At that moment, across all major U.S. media platforms, Noah's face was plastered on every homepage, courtesy of his unexpected appearance during the bank robbery.
Comments flooded in under his photo:
"Gorgeous, absolutely swoon-worthy! Where's my hero like him?"
"His picture alone could make anyone's day better."
"Did those robbers really get so close to him? I'd trade places in a heartbeat!"
"Back off; he's mine!"
And on and on it went. Although the incident had barely happened thirty minutes ago, it already had the attention of millions, sparking comments and reactions from across the internet, with even more people tuning in by the minute.
After making it back from the bank, Noah's mood was, to put it mildly, in the dumps. Just recalling the massive crowd outside left him feeling anything but thrilled about this unwanted fame.
In all honesty, Noah had only had access to his powers for less than a week. Right now, he couldn't even claim to be stronger than Captain America, let alone ready to stand in the public eye as a full-blown hero.
But reality had other plans. Instead of biding his time to develop his abilities under the radar, he found himself neck-deep in an accidental spectacle.
As he walked back into the main bank area, the four robbers, who'd been watching him suspiciously, came around, satisfied with the "brave hostage" performance Noah had put on.
"You've got guts, kid. Didn't even flinch back there," the leader sneered, giving Noah a side-eye. "And what's up with that suitcase? All that cash and that golden orb… What kind of student has stuff like that?"
"Oh, I just picked it up. Can I go now?" Noah said, trying to stay calm and hoping to defuse the situation.
Suppressing his rising frustration, Noah avoided eye contact and tried to move past the robbers. But one of them stepped forward, blocking his way.
"What's with the attitude? You think you can talk back to us?" the robber jeered. "Got quite the face on you too. Come here; let me take a closer look."
The man reached out, his grimy hand aiming for Noah's face. But before he could make contact, Noah caught his hand in midair, holding it tightly.
"Whoa, we got ourselves a fighter here." The robber tried to pull back, but Noah's gaze was cold and unwavering, a deadly look that made the robber freeze in place.
A sudden, sharp pain erupted in the robber's chest, and a warm, sticky sensation followed as blood began to seep from the wound.
"You know how long I've put up with you idiots?" Noah hissed, pulling his hand out of the robber's chest and flicking the blood away in disgust.
The hall fell into a stunned silence, all eyes fixed on Noah in shock, robbers included.
But Noah wasn't interested in wasting time talking. He spotted the remaining robbers circling him, and without hesitation, he struck out. His right hand moved in a blur, landing three rapid punches in under half a second, each one aimed squarely at the faces of his enemies.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each hit landed with a sickening crunch, sending the three robbers flying backward, their bodies skidding across the floor. The force of his punches was so intense, their faces looked like they'd been hit by a high-powered rifle, the sheer pressure caving in their skulls.
Blood trickled from each of them, mixing with other fluids as their bodies lay in twisted heaps on the ground. Even the robber Noah had just dispatched to the afterlife fell to his knees, barely able to register his own collapse.
Within seconds, four of the gang members were down—one with a pierced heart and three with shattered skulls.
"You lot are done for," Noah growled, clenching his fists.
Finally realizing the danger they were in, the two remaining robbers snapped out of their shock and leveled their submachine guns at Noah, opening fire.
But Noah was ready. He stomped his foot, shattering the tile beneath him as he propelled himself forward. In the blink of an eye, he'd closed a gap of almost nine meters, his speed making him nothing but a blur.
Ratatat!
Bullets pelted the wall behind him, trailing after his shadow, but not a single one found its mark. Three seconds later, both guns clicked empty, and as the robbers fumbled to reload, Noah loomed over them, blood still dripping from his hands.
Without a word, he grabbed the first of the remaining robbers, his hand slicing through the man's shoulder and tearing straight down to his waist. Blood sprayed everywhere, painting the floor red, as Noah turned his cold gaze on the last robber standing.
Facing Noah was like staring into the eyes of an ancient predator. The leader of the group, pistol in hand, backed up until his back hit a wall, hand shaking as he fired three desperate shots at Noah's head.
But Noah was beyond him in every sense. He easily sidestepped each bullet, moving with a casual grace that spoke volumes about his newly enhanced reflexes and foresight.
By the time the last bullet missed its mark, Noah was right in front of the leader, gripping his collar as he raised a fist.
"Let me ask you something," Noah said, his voice deadly calm. "Why even bother robbing a bank if you're so bad at it? Who do you think you are?"
Without waiting for an answer, Noah began slapping the leader's face repeatedly, each hit punctuated with a question. "Is robbing banks your idea of a fun time? You think you're playing out some movie drama here?"
The robber leader's face was a mess by the time Noah was finished, his brain barely able to keep up with the barrage. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Noah let the leader slump to the ground, dazed and half-unconscious.
With that settled, Noah took a deep breath and glanced down at his blood-stained shirt. He straightened it with a frown, ignoring the crimson streaks as he surveyed the mess he'd left in the lobby.
As he scanned the bloody scene, he felt strangely calm. Seeing blood on his hands was nothing new after his time spent in the underworld; he'd prepared himself mentally long ago for the kind of violence this life could demand.
Finally, he spotted his suitcase amid a pile of looted cash, untouched by the chaos. He grabbed it and turned his attention to the hostages still tied up in the corner.
Approaching them, his face softened, but the sight of his blood-spattered figure made them flinch. Slowly, Noah knelt beside the young customer service worker, her face pale as she tried not to shrink away.
"Hey, don't worry. I'm here to help," he said, untying her bonds. As he freed her, he reached over, handing her his suitcase with a faint smile. "Mind opening an anonymous account for me?"
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Alright, got some complaints about mistake in the previous chapters...I will fix them don't worry.
So, this is my first time doing this. I hope you guys can help me improve by providing your feedback, and some stones would be nice. (づ ◕‿◕ )づ