After an hour, Kaiza had completed his quest and was rewarded accordingly.
His dedication to the system had grown beyond what even he could have imagined. His thirst for power had intensified, fueling his actions and making him more committed than ever. More importantly, he never expected that the path to gaining strength could be this easy.
Since his punishment, Kaiza had become more focused, obeying every command from the system in pursuit of something greater.
Days later, the moment had finally arrived—Kaiza was to be taken from his home to fulfill what had once been his dream: becoming a hero. However, that was no longer his desire. Despite being bound to a hero system, his motives hadn't shifted enough to make him embrace the role of the world's savior.
To Kaiza, military school was just another means to gain more power—power he needed to achieve his true goal. He wasn't going to abandon his quest for vengeance simply because a robotic system demanded he become a hero.
Unlike the other students attending military school, Kaiza was personally escorted to the airport by Luson. Most students were transported by bus, but his journey was different.
As soon as they arrived, Kaiza stepped out of the car slowly, the weight of reality settling on his shoulders. He was alone again, about to face the harsh world ahead.
"This is it," he whispered to himself as he reached for the car door. Opening it, he hesitated for a moment, taking in his surroundings.
Something felt off.
"This isn't the usual airport," Kaiza quickly noticed. Instead of the expected bustling terminal, a vast building loomed before him, its exterior marked by bold lettering.
"The Military Airline."
Kaiza read the inscription slowly, absorbing the significance of it. It was real now. He was truly on the path to becoming part of the military.
Then, something else struck him—there were only a handful of people outside the building.
"Where is everyone?" he wondered. By now, more students should have arrived. It wasn't too early—minutes past 9 a.m.—yet the place felt eerily empty.
He had seen countless documentary clips of his seniors departing for military school. In those, students gathered as early as 7 a.m., bidding their families farewell before walking away. But here he was, and no one else was around.
Just as unease crept in, a voice came from behind him.
"We are here."
He turned toward Will as soon as he heard his voice, recognizing it instantly. Kaiza knew this was going to be another moment of mixed emotions—excitement, curiosity, loneliness, sadness, and everything in between.
Just as he had imagined, Will was already clouded with loneliness, though he tried to mask it. It was something Kaiza could recognize but not relate to at the moment. He felt nothing—not sadness, not joy. His mind was fixated on only one thing: exploring his system, pushing its limits, and achieving his target, no matter what reality threw at him.
Kaiza forced a smile, but it felt unnatural and faded almost instantly.
"Head in while I grab your stuff," Luson interrupted, already making his way to the trunk.
"Don't bother, I'll carry it," Kaiza said, stopping Luson in his tracks and yanking the luggage from his grip.
Luson let go with a short smile. Kaiza swung the bag over his shoulder and turned back to Will.
"You've grown up so fast... I miss the old you," Will murmured, ruffling Kaiza's hair. His eyes were red, betraying the tears he was holding back.
Kaiza noticed but ignored whatever it meant, keeping his focus on the goal.
Just as he was about to walk away, the sound of a heavy engine rumbling made him pause. He turned toward the noise and watched as massive military buses approached the airline, moving effortlessly across the tarmac.
The buses came to a halt, and students began filing out, heading into the airport reception.
Kaiza's eyes darted across the crowd, scanning each student as they passed. Some whispered among themselves, their hushed voices echoing in the open space. Others were quiet, some visibly sad, others lost in thought.
His gaze moved rapidly, sweeping over the students marching into the military airline. There was something—or someone—he was looking for.
His eyes locked onto a figure, and a whisper escaped his lips.
"They are here!"
A smile curved on Kaiza's lips—unexpected, even to himself. It felt unnatural, almost foreign, a stark contrast to who he used to be. His old self would have never smiled upon seeing them. Instead, he would have stepped back, found a place to hide, avoided their gaze at all costs.
But now? Now, he watched them with unwavering focus.
His eyes locked onto the three students walking side by side, their strides confident as they entered the military airline.
"Let's go," Kaiza said, his voice steady, his steps deliberate. Will and Luson followed.
Each step Kaiza took was heavy with determination, a plan forming in his mind. His heels struck the ground with force, the sharp clink echoing with each step, almost as if he was smashing them down on purpose. He was. He wanted their attention.
From the way he moved, it was clear—these three were not just familiar faces; they were his enemies. He knew they had noticed his absence on the bus. He could almost hear them boasting, assuming they had a hand keeping him away.
The Lit Gang.
Kaiza's biggest tormentors from high school. The ones who made his life hell, who hit him, who humiliated him. Back then, he had no power, no way to fight back. But that weak Kaiza was gone.
Now, he was here. And he wanted them to know it.
His smile widened. His pace quickened. He walked straight toward them, his movements predatory, almost as if he were about to hunt them down.
Then—just before he reached them—someone stepped in front of him.
Kaiza was stopped.
Kaiza came to an abrupt halt, barely avoiding colliding with what he initially thought was a patterned green pole. But as he looked up, he realized—this wasn't a pole. It was a tall, imposing military officer standing directly in his path.
"Where are you heading?" the man asked, his voice firm and unwavering.
Kaiza instinctively took a step back the moment he locked eyes with the man's strong, unyielding face. The burning intensity that had fueled his steps moments ago vanished. Going from the near-wrathful determination of confronting his past tormentors to suddenly facing a military officer was a jarring shift—one that left him momentarily speechless.
"He's heading in... A... special... student..." Luson interjected smoothly.
Kaiza's gaze flickered toward Luson, who had just folded his ID card case and slipped it into his pocket.
"Morning, sir," the military officer immediately saluted Luson after glancing at the identification. Then, his eyes returned to Kaiza.
"Kaiza Lotan, son of the late Enzox Lotan."
"Yes," Luson confirmed.
"Joining the regular line would cause unnecessary distraction. He will need to take a separate route," the officer stated, directing his words solely to Luson, as if Kaiza wasn't there.
"However," Luson countered, "avoiding that distraction now won't prevent it from happening at the academy." His tone was reasonable, not sarcastic, just stating facts.
The officer took a moment to consider this before nodding. "True. But it will be more manageable there. Right now, there are too many immature recruits here."
"That's a solid point."
"Follow me," the officer instructed, leading them toward a different entrance entirely.
As the conversation unfolded, Kaiza remained still, his eyes drifting across the entrance. His focus shifted from the officer to the other military personnel scattered around. Their presence was commanding—uniforms crisp, weapons held effortlessly, their gazes sharp and scanning with precision. The sheer discipline they exuded was something he couldn't ignore.
Meanwhile, off to the side, Will stood with his phone pressed to his ear. His expression was tense, his posture stiff. The mix of emotions on his face was evident—frustration, worry, maybe even sadness.
Something was bothering him.
"As the last standing guardian of Kaiza, you are the only one we can contact. And since he isn't of legal age yet, that makes things even easier. All you have to do is sign on his behalf.
Go through the contract and proceed if you're interested.
But you know, Will, this isn't a plea. It's an order. If you don't want your little boy to learn about your little dirty secret, then release him to us.
He's worth more than your entire existence.
I'll give you a day to think it over. Aren't I generous enough?"
A soft, throaty chuckle followed before the line went dead.
Will stood frozen, his grip tightening around his phone, his mind racing. He had no words, no immediate reaction—just a heavy, sinking feeling in his chest.
A sigh escaped him, long and strained.
Then, Luson's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He quickly masked his emotions, brightening his face with forced ease as he turned to follow them inside.