Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Identity
Kyle clenched his fists, feeling unfathomable power coursing through his veins. The way his pectoralis major moved at the flex of his muscles made his stiff lips curl upward.
"Ah..." he moaned in total ecstasy as he savored every last fiber of his being brimming with strength. "So this is what it feels like to take steroids."
Kyle stared at his hands, his [Super Vision] saw past through his skin, making the blood, veins, and bones visible to him. He stared at it in awe, seeing the strong rhythmic pulse of blood from his wrist, circulating through his whole body.
'Superman?'
kyle raised an eyebrow, feeling like he was on to something. He conjured up the new and improved gold-themed [Superhero-System] and opened his superpowers.
[Name]: Kyle Noble
[Superhero Name]: None
[Disposition]: Indefinite Hero
[Superpower]: Superheroism, Super Body*, Super Vision*, Time Reduction
[Hero Stars]: -4598214725....
[Functions]: Superhero Travel, Superhero Shop, Prestige
[Hero Points]: 0
'Super Body and Super Vision... interesting.'
As if reading his thoughts, the [Superhero-System] panel came up and explained his powers in full detail.
[Super Body - A shortened definition of the various abilities gained from the [Super-DNA]. The abilities include [Superhuman Strength], [Superhuman Speed], [Superhuman Endurance], [Superhuman Mobility], [Superhuman Breath], [Superhuman Hearing], [Superhuman Adaptability], [Flight], [Enhanced Healing Factor], [Great Hair] and [Great Singing].]
[Super Vision - A shortened definition of the various abilities gained from the [Super-DNA]. The abilities include [Superhuman Sight], [X-Ray Vision], [Heat Vision], [Telescopic Vision], [Accelerated Vision], and [Night Vision].]
[Time Reduction - The ability to slow down time and move normally. Current time limit (5s).]
Kyle stared at the screen for a second before bringing his fingers to the ground.
Shhhk- Shhhk- Shhhk
Using his superior strength, he carved his name into the polished floor and finished it with a smiley face. He admired his handiwork before nodding his head and punching his palm.
"I guess I'm superman now."
As he decided as such, a system prompt appeared in front of him.
<Would you like to use 'Superman' as your Superhero name?>
"No, that wasn't what I… Superman is already taken. I might get sued by DC if I use it."
Although he had powers similar to Superman in the comics sold at the store, Kyle thought it would be too troublesome if a company considered him as their property.
'Besides, I already promised Megamind to name my superhero name after him.'
He decided to think about his hero name later and put on some random hoodie from his closet.
'It's still early in the morning. I'll test out my powers later.' Kyle thought, 'I should stay low-key for now. After confirming that I'm bulletproof, then I'll ditch this stupid persona and start saving the world from asteroids or something.'
The karmic debt's depths was still too deep to see. Those three dots at the end of the four billion lives he had to save was a mystery to Kyle.
'Saving lives comes later, for now, it's training montage.'
As he was thinking about how he would test his new powers, a knocking sound could be heard from the door.
Knock, knock-
"Kyle, are you there? We're having lunch!" a female voice yelled from outside his room.
Kyle opened the drawer near his bed and put on his [Secretive Glasses]. This was his first purchase from the [Superhero shop].
It's function?
"Yes, sister! Coming!" Kyle smiled brightly like an innocent child. His sharp features unnaturally vanishing and being replaced by a naive and docile look.
The glasses had the ability to disguise it's wearer's appearance opposite to it's wearer's nature.
If Kyle's superhero identity, Heroic Citizen, is a durable self-sacrificing teenager that has a knack for brutal violence-
"Come on, Kyle. Watch your step, here, hold on to my shoulder so you won't fall down."
Kyle's civilian persona is a fragile and angelic child that wouldn't harm a fly.
'I am so fucking done with this.' Kyle thought with a smile. "Thank you, sister!"
Kyle gently held his older sister's shoulder, who, upon contact, immediately widened her eyes when she felt his iron grip.
"Oh, my!" She gasped, surprised as she stared at Kyle's face, who is now the same height as her. "Since when did you grow so big?"
"Haha, must be a growth spurt sister."
"Huh! And your arms too! I knew you were exercising with the other kids but, look how hard your muscles are!"
"Sister… that's sexual harassment."
"Fufu, are you embarrassed?"
As Kyle lived in the orphanage, most of the children, including the older sister groping his chest, grew up together.
So they were comfortable with each other.
Of course, sometimes romance blooms in between, but it all ended in tragedy once the lovebirds are separated by the inevitable event that is adoption.
Although Kyle was the perfect child, smart, athletic, cute, and polite, he was always bedridden due to his sickness.
A sickness called [Heroism].
Due to this accursed superpower, every night, Kyle 'mysteriously' gains injuries all over his body, such as a broken leg, or bleeding internal organs that is obviously a stab wound.
The caretaker at the orphanage never understood why such a strange phenomenon was happening.
That's why no one has adopted him so far.
Because he was too kind, he always visits other children in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Not one single parent that had the idea of adopting him could afford the back and forth trip to the ER.
Kyle remembered those days. Especially the day he was stabbed in the gut. He didn't know how to explain it to the caretakers so he just said it appeared there when he woke up.
He knew it was some unbelievable bullshit he was spitting, but due to his honest reputation, they believed him and had him checked out by the doctors.
Naturally, they also couldn't explain how it happened, so they chucked it up to a mental illness that affects the body and left it at that.
"We're having fried chicken today. Your sister here passed her exams so we're celebrating!"
As he was reminiscing about his tragic past, his older sister, Susan Storm, pulled him out of his thoughts by holding his cheeks and staring at his face.
"Hm? Did you say something?" Kyle asked.
Susan frowned at him before pouting. "I said I passed my exams and we're celebrating…"
"Oh." Kyle nodded and smiled. "Congratulations, sister. Your hardwork finally paid off."
"..."
Susan stared at him in a daze before kneading his cheeks. "I think you should stop smiling from now on. That smile is dangerous."
Kyle was too used to her eccentric behavior so he didn't mind. "Yes, yes. I won't smile from now on."
At that, Susan abruptly shouted. "No! Only smile in front of me! Okay?"
Kyle looks at her with a thin smile, before putting his index fingers inside his mouth and pulling his lips upwards. "Like this?"
"Pfft! Yeah, like that." Susan laughed.
Seeing her smiling so happily, Kyle smiled gently. 'On second thought, maybe keeping a secret identity wouldn't be too bad.'
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone