Kenji woke up feeling like he'd been hit by a freight train made of batteries. His muscles ached with a strange, humming fatigue, and his right arm—the one that had delivered the Thunder Pulse—was still tinged with a faint, static-like numbness.
He dragged himself to school, his mind replaying the previous night's chaos. On every street corner, the giant digital billboards that usually displayed Solaris or Lady Law were now showing grainy, pixelated footage of the bank.
The headline was everywhere: "NEW VIGILANTE? THE RED BLUR SAVES 32 HOSTAGES."
The Courtyard Buzz
When Kenji stepped onto the Northwood High campus, the atmosphere was electric—and for once, it wasn't just him. Groups of students were huddled over their phones, whispering and shouting.
"Did you see the speed?" one kid yelled, waving his phone in the air. "He made Lady Law look like she was walking in slow motion!"
"I heard he's a secret government experiment," another chimed in. "Like a living weapon that escaped."
Kenji pulled his hoodie lower, his heart doing a frantic tap-dance against his ribs. He felt like he was walking around with a giant neon sign over his head, even though the lead-lined suit was safely hidden under his bed at home.
"Kenji! You're alive!"
Leo practically tackled him near the lockers. His best friend looked like he hadn't slept a wink, his eyes wide and bloodshot behind his glasses. He leaned in close, his voice a frantic whisper. "Dude. You're trending. You're literally #2 on the 'Hero-Watch' forums. Do you have any idea how much trouble we're in?"
"Keep it down!" Kenji hissed, steering Leo toward a quiet corner near the library. "I know. I saw the news. Did anyone... did anyone see me leave?"
"No," Leo said, checking his tablet. "But Hana... she's on a warpath. She's convinced the 'Red Blur' is a student here because the ozone smell in the bank matched the smell in the school hallway after the 'tar' incident."
The Classroom Trap
The morning bell rang, sounding more like a funeral toll to Kenji. As he sat in Physics class, trying to focus on a lecture about electromagnetism (which felt ironically simple now), the door creaked open.
The Principal walked in, followed by a woman in a sharp, navy-blue suit. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and her eyes were the color of cold steel.
The room went silent. Every student recognized her. It was Agent Miller, the lead investigator for the Vanguard Licensing Board.
"Sorry to interrupt, Class 2-A," the Principal said, looking nervous. "Agent Miller is here to conduct a 'Safety Audit' following the unusual atmospheric events on campus yesterday. We'll be checking lockers and... taking brief bio-rhythmic scans of all students."
Kenji's stomach dropped. A bio-rhythmic scan would pick up his Red Static instantly. His internal "hum" began to spike in response to his panic. A small spark jumped from his fingertip to his metal desk with a sharp snap.
"Is there a problem, Mr. Stormrider?" Agent Miller asked, her eyes locking onto Kenji. She began walking toward his desk, a handheld scanner glowing blue in her hand.
The "Glitch" Moment
Kenji looked at Leo. Leo looked horrified. If that scanner touched Kenji, the "Red Blur" would be unmasked before lunch.
"Think, Kenji, think!" he screamed internally. "I need a distraction. I need to short-circuit that thing without blowing my cover."