The Helix Tower - Hero Association HQ Top Floor: The Director's Office
The room was sterile, white, and cold. The only color came from the panoramic window overlooking the city—a city that looked peaceful from this height, hiding the rot beneath.
Director Vance stood by the window, swirling a glass of amber liquid. He didn't turn around when the elevator doors hissed open.
"Report," he said softly.
The silver-haired sniper, Agent Silvia, stepped out. Her face was bandaged where her rifle scope had shattered into her skin. She walked with a limp, her pride hurt more than her leg.
"Target escaped, Director," Silvia reported, her voice tight. "He possesses an unknown ability set. He neutralized Hammerhead by... melting his structural integrity. And he stopped a Mach 3 projectile in mid-air."
Vance paused, the glass freezing near his lips. "Telekinesis?"
"No," Silvia corrected. "Telekinesis pushes or pulls. This was... different. He didn't stop the bullet with force; he stole its momentum. The bullet simply forgot it was moving."
Vance turned around. His face was a map of sharp angles and ruthless intelligence. "And the cargo?"
"Secure. But the thief made contact with the Subject's tissue. He siphoned energy from the Arm before fleeing."
Vance's expression darkened. He threw the glass against the wall. Crash. The sound echoed like a gunshot in the silent room.
"He touched the Divinity," Vance whispered, genuine fear creeping into his eyes for the first time. "If he analyzes that energy signature... if he figures out what Atlas really is... the entire illusion collapses."
He walked over to his desk and pressed a red button.
"Initiate Protocol: Silence. Scrub the security footage from the docks. Put a Level 5 Kill Order on this 'Concept Thief'. I want his head on my desk before the week ends."
Silvia saluted. "Understood. And... what about Atlas? Does he know?"
Vance smiled, a cold, reptilian expression. "Our Golden Boy knows only what we tell him. He thinks he's saving the world. Let's keep it that way."
Noah's Safehouse - Sector 9
Noah sat on the floor of his damp apartment, legs crossed in a meditative pose. The migraine had faded to a manageable throb.
In front of him, the System interface was glowing with unusual intensity.
[Analysis Complete] [Source: Biological Sample (Atlas)] [Concept Identified: "Faith"]
"Faith?" Noah frowned.
He looked at the new stats displayed on the screen.
[Concept: Faith (Artificial)] [Description: This energy is not generated by the user. It is harvested from the belief of millions of people and funneled into a vessel.]
Noah leaned back, the realization hitting him like a physical blow.
Atlas wasn't strong because he was born powerful. Atlas was strong because people believed he was.
The Hero Association had turned hope into a battery. They had engineered a perfect savior, marketed him to the masses, and then used the collective psychic energy of humanity's adoration to fuel his powers. The "Golden Light" wasn't holy; it was just condensed, weaponized popularity.
"It's a feedback loop," Noah muttered, connecting the dots. "They stage a disaster. Atlas saves the day. People believe in him more. He gets stronger. Rinse and repeat."
And that severed arm... they were cloning him. Or repairing him. If the public found out their God was just a lab experiment powered by their own applause, the city would burn.
[System Prompt] [Would you like to assimilate the stolen "Faith" energy?] [Success Rate: 100%] [Effect: Permanent Stat Increase + Mental Recovery]
"Do it," Noah commanded.
A warm, golden sensation flooded his veins. It was disgusting—it tasted like sugary lies—but it was potent. His muscles knit together. The bruises from the warehouse escape vanished. His mind felt sharper than ever.
[Assimilation Complete] [Mana Capacity: +50] [Mental Load Capacity: +10%]
Noah stood up, feeling renewed. He checked the clock. 07:30 AM.
The night was over. The "Concept Hunter" had to disappear. It was time for Noah, the invisible nobody, to start his day.
He walked to the corner of the room and picked up a backpack. He swapped his dark tech-wear coat for a cheap, grey uniform. He messed up his hair, hunched his shoulders slightly, and practiced a dull, tired expression in the mirror.
The transformation was terrifyingly effective. The cold-blooded killer vanished, replaced by an exhausted, overworked student.
He unlocked the door and stepped out into the morning sun.
He didn't head toward the slums. He took the metro train to the center of the city, to a massive campus of gleaming glass and white stone.
The Valhalla Academy for Gifted Youth.
This was the breeding ground for the next generation of heroes. And ironically, it was the best place for a villain to hide.
Noah flashed his ID card at the gate security.
[ID: Noah Vane] [Class: Support Course (F-Rank)] [Scholarship Student]
"Move along, Vane," the guard grunted, barely looking at him. F-Rank students were invisible to them. Future janitors, sidekicks, or logistics clerks.
Noah walked through the courtyard, surrounded by students showing off their flashy powers. A girl was floating on a cloud; a boy was juggling fireballs. They were all arrogant, loud, and desperate for attention.
"Did you hear?" a student whispered nearby. "Someone attacked the docks last night. They say it was a new S-Class Villain!"
"Pff," another scoffed. "Atlas will crush him in two seconds."
Noah adjusted his glasses, keeping his head down as he walked past them. A ghost of a smile touched his lips.
He was right in the belly of the beast.
He entered the main lecture hall. Today's class was "Hero Ethics and History."
As he took his seat in the back row, the huge doors at the front of the hall opened.
The chatter died instantly.
A tall, muscular man walked in. He wasn't Atlas, but he was famous enough. He wore a blue suit with lightning bolts on the shoulders.
'Thunder-Clap'. A Top 50 Pro Hero. And a teacher at the Academy.
"Settle down," Thunder-Clap boomed. "Today we have a special announcement. Due to the rising villain activity..."
He paused, scanning the room. His eyes seemed to linger on the back row for a fraction of a second too long.
"...The Association has decided to implement mandatory 'Power Screenings' for all students. Including the Support Course."
Noah's hand froze halfway to his notebook.
"We begin immediately," Thunder-Clap grinned, pulling out a device that looked suspiciously like a high-grade energy scanner. "Everyone line up. If you're hiding any... undeclared potential, we'll find out today."
Noah felt a cold drop of sweat slide down his spine.
His System was invisible. But the stolen "Golden Faith" energy inside him? That was a beacon.
If that scanner touched him, the game was over.