The entire scene was a vision of hell.

Sirens wailed chaotically as fire trucks screeched to a halt as their red lights flashed against the thick, oily smoke that choked the air. Firefighters were already on standby, unrolling hoses and prepping foam, while a massive crowd of bystanders huddled behind the police tape with their phones held high.

Near the chaos, Judy Cho stood before a lens with a microphone in hand. She kept glancing over her shoulder at the white-and-blue figure struggling near the inferno.

『Please, be safe... just don’t get hurt...』

Her heart hammered against her ribs.

She caught herself and blinked.

『Wait, why am I so worried about him? This is so unlike me. I’m a professional, I shouldn’t be—』

Her cameraman frantically waved his hand at her.

"Judy! We’re live in three, two...!"

"Oh..."

She snapped back into her persona instantly.

"This is Judy Cho, reporting live from the Sector 4 highway. As you can see behind me, a catastrophic multi-car accident has turned this thoroughfare into a graveyard of metal. Registered hero Pulsar and the popular vigilante Nightwatch are currently on-site, performing a desperate rescue operation."

The camera panned to Pulsar who tore the roof off a sedan like it was a sardine can and pulled a bloodied survivor into the arms of waiting paramedics.

Then, the lens shifted to the center of the heat.

The overturned fuel tanker.

"The situation is dire..."

Judy reported with a dim voice.

"A woman is trapped in an overturned SUV directly beneath the weight of this massive tanker. Her young son is here on the ground, witnessing the unthinkable."

The boy was a mess of tears as his small hands beat against Nightwatch’s armored leg.

"Help her! She’s stuck under the sunroof! Her leg... she said it’s broken! She can’t breathe! PLEASE!"

Everyone could hear the mother wailing from beneath the crushing weight of the steel tank.

"I can’t... I can’t move! Something’s in my leg! It hurts so much! Don’t let me die in here! Please!"

Nightwatch stood as still as a statue.

"I... I uhm..."

...

Emma’s Mansion.

The living room was silent enough to hear a pin drop. Every pair of eyes was glued to the massive screen. Marcus had finally succumbed to the exhaustion of the night, curled up and asleep on the loveseat, but everyone else was on the verge of a breakdown.

Adeline, who usually treated the world with the bored detachment of a queen, was leaning forward while her grape wine stayed forgotten on the coffee table. She had always admired Nightwatch... he was a rare breed of man who didn’t ask for permission to do what was right.

"Come on, Nightwatch... do something..."

Gwen whispered with her hands clasped in front of her face as if in prayer.

"You’ve got this!"

Beca added, her fox ears pinned back in stress.

Nadia just prayed quietly as she stared.

Across Metro City, across the entire Northeastern United States, millions were doing the same... holding their collective breath for a man the government claimed shouldn’t exist.

...

Sector 4 Highway

The boy’s pestering was relentless.

"Why are you just standing there?! Save her!"

Nightwatch looked down at the child, then at the woman peering through the cracked sunroof, her depressed face was totally twisted in terror.

For a second, it felt really satisfying .

"Does she really need saving?"

Nightwatch asked in a hollow voice.

"After how she treated you? The things she said..."

The boy froze, his eyes wide with shock.

"TH-, THAT’S MY MOTHER DAMMIT!"

He never expected a hero like Nightwatch to say something so cold.

Even Nightwatch felt a pang of self-loathing, but his vision was blurring. He didn’t see a stranger; he saw his own mother. He felt the stings of old slaps and the echo of insults that had defined his childhood. A dark, ugly part of him wanted to let the fire finish what the crash started. To let her pay for every heartless crime.

The chat was a warzone.

[WAIT DID HE JUST SAY THAT?? 💀]

[W Nightwatch, that heartless bitch was literally beating the kid 5 mins ago.]

[L Take! A hero saves everyone! Don’t let the poor kid be an orphan!]

[Is he glitching? Lift the damn truck!!]

Nightwatch closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

『I can’t be that kind of person. If I let her burn, I’m no better than the monsters I fight. She’s a mother who lost her way, but she deserves a chance to be better. A hero doesn’t choose who lives based on a moral scorecard.』

To him, that was easier said than done.

"Mommy! MOMMY!"

The boy screamed again.

Nightwatch inhaled deeply.

"Huuuu!"

The white armor dissolved and slithered back into his skin like liquid mercury, leaving him in his standard ATAM VI Suit. He no longer had the crucial mechanical strength of the Anti-Disaster Suit.

He was just a man in high-tech spandex.

"I’ll lift it."

He’d lied to himself many times.

But this wasn’t one of those time.

"You’re crazy!"

The boy screamed at him.

"If you couldn’t lift it with the big suit, you can’t do it now! You’re gonna let her die!"

Nightwatch stepped forward and gripped the scorching edge of the tanker with his hands.

He flashed a small, tired smile at the kid.

"Don’t be scared. I told you I’d save her."

"You can’t!"

"It’s not a matter of whether I can or can’t!"

Nightwatch roared as his muscles already bulged to the point of tearing.

"A hero’s job is to risk his life... to risk EVERYTHING... to turn his promises into reality!"

He threw his entire weight into the lift.

His boots skidded on the asphalt.

"HRRRRRAAAAAAAAGH!"

The massive tank groaned.

The metal screamed and so did Nightwatch.

"HE’S DOING IT!"

Judy Cho screamed into her mic.

"Nightwatch is lifting the tanker!"

The bystanders began to cheer.

"PUSH! PUSH! PUSH!"

...

The Mansion.

"GO SCOTT! YOU CAN DO IT!"

Emma screamed as she jumped off the couch.

"LIFT IT, SCOTT! MOVE THAT TRUCK!"

Gwen and Beca joined in with desperate screams of support and encouragement.

A stunned Adeline looked at Emma.

"Scott?"

She looked back at the screen and watched the way the man moved.

The sheer, stubborn refusal to give up.

A realization hit her so hard she collapsed on the couch to try and regain her bearings.

『That’s... that’s Scott?』

...

The Site.

Under the truck, the mother was sobbing as her trembling hands pressed against the glass.

"I’m sorry! I’ll be better! I swear to God, I’ll never hurt him again! I don’t want to die! Please, just let me be a mother and make it up to my boy!"

Nightwatch’s teeth were covered in blood. He could feel his radius and ulna cracking under the atmospheric pressure of the weight. He couldn’t feel his legs anymore.

"It’ll be okay... IT’LL ALL BE OKAY!"

Nightwatch gasped out through the pain.

"It’s my job to make sure you LIVE! Sure, I don’t have Fortitude’s strength... or Miss Mercury’s speed... but I’ll make sure you get that chance at being a better mother for your son! YOU HAVE MY WORD!"

Suddenly, the weight felt a fraction lighter. He blinked through the sweat and saw four firefighters in heavy gear had stepped up beside him, their shoulders pressed against the steel.

"We’ve got your back, Nightwatch!"

"Alright guys, let’s help him push!"

"YEAH! PUUUUSSSSHHH!!"

Together, they heaved. The tanker tilted back.

Paramedics dived into the gap, dragging the mother out of the SUV just as the fuel lines began to hiss with white-hot intensity.

[THEY GOT HER!!!]

[I’M ACTUALLY CRYING RIGHT NOW 😭😭]

[NIGHTWATCH IS THE GOAT. PERIOD.]

[$100,000 Donation: FOR THE NUMBER ONE HERO OF THE STREETS!]

The moment the woman was clear, Nightwatch and the firefighters let go, jumping back as the tanker slammed down and let out a mild explosion. The boy rushed into his mother’s arms, and for the first time, she didn’t push him away. She held him, sobbing apologies into his hair.

Nightwatch stumbled back as his vision spun.

"Ugh... I think I need a..."

His knees buckled, but the firefighters caught him before he could hit the ground.

"Easy there, man..."

A veteran captain said, patting his shoulder.

"That was the bravest thing I’ve seen in my twenty years of being a firefighter. I don’t care what the Hero Agency says about you... you’re a hero in our books."

Nightwatch let out a weak chuckle.

"Thanks... I try."

Judy Cho turned back to the camera.

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

"A miracle on the Sector 4 highway tonight. Thanks to the bravery of Pulsar, the local fire department, and a man who refuses to be ignored... lives were saved. This is Judy Cho, wishing you a safe and good night."

...

An hour had passed since the roaring flames had been tamed into calm embers. Nightwatch sat perched on the hood of a partially crushed sedan. He was quite relaxed despite the soot-stained spandex and the lingering ache in his bones.

He watched the scene with a gentle smile.

The police were wrapping up their initial reports, and the paramedics were finally preparing to transport the survivors.

His gaze softened when he spotted the mother and her son. They were being led toward an ambulance, wrapped in shock blankets. The woman looked battered, her leg stabilized in a splint, but she looked... present. She looked at her son with a tenderness that hadn’t been there two hours ago. Nightwatch raised a hand and gave them a small wave.

The boy’s face lit up, and the mother offered a tearful, shaky smile, nodding her thanks. Nightwatch didn’t say a word; he just tapped the side of his mask and turned his attention back to the camera drone hovering patiently in his personal space.

"Alright, chat..."

He smiled at the comments with his eyes.

"Today was... a lot. I think I’ve earned a few hours of shut-eye. I’m signing off."

The chat didn’t disappoint with support.

[REST UP KING! YOU DROPPED THIS 👑]

[Bro really lifted a whole ass tanker without a suit. Built different.]

[Meh, Pulsar did most of the heavy lifting. He just stood there posing for 10 mins.]

ㄴ [L TAKE! Did you see his arms? He was literally bleeding out for them!]

[Nightwatch x Pulsar collab was fire. Literally.]

[Get some sleep and stream real soon lol]

The "Gifts" notification bell was ringing like a jackpot at a casino.

Soon, Pulsar drifted down from the sky as her purple cape fluttered in the night breeze. She landed beside the car and looked him over with a curious tilt of her head.

"So..."

She let a small giggle escape her.

"You okay? Or do I need to carry you home, big guy?"

Nightwatch chuckled.

"Ehh, I’m fine. I’ve had worse Tuesdays."

Pulsar’s eyes drifted to his biceps.

Then back to his mask and majestic blue eyes.

A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

"I have to admit... I honestly didn’t think you had that much raw power in you. It was... well, it was kind of hot. In a ’saving people’ sort of way."

Nightwatch shrugged. "I try my best."

The playful smile on Pulsar’s face was suddenly replaced by a look of awkward seriousness.

She looked at her boots, kicking a piece of debris.

"By the way... about that kiss earlier. Don’t let it go to your head. I wasn’t actually into you or anything. I was just trying to get under my agent’s skin. He’s been a total dickhead lately, and I wanted to see him blow a fuse."

Nightwatch nodded slowly.

"Uh-huh. Figures."

Pulsar blinked, her head snapping up.

"Eh? Why don’t you look surprised? Aren’t you supposed to be offended or... I don’t know, shocked?"

"Ma—err, Pulsar..."

He saved it at the last second.

"That was the most abrupt, out-of-nowhere attraction any woman has ever shown me. And trust me, I’ve dealt with my friggin’ fair share of crazy women. I had a feeling there was an angle."

Pulsar rolled her eyes, trying to reclaim her cool.

"Whatever. Besides, you’re not as handsome as my totally real boyfriend yunno?"

Nightwatch lifted a brow.

Boyfriend? He went through a mental list. Was it The Peak? No, Maya had better taste than that. But if Vincent was pulling the strings, maybe...

He cleared his throat.

"Hmm. A boyfriend, huh?"

Pulsar’s bravado melted.

She became sheepish and her tiny fingers twiddled together as she looked away.

"Well... to be honest, I broke up with him a while back. I messed up. Big time. I’m hoping I can get him back someday, but... I think it’ll take a long time. I want to be patient. I hurt him, so I want to feel that same hurt until I’m actually deserving enough to have him back."

The sadness in her voice was palpable.

Nightwatch sighed inwardly.

『She’s talking about me.』 (¬_¬ꐦ)

He had forgiven her long ago, but the idea of diving back into that drama while his current life was a literal harem of chaos? He wasn’t ready for that.

"Burgers..." ( ⌯•᷄ ᴗ •᷅⌯)ﾉﾞ

Pulsar suddenly blurted out as her hand shot up like a student in a classroom.

Her face was bright red.

"If... if you’re still up for taking me to that Fred’s place... I really wouldn’t mind... at all... yeah... W-, We could even go now? If you want?"

The desperation in her eyes was sharp.

Nightwatch looked at her for a long moment before letting out a soft breath.

"Uhm... maybe some other time. I’m beat."

Pulsar’s shoulders slumped slightly.

It felt like rejection, but she forced a smile.

"Yeah. No. That’s totally fine. Totally cool."

"Goodnight, Pulsar."

Nightwatch shot a grappling hook that zipped toward a nearby high-rise. He swung into the night and left her waving at him with a radiant smile.

...

It was 6:30 a.m.

That was when Scott wandered back to the mansion and he didn’t seem to eager to deal with Isla and worst of all Adeline who seemed to hate him for some reason.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the beautiful skyline of Metro City.

Hopefully, everyone was still asleep.

He stepped into the foyer, and the System didn’t waste time to give him the stream’s final stats.

[Stream Report: 4,892,103 peak viewers!]

[Revenue Generated: $2,450,000]

[$1,230,456 has been credited to your account!]

[Alert: High-level obsession detected from Ekaterina Romanov, daughter of the Russian President. She has begun ’Hero Training’ to meet you.]

Scott groaned as he peeled off his mask.

His face was streaked with ash and his spandex was charred in places.

"Can I just catch a break? One break?" (—‸—)

The mansion doors flew open before he could even take another step.

"SCOTT!"

A blur of black hair hit him first.

An excited Brigid hugged him with a strength that nearly cracked his ribs.

"Lord Nightwatch smells so nice!" (⸝⸝ᴗ﹏ᴗ⸝⸝) ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

A second later, he was swarmed by the others.

Kara looked him over, her eyes frantic.

"I was in that boring endorsement meeting and didn’t see the news until it was over! I didn’t know you were in that much trouble! Are you okay? Tell me where it hurts! I’ll pray to my Cortian gods to heal you OKAY?!" (ó﹏ò｡)

Emma stepped in and eagerly kissed a soot-covered patch on his cheek.

"You smell like a campfire, babe."

She kissed his lips next.

"You need a nice, hot bath."

"We’re joining!"

Gwen and Beca said in unison, already tugging at their clothes.

"We feel dirty just watching you go through all that!"

"Wait, I’m joining too!" Emma shouted.

Nadia squeezed Scott’s arm, pouting fiercely.

"It’s not fair! Tonight was supposed to be MY turn to bathe with Scott! Why do you all have to steal him the second he gets back? I don’t like sharing our bath time!"

Scott let out a tired, genuine chuckle.

"Can you manage to share just this once, Nadia?"

Nadia huffed, her cheeks puffed out.

"Fine. Even if they wouldn’t! But only because you look like you’re going to collapse."

Kara’s face turned a shade of red that would make you mistake her for a tomato. She slapped her hands over her face that carried nothing but shame.

"This is so indecent!"

She turned redder.

"Sharing a bath with a man... it’s... it’s..."

She paused, her voice getting quieter.

"...but I do really enjoy those shoulder massages he gives in the water."

Emma clapped her hands together.

"Settled! I’ll go fire up the jacuzzi. Everyone, upstairs!"

...

Abandoned Warehouse, Meteor City.

Deep within the slums was a decaying structure that had once served as a trafficking hub for Adira Crowe’s faction in Black Mechanica that was now disbanded.

A stunning Latina with waist-length black hair sat in a plush, stolen velvet chair. Her charming emerald eyes were glued to a massive television screen playing a loop of Nightwatch lifting the tanker.

"Hmm❤️... ahhhnn~ ❤️"

The more she moaned, the more you could see her salivating mouth and vampiric fangs.

Her hand moved sweetly between her thighs and her breath hitching as she watched the muscles of Scott’s back strain against the suit. She was lost in the way her fingers stroked her quivering clit and dived deep into her flower. It made her entire body shudder.

The moment the camera zoomed in on his face she let out another moan.

"Ohhhh yes~ NIGHTWATCH ❤️"

Her body arched as she squirted across the screen until the sticky liquid painted Nightwatch’s face.

What would have such a tall, beautiful woman in such a feral and aroused state?

"So good..."

She breathed heavily, playing with the wet strands of her sweet and passionate ejaculation on her fingers as she stared at the mess she’d made.

"Look at that... I made such a mess. Will Nightwatch finally come and discipline me for being so bad?"

She wanted to sink her fangs into his neck and suck him dry until she ripped his head off.

Thinking of it made her cup both her fertile breasts.

A man with a half-burnt face and numerous unnatural mutations stepped into the room.

He felt quite irritated.

"Blood Witch. The team has a meeting. Now."

Blood Witch didn’t even look at him.

She wanted to go another round.

"Relax, Burn-Out."

She nibbled her lower lip.

"I’m just engaging in some... recreational activities."

The man sneered, shaking his head.

"Whatever. Don’t keep the Boss waiting."

He turned and stomped out.

Blood Witch licked her sticky fingers and giggled.