In the aftermath of the battle, Ebony Blade was busy making calls to her superiors. Despite the chaos, she confirmed that everyone had survived.

  Josh, meanwhile, was reunited with his parents. The reunion was filled with a huge sense of relief, a palpable wave of emotion as they embraced, confirming that everyone was alright. As he spoke with his parents, the teen then glanced over at Blue Lock. The hero's once-shirtless chest was now covered by a gray towel and an assortment of hastily applied bandages, wrapped around his chest, arms, and even parts of his face—a far cry from the confident warrior he usually portrayed himself as.

  When Blue Lock looked back at him, Josh hesitated, half-expecting the famously cocky hero to complain about his interference, to bristle at the fact that he had, in a way, taken away his victory.

  Instead, Blue Lock approached Josh, his expression surprisingly gentle. He placed a hand on the teen’s shoulder, the grip firm and sincere. "Thank you," he said, his voice low and genuine. "For giving me a chance to… to still fight."

  Josh looked at him, a little surprised. "I figured you and Steel Titan had a history," he explained. "And that your pride might've been… bruised if I'd taken him down on my own."

  Blue Lock then looked at him for a moment and then actually smiled, a small, weary curve of his lips. "Most heroes wouldn't care about that," he admitted. "They'd just focus on taking down the villain. Not that I can blame them for that. But what you did… it was… honorable, and…” he hesitated, a rare note of vulnerability entering his voice, "I'm sorry I didn’t take you seriously.”

  Josh laughed, the sound easy and genuine. "It's fine," he said. "After all, if I waweren your position, I'd think someone was crazy too if they thought that magic or superhuman Ki existed.”

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  A moment of comfortable silence passed between them before Josh spoke again. "That also doesn't mean you're a coward, you know."

  Blue Lock lowered his head, a shadow of pain crossing his features. "Well… some heroes have a code of honor about not killing," he explained, his voice tinged with bitterness. "They fear becoming just as bad as the criminals they fight. But for me… iIt'smore than that. I'm just… afraid of taking lives in general." He sighed, the sound heavy with regret. "Even if it involves the lives of scum like Steel Titan. And I feel ashamed of myself for that. For not doing what needs to be done… even when I have every right to do so. Especially since that bastard is a worldwide terrorist and mass murderer, and would likely be executed by the law anyway.”

  Josh listened patiently, his gaze steady and understanding. "Not taking a life isn't a weakness," he said in a calm yet firm voice. "And it's not your sole responsibility to take that life. Sure, that might change one day. You might face a life-or-death scenario where you may have no choice, like what happened to me many times over… But not killing someone when they're already beaten, when they're subdued… that's not weak."

  He paused, choosing his words carefully. "You didn't know Steel Titan was going to be rescued at the last minute," he pointed out. "So for all we knew, he was very likely going to be sentenced to death." Josh stepped closer, his gaze meeting his. "But more importantly, you don't always need to kill to protect people, and if you have to, that doesn't make you any less of a person. Focus on what you want to be as a hero. What is your own path?"

  Blue Lock stared off into the sunset, the vibrant colors reflecting in his blue eyes. A long moment passed, filled only with the sounds of the retreating emergency vehicles and the distant hum of the city. Finally, a genuine smile touched his lips, the sadness in his eyes beginning to fade.

  “If it's okay," he said, turning back to Josh, his voice softer now, more personal, "you can call me by my real name… Mike Mason."