Chapter 52: Photon Fury Decision
"Mr. Strauss... That’s not very nice. She’s still in the hospital," Oldcowboy admonished.
"It’s the truth, Mr. Blackwood. And I think she doesn’t need consolation—unless all of her bravado about being strong and brave was backed solely by her power, and not her will," Strauss replied. His tone remained calm, not harsh or condescending—just stating facts.
But... to Photon Fury, now stripped of her powers, those words pierced her like a blade. She gritted her teeth in pain and frustration. A long-forgotten emotion—true hurt—resurfaced, and tears threatened to well in her eyes.
Knowing that it could take years before her EF regenerated enough energy to restore her photon powers... it was no different than a death sentence for her career as a hero.
Worse, she knew her behavior had earned her plenty of enemies—among colleagues, corporate sponsors, and even within the UEC itself. Not everyone in the UEC was as composed as Strauss. While some brushed off her behavior as immature tantrums, others had taken offense—and a few of them had powerful allies.
"So... what are you going to do from now on, Ms. Pamela?" Strauss asked.
"I don’t know... maybe I’ll try working for the IHB or the UEC while I wait for my powers to return," Photon Fury replied, her voice uncertain, unsure of her path forward.
"Ms. Pamela... let me tell you a story. A tale of a girl... a hero from Triune City-State..."
"This girl didn’t have any flashy powers. But she became known as one of the most efficient heroes in her district. Her criminal and villain apprehension rate was over 95%. The remaining 5%? They were either caught by someone else while she was pursuing them... or died by sheer bad luck," Strauss said.