Chapter 58: Casual Actions

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Parents are the best teachers for their children.

When your child asks to save someone, and you happen to have the ability to do so, how do you choose?

Regardless of what others might choose, at this moment, Mike chose to save.

"Stay in the car!"

Mike whispered, taking a sharp turn and then stopping the car. He looked toward the scene of the incident not far away.

No, it wasn't an accident!

Mike's eyes narrowed as his gaze fixed on the tall, muscular man ahead.

At that moment, the man stood by the car's trunk, seemingly checking something. Just as Mike looked at him, the man pulled a metal box from the trunk and made eye contact with Mike.

Cold, numb eyes. His hair was disheveled, partially obscuring his face, and a finely crafted metal arm glinted under the streetlight, casting an eerie glow. The man looked like a silent beast.

The Winter Soldier!

It was the Winter Soldier!

As their gazes met, a card appeared between Mike's fingers. When the Winter Soldier pulled out his gun, Mike's card vanished, and in the next moment, he blinked and appeared right in front of the Winter Soldier.

With a swift movement, Mike knocked the gun out of the Winter Soldier's hand.

Bang! 

The gunshot rang out, the bullet shattering the car's side mirror.

Crash! 

Mike's fist slammed into the Winter Soldier's metal box, which was raised just in time to block the punch.

Both men halted for a moment. As the Winter Soldier raised his gun again, he kicked his leg toward Mike. Mike's hand brushed over the gun, dodging the attack.

A sweeping kick from the Winter Soldier came next. Mike fell backward but quickly placed his hand on the ground to steady himself. He collided with the Winter Soldier's leg, then pushed with his arm, leaping backward. As the Winter Soldier grabbed for Mike's ankle, Mike launched a fierce kick aimed at his throat, slicing through the air.

Wham! 

The Winter Soldier blocked with his metal box, while Mike rolled and landed on his feet.

Mike smirked inwardly. Is that how you learned to fight from your good buddy? 

As the Winter Soldier aimed his gun, Mike smiled.

To his surprise, the gun now lacked its barrel and muzzle.

Mike casually tossed the gun parts aside, a card appearing in his fingers. The card dissolved in a flash of light, and a Zanpakuto materialized in his hands.

The Winter Soldier's cold eyes narrowed slightly. He threw his gun toward Mike, who quickly dodged, but as he was about to use his card, he saw a grenade flying toward his car.

Mike's eyes widened, and he sprinted toward the car. A card appeared in his hand, but before he could use it, the grenade veered oddly upward, into the air.

Boom! 

A sharp explosion rang out in midair, and Eric gave him a victorious gesture.

A smile tugged at Mike's lips as he turned to face the Winter Soldier.

The man was now riding a heavy motorcycle, and Mike's card flickered and disappeared as he raised the Zanpakuto.

Sharp Shooter. 

Vroom! 

The engine roared as the motorcycle sped off into the distance.

Mike knew that whether it was his close combat abilities or his strange, instantaneous weapon summoning skills, facing the Winter Soldier was no easy feat.

His primary mission was to retrieve the serum from the silver box, and his beast-like instincts told him that if he continued the fight, he might not even make it back.

Completing the mission was always the priority. That was his purpose.

"Shoot him, Sharp Shooter."

Suddenly, a whisper, carried by the night wind, reached his ears. His heart skipped a beat, and without hesitation, he shifted his body.

Whoosh! 

A slender blade appeared from nowhere, piercing his shoulder and leaving a bloodstain. But his body only trembled slightly before he sped off on his motorcycle, disappearing into the night.

In the next instant, Mike dismissed the Zanpakuto in his hands.

"Help..."

The weak cry for help reached his ears, and Mike moved toward the source.

Saving lives came first.

Thanks to Mike's interference, the Winter Soldier didn't have time to finish off Mr. and Mrs. Stark. But if this delay continued, Mrs. Stark might not suffer, but Howard Stark would likely die without proper medical attention.

Since Mike had already intervened, he was committed to seeing this through. Otherwise, it would all have been for nothing.

Howard Stark's vision blurred, and his head buzzed. When he saw Mike approaching, his eyes were full of desperation.

"Help... help my wife first..."

Mike helped him sit up and laid him flat on the ground, inspecting his wounds.

Wow, these were severe.

Even if the Winter Soldier hadn't delivered the final two blows, if he didn't get medical help quickly, Howard would surely join the afterlife.

Mike turned to look at Howard's wife.

"Sir, I'm fine. Please, save Howard first."

Mrs. Stark's face was etched with pain, but her life was not in danger.

"Save my wife first…"

Mike couldn't help but interject, "Uh, how about you two figure things out first?"

Silence x2.

"Uh…"

Howard groaned in pain.

Mike shook his head and squatted down. A card appeared quietly between his fingers, and as the card disappeared, a soft green glow emanated, enveloping Howard. Green energy, filled with the essence of life, began swirling around him, healing his wounds.

*Name:* Rejuvenation

*Skill Description:* Continuously restores the target's health.

*Notes:* Add a little green to life, and you'll survive.

Howard watched in awe as he could feel his injuries rapidly healing. The pain he had been enduring gradually faded away as the green energy enveloped him.

Such a miraculous ability!

Howard stared at Mike in astonishment, unable to help but say, "Please, help my wife."

Mike shrugged nonchalantly, feeling a bit resigned, and once again used Rejuvenation on Mrs. Stark.

Howard was deeply grateful, gazing at Mike as though he were an angel who had pulled him back from the brink of death.

After a few seconds, the last of his pain faded. Howard climbed to his feet, and his wife stepped down from the passenger seat.

"Howard!"

Maria Stark, emotionally overcome, embraced her husband, trembling slightly.

She was still shaken.

"Barnes…"

Howard muttered the name under his breath, disbelief in his eyes.

He had thought Barnes had died in a valley years ago. But now, the man had appeared before him, causing their accident, stealing the super soldier serum, and if it weren't for Mike, the couple would likely have been killed.

Mike had saved both their lives.

Grateful, Howard held Maria tightly and looked at Mike, his voice trembling with emotion, "Sir, how can we repay you?"

Mike calmly replied, "Forget that I helped you. Pretend it never happened."

A person with miraculous abilities, but one who feared… or perhaps disliked trouble.

Howard whispered to himself, then looked deeply at Mike, "I swear, in the name of Stark, I will never speak of what you've done."

Maria nodded in agreement.

Mike finally smiled at the couple, then pointed to a nearby security camera. "Don't forget to handle that," he said.

Howard smiled back. "We won't forget."

Mike nodded, turned, and left.

"Sir, could you tell me your name?"

Mike waved his hand dismissively, not even looking back as he climbed into his car and quickly drove away.

(End of Chapter)