Although Tony was brimming with questions and half-tempted to turn back to get a better look at the "football boy," the voice crackling through his helmet yanked his focus back to the battlefield.
"Stark, we need your support on Sixth Avenue—another alien troop transport just dropped in!"
"Roger that. On my way."
Recognizing Hawkeye's voice—Clint Barton, ever the sharp-eyed archer—Tony didn't hesitate. He pivoted midair and shot toward Sixth Avenue in a blaze of repulsor fire.
But the comms didn't go quiet.
"You good?" Clint asked, tone shifting as he tracked Tony's movement. "And by the way—what the hell was that streak of light just now? New armor feature? Looked powerful."
"Hey~ Robin Hood," Tony shot back, voice laced with mock exasperation, "how about you focus on spotting hostiles instead of guessing my tech specs?"
He sidestepped the question—not because he wanted to take credit for that blast (he didn't), but because the kid behind it looked way too young to be dragged into this mess. Even if the kid's power could've turned the tide against another Chitauri warship, Tony had zero interest in painting a target on his back.
Especially not with Barton on the line. Clint was still S.H.I.E.L.D., after all—and Fury had a nasty habit of "recruiting" any asset that blinked funny during an invasion.
---
Back in the ruined room, Luca watched Iron Man's thrusters flare as the suit vanished into the Manhattan skyline. He wasn't surprised. With Chitauri crawling all over the borough, Tony Stark didn't have time to chase down minor anomalies—especially not some random kid with fancy footwear.
Honestly, Luca cared more about his newly synthesized [Power-Enhancing Shoes] than Iron Man's departure.
He twisted the dial at his ankle, deactivating the system, and gave his right foot an experimental wiggle. The surge of strength vanished instantly—but so did any trace of strain. No muscle fatigue. No soreness. Not even a twinge from the recoil of that planet-shaking kick.
"Seriously, this is straight out of Detective Conan," he thought, shaking his head with a grin. "All that flash, zero consequence—no wonder it's the ultimate cool-up gadget for the movies!"
And it wasn't just raw power or leg protection. Logically speaking, a kick like that should've wrenched his left leg out from under him—especially since only his right foot had received the "motor acupoint" enhancement. Yet in reality, both legs had stayed perfectly grounded, as if he'd just tapped a soccer ball during P.E.
Which was hilarious—because Luca wasn't even a soccer fan. He couldn't guarantee hitting an empty net from ten meters away, let alone nail a moving target hundreds of meters off like some kind of anime striker.
That's when he remembered the item panel's description during synthesis:
[Leg Strength Enhancement Shoes]
Massive power output without injury. 100% accuracy—non-lethal by design.
"Huh. So that's how Conan knocks out villains without cracking skulls…"
"Guess I should've read the fine print more carefully."
Unfortunately, once an item was synthesized, the panel vanished—even for him. If he wanted to reverse-engineer his "cheat system," he'd need to collect core components from other gear first.
For now, though, there were more pressing matters. Luca cast one last glance at the distant battle outside—smoke, energy blasts, the distant roar of alien engines—then turned away, already scanning for his next move.
Originally, Luca had been considering whether to discuss with his mother, Gina, whether they should take temporary shelter in the storage room they'd mentioned earlier—or risk heading outside to find safer refuge.
After all, their apartment wasn't on the ground floor. If another Leviathan battleship struck and brought the building down, even the sturdiest storage room wouldn't offer real protection.
But when he turned back, he found Gina slumped on the floor—the high-tech pistol she'd been holding now lying beside her.
In three swift strides, Luca dropped to her side and pressed his fingers to her throat, checking for a pulse.
Breathing steady. Heartbeat strong. No visible head trauma. Cervical spine appears intact.
After a moment's hesitation, he gently pried open her eyelids to test her pupillary response to light.
Everything looked normal. She'd fainted—nothing more, nothing less.
"Thank goodness," he exhaled, relief flooding through him.
He'd already lost one life. Finding himself in this world—with both parents still alive—had felt like a second chance. If Gina had died just days after his arrival, he wasn't sure he could've accepted that kind of cruel irony.
But… he pushed those thoughts aside.
I need to help her—now.
Relying on the original owner's fragmented memories, Luca rushed to retrieve the first-aid kit he always kept stocked at home. Thankfully, it was untouched, its contents undamaged. He administered basic first aid—cleansing a minor scrape on her temple, checking vitals again, even trying a few safe stimulation techniques to rouse her.
Nothing worked.
She remained unconscious, unresponsive to pain or voice.
He froze, uncertainty creeping in.
First, his first-aid knowledge was limited—he couldn't pinpoint the cause of her collapse without risking further harm. Second, with Chitauri swarming the streets, help wasn't coming anytime soon. His best option was to stay put and wait.
"From what I remember," he muttered, "this invasion doesn't last long. Whether you make it until medics arrive… that's up to you now."
He shook his head, helpless.
Then it hit him—the pistol Gina had used earlier.
It had emitted that same faint white glow he associated with core components.
Glancing around, he spotted it on the floor and picked it up. Instantly, a pale blue interface flickered into existence above the weapon.
[Dominator Pistol – Basic Type]
[Origin: Psycho-Pass World (1/5)]
[Manufacturer: Sibyl System]
[Core Component: Ion Confinement Module]
[Required Crafting Materials:
– 1 miniature speaker
– 1 miniature camera
– 1 network connection chip
– 1 miniature projection device
– 30 cm cyan LED light strip]
[Description: A multi-functional law enforcement sidearm from the Psycho-Pass universe. Capable of switching between three modes: non-lethal tranquilizer, lethal elimination, and molecular decomposer. When linked to the Sibyl System, it enables voice interaction, biometric recognition, threat scanning, and retinal HUD projection.]
[Note: Sibyl System connection unavailable. Certain features disabled. On the bright side—maybe that's for the best.]