My World My Justice Ch.29: Dragon Slayer Pt.3

-Earlier, Thomas Calvert (Coil)-

In the depths of his bunker, Thomas Calvert sat before a metal barrel, watching documents curl and blacken in the flames. The papers contained years of carefully cultivated intelligence networks, contacts, and contingency plans—all being systematically destroyed because they'd been compromised. Each burning page represented months of patient work reduced to ash.

His jaw clenched as he reached for his power, splitting the timelines once more.

Timeline A: Divert surface forces back to the primary bunker to intercept Armsmaster's team.

His mercenaries rushed to the bunker through one of the many entrances, establishing themselves in a position to ambush those self-righteous fools. Everything proceeded according to plan. And just as the heroes crossed the threshold…

"FUTURISTIC JUSTICE!"

A fist materialized from impossible angles, connecting with his face. He felt his nose shatter, blood exploding across his mask as the timeline collapsed into nothingness, leaving him gasping in his chair.

"GODDAMMIT! WHY? WHY?! WHY?!"

He exploded from his seat, seized the expensive leather chair, and hurled it against the wall with all his strength. It crashed with a satisfying crack, one of the wooden legs splintering on impact. He stood there panting, chest heaving as rage overwhelmed his usual controlled demeanor.

This was supposed to be manageable. He'd adapted to True Might's unexplainable interference, found the pattern, discovered the workaround. For weeks now, his power had been functional—not perfect, but functional. As long as he framed every action through the lens of how it would benefit that brute and wouldn’t bring him harm, the timelines remained stable. It had worked flawlessly for dealing with external threats: coordinating responses to fight off the Teeth's scouts, misdirecting the Elite's advance operatives, ambushing the cartel's not-so-secret convoys.

But now? Now his power refused to cooperate with anything involving the defense of his bunker. Every timeline involving Armsmaster or the Claw Patrol collapsed.

And all he could do was watch as True Might actually beat a fully grown Lung in the outskirts of the city.

He wasn't an idiot. He knew exactly what that meant.

After all, he would do the same in their position—immediately sponsor, support, or bind themselves to any cape who could potentially fight an Endbringer one-on-one. He'd completely underestimated that blonde fool. Yes, he'd seen him beat Hookwolf and Stormfront, two of the strongest capes, but those two were still human. Lung was something else entirely.

Had Oracle predicted this? Her tone during their conversation had made it blatantly obvious she wanted him gone.

He couldn't even detonate the bombs positioned throughout his bunker network—not without being caught in the chain reaction himself. He regretted choosing the simultaneous detonation option instead of the sequential cascade. The simultaneous option had seemed more effective at the time, ensuring complete destruction of evidence and any pursuers, maximizing chaos. Now it trapped him just as thoroughly as any prison cell.

Was contacting Oracle the mistake? 

It had to be. And yet—his teeth ground together at the memory—the timeline simulations had clearly shown that reaching out to her was his best option, the path that preserved the most assets and maintained the most control. He'd gotten what he wanted from that mouthy bitch. His power had insisted on it.

Did his power commit an error? That shouldn't be possible. The simulations were absolute, weren't they?

Unless...

Unless True Might's interference ran deeper than he'd calculated. Unless that walking disaster had somehow poisoned the well of probability itself, making even his own power unreliable when it came to anything connected to that hero's sphere of influence. Or perhaps all Thinkers.

Thomas forced himself to take a deep breath, then another. Panic was counterproductive. He hadn't survived this long by allowing emotion to override calculation. There had to be another angle, another approach he hadn't considered yet.

He walked to the monitors displaying feeds from across the city. The ABB was losing momentum fast. The Empire was now pushing into ABB territory. The independents Oracle had mobilized were devastatingly effective in containing the chaos alongside a PRT that was operating with unexpected competence. Well, he'd lost most of his operatives inside the organization, so that was to be expected.

And there, highlighted on the main screen, True Might and Lung were locked in combat—except the dragon was already half-buried in the earth, and it was beyond any sliver of doubt that True Might would win that fight soon.

Very soon.

Thomas stood frozen for a moment, mind racing through possibilities, calculating probabilities without his power's help. Then his gaze snapped to the corner of the room where stacks of crates sat—crates filled with the serum Skidmark had half-assedly created. He had the formula too, incomplete as it was but some tweaks and he KNEW it would be perfected for mass production.

A new plan crystallized in his mind.

He didn't need his power. Or rather, his power wouldn't work for this conversation, anyway.

He strode quickly to the safe embedded in the wall. The heavy door swung open, revealing a single burner phone. One number programmed. No name attached.

His last resort.

An exit strategy of sorts but it would come at a very high cost, he just knew it.

However, it was a calculated sacrifice. He'd lose assets, certainly. Put a metaphorical collar around his neck. But he'd survive. He'd rebuild. He always did.

Thomas Calvert didn't hesitate..

The line connected after two rings. No greeting. Just silence waiting to be filled.

"I have a proposition for you."

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-Daniel, True Might-

I'm standing at the edge of the crater, which has finally stopped smoking and is cooling down, carrying the unconscious Lung slung over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Above me, a news helicopter hovers at a safe distance, their rotors creating powerful downdrafts that kick up dust and small debris around me. I wave up at them cheerfully with my free hand—the universal "everything's good here" gesture.

I'm just waiting for the PRT to arrive for the handoff. Can't exactly transport a limbless crime lord back to the city. I don't want to deal with all the responsibilities and paperwork that would inevitably come with direct custody. Better to leave that bureaucratic nightmare to the professionals.

Then I reach up to press my comm earpiece to give Futaba an update—even if she's already watched everything, I still need to talk with her—only to feel nothing but ash and melted plastic crumbling away from my ear.

Oh right…

I was completely engulfed in flames so intensely hot that they literally turned earth into magma. No way a simple earpiece would survive THAT. The thing probably melted in the first second.

Should've seen that coming, honestly.

So I simply summon my smartphone from the pocket space and call that girl.

It only takes two rings before she picks up.

"OH MY GOD, DANIEL!" Futaba practically shrieks, her excitement bursting through the speaker so loudly I have to pull the phone away from my ear slightly. "THAT WAS SO FUCKING EPIC! I mean, I knew you'd win, obviously—I planned this whole thing—but HOLY SHIT! The whole dragon-wrestling thing? Literally climbing up his body while he's trying to murder you? That insane meteor drop finish?! GOATED! Absolutely GOATED! That was hands-down the most epic cape fight I've ever seen, and I've watched like, EVER!"

Wait... goated?

What does that even mean?

"FEAR NOT, FRIEND ORACLE!" I reply with my usual cheerful tone. "JUSTICE SHALL ALWAYS TRIUMPH OVER THE FORCES OF EVIL! THE DRAGON HAS BEEN VANQUISHED, AND PEACE SHALL RETURN TO OUR BELOVED CITY!"

"Okay, okay, I'm like super mega hyped right now, but we can't get too overexcited yet—we still have work to do!" She takes an audible breath, clearly trying to calm herself down. "We can totally geek out about all the awesome details later back at my apartment! The internet is going crazy right now."

A brief pause where I hear rapid typing.

"Sooo, obviously you want to know about Armsmaster's team and the whole underground operation, right?"

"CORRECT, MY INGENIOUS ALLY! YOUR STRATEGIC BRILLIANCE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS GLORIOUS VICTORY!"

I mentally roll my eyes.

"Hehe, flattery will get you everywhere with me! But yeah, I've been waiting to give you the good news! You should head to the location I'm marking on your map right now—sending it... now!"

My phone buzzes with the new coordinates.

"But overall? Things are going amazing! Like, way better than I even predicted, which is saying something! Armsmaster found Coil's main bomb—the one controlling all the others in the network. Since they're all connected to a central system, as soon as he disarms that one, all of them will shut down simultaneously!"

That’s amazing!

The otaku girl catches her breath again.

"Oh, and get this—the ABB has completely lost the will to fight! They're just surrendering en masse now that their big scary dragon leader is down and out. Like, entire groups just dropping their weapons and putting their hands up. It's actually kinda hilarious to watch on the feeds. Also New Wave is practically done with rescuing all the women and girls."

I can hear more typing.

"We're focusing all our remaining resources on containing the Empire's retaliation, but even they're realizing this will be bad for them and they're pulling back. Emergency services have been given the green light to fully mobilize across all three conflict zones. Hospitals are prepped, fire departments are responding."

Another brief pause.

"Everything's been going almost exactly according to plan... mostly. A few minor hiccups here and there—some timing issues, a couple of unexpected cape movements—but nothing serious that we couldn't adapt to on the fly. Honestly? This might be my best coordinated operation yet, and I'm including my Phantom Thief days in that assessment!"

Phantom Thief?

Although, she sounds proud of herself, which is completely justified.

"Anyway, gotta go—monitoring like a lot right now and Armsmaster's team just radioed in another update. See ya soon, my dragon slayer!"

She hangs up before I can respond.

Well, it looks like I have a new destination. But at least the confirmation that most of the work has already been handled successfully is reassuring. If it wasn't for that otaku girl and her skills, this whole operation would have been… messy. The inevitable gang war would have been an absolute disaster with massive civilian casualties, probably hundreds dead or injured.

I owe her big time. 

What else can I get for her as a gift? Though knowing her, she'd probably just want more instant ramen and more video game it would be too repetitive.

Then, after just a few moments of waiting, heavily armored black trucks with prominent PRT logos on the sides arrive, kicking up clouds of dust as they screech to a dramatic halt nearby. The back doors burst open before the vehicles even fully stop, and field officers in tactical gear rush out. Many of them are carrying what looks like a heavily reinforced containment cage between them.

They must have been staged somewhere relatively nearby, ready to respond the moment Lung went down. Makes sense—we are quite far from the city limits after all. Although I notice there are no Protectorate heroes in sight with them—they must all still be occupied dealing with the ongoing chaos throughout the city. Not that I'm going to complain about the lack of cape backup; the job's already done and defeating Lung solo was literally the entire point of the plan.

"GREETINGS, VALIANT OFFICERS OF THE LAW!" I announce with my usual boisterous, cheerful attitude, thumping my chest proudly with my free hand while Lung dangles limply from my other shoulder. "BEHOLD! THE VILLAINOUS DRAGON HAS BEEN CAPTURED AND JUSTICE HAS PREVAILED!"

The officers wave back enthusiastically, and while I can't really tell if they're smiling because they're all wearing those blackened helmets, their body language seems positive and relieved.

One of them—wearing sergeant stripes on his tactical vest—lets out an impressed whistle as he approaches and takes in the scene. "Wow. Never in my life imagined Lung could actually grow to that size! The reports said he was enormous, but seeing this crater..."

"BUT JUSTICE IS ALWAYS STRONGER THAN EVIL, NO MATTER THE SIZE!" I boom back confidently, striking another heroic pose, a sidechest.

They all laugh at that, the tension in the group breaking visibly. They relax their stances, and I can see shoulders dropping as the stress of the day eases. It's a wonderful moment of camaraderie between heroes and law enforcement.

I carefully hand over Lung's unconscious, limbless body to the waiting team. They immediately spring into action, working quickly and with obvious professional training. First, they slap what looks like a sophisticated tinkertech power suppression collar around his neck—probably Dragon's work. Then they absolutely drown him in containment foam—like, a truly ridiculous and almost comical amount of the thing. They spray and spray until only his face remains visible, probably to ensure he can still breathe.

Then they carefully maneuver his foam-encased body into the reinforced cage, and once he's positioned inside and secured, they spray even MORE containment foam around the exterior of the cage itself. If they kept going, it would have been a giant ball of foam.

It honestly looks a bit wasteful and over-the-top, but I completely understand—they're really not taking any chances whatsoever with the possibility of him waking up mid-transport and ramping up again. I can absolutely respect that level of paranoia and excessive caution. It's completely justified when dealing with someone like Lung, who's killed capes before and who knows how many normal people.

Once they've finished the extensive securing process and triple-checked all their restraints, I turn to address the gathered officers, making sure my voice carries clearly.

"NOW THAT THE GREATEST THREAT TO OUR FAIR CITY HAS BEEN VANQUISHED BY THE UNSTOPPABLE POWER OF JUSTICE," I announce, striking my most heroic pose yet with fist raised toward the sky, "I MUST AWAY TO FIND MY NOBLE ALLY ARMSMASTER! FOR HE HAS BEEN TASKED WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT AND RIGHTEOUS OF MISSIONS IN OUR ONGOING CRUSADE AGAINST VILLAINY AND TYRANNY!"

Obviously, I'm making this announcement publicly and dramatically to ensure Armsmaster gets proper credit and recognition through official channels. The man absolutely deserves the spotlight for his dangerous underground work disarming bombs while fighting trained mercenaries, and I'm more than happy to shine attention on his contributions. Plus, it helps build a better working relationship between us and might prevent him from falling into glory-seeking behavior that could fuck everything up at the worst possible moment down the line.

My dramatic announcement immediately catches everyone's full attention. A few officers quickly pull out their radios to report this new information. This is definitely going to spread like wildfire through communication channels within minutes.

And it's definitely going to reach Director Piggot's ears, which is probably going to piss her off a lot, especially that Armsmaster has lied to her and went with the Claw Patrol; given her general attitude toward independent heroes. 

But honestly? Her opinion doesn't really matter much at this point in the operation, and she has absolutely no way to actually interfere with what we are doing or even if Coil got word of it, because obviously must know they are in his bunker.

Maybe this would be the ideal time to stick around, give some official statements to the arriving reporters, and bask in the post-victory media attention. But I will not waste time doing that right now. I've got more important places to be and a snake to stomp.

So I roll my shoulders, loosening up my muscles and working out the residual stiffness from the fight. I shake out my legs to prepare for another long-distance leap. Then, with a powerful crouch that cracks the stone beneath my feet, I launch myself away from the mountainside outskirts, sailing through the air in an arc toward the meeting point Futaba marked on my map.

I'm sure Armsmaster has finished his work by now.

Which means it's finally time to focus on dealing with Coil for good.

I continue with the leaps—or more accurately, bunny-hops—across the city skyline, each jump carrying me several blocks at a time. The wind rushes past me as I sail through the air, and soon enough I reach the urban area proper. I can already hear emergency sirens blaring from every direction. A couple of columns of smoke rise into the sky at different points across the city, though thankfully not nearly as many as I initially feared when this whole mess began. 

It could have been so, so much worse.

Either way, I decide to drop down to street level to check if everything's okay and assess the situation firsthand before heading to the rendezvous point.

It's a quick scan of the immediate area—some people are still out on the streets looking scared and shaken but physically unharmed, huddled nervously in doorways or pressed against buildings like they're trying to make themselves smaller. A few reassuring pats on shoulders and booming declarations of "FEAR NOT, CITIZENS! JUSTICE HAS PREVAILED OVER EVIL!" seems to calm them down considerably. Some even managing weak smiles.

Although... now that I think about it, why were so many of them outside in the first place during an active gang war?

Are they dumb?

Or more accurately, pretty reckless and dangerous since a city-wide gang conflict literally happened less than half an hour ago. Multiple explosions went off simultaneously across Brockton Bay. Shouldn't all these civilians have immediately taken shelter inside buildings and stayed there until the all-clear was given?

So I take a deep breath and make absolutely sure to remind everyone within earshot to prioritize their safety and get indoors immediately.

"NOBLE CITIZENS! PLEASE RETURN TO THE SAFETY OF YOUR HOMES WITH ALL HASTE!" I boom, my voice carrying down the entire block. "WHILE THE GREATEST THREAT HAS BEEN VANQUISHED, JUSTICE STILL PATROLS TO ENSURE YOUR COMPLETE PROTECTION! REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL JUSTICE SPREADS!"

That seems to do the trick immediately. People quickly rush inside the nearest buildings, some pausing to thank me profusely as they go, others just eager to get to proper safety now that an actual hero has told them it's the smart thing to do. But at least nobody is standing around trying to film everything with their phones for social media clout, which is a refreshing change.

After that initial encounter, I keep moving steadily through the streets, repeating the same actions—offering quick assistance wherever it's needed and firmly but kindly ushering any remaining civilians back indoors and away from danger.

Along the way, I end up lifting several cars that had been flipped completely upside down during the chaos, setting them carefully back on their wheels as gently as possible to avoid further damage. A few uprooted trees blocking the road get picked up and moved to the sidewalk, clearing the path. Some scattered broken glass gets swept aside with my boot to create a safe lane for approaching emergency vehicles. Small things, but equally important.

After a while of this impromptu community service, I reach the location that Futaba marked on my map—a relatively quiet one-way street with minimal visible damage compared to other areas I've passed through. Right in the middle of the asphalt road sits a standard city manhole cover, completely unremarkable except that it is my destination.

So I simply walk over, grab the heavy metal cover with one hand, and easily lift it completely off its seating, setting it aside on the pavement with barely any effort.

And I immediately find myself staring down into a pair of large, round yellow eyes staring right back up at me.

"Oh hey there, True Might!" 

It's Ragdoll, already halfway up the metal ladder.

What a coincidence to run into her first.

And since she has that smile on her can only mean good news.

So naturally, I extend my right hand down into the utility hole to help her up the rest of the way.

"Upsie-daisy!" she giggles happily as I effortlessly pull her out in one smooth, easy motion. She lands lightly on her feet, immediately bouncing slightly on her toes before brushing off her costume and adjusting her cat-ear headpiece. Her eyes are blinking rapidly and sticking out her tongue at me.

But instead of greeting me properly or saying anything else to me, she immediately spins around and leans back down toward the manhole opening, cupping both hands around her mouth to amplify her voice.

"HEEEEEEY GUYS! IT'S PERFECTLY SAFE UP HERE NOW AND TRUE MIGHT IS WAITING FOR US!" she shouts down into the darkness below, her voice echoing through the tunnel. "THE BIG HERO IS HERE! COME ON UP!"

Oh, then I should help spread the message. So I follow her example and lean down toward the opening as well.

"FEAR NOT, MY FELLOW ALLIES OF JUSTICE! THE SURFACE IS COMPLETELY SECURE! COME FORTH AND BASK IN THE GLORY OF OUR COMBINED VICTORY OVER THE FORCES OF EVIL!"

"EEEEEEEEEVIL!" Ragdoll repeats enthusiastically, trying to create a playful echo effect with exaggerated emphasis.

The first person to emerge after Ragdoll is Pixie-Bob, her blonde hair noticeably disheveled and streaked with dirt. She looks up t and grins widely when she sees me standing there.

"Well, well! If it isn't our favorite hero!" she says as she reaches the top of the ladder. "Heard you just wrestled a BIG dragon!"

Futaba must have been updating them while they were down there then.

"Indeed, valiant ally!" I boom proudly, extending my hand down to help her. "The tyrannical dragon has been vanquished and captured! Justice has triumphed over his wicked flames!"

She takes my offered hand gratefully, and I lift her out with ease, practically pulling her into the air. "Damn, I would've paid serious money to see that fight!" she laughs boisterously while dusting herself off and trying to fix her wild hair. "Well, I can always watch it from the internet."

Next up is Mandalay, who looks happy and relieved to see me when her head emerges from the opening. There's visible relief washing over her expression.

"Thank goodness you're here," she says warmly as I extend my hand to her as well. "I take it everything went according to plan up here?"

"Even better than anticipated, noble friend!" I declare enthusiastically as I help pull her up to the surface. "Justice has triumphed magnificently on all fronts! The city will forever stand under the grace of justice!"

She smiles at that news, clearly pleased and relieved. "That's wonderful to hear. The whole thing was on a knife's edge." She glances back down into the manhole. "Although, we had some success ourselves down there."

Then Tiger emerges from below—and I'm immediately surprised by what I see. The large hero is being his usual stoic and polite self, offering me a respectful grunt and a firm nod as I help him climb up out of the hole. But strapped securely to his broad, muscular back is an unconscious man in a distinctive costume; sleek black bodysuit with a white snake design coiling across the torso.

Wait a second.

That's Coil. 

They... they actually captured Coil?!

The supervillain mastermind that was supposed to be the one pulling the strings of the entirety of Brockton Bay… Now tied up and completely unconscious on Tiger's back like a bizarre backpack.

"UNBELIEVABLE! For your flames of justice to burn so bright that it had even dragged the most foul villain from his cowardly hiding hole!" I boom with genuine amazement and pride.

Tiger just nods matter-of-factly. "Found him attempting to hide in a spider hole. Yet that couldn’t fool Ragdoll’s power. A single stun grenade from Armsmaster and he went down."

Holy shit. 

We weren't expecting this outcome at all; the original plan was just for Armsmaster and the Claw Patrol to defuse Coil's network of bombs and rescue any potential hostages he might have had imprisoned down there. Actually capturing the thinker bastard himself? 

That's exponentially better than we could have possibly hoped for!

This is incredible news. Futaba is going to lose her mind when she hears about this.

Then, as if saving the best for last, Armsmaster finally appears at the top of the ladder, his distinctive blue helmet shining as light reaches it. 

"FRIEND ARMSMASTER!" I call out to him enthusiastically. "Truly the greatest of joys to see you emerge victorious from the depths! Your righteous mission has been completed with the highest of justice, even Lady justice weeps in joy for you!"

I reach down to help him up, but instead of just offering a hand, I grab him fully around the torso and pull him up into an enthusiastic, crushing bear hug, lifting his armored form completely off the ground.

"I KNEW YOUR JUSTICE WAS TRUE AND PURE, MY NOBLE FRIEND! YOUR RIGHTEOUS SPIRIT SHINES AS BRIGHT AS THE SUN ITSELF! THIS FILLS MY HEART WITH TREMENDOUS HAPPINESS!"

Armsmaster immediately tries to struggle free, his arms pinned awkwardly against his sides by my iron grip. "I—this is—unnecessary—let me—"

But I purposefully keep the tight grip, squeezing him in the hug for several more seconds while laughing boisterously.

Let's give him a moment.

Yet the entire Claw Patrol team loses it, bursting into laughter. Ragdoll is practically falling over. Pixie-Bob is doubled over, slapping her knee. Mandalay has a hand over her mouth trying to maintain some composure. Even Tiger's shoulders are shaking with quiet amusement.

Finally, after what's probably a while, I set Armsmaster carefully back down on solid ground and release him from the bear hug.

"Justice is strong!" I declare dramatically, spreading my arms wide in an encompassing gesture. "But together, united in righteousness, justice is unbeatable! Let our glorious spirits rejoice in perfect harmony as we lift our righteous souls ever higher toward the heavens!"

Wait, what am I even saying right now? 

Whatever. 

Commit to the bit completely, just like I did with Taylor and the Wards.

"FOR JUSTICE!" I shout with maximum enthusiasm, striking my best dramatic pose—a perfect side tricep flex.

The Claw Patrol immediately responds in perfect unison without missing a beat, all four of them shouting together.

"FELINE JUSTICE!" 

They strike their signature * team pose—Tiger positioned in the center back. Mandalay takes the left front position, one arm extended with her hand forming a paw gesture. Pixie-Bob mirrors her on the right front, matching the paw pose with the same energy. And Ragdoll crouches dynamically in the very center front, both hands up in playful cat paw positions.

It's completely over-the-top, exactly as it should be.

Then we both turn simultaneously to look at Armsmaster with expectant eyes, waiting to see what the serious, professional hero will do.

He looks between us, then down at himself, then back at us again. I can practically see the intense internal debate happening behind his helmet. His shoulders slump slightly in what looks like resignation as he lets out a long sigh.

But then, surprisingly, he straightens up with newfound energy.

And then Colin Wallis, the deadly serious, ultra-professional, absolutely by-the-book Armsmaster, actually flashes a toothy grin.

"FOR THE JUSTICE IN THE LAW!"

And then he strikes a perfect Kamen Rider-style transformation pose—one arm extended dramatically forward with fingers spread, the other crossed over his chest in a fist, legs planted in a wide, powerful stance.

I throw my head back, laughing. "Truly amazing! Your spirit of justice burns ever higher, my friends! I am deeply honored to fight alongside such righteous and noble warriors of justice!"

This is possibly the best moment.

Yes, this is cringe but I’m not alone in the cringe anymore.

Cringe is hilarious when done as a group. 

Everything is always better with friends…

Then, as if the universe decided to support this moment as Mouse Protector appears—sprinting toward us from down the street while waving her hands enthusiastically above her head.

"Did someone say JUSTICE?!" she shouts breathlessly, immediately sliding into her own elaborate pose complete with sword and shield flourish. "Because I'm here to add some extra CHEDDAR to this heroic celebration! Hope I'm not too GOUDA!"

Perfect timing woman.

Then we all hear the distinct sound of multiple heavy vehicles approaching our location. PRT trucks are pulling up to where we're gathered, their emergency sirens winding down as they park.

The back doors open, and besides the standard tactical officers, I spot Assault stepping out of the lead truck—and he takes one long look at all of us still frozen in our various ridiculous heroic poses and immediately doubles over laughing uncontrollably.

"Oh my god," he wheezes between fits of laughter. "Battery! Battery, get over here right now, you absolutely have to see this!"

Battery emerges from another truck, takes in the entire absurd scene with her professional hero assessment. 

"I... what is happening right now?"

"JUSTICE IS HAPPENING!" Mouse Protector declares proudly, puffing out her chest. "And it's absolutely GRATE! The finest quality heroism!"

Battery looks at me in my bodybuilder pose, then at Armsmaster still maintaining his Kamen Rider stance, then at the Claw Patrol in their team formation, then finally at Mouse Protector who's now doing some kind of elaborate sword-and-shield flourish routine.

"You know what?" Battery says after a long moment, a genuine smile finally breaking through her professional demeanor. "Screw it. We saved the city today."

And then husband and wife strike their own coordinated heroic pose together—Assault with an exaggerated superhero landing stance, Battery with her fists crackling with electricity.

"OI, BIG GUY!" And that's the unmistakable voice of the one and only rabbit hero arriving on the scene, leaping over a truck and landing close enough. "This ain't a proper victory party without me! What, you thought you could celebrate without the best legs in the business?!"

Mirko lands right in the center of our group and immediately strikes a pose—one leg raised high, fists clenched, that competitive grin plastered across her face. That looks more like a kicking pose though, but whatever, it counts in my hero book.

We're a few heroes being silly after a day of hard work.

Let the people laugh.

A smile is always the biggest victory against a grimdark world.

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AN: Short chapter to fully wrap it up.