---
The sky was alive with crackling energy as the Incredible Forces battled with relentless power. Explosions echoed, and mighty enemies fell before their might. I stood atop a pile of debris, momentarily mesmerized, while my teammates moved through the chaos, scavenging for something useful.
"Don't just stand there, Richard!" Sasha's voice pierced the noise.
I turned toward her voice. Sasha wasn't the type to charge headfirst into danger. Usually, she'd sit things like this out. But today, with the Incredible Forces in action, she was fully committed.
"I'm coming!" I yelled back, snapping into motion.
Jumping down from the debris, I barely regained my footing when something—a blur—swept me off the ground. The world spun, and I hit the ground hard. Shaking off the dizziness, I tapped my communication device to contact Aspen.
"There's a blur!" I reported.
"You're a blur yourself; that shouldn't be a problem," Aspen's distorted voice replied, almost amused.
"He caught me off guard!" I muttered, exasperated, just as the connection cut out.
Regaining my composure, I sped toward the heart of the battle. The air was thick with destruction: collapsing buildings, screams of civilians, and the thunderous sounds of heroes fighting.
I spotted a mother clutching her daughter inside a half-collapsed skyscraper. They looked terrified but relieved to see me. Without hesitation, I grabbed them, shielding their necks from the whiplash as I sped them 90 blocks away to safety.
Their grateful voices echoed in my mind as I raced back to the battlefield.
"We're done here," Aspen announced when I returned. The team was already regrouping.
"We didn't even get a chance to prove ourselves!" Rachel protested, arms crossed.
Aspen patted her head. "We've done enough. The Incredible Forces have this under control. If we join now, we'd only be in the way," Alpha-Omega added.
A pang of disappointment hit me, but I stayed silent.
"Let's regroup at the tower. I'll report to the Incredible Forces," Aspen said. With that, our superjet descended from its concealed position in the clouds.
---
The ride back to the Seven Tower was uneventful, though my mind churned with thoughts. The Council meeting loomed closer, and I had no idea how to approach it.
As we exited the jet, Finn caught up with me, his voice eager.
"Hey, hey! That was fun, wasn't it? And believe me, I didn't want to say this, but we're actually starting to get along!"
"Yeah, you could say that," I replied with a faint smile.
"Speaking of getting along…" Finn hesitated.
"What is it?" I asked, sensing his shift in tone.
"There's this girl who's caught my attention," he admitted, his usual timid demeanor replaced with surprising confidence.
A chill crept down my spine. "Who?"
"Tiana," he said, and her name hit me harder than I expected.
"O-oh," I stammered, my throat suddenly dry.
"If you could talk to her for me… You two seem close," he added, his hopeful expression unwavering.
I forced a nod. "Let me see what I can do," I said, my disinterest poorly masked.
We joined the others at the elevator, the ride up heavy with silence until the soft ding announced our arrival.
"Get some rest, everyone. And Richard—get to school!" Aspen commanded.
The reminder struck me—it was Monday.
"You've already missed first and second period. Miss Hazel doesn't tolerate tardiness," Aspen warned, his tone serious.
Groaning, I made my way to my room. Turning a corner, I froze. Tiana stood in the hallway, her presence as unexpected as it was unsettling.
"Hey, T," I greeted, feigning calm.
She didn't even look at me, disappearing into her room without a word. Sighing, I unlocked my door and stepped inside.
After a long bath, I dressed in a sleek black long-sleeved top and matching trousers, finishing the look with a red scarf. Aspen escorted me to HLA, bypassing security as usual.
---
The classroom was enormous, arranged like a stadium with rows of chairs ascending from a central podium. All eyes turned toward me as I entered, drawing unwanted attention.
At the podium stood a striking woman. Her golden hair, irises, and attire radiated an aura of authority. Despite her youthful appearance, her presence felt ancient and commanding.
"Why are you late?" she asked, her smooth voice carrying a weight that demanded respect.
Her words froze me. Her voice was smooth and it carried an authority that far outweighed that of Eldon. Unlike the other heroes and super people I'd met, her aura was strangely suppressed. It was like she was a normal human without powers. If I hadn't heard her speak, I wouldn't have known her power level. If I were to be on my suit, she would scale on cosmic or perhaps universal, if not higher.
I heard her speak for about fifty three seconds now but her aura just wouldn't let me speak I couldn't decide whether to feel terrified, respectful, or indifferent.
"I asked, why are you late?" she repeated, her tone sharp but calm.
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Her mood suddenly changed as soon as she noticed how terrified I was. She slowly stepped of the stage and walked to me. My heart kept racing as she approached. Her face was already back to normal as though she was excited. She came so close to me I could see the faint gradient of green in her golden irises. She placed her hand on my cheek softly, her golden eyes piercing into mine.
"You're fourteen minutes, thirty-two seconds late," she said, her hand brushing my cheek lightly. "You're the new recruit in the Super Seven."
The room erupted in whispers. Raising her hand, she silenced them instantly.
"I'm Hazel," she introduced herself, her smile disarming yet intimidating.
Aspen's warning echoed in my mind. Now I understood why he dreaded her so much.
---
"There are empty chairs up there, pick whichever one suits you, seven." She said and I felt like I was being publicized.
As I walked up to seat, she continued teaching, her commanding presence drawing everyone's attention.
"What's the truest essence of a mana core?" she asked, her voice calm yet weighty.
A student raised his hand. "For any mage, it's to harness the Galactic Enchantment—the highest form of magecraft."
Miss Hazel nodded slightly. "Partially correct. The Galactic Enchantment can be attained in various ways: through the Elm of the Goddess Elsa, infinite mana, or being born into a divine bloodline. But it's not just about attaining it—it's about using it."
She stepped closer to the students, her tone growing sharper.
"The power of the Galactic Enchantment lies in its ability to neutralize any being—god or mortal. Once your mana output surpasses your opponent's, the enchantment activates, regardless of their strength."
Her gaze swept across the room before landing on me.
"Richard up there is a case study," she announced, pointing toward me.
The room erupted into murmurs again, and I felt the weight of her words settle on me.
"When he stepped in, I placed him under my Galactic Enchantment to test his power capabilities. If he were even at a country-level, he could have spoken. But as you saw, he couldn't."
Realization struck me, and my face flushed.
"But today, I'll teach you the basics of using Galactic Enchantment. For some of you, it'll take years to master. For the gifted, just a few months," she added, stepping back toward the podium.
Her lesson shifted to channeling mana. "First, you need to learn how to channel your mana output into your imagination."
The class erupted in disbelief at her statement. Channeling mana into imagination was thought to be impossible. Miss Hazel smiled knowingly and raised her hand, silencing the room instantly. It was almost as if she was using telekinesis to shut their mouths.
"It's difficult, but not impossible," she reassured.
Then her tone lightened. "Now, let's move on to something more practical—projecting mana as a projectile. This will help you harness and direct your power effectively."
She called a student, Owen, to demonstrate. His excitement was palpable as he stepped forward. "Choose an opponent," she instructed.
Owen pointed at me.
Reluctantly, I stood, feeling the collective gaze of the class. Their whispers revealed that Miss Hazel's earlier spotlight on me had elevated my reputation, whether I wanted it or not.
As I walked down, I resolved to end this demonstration quickly. I pushed open the barricade's door and stepped onto the practice floor.
Owen extended his hand. "I'm Owen."
"Richard," I replied, shaking his hand.
"Yea, Richard of the Seven," he said, letting out a smirk.
Miss Hazel observed us with a faint smile. "Forming a projectile is the foundation of mana manipulation," she explained. Raising her hand, she formed an ice spike with her fingers and fired it. The spike dissolved before it reached us. Though we had already activated our shields in self defense.
"Like that," she said simply. "Close your eyes, breathe, and feel your mana circulation. Project it into your fingers."
Following her instructions, Owen closed his eyes, his excitement palpable. I did the same but quickly realized my powers were quite different from everyone's. They came from the stray dark matter wave during last year's siege and so my own mana circulation would be a lot different.
A sharp crackling sound snapped me out of focus. Everything slowed as my speed activated. Owen had successfully created a projectile and fired it at me. I reacted instinctively, charging my fist with lightning and releasing a counterblast.
The collision sent Owen flying across the room, crashing into the wall. Smoke and sparks filled the air as I stood there, fists clenched.
The room erupted in gasps and murmurs. Miss Hazel's eyes widened briefly before she regained composure.
"This is where we'll stop for today," she announced, walking over to Owen. With a simple gesture, she healed him and put him to sleep.
"In our next session, we'll discuss mana circulation. For now, class dismissed."
Surprise lingered in my face as I realized she'd just make us practice the next session's topic, just what kind of a teacher was she?
The bell rang, and the students began filing out.
---
As I turned to leave, Miss Hazel called out, "Richard."
I paused, looking back at her.
"Your mana output is… unusual," she said, her curiosity evident.
"I get that a lot," I replied, avoiding her gaze. "Everything here revolves around magecraft, and I don't exactly fit that mold."
She studied me for a moment before muttering to herself, "Now I get it…"
I heard her words through my sense of vibrations right before she walked away. Her beauty was striking, but my thoughts drifted to Tiana, whose face carried a familiar warmth I couldn't place.
Miss Hazel stopped halfway to the exit, turning back. "The Council awaits you," she said, her voice firm.
As she disappeared down the hallway, a heavy sigh escaped me. The day wasn't over yet, and my journey was just beginning.