Evolving Infinitely From An E-Class Hero-Chapter 61: War Man

Klang!

The massive metal structure stood between us, taller than the both of us and wide enough with a reasonable curve.

Its presence instantly carved in a sense of urgency within me, my eyes snapped to the emblem engraved in its center.

A pair of gauntlet fists gripping a war banner.

I gasped. "War Man!?!"

His figure descended calmly from the sky.

Clang!

His armored boots pressing down against the shattered concrete with enough force to send small pebbles bouncing softly.

"That’s enough," he said.

His voice was amplified from the resonating properties of his helmet. "Both of you... Stand down!!!"

Golden Guardian didn’t flinch, his eyes were still burning with a gold blaze. A soft chuckle escaped his lips and his knuckles cracked ominously.

I steadied myself, my breathing shallow with anticipation.

Were they going to gang up against me?

Was War Man insecure about his S-Class status as well?

Questions like these passed through my mind like a rolling signage.

The barriers lowered and there he was standing right in the middle, separating me from Golden Guardian.

It was not a usual occurrence to see S-Class heroes in one place for a long time, talk more of two at the same location.

My limbs were still feisty from the adrenaline rush and exertion. I kept my gaze locked unto Golden Guardian’s, neither of us willing to show any sign of weakness.

War Man turned his head, slowly scanning from me to Golden Guardian, as if determining the level of damage we’ve caused to the environment around us.

His helmet slid open with a hydraulic hiss, revealing a stern face framed by steel gray hair and an emotionless pair of eyeballs.

"Do you two have any idea what you just did to the seaport?" He said.

"There won’t be any ship docking here for month!!"

Despite the situation, his voice was still calm but still had a tee-bit tang of scolding attached to it.

"Half the shipping containers are gone, the harbour’s communications grid is fried, and the ISA satellite above recorded a seismic activity equivalent to a category two earth quake... "

"If it wasn’t for Tech Armor who sent out a distress call to the ISA, who then contacted me you guys would have probably destroyed the entire seaport... "

The three turned our head to face the direction Tech Armor lay, he was still lunged against a shipping container. But, its top half had been sliced in half and a huge chunk of metal debris scattered all over him.

Golden Guardian finally spoke up, "I was holding back."

"So was I," I snapped back coldly.

Our eyes locked onto eachothers again.

The tension between us so palpable one could definitely cut it with a blunt knife.

My fingers twiched, his jaw tightened.

We didn’t say anything to each other but we had communication just that instant and we definitely understood eachother.

This— whatever it was, wasn’t over.

"That’s exactly what worries me."

War Man said, raising his hand between us like a referee.

His voice grew more commanding and huskier now.

His took a two steps but still maintained the gap between us, his metal armor clanking against the floor with every step he took.

"You are in no place to draw attention to yourself, kid..." He said, pointing thick gloved finger at me.

"And you..." He turned his head towards Golden Guardian. "Are supposed to set the standard for restraint..."

Golden Guardian scoffed, looking away with a slight tilt of his head. "He stabbed me."

"Trying to defend myself! You dropped me into the floor how many times?" I challenged back.

The golden hot eyes erupted again as he shot a deadly look back at me.

He didn’t respond asides that, but I could see it, his pride bristling under the rebuke.

"And you..." War Man said, turning back to me now, "... You’re in no place to drag attention to your self... You’re this close from the ISA tagging you as a threat to civilian livelihood..."

"Look how close we are to civilian territory..."

"Reckless..."

He jabbed a finger into my chest piece, in a matter of seconds the hard, black, thick armor around the finger began to blow red hot from the heat emitted inside the Forever Core.

"Die down...", he ordered.

I took in a huge breathe and the Forever Core began dropping steadily in temperature.

I didn’t deny it was reckless, I was just trying to defend myself. If I hadn’t down anything, he would have fired me to dust just because he couldn’t handle an E-Class Hero becoming stronger than him.

How can one be so strong, yet have and ego as fragile as an egg shell.

"I was just trying to defend myself, I didn’t have a choice..." I said.

Golden Guardian turned sharply. "Don’t flatter yourself. If I wanted you dead, you’d be ash."

*Kpim!

My pulse spiked, and I took a single step forward and narrowed my eyes. "Say that again".

Golden Guardian kept his gaze in me, no words he just confidently smirked softly and slowly. Maybe he was impressed with his ability to infuriate me.

His golden eyes pierced mine like spears of light. I could tell he definitely wanted this fight to continue.

Just then—

Bzzt!

A sudden noise crackled through the air as several sleek, black aircraft hovered into view.

The four of us present in the ground shot our glances up and with my vision instinctively zoomed in on the side of the aircrafts.

ISA emblems were stamped boldly over their sides and just as quickly as the crafts came into view, ropes dropped from the undersides and dozens of agents rappelled down, forming a perimeter around us.

Whir...

All the agents in the ground aimed there rifles at us and in unison, their weapons seemed to make a charging up sound. Hot and ready to blast.

"What do you think you all are going to accomplish with that!?" Golden Guardian yelled out arrogantly.

Silence.

"Lower your weapons, this is an insult to my rank. I cannot have mere humans threaten me with crude weapon..."

"Lower— your — weapons..."

The agents seemed to be reluctant until Golden Guardian eyes began to glow hot golden and flare. Only then did they reduce their weapons haphazardly and fidgeting.

The atmosphere grew heavy like a storm was gathering in my lungs. Even the air seemed to pause, although the blades from the aircrafts steered up a great deal of kinetic wind around, blowing my hair in all directions.