Chapter 6: CH-6. Pyro
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Michael said, "I believe you can do it, but there's no need. I can't hide forever. Besides, I already told Black Widow that I won't be hiding, so they won't bother me for the time being. And it's not that easy for them to catch me!"
"Really?"
"Absolutely. If I get the chance, I'll show you my abilities, and then you'll understand." Michael said confidently.
"Well… okay." Skye hesitated and then stopped, "But it's still not safe. Even though SHIELD hasn't done anything to you yet, being on their radar is never a good thing."
"You're right. So… let's get going now."
Initially, it was just Skye who was leaving, but now the two of them were hitting the road together. Leaving the hotel, they walked to the nearby parking lot where both Skye and Michael's cars were parked. Michael glanced at his car but hopped into Skye's without hesitation.
"What about your car?" Skye asked.
"You said your car is your home. Since I'm your boyfriend, I should be with you, right? I don't need my car anymore." Michael said casually.
"Okay!" Skye chuckled, finding it a pity but appreciating Michael's sentiment.
The two got into Skye's car and quickly drove off.
Skye had long been accustomed to this nomadic lifestyle, but now, she had a man by her side—her man. As they traveled together, stopping and starting numerous times, their bond deepened. They grew accustomed to holding hands and embracing one another. Especially at night, despite the car's space being decent, it wasn't large enough to keep them apart. While nothing beyond sleeping together had happened, the intimacy of sharing such close quarters accelerated their relationship.
"There seems to be a good restaurant nearby. Shall we try it?" Michael asked, scanning nearby restaurants on his phone and finding one that caught his interest.
"Sure, whatever you want." Skye smiled.
When they reached the restaurant, Skye said, "You go in first, I'll park the car and join you."
"Okay."
Michael got out of the car and entered the restaurant to find a seat. Just as he walked in, someone was exiting, and the two bumped into each other. Michael, whose body had been enhanced by the Extremis virus, didn't even budge, but the other person stumbled back several steps.
"Are you blind?" The man cursed before Michael could respond.
Michael frowned.
"Bastard, I'm talking to you! Are you blind, or… are you looking for trouble?"
Michael's eyes narrowed, "Kid, you're the one who's blind. But don't worry, I'll help you see better."
"So, you're looking for a fight, huh?"
"Honey, what's going on?"
At that moment, Skye had parked the car and walked over, noticing the confrontation.
Michael turned to her with a smile, "Nothing much. I never got the chance to show you how powerful your boyfriend is. Well, looks like that opportunity's come. Hey, kid, too many people here. Let's take this somewhere quieter."
"That's exactly what I want." The man sneered, heading toward a nearby alley.
"Honey, what's happening?" Skye asked, concerned.
Michael smiled confidently, "It's nothing. Some fool's looking for a fight, and I can't exactly walk away."
With that, Michael followed the man into the alley, and Skye, worried but unable to intervene, trailed behind while fiddling with her phone.
They entered a dead-end alley, and the man stood there, smirking at Michael.
"Honey, be careful. His name is John, and he's a mutant!" Skye whispered urgently to Michael.
Michael raised an eyebrow, "John?"
"So, you know who I am? Too bad it won't help you now. I'll show you what happens when you cross me!" John sneered, pulling out a lighter. With a flick, flames burst forth, growing larger as they danced in his hands.
"Well, that's something." Michael said with a smirk. Recently, because of SHIELD and his time with Skye, he hadn't been seeking out people to absorb powers from. Yet here he was, face-to-face with John, a mutant villain who had once joined Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants. John could control fire, but he couldn't generate it. Though John wasn't a major threat, his ability still aligned with Michael's own development.
Michael could generate extreme heat, similar to magma, but couldn't create flames. He'd planned to find a superhuman in Hong Kong with fire creation abilities, but now, by chance, he had John right in front of him.
"John, you've really messed up. The saying goes, 'If you don't walk through heaven's door, you'll stumble into hell.'"
Although this was Michael's first real battle, he wasn't nervous, even against a seasoned mutant like John.
"Stay back, honey. Don't worry, I'll be fine." Michael said calmly to Skye. Though anxious, Skye knew she couldn't help, so she kept her distance to avoid distracting him.
John's flames roared to life, growing hotter by the second, but Michael simply flexed his shoulders and wrists. With a sudden burst of speed, he launched himself forward.
He was fast. In the blink of an eye, Michael had closed the distance between them, standing face-to-face with John, who seemed startled by the sudden speed. John quickly thrust his hand forward, sending a stream of flames toward Michael.
A wave of heat washed over him, but Michael dodged to the side and continued advancing. The flames followed him like a relentless tide, but Michael used his enhanced physique and speed to stay ahead, looking for an opening to get closer. However, John's experience in combat kept him on the defensive, controlling the flames to keep Michael at bay.
"Is that all you've got? I thought you were supposed to be dangerous, but all I see is hot air." Michael taunted.
"Don't worry, you'll see my true strength soon enough!" Michael sneered. Although the flames raged around him, he wasn't worried. The heat didn't affect him at all. His own body temperature was far hotter than John's flames, and they posed no real threat to him. He was merely biding his time, testing his body's limits and improving his combat experience.
The Extremis virus had made him stronger, but Michael knew he hadn't yet unlocked its full potential. As he continued dodging, he felt his body adapting, his speed increasing. He just needed to wait for the right moment to strike.