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(7/10)
Chapter 23 Start – Leon's POV (Edited)
Not gonna lie—
I'm kinda getting the hang of this Buzz Buzz power of mine.
So here's the breakdown:
By focusing on the space in front of me, I can sorta halve the distance and momentum—like some discount anime flicker move. The effect leaves behind this weird blue shimmer, like I farted out quantum glitter.
The name the three uncles used for it?
Quantum Run.
…Yeah, no. That sounds like an overpriced crypto app. I need something dumber. Something me-er.
I still don't know why I can phase through solid crap or why I sometimes teleport like a broken video game character during lag.
But hey, life's already chaotic. I can live with this.
My figure flickered from rooftop to rooftop, building to building, with the smooth athleticism of a caffeine-high cheetah on rollerblades. The speed burst from my legs felt—
BANG!
CRASH!
Insert cat shrieking sound here
Suddenly, there's a human-shaped hole in a brick wall.
Conclusion: I'm tough as hell.
"Ugh…"
"Oi! Did that kid just run through a concrete wall?!"
"Is that a paper bag on his head?"
"Low-budget robber vibes. Tragic."
Turns out—I've crash-landed inside a retirement home.
An old lady was holding a knitting needle like it was a stake. Another dude had a spoon raised like it owed him money. A nurse fainted.
I rolled over, wheezing.
"…My bad."
---
15 Minutes Later
After what I now call a "geriatric incident," I Quantum Scooted across the city for fifteen straight minutes. No fatigue. No sweat.
(Enhanced stamina: Noted. God-tier cardio: Also noted.)
I finally snuck my way to the front gate of the house—stealth mode activated—like a ninja that'd just downed two Red Bulls and an existential crisis.
I made it all the way to the—
Front door.
Where Carol stood. Arms folded. Eyebrow raised. Judgment mode: Ultimate Aunt Edition.
She squinted at me like I owed her rent, air, and a full backstory.
WHEN DID SHE GET BACK?
WHY IS SHE BACK?
HOW IS SHE BACK!?
I wanted to phase through the floor like a depressed ghost in a Japanese horror flick.
Nope. Wouldn't work. Quantum Flicker refused to cooperate—probably embarrassed by me.
Also…
Yeah, the name still sucks.
She stood at the doorway like a final boss—arms crossed, hip cocked, and that resting judgment face set to maximum potency.
"I leave for three days," Carol said slowly, like she was narrating a horror story, "and I come back to you looking like a discount scarecrow with a death wish. Is that… blood on your paper bag?"
"…Tomato sauce."
"Are you injured?"
"Emotionally? Always."
She stepped forward. I stepped back. She stepped forward again. I stepped sideways into a potted plant.
Quantum Flicker, activate—
Nope. My foot buzzed and then fizzled like a broken microwave. I was grounded. Literally and emotionally.
Her eyes scanned me like she was doing math in her head—carrying the trauma, dividing the lies, calculating how long it would take to murder me and hide the body.
Then her tone shifted—just a little.
"You've grown," she murmured, almost to herself. "Your shoulders are broader. Eyes sharper. Dumber, still. But sharper."
"…Is this a compliment or an obituary?"
Carol stepped in close. Close enough I could smell her perfume—something sharp and elegant, like pine needles dipped in moonlight. I hated how it made my brain buffer like an old YouTube video.
Her hand reached up.
My heart did a TikTok dance.
She… grabbed the paper bag and yanked it off.
"Seriously?" she said, holding it up like it was a biohazard. "You robbed a bank or starred in a Dollar Tree horror movie?"
"Neither. Technically. I crashed a bank robbery. Very heroic. Lots of style points." I tried to sound as sarcastic as possible. Actually telling the truth but in a tone that makes it seem like a lie. I'm a master at the craft.
Her eyes didn't move. They just stayed on mine.
God, she had that look. That half-amused, half-annoyed look she used to give me when I was younger—usually before throwing a slipper at me from impossible angles.
"You're hiding something," she said, softer this time.
My mouth opened. Words almost came out. Then they tripped on each other and died.
She narrowed her eyes.
"Leon…"
I panicked.
"Wanna watch anime?"
A beat. Silence.
And then, miraculously—
"…Only if it's not one of your weird harem ones."
"Deal. Wait—define 'weird.'"
Her lip almost twitched.
Was that… was that a smile?
Nah. Probably gas.
Alas, underneath that smile was deep worry and untamed fear.
---
Jesse gave me the eye sign of a lost puppy which kinda freaked me out for a little bit.
Since when does your emotionless butler start giving puppy eyes while rocking a slick black tuxedo. Lord, give me Alfred and take away this unpredictable man.
"Oh yes John, as we see the impressive actions of the city's newest addition to the superhero group."
"Hohoho, you mean the boy with the paper bag and damaged sneakers? If you mean him then I say he is a force to be reckoned with, defeating not just one but four armed men with little efforts."
Haha! Praise me News folks!