After a long sleep, Elius woke up with a start.
His eyes snapped open, and for a moment, he felt completely disoriented.
The ceiling above him—the soft sheets beneath him—the faint scent of fresh linen and the subtle creak of the bed frame—None of it was the same as before.
He wasn't in the same unfamiliar room earlier.
Slowly, he turned his head to the side.
Familiar furniture greeted him.
A worn wooden desk, cluttered with books and scattered notes. A small bookshelf lined with old comics and manuals. A simple dresser, the edges slightly chipped from years of use.
There was a soft glow of a nightlight in the corner, shaped like a crescent moon.
Everything was exactly as it had been before.
"…I'm home?"
His voice was a little hoarse.
He sat up, the bed beneath him squeaking from the shift in weight.
His head throbbed like something was beating inside it, but his body—it felt… normal.
As if nothing had happened.
As if he hadn't just faced death itself.
As if he hadn't just fought the strongest being on Earth.
As if he hadn't just hurt him.
Then—
"Elius! You're awake!"
The voice was soft and relieved.
Immediately, the door burst open.
Shannon stood there, breathless, her eyes gleaming with warmth. She rushed in, stepping close before sitting on the edge of his bed.
"How's your sleep?" she asked, brushing a hand over his hair.
Elius blinked.
A strange tightness settled in his chest.
Shannon smiled. "Your father carried you here."
Elius stiffened.
His expression darkened—but Shannon didn't notice.
"He was so proud of you," she continued. "He kept saying how incredible you were. How strong. How—"
Elius barely listened.
He couldn't.
His mind was still stuck on her first words.
Carried me here?
The same man who tried to kill her?
The same man who looked at him like he was a mere experiment?
The same man who only saw worth in him once he proved useful?
He wanted to scream.
He wanted to shake her.
He wanted to demand why she was acting like everything was fine.
But instead—he just nodded silently, "Good," he muttered.
Shannon blinked in surprise. "Just good?"
She looked at him as if she was offended by his words.
"Aren't you happy?" she asked. "Your father is back."
Hearing this, Elius' expression didn't change. He just stared at her, silent.
Then—"I'm not sure," he admitted.
Then he leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"It feels… unfamiliar."
With that, his voice dropped lower.
"…surreal."
His fists clenched.
"My father is the Number One Hero."
He said the words out loud, yet even he didn't believe them.
Shannon sighed.
For a moment, she looked down, her fingers gripping the blanket between them.
Then—"I didn't tell you because I was scared."
Elius turned to her.
She wasn't looking at him.
Her gaze was distant, lost in memories.
"You were just a baby," she whispered. "I was alone. No support. No one to turn to."
Her hands shook.
Elius felt his throat tighten.
"I had to keep you safe," Shannon continued. "I had to keep us safe. He had to distance himself from us to protect you."
She closed her eyes.
"There were things I didn't understand. There were people—dangerous people—who would have done anything to take you away from me, who want to take you and use you against your father."
Elius' breath hitched.
Her voice was gentle—but beneath it, there was weight.
There was fear.
"So I made a choice," Shannon said, finally looking at him again. "To raise you away from all of that. To give you a normal life."
Elius swallowed hard.
He wanted to be angry.
He wanted to blame her.
But he couldn't.
Because deep down—he understood.
"…I get it, don't worry about it," he murmured.
Shannon smiled faintly with guilt. "I'm sorry, Elius."
And he just looked away with slightly red cheeks. "…I just want to take things slow," he added to ease her mother's mind.
Hearing him say that, Shannon nodded. "That's okay."
She reached out, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Then, with a teasing grin—
"So?"
Elius blinked.
Shannon smirked.
"How does it feel?" she asked. "Having the Number One Hero as a father?"
Elius snorted.
"…Not sure," he muttered.
He glanced at the floor.
"…Scary."
A pause.
"…Surprising."
Another pause.
"…I don't know."
Shannon chuckled.
She squeezed his shoulder.
"Don't worry, my son," she said softly.
She leaned forward, meeting his gaze.
"It's going to be alright."
Elius hesitated.
Something about the way she said it—something about the warmth in her eyes—made him want to believe her.
For a brief moment, he almost did.
He opened his mouth, ready to say something—but in the end—he just nodded.
Shannon smiled.
She kissed his forehead, then stood up.
"I'll go downstairs and make something for you," she said.
She turned toward the door—
Then suddenly, she paused.
She turned back.
"Oh! One more thing."
Elius blinked. "Huh?"
Shannon's smile widened.
"Your father said he's very proud of you for awakening his power."
Elius froze.
Shannon giggled.
"And once he's dealt with all his tasks, he'll be back to personally train you!"
The door clicked shut.
Silence.
Elius sat there.
Unmoving.
Unbreathing.
Then—his lips parted.
A single, trembling whisper escaped.
"…Did he say…train me personally?"
As if struck by a bolt of lightning, Elius' mind raced through his memories.
Images from the superhero comic he once read flooded back into his thoughts—and with them, he got a terrible realization.
Radiant Man was a damn racist.
Not just any kind of prejudice—a deep-rooted, almost fanatical obsession with the Solarion bloodline.
In the story, Radiant Man's other son, Keith, had suffered the worst fate imaginable to a child.
Despite being his biological child, Keith had been treated like trash.
The only reason?
Keith had black hair.
A genetic anomaly that he got from being part human.
However, to his father? It was an insult to the Solarion legacy that prided itself on its golden-haired descendants.
In the superhero comic, Radiant Man never acknowledged Keith as his true son.
He ignored him.
Let him go on his own.
That made him have a harder time being a hero. And when Keith was beaten half to death in battle, Radiant Man didn't care.
He even said it once—"I wish I had a son with the same hair as mine."
A cold, dismissive statement that was a death sentence for Keith.
And now—Elius had golden hair.
His heart pounded.
Did this mean he was safe? He should celebrate because his father would definitely favor him?
No.
It was worse.
Radiant Man saw value in him.
He wanted to train him.
And if he trained him…
He would eventually find out. He would surely find out that Elius wasn't a real Solarion. That he didn't have their bloodline.
That his so-called "awakening" was just a freak accident.
And when that happened—would Radiant Man react the same way?
Would he look at Elius with disgust?
Would he discard him?
Would he kill him?
Elius' breath hitched.
I can't let him train me.
I need to get away.
I need an excuse.
Something that will make him lose interest.
Something that will let me disappear.
However, Elius thought it would be impossible, what he needed was to think of ways to lessen the time he would have with his father.
Suddenly—a stone of an idea struck his head.
Immediately, Elius jumped out of bed.
His feet hit the wooden floor with a thud as he rushed to his desk.
His fingers moved on autopilot.
Power on.
The computer whirred to life.
The familiar glow of the screen lit up his face.
The keyboard clicked rapidly as he typed into the browser.
New York Superhero Academy.
Search.
Enter.
And then—
"Voila."
Elius' eyes widened.
He stared at the screen, barely believing his luck.
The entrance exam is tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
Just one day away.
If he signed up, he wouldn't have to stay here.
He wouldn't have to train under him.
The page was simple.
"We will arrive at your designated address, future superhero!"
That was it.
No long application.
No complicated procedures.
Just wait.
Just like in the comics.
Elius grinned.
"This is perfect."
If he got accepted—if he joined the Academy—Radiant Man wouldn't be able to train him every day.
He would have a reason to be away.
But…
What if Radiant Man insisted on training him?
What if he was adamant about it?
Elius' hands curled into fists.
There was no guarantee this plan would work.
He could only pray.
Hope.
But there was still one huge problem.
He glanced at the screen again.
"Prepare your superpower."
His throat went dry.
What was his superpower again?
He had the Immortal Cultivation System, right?
But how can he make it work, again?
How did he activate it last time?
What will happen if he can't access it?
Would he have something to show during the entrance exam?
If he walked in empty-handed, he would be laughed out.
Would he be forced to fight?
What if he failed?
What if—
Knock knock.
Elius' heart jumped.
He quickly shut the browser and turned toward the door.
It creaked open, and Shannon peeked inside. "Hey, I have one more thing," she said cheerfully.
Elius swallowed, nodding.
Shannon walked in, holding a small box.
"Your father left you something," she said.
Elius stiffened.
His father.
Shannon smiled as she placed the box on his desk.
"He said it's a gift," she continued. "Something he got from an S-Class Dungeon that he completed earlier. He was planning to throw it, but said that it was compensation for being away from you…"
Elius stared at the box.
It was simple.
Unassuming.
Yet the moment it touched his desk—
Ding!
A mechanical voice echoed in his head.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
[ The host has gained a cultivation material: Spirit Metal. ]
[ A rare ore used to create spiritual weapons. ]
[ Would you like to refine it? ]
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
Elius' breath caught.
His eyes flickered to the box.
His heart pounded.
His hands trembled.
And in that moment—he reached out for it.