Celestus Academy is a school, an institution designed to nurture Heroes.
Stepping out of the vehicle as Gordo held the door open, Echo Maxwell gazed at the building where he would be studying. Only one word came to mind to describe it: Fortress. The main building was a mammoth structure of sleek, aerodynamic lines that gave it a futuristic look. Shimmering glass and reinforced steel reflected the sunlight, casting brilliance on the ground. The floor was made of polished stone, with pathways leading to various parts of the campus.
Echo glanced at the towering spires around the main building, glowing intermittently.
The academy was adorned with lush, carefully trimmed gardens, filled with vibrant flora and fauna that radiated peace and calm. Encircling the campus was a light blue transparent dome, an energy-efficient barrier, exuding a protective aura. Holographic displays appeared in the air from time to time, showing news, motivational messages, and celebrating the school's Heroes and their achievements.
The parking lot was filled with vehicles, ranging from simple to incredibly expensive. The people stepping out of them all moved in the same direction—toward the entrance of Celestus.
Echo observed the students who had passed the Examination, all wearing the same uniform as him. His eyes scrutinized each one, until a nudge on his shoulder made him turn toward the two-meter-tall, muscle-packed figure beside him.
"What is it?" he asked.
"That young woman is into you," Gordo said with a mischievous smile, nodding toward a woman in the distance who was looking in their direction.
Echo turned to where Gordo was pointing, and sure enough, someone was staring intently at him. She had black twintails, glasses perched on her small nose, and sparkling eyes that seemed to pierce his soul. She wore the Celestus female uniform, clutching books in her arms. It was only the start of the school year, yet she was already hugging books, which is quite strange.
"Ignore her," he said, sighing and narrowing his eyes at the peculiar nerd.
"I think a smart woman would suit you, Sir," Gordo remarked, watching as the young woman turned and walked toward the entrance.
"That's enough," Echo smiled. "I should get going now. Do whatever you want for the moment. I'll call you when I need you."
"Alright!" Gordo nodded.
---
Echo entered the main building of Celestus Academy along with the other students who had passed the exam. The first thing that caught his eye was the giant statue in the center of the hall.
The statue stood at the heart of the main hall, made of gold that shimmered in the sunlight. Its fists were clenched and raised above its head, as if celebrating victory. The eyes were carved with an expression of determination, radiating firmness and absolute might. Every fine detail of the suit, from the ridges of the armor to the emblem of The Fist etched into the chest, was intricately depicted. The cape, frozen in mid-billow behind the statue's back, captured the dramatic flow of the wind.
Around the statue, holographic screens floated, showcasing the feats of the living legend. He had punched a hole through a hundred-meter-tall Untamed that resembled a mythological Dragon, razed a city of Undead with a single kick, and pushed back a falling meteor—feat after feat displayed for all to see.
The passers couldn't help but stop in their tracks, marveling at the number one Hero. Their eyes shifted back and forth between the floating screens.
Echo glanced at the base of the otherworldly statue, where a stone slab was raised. The slab held a simple inscription about the identity of the golden figure.
"The World Breaker Herman," he muttered, a small smile playing on his face. It was cold—clearly mocking.
Following the crowd, he walked past the statue and into the stadium where the opening ceremony would be held.
As Echo entered the venue, his Aether Brace vibrated, and a translucent screen hovered over it, with words materializing.
"Identity Confirmed. Echo Maxwell, Normal Hero. Please proceed to seat F-10."
Echo looked around, quickly spotting his seat in the back row of the hundreds of benches.
Nothing surprising.
He walked toward his seat and sat down. He was the first to arrive in his section, though other passers were slowly filling the venue. Their voices echoed, giving the area a lively buzz.
As he waited for the ceremony to begin, the crowd suddenly erupted in exclamations.
News spread quickly, reaching Echo's ears.
"They're here! That's Lyka the Lyrical! And Carlo the Ultra Potential, and Michelle the Sword Piercer…"
Echo recognized a few familiar names. Glancing toward the entrance, he saw them: two women and one man. The women were deep in conversation, clearly ignoring the red-haired, thin young man who was trying to butt into their discussion. These were the so-called fated heroes, famous even before they had become Official Heroes due to their potential and abilities. While there were other fated ones, they are the most well-known in Sentinel City.
However, what really caught his attention—well, most of theirs—was the next person who entered the stadium.
"Dianne," Echo muttered. Her black hair, dark as the night sky, cascaded down to her waist. Her eyes resembled the universe itself, but "Death" was the word that best described them. She wore the female Celestus Academy uniform, nearly identical to the men's, except with a blue lapel instead of black and blue edges on the slacks.
The young men around him were awestruck by her beauty. Even Maxwell couldn't deny it.
Dianne glanced at her Aether Brace, expressionless, before walking to her seat. She moved with the stillness of water, showing no emotion.
Echo followed her movements, not wanting to miss a second. Then, he felt a piercing gaze tugging at his heart. It was the same gaze he had felt in the parking lot, but this time there was something else…
He turned toward the woman sitting beside Dianne, and their eyes met. Echo quickly looked away from the nerd. She was pouting, her knuckles white as she clutched her books tightly, her gaze still fixed on him even though he was now looking at the platform in the distance.
Thankfully, someone soon sat beside him, and the gaze vanished, likely because she could no longer see him. Echo smiled in relief—he didn't want to feel that suffocating sensation again. But he is going to make sure that she will taste her own medicine, in a different way.
Echo, along with the others, waited for all the chairs to be filled. Once the scheduled time arrived, the entrance doors shut tight.
A person walked onto the stage, stopping in front of the podium where a floating orb hovered above.
Seeing this, the passers sat up straight.