The Hero Code

It started with something small, as most dangerous things do. Zik was in the middle of lunch, halfway through a pretty decent sandwich, when a school staff member walked up to him with a strange request.

"Hey, kid," the janitor said, leaning closer. "You're that student who's always running around, right? Got some speed?"

Zik blinked, swallowing his bite awkwardly. "Uh, yeah? What's up?"

The janitor scratched his chin, glancing around before lowering his voice. "I've got a little side job for you. Real easy. I'll even pay you for it."

At first, Zik didn't think much of it. "What's the job?" he asked cautiously, though his Hero System tingled faintly, a quiet warning he couldn't quite place.

"I've got some 'important deliveries' that need to be taken care of." The janitor smirked. "I hear you've got a knack for speed. Let's just say… you'd be delivering things without all the paperwork."

Zik froze, his stomach tightening. Something about the janitor's tone made it clear this wasn't a casual favor. It wasn't legal, and it wasn't something he should touch. But before Zik could refuse outright, the janitor tossed out his bait.

"You do this, I'll throw in a nice bonus. Enough to pay for your gym membership for the rest of the year. What do you say?"

For a moment, Zik didn't know how to respond. The janitor's offer hung in the air like a weight, tempting and ominous. His gym membership had been draining his wallet, and the thought of covering it without breaking a sweat was appealing. But then he thought about the 9th Hero Code: Don't take bribes.

It wasn't just about refusing obvious corruption; it was about staying true to yourself, about not letting your values be swayed by money or comfort.

Still, he couldn't outright refuse yet. He needed to figure out exactly what was going on. "Uh, what kind of deliveries are we talking about?"

The janitor smirked. "Just some… items the higher-ups don't need to know about. Think of it as helping me out while keeping things quiet. It's not a big deal."

Zik forced a casual shrug, hiding the unease creeping up his spine. "I'll think about it."

The janitor patted his shoulder. "Good man. Let me know soon."

As the janitor walked away, Zik's Hero System activated:

> Quest Unlocked: Resist the Bribe

Objective: Refuse the bribe and uncover what the janitor is hiding.

Reward: +50 EXP, Minor Crafting Ability Upgrade

"Great," Zik muttered. "Now I'm involved."

That afternoon, Zik found Aiden in the library, flipping through a book on advanced martial arts.

"Hey," Zik said, sliding into the chair across from him.

"Sup?" Aiden asked, barely looking up. "You find another mop bucket to trip over?"

"Worse," Zik said, lowering his voice. "Someone offered me a bribe."

That got Aiden's attention. He closed his book, eyebrows raised. "A bribe? Who, and for what?"

Zik explained the janitor's offer, his voice hushed but firm. When he finished, Aiden leaned back, his expression serious.

"That's shady," Aiden said. "Real shady. You're not actually thinking about it, are you?"

"Of course not!" Zik said quickly. "But I need to figure out what's going on. There's something sketchy about this whole thing, and I can't just ignore it."

Aiden nodded, his easy-going demeanor replaced with something sharper. "Alright. So, what's the plan?"

The next day, Zik decided to accept the janitor's offer—on the surface, at least. He figured it was the best way to get close to the truth. The janitor handed him a small, unmarked package and told him to deliver it to someone waiting behind the old storage shed on school grounds.

"Quick and quiet," the janitor said, smirking. "No questions asked."

Zik nodded, but as soon as he was out of sight, he used his Super Intelligence to inspect the package. Inside was a set of counterfeit documents—fake IDs, credit cards, and even school records. His stomach churned.

"Definitely not harmless," he muttered.

Using Stealth, Zik slipped around the schoolyard, keeping an eye on the shed from a distance. It didn't take long for a man in a black jacket to show up, looking around impatiently.

"Looks like our guy," Aiden whispered, appearing beside him.

Zik jumped slightly but nodded. "Time to move."

Zik activated Super Speed, racing toward the shed and cutting off the man in the black jacket. Aiden followed close behind, using his rubber body to block the man's escape route.

"What's going on here?" Zik demanded, holding up the package. "This doesn't exactly look like lost-and-found material."

The man glared at them, then tried to grab the package. Aiden reacted instantly, stretching his arm to pull it away.

"Who sent you?" Aiden asked, his voice sharp.

The man hesitated but then smirked. "You kids don't know what you're messing with."

Before Zik could respond, the janitor appeared, his face twisted with anger. "You were supposed to deliver that, kid. Not play detective."

Zik stepped forward, his voice steady. "I don't take bribes. And I definitely don't help people like you."

The janitor snarled, raising his hand. Zik barely had time to dodge as the janitor activated his ability—a wave of sticky sludge spreading across the ground, trying to trap them.

"Aiden!" Zik called.

"On it!" Aiden replied, activating his Solid Body to smash through the sludge, clearing a path for Zik.

Zik used his Telekinesis to grab a loose piece of wood nearby, hurling it at the janitor and breaking his concentration.

With the janitor subdued, Zik and Aiden reported everything to the school administration. The janitor was quickly removed, and the man in the black jacket fled before authorities arrived.

Later that evening, Zik's Hero System chimed:

> Quest Complete: Resist the Bribe

Reward: +50 EXP, Minor Crafting Ability Upgrade

Zik opened his status window, smiling as he saw his Crafting ability level up.

Crafting: Level 3 (Grade F)

New Feature: Enhanced precision for combining components.

"That's more like it," he muttered.

As he walked home, Aiden clapped him on the shoulder. "Not bad, Zik. You stuck to your code and brought down a shady operation. That's real hero stuff."

Zik grinned. "Guess the 9th Hero Code's there for a reason."

"And now," Aiden added, smirking, "maybe leave the shady delivery jobs to someone else next time?"

"Deal," Zik laughed. For the first time in days, he felt like he was truly living up to his Hero Codes.

The evening air was cool as Zik walked home, replaying the day's events in his mind. He'd exposed the janitor's shady operation and refused a bribe, but something about it didn't sit right. A promise kept always felt good, but this one came with a strange heaviness.

Cutting through a quiet alley on his usual shortcut, Zik felt the air shift. The shadows seemed darker than usual, and a strange silence hung in the air. A faint sound behind him made him pause.

Before he could react, a familiar voice spoke, low and sharp. "You think you've got it all figured out, don't you?"

Zik spun around to see the man in the black jacket stepping out of the shadows, his face tense with anger.

"You don't realize what you've done," the man said, his voice a quiet growl. "Exposing us, ruining everything—you think you're some kind of hero?"

Zik straightened, forcing himself to stay calm. "I just did what was right. That's what heroes do."

The man's eyes narrowed. "Right? You don't even know what you're playing with. You're just a kid, sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. And now, you're gonna learn what it costs."

---

The man moved fast, quicker than Zik expected. Zik activated Super Speed, narrowly dodging a strike that hit the wall behind him with enough force to crack the brick.

"Okay," Zik muttered, focusing. "This is happening."

He countered with a Speed Strike, landing a solid blow to the man's side. But the man barely flinched, his face twisting into a grimace as he retaliated. Zik ducked, the wind from the punch brushing past his cheek.

The fight was a chaotic clash of speed and power. Zik relied on quick strikes, using his Telekinesis to create space by hurling loose objects between them. But the man was relentless, his strength forcing Zik to stay on the defensive.

Each blow Zik took sent pain rippling through his body, but his Regeneration worked overtime, closing cuts and bruises faster than he'd ever seen. His Hero System chimed faintly in the chaos:

> Regeneration Grade Up!

Grade: C

Effect: Enhanced healing speed and capacity for moderate injuries.

The upgrade hit Zik like a second wind. His breathing steadied, and the pain dulled as his body adapted. He straightened, a small grin breaking through the tension. "Guess I'm tougher than I look."

The man's eyes flashed with frustration, but he smirked. "Tougher, maybe. But you're still out of your depth."

He lunged again, but this time Zik was ready. He used his upgraded Regeneration to push through the blows and his Telekinesis to throw a heavy trash can into the man's path, forcing him to stumble. Zik capitalized with a precise Power Strike, landing a blow to the man's shoulder.

The man staggered back, glaring at Zik. "You're a problem, kid. And problems don't just go away. This isn't over."

He stepped into the shadows, his voice echoing in the dim alley. "You didn't win anything today. All you've earned is trouble. Stop running around thinking you've won."

And then, he was gone.

---

Zik leaned against the wall, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His clothes were torn, and his body ached from the fight, but his Regeneration was already at work, healing him bit by bit.

His Hero System chimed again, drawing his attention:

> Regeneration Upgrade Applied:

Faster recovery for moderate injuries, enhanced stamina in prolonged combat.

"Thanks for the help," Zik muttered, though his voice lacked its usual humor.

The man's parting words lingered in his mind. He hadn't been fighting a bully or training with a friend—this was something deeper, something that wasn't going away anytime soon.

As Zik stepped out of the alley, the streetlights felt brighter, the sound of cars and distant voices grounding him. His decision to refuse the bribe felt heavier now, the stakes clearer. But he didn't regret it. The 9th Hero Code was about staying true, even when it was hard.

And Zik? He'd take hard over compromising his principles any day.

As he made his way home, sore but alive, he couldn't help but smile faintly. Heroes don't take bribes. And they don't back down, no matter the cost.

The evening air was cool as Zik walked home, replaying the day's events in his mind. He'd exposed the janitor's shady operation and refused a bribe, but something about it didn't sit right. A promise kept always felt good, but this one came with a strange heaviness.

Cutting through a quiet alley on his usual shortcut, Zik felt the air shift. The shadows seemed darker than usual, and a strange silence hung in the air. A faint sound behind him made him pause.

Before he could react, a familiar voice spoke, low and sharp. "You think you've got it all figured out, don't you?"

Zik spun around to see the man in the black jacket stepping out of the shadows, his face tense with anger.

"You have no idea what you've done, kid," the man snarled. "You think you're some hero? Exposing us, ruining our operation? All you've done is sign your own death warrant."

Zik took a step back, his heart pounding. "Look, I didn't ruin anything. I just did the right thing. Maybe try it sometime."

The man's face darkened. "You've got a smart mouth for someone about to learn what pain really feels like."

---

The man moved fast, quicker than Zik expected. Zik activated Super Speed, narrowly dodging a strike that hit the wall behind him with enough force to crack the brick.

Blow after blow, they battered each other, their bodies pushed to the brink. Zik felt his Regeneration working overtime, knitting torn muscles and bruised skin, but the man didn't seem to tire.

"Okay," Zik muttered, focusing. "This is happening."

He countered with a Speed Strike, landing a solid blow to the man's side. But the man barely flinched, his face twisting into a grimace as he retaliated. Zik ducked, the wind from the punch brushing past his cheek.

The fight was a chaotic clash of speed and power. Zik relied on quick strikes, using his Telekinesis to create space by hurling loose objects between them. But the man was relentless, his strength forcing Zik to stay on the defensive.

Each blow Zik took sent pain rippling through his body, but his Regeneration keept going, closing cuts and bruises faster than he'd ever seen. His Hero System chimed faintly in the chaos:

> Regeneration Grade Up!

Grade: C

Effect: Enhanced healing speed and capacity for moderate injuries.

The upgrade hit Zik like a second wind. His breathing steadied, and the pain dulled as his body adapted. He straightened, a small grin breaking through the tension. "Guess I'm tougher than I look."

The man's eyes flashed with frustration, but he smirked. "Tougher, maybe. But you're still out of your depth."

He lunged again, but this time Zik was ready. He used his upgraded Regeneration to push through the blows and his Telekinesis to throw a heavy trash can into the man's path, forcing him to stumble. Zik capitalized with a precise Power Strike, landing a blow to the man's shoulder.

The man staggered back, glaring at Zik. "You're a problem, kid. And problems don't just go away. This isn't over."

He stepped into the shadows, his voice echoing in the dim alley. "You didn't win anything today. All you've earned is trouble. Stop running around thinking you've won."

And then, he was gone.

---

Zik leaned against the wall, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His clothes were torn, and his body ached from the fight, but his Regeneration was already at work, healing him bit by bit.

His Hero System chimed again, drawing his attention:

> Regeneration Upgrade Applied:

Faster recovery for moderate injuries, enhanced stamina in prolonged combat.

"Thanks for the help," Zik muttered, though his voice lacked its usual humor.

The man's parting words lingered in his mind. He hadn't been fighting a bully or training with a friend—this was something deeper, something that wasn't going away anytime soon.

As Zik stepped out of the alley, the streetlights felt brighter, the sound of cars and distant voices grounding him. His decision to refuse the bribe felt heavier now, the stakes clearer. But he didn't regret it. The 9th Hero Code was about staying true, even when it was hard.

And Zik? He'd take hard over compromising his principles any day.

As he made his way home after getting up when his legs finally let him, sore but alive, he couldn't help but smile faintly. Heroes don't take bribes. And they don't back down, no matter the cost.