Is He a Hero?

(1.5) Unwanted Meetings

"We're just here to take care of some business..."

Leon stared at the knife pointed straight at his heart, the grin of the man wielding it larger than ever.

"Let me guess." Leon started, unfazed by the blade. "Is it the business where I hand over everything in the register?"

"Not really, but I don't mind an added bonus."

"Well, whatever it is you plan to do, let me give you a piece of advice." The boy said, staring directly into the man's eyes.

"And what would that be..." The man asked sarcastically, the grin disappearing as Leon talked.

"You should've brought a gun."

Leon grabs the man's wrist and brings his arm forward. Before the man can react, Leon drives his arm down, his elbow aimed right at the edge of the counter.

*Snap!*

"Ahh!" The man drops his knife as Leon breaks his arm. Using his free hand, Leon grabs the back of the man's head and drives it down to the counter.

The man's face is smashed into the counter as he crumples to the ground. Before the others could react, Leon reaches his hand down to a button placed on the underside of the counter.

He pressed it twice in quick succession before ducking down as a knife was thrown his way.

"I'll fuck you up!" The man who threw the knife at Leon grabs another from his pocket as he and the others rush Leon.

The boy stops them as he aims his palm at the three. The air gathers in his hands and blasts toward the three, knocking them back a few feet. One is sent flying and crashes into a window, cracking but not breaking the window.

The boy turned to the frightened girl close to him.

"Run Yui!" Leon leaps over the counter as Yui runs into the kitchen.

One of the men rushes Leon and swipes at the boy with his blade. Stepping back, Leon shoots another ball of air towards him, causing him to fall to the ground.

Another of the troublemakers takes his place, with a hatchet in hand he takes a wild swing at Leon, forcing him to step back, the troublemaker following through with more swings.

'He's inexperienced, but too unpredictable to find an opening.'

After a few more swings, the troublemaker swings a little too wide, leaving Leon to step forward. He grabs the upper handle of the hatchet and shoulder-checks the troublemaker in the chest, forcing him to let go of the hatchet.

The troublemaker stumbles back as the first man Leon knocked to the ground rushes back. Distracted, Leon barely notices the man in time to avoid the blade heading his way. His step-back not in time as the man's knife slices Leon's arm.

The boy grits his teeth in pain, gathering a ball of fire and punching the man with his fire-engulfed fist, knocking the man out as he crashes into the counter.

Leon isn't able to celebrate his small victory as a pair of muscular arms wrap around Leon's neck. Pressing the boy into a headlock, the man holding him struggles to hold Leon still as the boy tries to break the headlock.

The leader of the pack, whose face was smashed into the counter and arm broken by Leon, gains consciousness. Seeing the boy who broke his arm (and most likely his nose) in a vulnerable position, the leader slowly gets up as he orients himself. When he's on his feet he rushes to the boy slowly losing air.

The boy manages to turn and see the leader coming towards him. He waits as the leader gets closer.

When he gets into his range, Leon kicks the man straight in the stomach. The kick knocks the leader back but also sends the boy and the man holding him into the wall behind them. While propped against the wall, Leon heats up his hands with his power and presses his fingertips on the man's arms.