Chapter 47 Catching Up

"Are you doing all right? Sorry, I couldn't hold back because you were so strong." A sense of guilt filled Satoshi as he slightly bowed his head towards Plume who was admitted to the Concrete Arenan's clinic after the fight. Her wings were quite burned but a few superheroes specializing in their healing skills were brought over and they did what they could to speed up Plume's recovery process. They managed to come at such short notice since Plume was actually a popular fighter in the Concrete Arena and they know just how much she's worth when it comes down to it. Usually, with normal superheroes, it might take at least a day or so before these healers come by but it was totally a different case for Plume.

"Come on, Satoshi, it's your win, you totally deserved that. And what did you just say, you couldn't hold back? So you were planning on holding back until the end of the match? You're hurting my pride, you know." Plume teased, gently punching Satoshi in the gut to signify their reconciliation. "In any case, when did you learn to fight like that? I've seen you on the television but you're certainly stronger than how you were back then. How were you able to do it? And also, what's your superpower anyways? Summoning different gears and beasts? Are you a summoner? Or perhaps, are you a tamer?"

"No... I, I don't know either. But yes, about my superpower... well, it's sort of like a summoner slash tamer thing. I can't really explain it yet since I don't know much about my superpower. I only ever awakened it a few days ago a day before the first day of school."

"You say all that but you're already this strong. But then again, it's true that once you awaken a superpower, you'd be able to control it as if it's your own arms and legs. I guess it's true with everyone. After all, I managed completely master these wings as soon as I was born. Can you believe that?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I remember. You used to take us up on that tree, remember? Haah~ I wonder what happened to that tree. That area is already industrialized, right? Too bad, that part of Tokyo was one of the best when it comes to picnics."

With a smile on her face, Plume forced herself to sit down on her bed so she could talk more comfortably with Satoshi. It's been so long since they last caught up with each other and she thought to make the best of it while they were at it. "In any case, how are you doing now in school? Are you having a good time? How are your classmates? Your teacher, Knighthawk, I heard that he didn't have any superpower at all. Is he a good teacher? Are you fitting well in school? I'm sorry I couldn't visit you that often. I was a bit, you know, preoccupied with stuff."

"School's good. Our teacher is kind of weird but he's doing well for his first time as well. At first, I didn't know if I'd be able to get in but my superpower awakened the day before and since then, my only worry was not becoming an outcast in our classroom. So far that's working well. How about you, Elimine-san? Shiroi and I haven't heard from you ever since you started studying at the United Superheroes Academy. Was it pretty busy as a student?" Satoshi continued.

"It wasn't that I was super busy with school... it's just... you know how it is with me when it comes to being competitive, right? By the time I realized that I had to hold back and assume a low profile, I was already one of the best in school and before I knew it, I was given more opportunities and responsibilities. Things like being part of the student committee, being the president of the student council, and even trying out a few agencies as per the school's suggestion. I didn't have any choice since it was my fault that the chain reaction started in the first place. And so... here I am, in the Concrete Arena, earning a lot of money. You should totally go over to my villa at Jeju. It's a nice place overlooking a cliff."

"Whoa, but isn't it like... super expensive to get a villa there? That's nice. I wish I could earn that much money as well."

"You defeated me in this match. I'm sure you could do it in no time. You know, you're clearly more talented than I am, as expected of the only son of the Midoriyama duo." Elimine patted Satoshi on her back. "Oh wait, you're here for the excursion, right? Shouldn't you go by now?"

Satoshi completely forgot about the time. The moment Elimine brought up the subject, he realized that he was already running late. In haste, he stood up, bowed towards his senior, and said his farewell. "Please get well, Elimine-san, I hope you get well soon."

"Sure! Looking forward to it!" Elimine waved her hand in excitement as she watched Satoshi rush outside. She couldn't imagine that the boy he used to play with and bully a little back when they were kids would become someone who could overpower her in a fight. "W-what's this?" She asked herself after seeing her face reddening like a beet.

.....

At last, the final Slime alien had been taken care of and it was time for the heroes to return home. Having stopped yet another alien invasion that would for sure go down in the history books, the heroes were just glad that it didn't end up like the previous incident where hundreds of superheroes died. Sure there were at least a dozen casualties during the entire ordeal but it was nothing compared to the victory that they pulled off. It was a time of celebration and every superhero was invited to a grand party. However, only a few said yes since most superheroes wanted to reunite with their families after being gone for three days.

Every news agency in the world didn't waste any time interviewing their local superhero and broadcasting it on the television for everyone to listen to their war stories. It became so popular that every video about the alien invasion was a sure hit, even on social media platforms. The reporters clearly depicted that the superheroes were solely responsible for achieving such a victory when in essence, it was Fury's great leadership that resulted in a triumphant end. Of course, superheroes like Oxgn, Energizer, and Plataforma were the main core of the superhero army so they received their due credits. And the top heroes also got their spotlight as well.

,m As for the Midoriyama duo though, who was greatly complimented due to their performance, they ditched all their interviews just so they could get back home as quickly as they could. While they were fighting back in space, they received the news that their son came face to face with a Slime Alien for the second time and somehow it worried them a little bit. Even though they were well aware that their son could easily handle such an attack, they were also worried that something might've gone wrong since it would only take a split second of misjudgment for someone to lose a fight. And to top it all off, it's not like their son had a lot of experience when it comes to all-out fights.

That's why as soon as their plane landed at the Haneda Airport, Tatsuki and Ayumu immediately grabbed their luggage and headed straight outside, stopping a taxi and giving him specific directions leading to a certain residence. It didn't take an hour before they were right in front of their doorstep. After paying a hefty amount for both the cab fare and tips, the husband and wife hurriedly entered their house, calling out their son's name— completely forgetting that he was in school at the moment.

"Honey, can you go to youtube or something and search our son's name. I'm sure there will be videos of their fight. It may not be as accurate as the hospital records but we should get a better picture of how he's doing right now." Tatsuki said, heading towards the kitchen to whip up a quick lunch in the late afternoon.

"Oh, sure. Is there any meat in the fridge? I'd like a heavy lunch before dinner." Ayumu said in her sweet gentle voice, indirectly coaxing her husband to cook what she likes. Well, it's not like Tatsuki would deny her request though even if she asks it in a different tone.

"Coming right up," Tatsuki winked, getting two pieces of lamb chops by the freezer and effortlessly tossing it in his hands as he made his way to the cooking area of the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Ayumu was already typing her son's name away on youtube...

"Wait... what's this?!" She exclaimed in bewilderment. "Honey!"