Incident[3]

Alaric Grant stood motionless in front of the cameras, his legendary-ranked aura making even the bravest of reporters hesitate. His sharp features and piercing gaze carried an air of authority, yet his eyes constantly flicked to his watch. He was waiting.

Behind him, two men in black suits and dark glasses stood like statues, their presence alone signaling that something important was about to unfold.

I watched the press conference from my dorm room, staring at the massive LED screen that lit up the entire wall.

Then—

A hush fell over the crowd.

The once-overlapping voices of reporters vanished. The only sound remaining was the constant clicking of cameras.

A tall figure strode forward through the silence.

Claudius Throne.

The number-one-ranked hero of the EHA.

His blood-red eyes shone against his golden hair, and even through the screen, I could feel the pressure of his presence. He wore a sleek black suit, the same as Alaric, but somehow, it looked different on him—as if power itself was stitched into the fabric.

He took the microphone and spoke in a deep, solemn voice.

> "I thank everyone present here. This press conference is to inform the general public that the sudden attacks happening in the last few weeks are now under control. The appearance of the red humanoid figures has been contained. There is no need to worry."

I stared at him through the screen, barely blinking.

The EHA—the Elite Hero Association—was the true power in this world. Even though the government still existed, EHA's raw strength far surpassed it.

The world had changed drastically after the apocalypse.

Billions of people had perished, and many countries had ceased to exist.

Now, only nine nations remained—one of them being Lumina, my home.

Lumina was a fortress nation, built upon the ruins of what was once a thriving continent. It had survived through sheer military and magical strength, producing some of the strongest heroes in the world.

Our country had:

One Invincible-ranked hero: Claudius Throne, the strongest hero in Lumina and the leader of EHA.

Two Legendary-ranked heroes:

Alaric Grant, the vice leader of EHA.

Vex Dorian, who mysteriously left EHA to become the principal of our academy.

Why had he left?

No one knew.

 I doubted we'd ever find out.

---

The Announcement Continues

Stepping forward now was Eleanor Vance, the third-ranked hero of EHA.

She was tall and elegant, her long black hair flowing over her sleek black suit. A subtle but dangerous aura surrounded her.

She adjusted her glasses before speaking.

> "Even though the situation has been temporarily resolved, we lack crucial information about these red humanoid figures. As a precaution, all jobs and academies will be closed for the next few months. Students are advised to remain in their dorms. However, this is not compulsory, as S-ranked heroes will be guarding the cities."

I clenched my fists.

I knew what I had to do.

Staying here, waiting for things to unfold, was not an option.

Professor John had died. Five professors and two fourth-year students had perished in the attack.

It had been three days since their funeral.

I was still grieving, but more than that—I was angry.

Angry at myself.

I had been helpless during the attack. I had stood there, watching as stronger people fought.

That needed to change.

I needed to become strong—fast.

There was so much at stake.

My parents.

The note I found.

The threat of the red humanoids.

Professor John's death.

All these things weighed on me, but instead of breaking me—they pushed me forward.

---

The Plan: Xylor

I left the academy the next day.

More than 90% of students stayed in the dorms for safety. But I didn't care.

I knew where I needed to be.

I returned home, where Silia welcomed me.

When I told her I needed to get stronger fast, she simply smiled.

> "There is a way."

She told me about Planet Xylor.

A place where time moved slower.

> One day on Earth = Ten days on Xylor.

That meant six months on Earth would be five years on Xylor.

Five years...

I could become powerful in five years.

Yes.

I needed that.

I made my decision immediately.

Silia and I planned the trip that night.

We copied artifacts, prepared supplies, and strategized our training.

Time passed quickly.

By the time we were finished—

It was time to leave.

And with that, I took my first step toward true strength.