[It's two out of ten energy blocks needed to fill one energy bar, which is required to upgrade the system and unlock new functions.] the system replied.
{Wait… I remember you told me that one energy block requires at least a month's worth of electricity generation from an average nuclear power plant. Does this mean this guy's energy was worth two months of nuclear power plant output!?} Maximilian asked, startled by the sheer amount of energy the villain had contained.
[You could say that. This man's energy quality is far superior to normal electricity. According to the system's data, this world has many extraordinary energy sources, and its technological level is significantly more advanced than your previous world.] the system explained.
{Huh? Significantly more advanced? Isn't this modern-day with a bit of advanced tech?} Maximilian asked, feeling ridiculous about the system's claim. Shouldn't this world's technological level be the same as his previous life?
[You'll find out, Host. I don't want to spoil your fun! (^v^)]
{No, please spoil me. I hate surprises.}
:P
{You little…}
"Hey! What are you doing to him?" the kung fu hero asked, his face flushed red with anger and frustration.
"Incapacitating him. What else?" Maximilian replied, using his foot to nudge the unconscious villain. "This guy is knocked out. You… do what you have to do. Bring him to the police or call them to pick him up," Maximilian said before turning back toward the soymilk food cart.
"Boss, is my breakfast set ready?" he asked, placing the knife back where it belonged on the food truck.
"Oh! Right away!" The soymilk food truck owner nodded repeatedly and quickly prepared the filling breakfast set for Maximilian.
With no queue in front of him and the crowd still stunned, Maximilian quickly received his to-go soymilk breakfast set. He walked back to his bicycle, but before he could ride away, Dragon Fist stepped in his way, his stance ready for a fight.
Maximilian glared at the hero in red. "Get out of my way."
"You're under arrest for unauthorized use of a Type 2 ability! Wait here for the police!" the kung fu hero declared.
"What did you say? Unauthorized?" Maximilian was confused. He glanced around and noticed that most of the people, though uncomfortable with his frustrated expression—which resembled that of an ancient Roman tyrant—were either looking at the hero or moving behind him, seemingly agreeing with his stance.
Maximilian guessed this might be some kind of law in this world.
"That bastard was trying to roast me and everyone here, and when I helped, you want to arrest me for that!?" Maximilian asked, feeling the situation was ridiculous.
"Shouldn't this count as self-defense?" he protested. He still didn't fully understand the laws or how this world worked regarding heroes and villains, so this was the most he could say in his defense. He was afraid that saying something like, "I couldn't control my power," might make him seem like a threat that needed to be contained.
So, Maximilian needed to draw the line and protect himself with this argument.
Yes, this could also be interpreted under the self-defense clause in the law. But Dragon Fist was angry and felt humiliated that an unknown civilian had taken his prize—a villain he had worked so hard to apprehend. If other heroes found out that he hadn't apprehended the villain himself, his reputation in the hero rankings might be affected.
"No! The situation was under control! You only needed to sit still, and the villain would have been apprehended! But you chose to meddle in my business and risk everyone's lives!" Dragon Fist retorted.
Hearing this, Maximilian pursed his lips and let out a smirk. This bastard of a hero wasn't backing down. If that was the case, this guy couldn't blame him for being ruthless.
With the knowledge he had gained from Blood Mongoose, Maximilian noticed a lot of inconsistencies in this incident, and for him... It smells to high heaven.
"Oh, really? Everything was under your control? Do you know how I see it?" Maximilian countered, his voice dripping with skepticism.
"That f*cker," Maximilian pointed at the unconscious villain lying on the ground. "He's wearing his suit and helmet. That helmet draws energy from his heart, and putting it on takes time—a lot of time. He's even dressed in full battle gear. There are only three explanations for why this happened." Maximilian held up one finger.
"First, you caught him here in Chinatown in full battle gear, which is impossible. It's early morning; he would've been noticed from miles away if he were dressed like that, and people would've immediately gone into hiding."
"Second," Maximilian held up two fingers, "he has a secret lair here in Chinatown, and somehow you caught him there. But you couldn't finish the job inside his lair, letting him escape into the open in the middle of Chinatown, which makes you incompetent!"
"And third!" He held up a third finger. "You deliberately lured him here because you felt the need to show off. Which is the worst thing that could come from a hero like you!" Maximilian's tone dripped with disdain.
"So, which one is it... 'Hero?' Are you incompetent? Or do you just want to show off?" Maximilian asked, emphasizing the word 'Hero' and pressuring the hero in red.
Dragon Fist, feeling the pressure, felt as if a stone were sitting in his stomach, making it hard to breathe. This was the first time he had faced such scrutiny! And from a nobody, no less! During his hero career... even though he wasn't the greatest hero out there, his path had been smooth sailing.
His eyes darted around, noticing the people in Chinatown looking at him in confusion. Some were on guard, and those who had initially retreated to his side were now fearfully stepping away. If he left things like this, his reputation would be ruined. He needed to do something!
"Now I know who you are! You're one of Mr. Blaster's accomplices! Why are you here? Are you scouting the place for him!?" Dragon Fist decided to throw dirt at Maximilian.
Hearing this, Maximilian's face went blank with confusion, but then a knowing smirk appeared. Before he could say anything, however, Dragon Fist decided to strike first to stop him from speaking further.
Boom!
Maximilian crossed his arms to guard himself, his forearms throbbing with pain as the fire on Dragon Fist's fists caused second-degree burns. But the pain quickly faded as his burnt arms healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Unbridled rage suddenly filled Maximilian's mind. He doesn't know why, but he quickly suppressed it deep within, letting it show only through a deadly glare in his eyes.
The glare sent a clear message, making Dragon Fist feel threatened. He couldn't help but nervously gulp down his saliva and whatever heroic bravado he wanted to say... a chill down his spine.
These were not the eyes of a civilian; they were those of a man who had gone through the ruthless and bloodiest battlefield.
Dragon Fist watched as Maximilian's burnt arms healed quickly, leaving him startled and unsettled. "What? Are you a regenerator!? No… That shouldn't be possible…"
Dragon Fist was clearly shaken by what he saw. According to his knowledge, each person could only have one ability on average. Only in rare cases did someone possess more than one ability, and those who did were either big-name Heroes or infamous Villains. There was no way a nobody like Maximilian could have two abilities—unless he was unregistered… or a UEC undercover agent.
But no matter who Maximilian was, Dragon Fist knew he needed to incapacitate him first—or, better yet, kill him. If Maximilian were a UEC undercover agent, Dragon Fist could hide behind the guise of ignorance. He might have to make some concessions and pay a fine, but he wouldn't face a trial, as undercover agents typically operated off the books. The UEC wouldn't acknowledge their existence if a mission failed.
If Maximilian was unregistered? That was even better. Even if he had two abilities, no one would care about a dead man!
With this in mind, Dragon Fist rushed toward Maximilian with the intent to kill. His fist aimed straight for Maximilian's heart, intense fire covering his fist. It was clear he was going all out—a stark contrast to his earlier fight with Mr. Blaster. He wanted to silence Maximilian for good.
Maximilian avoided the fist by a hair's breadth, just enough to fully evade the fire. His hand deflected the fist upward, striking the side of Dragon Fist's elbow joint. Dragon Fist grunted in pain, but before he could react, he felt a sharp pain in his leg.
Crack!
"Arrrrrrrrrrrggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" An agonized cry tore through Chinatown as Dragon Fist's leg was crushed.
Dragon Fist had been too hasty in his attempt to kill Maximilian, launching an all-out strike. However, such a strike often comes with a large opening, and Maximilian didn't miss the chance to exploit it. Dragon Fist was left wide open, and with a swift calculation, Maximilian immediately stomped down on Dragon Fist's midsection of the fibula bone.
(Author's Note: The fibula is the smaller of the two bones in the lower leg—the other being the tibia. Unlike the tibia, it is not weight-bearing, making it more susceptible to fractures.)