savant can break the sound barrier and punch through mountains at will! Get ready, folks! This is about to be the battle of the week!"
Red electricity crackled around Steel Savant's armor, the plates shifting and realigning as the suit's offensive systems surged. The air vibrated with the energy, the deep hum of his boosters growing into a roar. Kael watched, his expression unreadable, as the red glow deepened to a molten orange, the suit's power visibly escalating. The armor seemed to grow denser, its sleek lines hardening into something formidable, a weapon designed to crush.
"Don't do this," Kael said, his voice low, almost pleading, but laced with steel. "I hate taking Quirks from people who actually care about the people they protect."
Steel Savant's lenses flared, his voice dripping with contempt. "You're a small-time thug turned Villain. I can't let you leave here without being in cuffs or buried six feet deep in dirt."
The crowd below gasped, their faces a mix of fear and awe. Heroes on the ground paused, their Quirks faltering as they watched the sky. The helicopter's camera zoomed tighter, capturing the electric tension between the two men.
Steel Savant's suit twitched, a sudden burst of speed closing the distance between them in an instant. He appeared mere inches from Kael, his fist cocked back, orange energy crackling around it like a miniature sun. The air warped with the force of his movement, the sound barrier shattering with a sonic boom that echoed across the city.
"THIS ENDS RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!" Steel Savant roared, his voice amplified by his suit, a mix of righteous fury and unyielding resolve.
Kael's eyes widened, tracking the fist hurtling toward his face. A faint grin curled his lips, barely perceptible, a spark of something—anticipation, defiance, or perhaps both—flashing in his gaze. "I'm gonna enjoy this," he mumbled to himself, his voice lost in the roar of the wind as the punch closed in.
…