Morning came.
But it didn't feel normal.
Ishaan woke up early.
Sleep hadn't stayed long.
His body still remembered everything.
The moment he froze.
The moment he broke free.
He clenched his fist.
That faint energy flickered again.
Unstable.
"…Not enough."
At school, the atmosphere felt different.
Students whispered.
Rumors spread.
Something about an incident last night.
Something about destruction.
Kabir dropped into his seat.
"You heard?"
Ishaan looked at him.
"Heard what?"
Kabir leaned closer.
"Construction site near Sector 9."
Aisha joined in.
"…It was reported this morning."
Ishaan stayed quiet.
Anaya looked at him.
"…That was us, right?"
A brief silence.
Kabir scratched his head.
"Well… yeah."
Aisha crossed her arms.
"They found the damage. But no confirmed identities."
Ishaan exhaled slightly.
" That's Good."
But Aisha didn't relax.
"Don't get comfortable."
Her eyes were serious.
"If there was damage, there will be investigation."
Kabir smirked.
"Let them try."
Aisha didn't respond.
Because she knew.
This wasn't over.
Later that day
Behind the school.
They went to same empty ground they use to go.
The four of them stood there again.
Kabir stretched.
"Alright, anime style MC training arc begins."
Aisha sighed.
"Stop calling it that."
Kabir muttered,
"What? I love anime training arcs."
A grin spread across his face.
"Especially when the MC gets beaten and then goes for training to become stronger."
Aisha rubbed her forehead.
"Alright, alright… now shut up for a second."
Ishaan stepped forward.
More focused than before.
"We need a plan."
Aisha nodded.
"Simple."
She raised a finger.
"We find a way to fight without being seen."
Kabir blinked.
"…That sounds impossible."
"Not impossible,"
Aisha replied.
"Difficult."
Anaya spoke softly.
"…We can create distractions."
Ishaan looked at her.
"Like blocking vision?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Dust, movement… anything."
Kabir grinned.
"Or I just punch the ground and make smoke."
Aisha gave him a look.
"This idiot might be right."
"…This could actually work."
Kabir smirked wider.
"Of course it will."
Ishaan stepped back.
Taking position.
"Let's test it."
Kabir cracked his knuckles.
Rolled his shoulders.
Then—
He slammed his fist into the ground.
Nothing happened.
A second passed.
Then—
A sharp surge of pain shot through his hand.
"Ouch— ouch— ouch—!"
Kabir jumped back, shaking his hand wildly.
"What the hell?!"
He stared at his fist.
"I thought I was strong now that I have powers!"
Aisha facepalmed.
"Idiot!"
She stepped forward.
"You don't just randomly punch and expect it to work."
Kabir frowned.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
Aisha shook her head.
"No."
"This isn't some auto game mode that just activates for you."
Ishaan watched quietly.
Kabir blinked.
"…So you're saying I don't come with built-in cheat codes?"
A pause.
"I thought I'd become like an anime MC…"
Aisha gave him a flat look.
"No."
She crossed her arms.
"What, did you think just because you got some minor power, you're suddenly like Saitama?"
"Just one punch and everything's over?"
Kabir scratched his head.
"…I mean, that was the plan."
Aisha sighed.
"Yeah, well, reality doesn't work like that."
Kabir looked at his hand again.
Then clenched it.
This time—
More focused.
"…Alright."
He took a breath.
"Then I'll learn it properly."
Elsewhere.
The construction site was sealed.
Police tape surrounded the area.
Officers moved around.
Inspecting.
Recording.
A man in a dark coat stood silently.
Watching everything.
"Structural damage across multiple points,"
one officer reported.
"No signs of explosives."
Another added,
"No machinery failure either."
The man narrowed his eyes.
"…Then what caused it?"
"Sir, we found something."
They led him to a nearby building.
A CCTV camera.
Facing the site.
The footage played.
Blurry.
Distant.
But clear enough.
Figures moving.
Fast.
Unnatural.
A body thrown.
Concrete breaking.
Dust clouds rising.
The man watched carefully.
"…Meta Humans."
"Confirmed," the officer said.
"But we can't identify faces."
The man zoomed in.
But the image distorted.
Too far.
Too unclear.
"…Students?" he muttered.
"Possibly."
A pause.
Then he spoke.
"Keep this contained."
The officers looked at him.
"No public release," he continued.
"We investigate quietly."
His eyes stayed on the screen.
"Find them."
Back at the ground.
Kabir stood still.
Eyes closed.
Fist clenched.
This time–
He focused.
Slowly
A faint pressure built around his arm.
Then—
He punched.
BOOM.
The ground cracked.
Dust burst upward.
A real impact.
Kabir froze.
Then looked down.
"…It worked."
A grin spread across his face.
"I did it!"
Aisha nodded slightly.
"Better."
Ishaan watched.
That same thought returning.
Power wasn't enough.
Control mattered.
He clenched his fist again.
"…I'll get there."