Mod Superhero

Chapter 5.26 - Golden Boy

Thirty-seven years ago, the Division of Superhuman Affairs, in partnership with a since-dissolved organization of the Allied States, sought to recreate the powers of the superhero, Paragon.

Samples of Paragon's skin and hair were obtained without the super's knowledge. Early attempts at cloning failed due to limited technology and a lack of cooperation from the Binary Brotherhood. However, they were able to isolate his DNA.

The next attempt at replicating Paragon's powers involved implanting adults with his DNA. Promising soldiers underwent physical, mental, and emotional screening. Three candidates were selected for the program.

The idea was to create a superhero with loyalty to the Allied States.

The experiment was a partial success. Out of three candidates, two survived. Out of the surviving candidates, one was retired due to emotional instability. The final candidate was later inducted into the Summit of Heroes and took the superhero designation of Golden Boy.

China attempted a similar program with stolen samples of Paragon's DNA. One subject survived, but the program was dissolved soon after. Their whereabouts are unknown.

To this day, the agencies of both the Allied States and China deny that any such programs existed. The true origin of Golden Boy is one of the Allied States' most closely guarded secrets.

Golden Boy possesses almost every physical ability of Paragon, though there are several notable limitations. For most measures, his abilities are described as Class 4.

The Dunamen envoys claim that their entire species possess Class 5 abilities. Though only twenty-four Dunamen have visited Earth, all possessed powers comparable to Paragon.

Biologically, the Dunamen demonstrate extreme physical strength and resilience. Their brains and bodies are capable of processing, reacting, and moving with superhuman speed, and their lifespans are measured in thousands of years. These characteristics, while impressive, do not completely describe their abilities. Taken alone, they suggest the Dunamen would only have Class 4 abilities.

Paragon's immense strength, speed, and durability defy physics, which Dunamen biology alone doesn't explain. It's thought that he also has localized reality warping powers. This is most evident when lifting objects such as ocean liners and buildings that should crumble until their own weight. Paragon is able to distribute his power evenly along those objects to keep them intact. Paragon's multi-spectral vision and laser vision also work due to this mechanism.

The other Dunamen envoys demonstrated similar localized reality-warping. It is thought that this is the key to explaining the gap in their Class 4 biology and Class 5 measurements.

Flight is the one physics-defying ability that Golden Boy possesses. Some researchers speculate that he achieves flight through sheer belief, similar to the placebo effect.

So far, scientists have not determined the mechanism for the Dunamen's reality warping powers. Due to the lack of viable DNA samples, further testing is impossible.

~

A general alert came through the Summit's system. Golden Boy hadn't thought much of it at first. The Summit had expected some unrest after the war ended—looting, riots, and so on. There were plenty of capes still in the city.

Part of the agreement between the Binary Brotherhood and the Summit of Heroes included limitations on the use of Savanus's biomechs. Savanus and Midas had dissented, but the limitations had passed with a two-thirds vote in the Brotherhood.

Automatic notifications were in use anytime the mechs engaged their weapons or anytime a large enough number were sent to a disturbance. Currently, twelve patrol groups—roughly 36 mechs—were converging on something in Eastside.