"Haa… the burden's still heavy. Looks like I need to strengthen my body—and train my magic more."
After defeating Flamingo, Lock had earned an A-Rank draw from the system. Joy and exhaustion mingled on his face.
It was only natural—today was the first time he had used magic in battle, and he'd cast spell after spell without rest.
"But… how am I supposed to avoid punishment for this?"
Lock pressed a hand to his forehead, deep in thought. Even though he had acted bravely to stop a villain and save people, technically, he had violated the Quirk Use Regulation Law.
He couldn't exactly claim "I wasn't using a Quirk, it was magic", could he?
Maybe someday, he could reveal the truth about his powers to the world. But not now. Not yet.
According to Japanese Quirk laws:
Ordinary citizens can use their Quirks for self-defense in life-threatening situations.
However, they are strictly forbidden from actively attacking or injuring others—unless a Pro Hero is present and authorizes it.
Otherwise, they face penalties according to the severity of the act.
Just like in that incident with the Hero Killer, when Midoriya Izuku, Todoroki Shoto, and Iida Tenya defeated him, they were still disciplined for using their Quirks illegally.
Their punishment was wiped from public record later, but the cost was that their deeds and heroism went unrecognized by society.
Lock didn't want that.
What he needed most right now was reputation.
Super Magic, Lost Magic, and even Forbidden Magic all required Fame Points to exchange within the system.
So Lock planned to use the Flamingo incident to build his name.
"This student actually beat the villain!"
"Incredible!"
"So strong! And so handsome!"
Cheers erupted from the citizens hiding among the ruins.
Their fear had turned into awe.
Phones came out, flashes went off, and the crowd began taking pictures of him.
Lock put on a calm, practiced smile, bowed politely, and accepted their praise with composed grace—just as he had planned.
Then he looked up and met the gaze of Fire Buster, the rescue-type Pro Hero he had saved.
That man might be the key to avoiding punishment.
Coincidentally, both Fire Buster and Prosecutor Yanei Fumihiko approached Lock at the same time.
"Young man, you really are something." Yanei straightened his tie, regaining his professional composure. "Here—this is my card. You saved my life, and I owe you one. If you ever need legal help—within the bounds of the law—I'll do everything I can."
Lock accepted the card without hesitation.
A favor from a prosecutor—that was a valuable connection.
Especially if he wanted to reopen his parents' old Hero Agency. The legal paperwork and identity verification would be troublesome, but with Yanei's backing, that process could be made much easier.
Of course, for that to matter, Lock had to become a Pro Hero first.
"By the way, young man, what's your name?" Yanei asked.
Lock smiled. "Lock. I'm a second-year student at Tateguchi Public Junior High."
The Fire Buster beside him froze in surprise. "Lock? Wait—you're the son of the Hero duo Dragon Hero?"
"…Yeah."
Hearing the name of his late parents' agency, Lock nodded quietly.
Fire Buster immediately straightened his back and gave a solemn bow.
"When I first debuted, your parents helped me a lot. They guided me through rescue work and saved me from many rookie mistakes." Fire Buster's voice carried respect and nostalgia. "It's a shame I never got the chance to join their agency—but they were my mentors, in a way."
Lock was caught off guard, but it made sense. His parents had been top-ten Pros—well-connected and deeply respected in the Hero world.
Lock himself wasn't Japanese—his family came from the nation where Quirks first appeared.
The Dragon Hero agency had been founded by his parents, both of whom shared Quirks related to Dragon Transformation.
Lock, however, had been born Quirkless.
Even so, during their lifetime, both his parents had ranked within Japan's Top Ten Pro Heroes, sharing the joint Hero name "Dragon Hero."
He even had a cousin—Dragon Knight Hero: Ryū no Kyuu, currently ranked ninth on the Hero Billboard Japan.
Though he hadn't met her since his reincarnation, Lock had seen her on TV—a fierce beauty in a crimson cheongsam who could transform into a massive white dragon.
Truly magnificent.
No wonder Fire Buster treated his parents with such reverence.
Lock's eyes flickered with thought.
"If I ever unlock Dragon Slayer Magic… wouldn't that count as a kind of Dragon Transformation too?"
The thought made him smirk. Then his gaze turned to Fire Buster again.
That man's Quirk—dual water pumps—made him perfect for rescue work. A rescue-type Pro through and through.
In contrast, his parents' agency had been purely combat-oriented.
Hero agencies generally fell into three main categories:
Combat Agencies – specialize in capturing villains and fighting crime.
Rescue Agencies – focus on disaster relief, evacuation, and saving lives.
Comprehensive Agencies – handle a mix of both, including patrols and support work.
Combat and rescue agencies rarely overlapped in their missions. Comprehensive agencies were the ones that bridged the gap.
Fire Buster had once been recommended to a rescue agency by Lock's parents.
That gave Lock an idea.
Recruit him.
He needed professionals to rebuild his family's Hero Office—and Fire Buster was a strong candidate.
"I'm going to become a Pro Hero," Lock said with determination, "and I'll inherit my parents' Hero Office. I plan to rebuild it into a Comprehensive Agency that handles both rescue and combat work."
He extended his hand and smiled. "When the time comes, Fire Buster-senpai… would you be willing to join as the first Pro Hero in my new agency?"
"Eh—!"
Fire Buster's jaw dropped.
Hadn't Lock just said he was a junior high student?
He wasn't even old enough to take the provisional license exam yet!
The next round of exams would be held in September—and he didn't even meet the minimum age requirement!
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