As the door swung open, Claire's heart leapt into her throat. She had just finished gathering herself after the ordeal with Su Zhan when her adoptive father, Noah Bennet, stormed into the room. His eyes darted to her first, scanning her face and body for any sign of harm, and then flicked to Su Zhan, who stood calmly by the window.
"Dad, how come you're here?" Claire blurted out, startled by his sudden appearance.
Noah's gaze softened for a moment as he saw that Claire was unharmed. "Sweetheart, are you alright?" he asked, his voice low and careful. He looked her over, eyes lingering on her clothes, searching for any sign of distress.
"I'm fine, Dad. Really?" Claire replied, forcing a reassuring smile. She glanced at Su Zhan, unsure how to explain his presence. "He—" she started, but Noah cut her off gently.
"It's alright, honey. Can you wait for me outside for a minute? I need to talk to him," Noah said, his tone calm but firm.
Claire hesitated, glancing between the two men. Su Zhan gave her a small, reassuring nod and a gentle smile. "Go ahead, Claire. I'll be fine," he said softly.
With a reluctant nod, Claire slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. The moment she was gone, Noah's gentle demeanor vanished. He crossed the room in two long strides, grabbing Su Zhan by the collar and pinning him against the wall.
"Who are you, and what have you done to my daughter?" Noah demanded, his voice low and cold, his grip unyielding.
Su Zhan did not resist. He met Noah's fierce gaze with calm composure, his voice steady. "What do you think I did?"
Noah's jaw clenched. He was a father first, and his entire life had been a web of secrets, lies, and half-truths. But one thing was certain: he loved Claire and would do anything to protect her. Even if that meant confronting a stranger with powers beyond his understanding.
Su Zhan understood this. He respected Noah's protectiveness. With a gentle motion, he loosened Noah's grip and straightened his clothes, never once losing his composure. "If you're worried that I've hurt your daughter, you can rest easy. I know what you heard outside the door probably sounded suspicious, but as you can see, she's perfectly fine."
Noah's eyes narrowed, suspicion warring with relief. "Who are you?" he repeated, this time with more urgency.
Su Zhan smiled, extending a hand. "My name is Su Zhan. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bennet."
Noah ignored the gesture, his hand drifting toward his concealed weapon. "What did you do to Claire?" he pressed, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Relax. Actually, you and I are not so different. We both want to protect Claire," Su Zhan replied. He paused, letting the words sink in. "I know you work at a paper company, but in reality, you're part of a special organization that tracks people with abilities. Maybe you adopted Claire as part of an assignment at first, but over the years, you became her real father. You've done everything you could to keep her safe, to make sure her ability was never discovered, and to keep her by your side."
Noah's face went pale. He shook his head, trying to deny it, but the truth was written in his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."
He turned away, his hand slipping into his jacket. In a flash, he spun back, gun drawn, the muzzle pointed straight at Su Zhan's chest. "How do you know all this? Are you one of them? Are you special?"
Su Zhan did not flinch. With a subtle gesture, the gun snapped out of Noah's grip and flew into Su Zhan's hand. He examined it, then pointed it at his own arm.
"Watch closely," Su Zhan said. He pulled the trigger. The silenced shot rang out, and the bullet pierced his arm. Blood welled for a moment, but before Noah's astonished eyes, the wound closed, the skin knitting together in seconds until there was no trace of injury.
Noah stared, stunned. "You—what are you?"
Su Zhan smiled, flexing his arm. "This ability is impressive. It's not just my own healing at work. I can feel Claire's power merging with my own. The process is not complete yet, but it's already faster than anything I've experienced before."
Noah's mind raced. "You took Claire's ability?" he asked, his voice hoarse with disbelief. "Are you Sylar?"
The name hung in the air like a curse. Sylar, the infamous killer who hunted people with powers, stealing their abilities by force. Noah's hand trembled as he waited for Su Zhan's answer.
Su Zhan shook his head, his voice gentle but firm. "Please, if I were Sylar, Claire wouldn't be alive right now. I can take abilities without harming anyone. You don't have to worry about your organization finding her or about her being in danger. She's safe now."
Noah let out a long, shaky breath, the tension in his shoulders easing. He studied Su Zhan for a moment, then slowly reached out to take back his gun. He holstered it, his eyes never leaving Su Zhan's face.
"You've solved a problem I never thought could be fixed," Noah admitted quietly. "I appreciate that. But I can't just trust you. Not yet."
Su Zhan nodded in understanding. "That's fair. I'm not asking for your trust, only your understanding."
Noah hesitated, then turned and left the room without another word.
Su Zhan moved to the window and watched as Claire and Noah reunited by the car. Claire glanced up and saw him waving with a bright smile. Su Zhan returned the gesture, feeling a genuine warmth in his chest.
Suddenly, the system's voice echoed in his mind. "Claire Bennett, friendship increased by thirty percent. Total friendship reached ninety-five percent. The fighting field has been unlocked. Claire Bennett has entered the fighting field."
Su Zhan sat down on the edge of the bed, considering this new development. "So, the fighting field is open now," he mused aloud.
The system responded, its tone matter-of-fact. "Once a character enters the fighting field, their status can be updated at any time. If the character regains their ability, the fighting field version can be refreshed. In addition, the fighting field can increase friendship. The higher the friendship percentage, the greater the chance of bringing the character out of the fighting field and into your own world."
Su Zhan's eyes lit up with interest. "So that's how it works. This could be more useful than I thought."
He closed his eyes and focused, willing himself into the fighting field. The world shifted around him, and suddenly he stood in a vast, featureless arena. Claire appeared across from him, looking just as she had moments before, her expression calm and unafraid.
"Su Zhan?" She called, her voice echoing in the emptiness.
He smiled. "Welcome to the fighting field, Claire. Here, you can train, fight, and grow stronger without any risk. If you ever regain your ability, you'll be able to use it here."
Claire looked around, awe and curiosity in her eyes. "It's… strange, but kind of amazing."
Su Zhan nodded. "You can come here anytime you want. And the more we work together, the stronger our bond will become. Maybe one day, you'll be able to leave this place and join me in my world."
Claire smiled, hope shining in her eyes. "I'd like that."
As the two of them stood together in the endless arena, Su Zhan realized that the fighting field was more than just a place for battle. It was a space for growth, for connection, and for forging bonds that could transcend worlds.
And as he reached out to take Claire's hand, he knew that, for the first time, he was not just collecting powers. He was building something far more meaningful.