Along the way, Nyx watched the buildings and didn't find them too strange; it was still very much the way it used to be in his time—towering glass monstrosities and normal brick buildings.
But what was strange though, was the sky. There were countless oddly shaped metals hovering above the city in clock-like rotations as if they were keeping watch for something. Because there was nothing like this back in his days, Nyx was quite intrigued.
"Those are airships that monitor the city for any villains," Momo said after catching the red-haired boy gazing at the sky. "Most Heroes live there, so that they could easily come to the Public's aid in case of emergency."
"Thanks to these ships and the presence of the Heroes, villains are very cautious these days."
Nyx nodded as he learned something new about present-day earth again. Apart from the beasts populating the lost lands, this was the second most important information.
It was important because the red-haired boy would act with courtesy anytime he saw these airships above his head.
The ride was mostly silent, and soon the Lamborghini came to a stop before a towering glass building that had the words "Hero Bureau." The American flag and a 'blue flag with an eye' could be seen perched on the roof of the building. Also, there were security drones constantly patrolling the outside, scanning everything within their sight.
Mr. Momo, with his briefcase in hand, walked inside the building along with Nyx. The red-haired boy was a bit curious about why they were here in the first place, but he refrained from speaking and just went with the flow.
The Hero Bureau was kept in good condition, and the workers here looked disciplined and hardworking. They were an organization similar to the C.I.A., but their job was to keep superhumans in check. This was just one of their branches.
Momo and Nyx walked up to the counter where there was a kind-looking receptionist.
"Welcome, what can I do for you?" The receptionist said with a professional smile on her face.
"I have an appointment with Master Boris, please tell him Momo is here." Momo replied without wasting time.
"Okay." The receptionist then proceeded to make a call. After some time, she faced Nyx and Momo again.
"Please follow me."
Soon the two were walking in a quiet hallway.
"What are we even doing here?" Nyx finally asked. This was a question he wanted to ask from the beginning but had been prolonging since.
"We're here for evaluation and training," Momo said. "Bob is very strong, I need you to be prepared while facing him. The last thing I want is for you to leave the Academy."
"What kind of training?" Nyx asked. "Can I choose the type of training I want?"
Nyx was already well-versed in battle arts, so he didn't want to learn fighting skills. If possible, he wanted something that could increase his strength and let him gain exp so that he could Level up faster and unlock more features in the VES.
"Yes, you can. Anything that can make you win against Bob is fine," Momo replied. Truth be told, he was a little worried that Nyx would lose the fight against Bob.
If there was anyone that knew Bob's strength, it was Momo because he was the one who had trained the bald-haired boy firsthand.
He had witnessed Bob's rapid progress and natural talent, which made him formidable in combat. He had seen how hard the bald boy trained just to please him so that he wouldn't go back to his previous life.
'And there was that eye on his forehead,' Momo thought. 'If he was to use that, even Amelia and Von would find themselves in a dire situation.'
All in all, Bob was a significant threat that Momo feared Nyx might struggle to overcome. He had an idea of the red-haired boy's strength and limitations.
Although Nyx was skillful and experienced in martial arts, Momo knew that he required more than just skill in combat. He needed strength, a place Bob excelled at and was one of the strongest in the academy.
The reason Momo even wanted the two to face each other was that it was supposed to be a healthy spar, and he was curious about Nyx's mysterious strength, but Bob just had to turn this seemingly healthy spar into a dangerous one with high stakes, tying Momo's hands.
The best he could do was ensure that Nyx was adequately trained and prepared for the encounter because he didn't want Nyx to leave the Academy.
As they arrived at the door, the receptionist told them that it was Master Boris's office and left. Momo and Nyx walked inside and saw a blond man with a large bear stomach and scruffy beard.
"Long time no see, old friend!" Boris said with a wide smile on his face when he saw Momo walk in.
Momo returned Boris's greeting with a head nod, "Indeed, it has been too long, Boris. How have you been?"
Boris chuckled heartily, "Oh, you know, same old, same old. Dealing with the daily grind of hero work, but it's all worth it."
After exchanging pleasantries, Boris turned his attention to Nyx, giving him a curious once-over. "And who might this young lad be?"
"This is Nyx, a new recruit at the Academy. I've brought him here for evaluation and training," Momo introduced.
Boris nodded approvingly, "Ah, another promising recruit, like that boy with the funny name. Oh Bob." Boris chuckled. "Well, you've come to the right place. We'll make sure you're prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead."
"I have a series of training in my arsenal. Which one will you focus on, lad?"
"Strength training?" Nyx said without hesitation.
Boris grinned, pleased with Nyx's choice. "A wise decision, lad. Strength training will indeed serve you well. Heroes should not depend solely on their abilities as they could run out of energy cells. We'll focus on exercises that not only increase your raw power but also enhance your durability and stamina."
Energy cells, similar to mana, were essential power sources used by superheroes to fuel their extraordinary abilities and superhuman powers. These cells provide the necessary energy to activate and maintain their special abilities, ranging from super strength to flight, energy blasts, teleportation, and more.
One of the criteria for superhumans to level up from tier to tier was the increase of energy cells because this enabled them to use their abilities for a long duration of time.
This was also the reason Nyx was able to get away with Ikor's cloak as the boy had already depleted a lot of his energy cells prior to their fight.
After noting that down, Master Boris raised his head to meet Nyx. "Anything else?"
Nyx hesitated a bit before mustering the courage as he looked at Boris in the eyes.
"If possible, can I also kill someone?"