Inside the testing room, Zane immediately felt that familiar intrusive sensation crawling over him. Only this time, it was sharper, deeper, more intense—as if something was dissecting him down to his very core.
Damn it. This ringing is grating on my nerves. His golden eyes narrowed. Something’s different this time...
His mind raced through the possibilities.
Did they update the central processing unit last night? Unlikely. This place is too remote from the main Academy.
No, it’s not the system that changed. His fingers curled into a fist. It’s me. My senses have enhanced since my Awakening—that’s why I’m feeling this so much stronger.
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
HIGHLY INVASIVE MAGIC DETECTED!
POTENTIAL THREAT TO HOST!
PERMISSION TO NULLIFY THE SPELL?
The mechanical voice echoed in his ears.
Zane smirked. So the system finally sees this for what it is, huh?
The room pulsed with brilliant light.
Then came the familiar AI voice, smooth and sterile:
"Welcome back, Candidate Number 237—Zane Carter. Your request for a retest has been approved."
Zane scoffed under his breath. "Am I really supposed to talk to this thing?"
"Initiating the Assessment Program. Commencing synchronization. Prepare for resonance."
A deep hum filled the air. A golden pulse shot from the ceiling, bathing the entire chamber in a blinding glow.
Then, the invasive feeling spiked. Sharper. Deeper. Almost unbearable.
Zane clenched his jaw. He refused to flinch.
But just as suddenly as it had built up—
The sensation vanished.
A deep, dazzling blue array of lights spread across the room, swirling like a celestial dance.
The mechanical voice of the Artificial Intelligence attached to the room chimed.
CANDIDATE NUMBER 237—ZANE CARTER, YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY AWAKENED.
STATUS: "LATE BLOOMER" CLASSIFIED.
CURRENT RANK: LOWER GRADE E HERO (SPECIAL TRAIT).
FURTHER ASSESSMENT REQUIRED AT MAIN HERO ACADEMY.
DESIGNATED EXPERT SUPERVISION REQUIRED.
"’Late Bloomer,’ huh?" Zane muttered as the door hissed open. Tch. What a joke.
Stepping out, he found Thor Shelby waiting for him.
"Well?" Shelby asked, arms crossed.
Zane stretched his neck, rolling his shoulders. "Cleared it."
Shelby’s eyes flickered with intrigue. "Grade?"
"Lower Grade E Hero," Zane said, then smirked. "With a Special Trait."
That caught Shelby’s attention. His gaze sharpened. "Special Trait? Now that’s something you don’t hear every day."
Zane’s smirk widened.
"Yeah... let’s see what makes me so special."
Shelby nodded. "Come. I’ll handle your registration and placement."
Zane followed, leaving behind the room that had humiliated him for so long. He was no longer the failure they all believed him to be.
This was his tenth attempt at the Branch Academy of Wheeler Town. Not once had he passed the Trial Chamber. Every single time, he had been stopped at the same point—until today.
Now, for the first time, he was going beyond it—led by none other than Thor Shelby, one of the most infamous Heroes of the Academy.
As they walked, Zane took in the surroundings. The infrastructure was neat and uniform—nothing too flashy but not too shabby either. The entire academy was made up of hundreds of well-structured buildings, each standing up to five stories tall, their exteriors painted in clean white lime. The streets were well-connected, with signboards at every turn and corner, directing people toward their destinations.
But the walk was long—too long.
Zane glanced at his smartwatch.
Five and a half kilometers... and still going.
His brows furrowed. Is this another test?
He shifted his gaze toward Thor Shelby, who was walking ahead of him.
As if sensing his thoughts, Thor spoke.
"Be patient. We’re almost at the office." His voice was steady, but there was a hint of amusement. "You’re a special case—not just because of your Special Trait, but also because you’re a freaking Late Bloomer. You didn’t awaken the same way other Heroes did, which means your registration will follow special procedures—with special contracts."
Then, after a brief pause, he added, "And... forgive my words, but your father is still a Super-Villain. That complicates things."
Zane’s expression darkened slightly. He stayed silent.
Thor continued, "I plan to use the Temple this time."
Zane’s eyes widened. "Temple? You mean... the Shadow Temple of Assassins?"
The legendary name sent a chill down his spine. It was something only spoken about in whispers—a secret organization that remained nothing more than a rumor.
It had no official recognition.
No television news ever covered it.
No social media had any real footage confirming its existence.
Yet every one had heard of it.
Zane swallowed. "Do they... really exist?"
Thor didn’t answer immediately.
He simply smirked—and kept walking.
Then, for the first time, he stopped. His tone turned serious.
"They do exist," he said. "They operate in... extreme ways. But make no mistake—they are our reserve force in the shadows."
Zane listened intently.
Thor continued, "And pay close attention—every Branch Academy across the continent has a hidden Temple secretly installed by them." His eyes gleamed with knowing amusement. "And guess what? There’s one right here."
"Guess how I know about this place?"
Zane raised an eyebrow. This hero is too chatty.
How the hell would I know? It’s not like there’s a biography titled The Life and Secrets of Hero Thor Shelby.
Still, he kept his response polite. "No, sir. But I’m curious."
Thor’s smirk deepened.
"Zane, I’m a special case too—even though I don’t have a Special Trait like you." He paused. "And I happen to be from this town."
"That much I know," Zane replied. "You’re a Late Bloomer, sir. And your elemental magic energy is Thunder and Lightning."
Thor nodded. "I once met a member of the Temple. He brought me here."
They stood before an isolated area, surrounded by broken-down structures, the remains of what looked like abandoned buildings.
Zane frowned. "I see nothing here. Are we in the right place?"
Thor let out a chuckle. "Boy, you need to have a little faith."
Then, without another word, he knelt down and began caressing the soil—like some kind of geologist searching for buried treasure.
Zane watched in silence as the man trotted around, jumped from spot to spot, and even crawled on the ground.
At one point, Thor dug into the dirt, scooped up a handful... and put it in his mouth.
For a brief moment, he considered pulling out his smartphone and recording the scene.
This would go viral in seconds.
Imagine the headline: "Famous Hero Thor Shelby Caught Eating Dirt Like a Nutjob!"
But then he shook his head.
Nah. The Cyber Magical Force would hunt him down before he even hit the upload button.
Suddenly, Thor threw back his head and laughed maniacally.
"I found it!" he declared.