After saying goodbye to Peter, Cardo departed from the Fire Nation and made his way to the Land of Waves at an incredible speed.
---
Land of Waves – Shipping Company
"President… Is that you?" the security guard at the entrance asked, utterly stunned.
Cardo gave a slight nod. He didn't stop to answer but walked straight into the building, ignoring the guard's shock.
As he stepped into his office, Cardo felt strangely disoriented. Just days ago, he had been an ordinary businessman. Now, he possessed superhuman strength. The sudden shift in his identity was unsettling, and his mind buzzed with questions he couldn't answer.
Just then, a firm knock came at the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in," Cardo said.
A bald man in sunglasses entered. The moment he laid eyes on Cardo, he froze. Then, as if doubting his own sight, he took off his sunglasses and widened his eyes in disbelief.
"President, what happened to you?! How did you change so much?"
It had only been a few days since Cardo left for the Fire Nation, yet he had grown taller, bulkier, and more imposing. The transformation was nothing short of miraculous.
"Did the milk in the Fire Nation really make you grow taller?" the bald man muttered under his breath, half-joking.
Cardo didn't respond. Instead, he furrowed his brow and asked coldly, "What do you want?"
Snapping back to reality, the bald man composed himself and walked over to sit across from Cardo. "Boss, a new batch of goods just arrived today. Do you want to inspect them?"
Although Cardo was the president of the shipping company in name, the real source of income came from smuggling contraband. Under normal circumstances, Cardo would have jumped at the opportunity to evaluate the new merchandise.
But not today.
Instead of excitement, a wave of melancholy washed over him. He couldn't explain why, but his chest felt tight—heavy with discomfort, like something deep within him was resisting what he used to do.
After a long pause, Cardo finally said, "Let's go."
"Okay!" The bald man quickly stood up and led the way.
---
At the Port
Soon, the two arrived at the dock. A large black ship was moored there. Several workers were unloading wooden crates and stacking them neatly on the dock.
Once the crates were all unloaded, the ship turned and departed without hesitation.
The bald man approached one of the crates, opened it, and pulled out a bag filled with a fine white powder. Holding it up with a smug grin, he said, "President, this batch looks fantastic. We're going to make a fortune!"
Cardo narrowed his eyes at the sight of the bag. That heaviness in his chest intensified. His breath quickened, and a strange discomfort crept through his body, as if something deep inside him was rebelling against what he was seeing.
He clenched his fists. He knew what this feeling was—his boss had warned him about it before.
The serum.
It didn't just enhance the body; it reshaped the soul. Slowly but surely, it would mold its user into someone who sought justice, someone who couldn't tolerate evil.
As the old saying goes: With great power comes great responsibility.
If you possessed power far beyond that of ordinary people, then you should use it to help others, not for selfish gain.
Cardo could feel the change beginning. Whether he wanted it or not, the serum was altering him—from a ruthless smuggler to a man burdened with a sense of justice.
"Maybe… this is the price of becoming strong," he whispered.
It reminded him of that legend from the West—Captain America. Perhaps, in this part of the world, he would become something similar.
The Captain of the Island Nation…
The bald man, noticing Cardo's strange expression, asked, "President, are you alright?"
"I don't think we should continue doing things that go against our conscience," Cardo said calmly.
The bald man blinked, stunned. "Huh? What did you just say?"
Did he hear that correctly? The man who brought him into the black-market trade was now talking about conscience?
Completely confused, the bald man asked cautiously, "President… did you sneak a puff of something while I wasn't looking?"
Cardo's mouth twitched. He nearly lost his footing in disbelief at the absurd question.
Then, without warning, he raised his leg and kicked a crate with such force that it shot off the dock and splashed into the sea.
The bald man stood frozen, mouth agape. He couldn't believe what he just saw.
Was it the strength or the act that shocked him more?
"You're crazy!" he finally blurted. "That crate was worth a fortune!"
Cardo didn't answer. Instead, he walked to the next crate and kicked it into the ocean too. One by one, he sent the crates flying into the sea with thunderous splashes.
Only one crate remained—the one the bald man had opened earlier.
Cardo's gaze drifted to the horizon, where the departing ship was still visible.
With a deep breath, he suddenly turned and kicked the last crate with all his might.
The box launched like a cannonball, whistling through the air before striking the ship with a deafening crash.
BOOM!
The force of the impact was unimaginable. The ship split cleanly into two and began to sink, disappearing beneath the waves within seconds.
The bald man stood motionless, completely dumbfounded. He wanted to curse but couldn't even form the words.
Cardo's power… it was monstrous.
How could anyone return from a trip to the Fire Nation and gain such strength? Even the most powerful ninja masters couldn't perform such feats!
The bald man suddenly realized that Cardo was now looking directly at him. That gaze made his skin crawl.
Oh no… he's going to kick me next!
Trembling, the bald man stammered, "P-President… y-you're absolutely right! We shouldn't throw away our conscience just for money…"
Cardo nodded, then reached out and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm glad you understand."
The bald man let out a massive sigh of relief. Thank goodness he wasn't the next target.
Cardo smiled. "From now on, we'll do honest business."
"Yes! Absolutely! I'll do everything legally from now on!" the bald man said, nodding like a bobblehead.
"Good. Then starting today, you are the new president of the shipping company."
"Huh? I'm the president? Then… what about you?"
Cardo looked out at the glimmering sea. After a long pause, he said quietly, "I plan to step down… and maintain world peace."
The bald man's jaw dropped. He blinked rapidly. Did he just say he wanted to… maintain world peace?
Is he hallucinating from stress?
But then he remembered what he just witnessed—the destruction of a ship with a single kick. If anyone had the power to uphold world peace, it was Cardo.
The bald man suddenly became emotional. "President! I believe in you! You can do it!"
Cardo smiled warmly. "You just focus on running this company the right way. I'll check in on you from time to time."
"Yes! I'll definitely make the company bigger and stronger!"
"I believe in you."
As he looked down at his torn suit, Cardo chuckled. If he was going to be a hero, he needed a new look first.
After all, no one would take a superhero seriously if he was dressed like a ragged CEO.
"Time to get myself a proper outfit before I start saving the world," he muttered to himself.