"RAAADIANT MAAAAN?!"
Professor Boom's thunderous voice cracked like a lightning bolt through the sky.
It was all the crowd needed.
A tidal wave of roaring excitement exploded from the students of Academy
High like a nuclear reactor of pure adolescent worship.
The plaza became a frenzy. Kids screamed.
Students leapt into the air. People with wings flapped uncontrollably, raining feathers down.
Laser lights blasted from mutant eyes. Fireworks erupted from someone's fingertips.
A girl with kaleidoscope hair fainted on the spot. The sound was deafening, a chorus of hysteria that made the stadium quake.
"IT'S HIM! IT'S REALLY HIM!!"
"RADIANT MAN!!! THE GOAT!! THE GOAAAATTTT!!!"
"NO WAY, THAT'S THE LEGEND HIMSELF!"
"I THOUGHT HE ONLY APPEARED AT NATIONAL CRISES! WHY IS HE HERE?!"
"LOOK AT THAT CAPE! IT'S FLOWING AND THERE'S NO WIND!!!"
Some began chanting his name in rhythmic unison:
"RA-DI-ANT! RA-DI-ANT! RA-DI-ANT!"
One kid even dropped to his knees and began sobbing uncontrollably.
"I never thought… I'd see him in person…" he gasped between tears.
Professor Boom practically levitated with excitement. He turned in place like a child seeing his favorite hero come to life.
"My stars and heavens above, this—THIS is what it means to be a legend!!" he exclaimed, voice cracking. "Students, you are witnessing history! This man, this god of light—he's the sun wrapped in skin! He's hope made into bone and muscle! He's the SHINING BULWARK AGAINST THE DARKNESS!!"
He kept going, his booming voice going full monologue.
"He has saved nations with a breath! He stopped an extinction-level comet with a sneeze! He once flew so fast, the concept of distance gave up! Every villain he's fought has either converted to pacifism or vanished into a black hole of shame!"
Prof Boom was nearly crying.
"And he's… he's here. Here, on the very ground where we humble mortals walk!"
The students screamed louder. One girl literally passed out in the arms of her clone. Drones took pictures from every angle, while a few nerdier students tried calculating the exact weight of Radiant Man's biceps.
And amidst this madness…
Elius stood still.
Frozen.
His breath hitched in his throat. His pulse raced. His knees trembled.
Radiant Man was here. At the Academy. Among the students.
He shouldn't be here.
"…Why?" Elius mumbled.
This didn't happen. Not in the past. Not in the life he remembered. Back then, Radiant Man never showed his face at the Academy. He remained a distant god, unreachable and unseen by the students. He never had time. He never cared.
Except—there was one unspoken reason, the truth that had never been uttered publicly.
Kepler.
The legendary SS-Class wizard.
The one who was said to be the only hero who could contend with Radiant Man on equal terms.
The only being who Radiant Man had never tried to openly challenge.
In Elius's last life of memory of the comics, Kepler's quiet presence at the Academy had been the invisible shield protecting everyone from the thunder god's gaze.
Now…
Radiant Man was here.
Don't tell me…
"D-Did he…?" Elius whispered. His throat tightened. "Did he kill Kepler?"
It made too much sense.
The timing.
The way Radiant Man walked with that same careless confidence.
The same confidence that only came from removing any obstacle in his way.
And worse—he was smiling.
Elius's mind spiraled. He remembered why he came to this Academy in the first place. It wasn't for glory. It wasn't for fame. It was to hide.
To escape the all-seeing eye of his so-called "father." Radiant Man, the man the world worshiped, the man who called himself Solarion's legacy… was not truly inside him.
Elius didn't have Solarion blood.
He never did.
It was a lie. A convenient fiction.
The real son—the legitimate heir—had been Keith. Keith, with his black hair. Keith, whom Radiant Man despised.
Because he didn't look like him in the past, that's why his father never bothered coming to the academy.
And now… Elius had inherited the appearance Radiant Man wanted. The glowing blonde hair. The perfect jawline. The Solarion look. He looked the part, but the blood didn't match.
And if Radiant Man ever found out?
He would kill him.
No hesitation.
That's why Elius was afraid. Not of death. But of exposure.
Radiant Man had come to observe. But not just any student.
He came to see him.
"Why…?" Elius whispered. "Why now?"
And then it hit him—like thunder behind the eyes.
Radiant Man had eliminated Kepler.
Because now… there was no one left to stop him.
"STUDENTS!" Professor Boom roared, snapping Elius from his spiraling thoughts.
The big man was still on stage, practically vibrating with joy. "It is my highest honor, my most soul-shaking privilege, to introduce to you, the champion of champions… the paragon of power… THE NUMBER ONE HERO ON EARTH—"
He bowed dramatically.
"RAAAAAAAAAADIAAAAANT MAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!"
The crowd's volume somehow reached another level.
Students fainted in waves.
A wind elemental swirled into a cyclone of joy. Someone screamed so loud their power activated by accident and blew out nearby windows.
Radiant Man stepped forward. Calm. Controlled. Perfect.
He raised a single hand.
Not even high.
Just a subtle lift.
And the entire crowd fell silent.
The air itself froze, like it too wanted to hear what he would say.
Radiant Man gave a humble nod. "Thank you," he said, voice deep and resonant, yet so perfectly measured that it could be heard by every soul present. "I am honored to stand before the next generation of Earth's protectors."
The crowd screamed again. More tears. More cheers. One student started vibrating from excitement so hard he became intangible.
But Elius couldn't hear any of it.
His eyes were glued to the figure in gold.
His father.
His executioner.
Professor Boom finally dared to step closer, bowing deeply with reverence. His voice, normally explosive, became softer and tinged with awe.
"M-Mister Radiant Man, sir… May I ask… Why have you graced us with your presence today?"
Radiant Man smiled kindly.
"I'm simply here… to observe," he said. "To see the bright future that Earth is cultivating. And I must say…" He glanced over the crowd, his golden eyes glowing faintly. "You all look… promising."
The crowd roared again. Some students fainted again.
But then—
Radiant Man's head turned.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Until his eyes locked with Elius's.
His gaze didn't falter. His smirk grew just slightly.
A smirk full of confidence.
Full of knowledge.
Full of intent.
Elius's blood turned cold.
That smirk…
That smirk told him everything he needed to know.
Radiant Man had come… for him.
"Alright!" Professor Boom boomed, arms spread wide like a conductor readying his orchestra. "Since we are blessed, honored, and graced by the presence of the one and only Radiant Man… it means one thing and one thing only—"
He paused, the silence thick with anticipation.
"—You all better not embarrass yourselves!!"
The entire student body erupted.
The excitement surged again like a typhoon in human form.
Cheers exploded.
Fireballs shot into the air.
One student transformed into a golden eagle and did laps around the sky in patriotic formation.
Another summoned glittering energy butterflies that fluttered among the crowd.
The roar of the stadium rivaled an erupting volcano, and Professor Boom fed off the chaos like it was oxygen.
"You heard me!" he bellowed, pacing the stage with fire in his boots. "You wanna make it to the top?! You wanna be a Superhero, not some whiny, diaper-wearing, 'please-don't-punch-me' sidekick?!"
"YEEEAAAAHHHHH!!!" the crowd howled back.
"Well then!" Boom yelled, slapping the ground so hard the platform cracked beneath his palm. "Bring out your skills! Bring out your quirks! Bring out your God-given genius!"
Everyone vibrated with anticipation.
The sound was relentless.
Energy danced in the air. Students beamed with unrestrained power. It was an ocean of aspirations crashing together beneath the sky, all of them driven by one shared, wild desire:
To be seen by Radiant Man.
And Radiant Man…
He stood still.
Perfectly still.
Like a statue of divinity carved from starlight and marble. His golden cape flowed despite the lack of wind. His arms were casually crossed over his chest. His eyes gleamed faintly, expression unreadable.
He didn't clap.
He didn't blink.
He simply watched.
The tension was surreal. Even the professors stood straighter, sharper, as if they too were being evaluated.
Professor Boom motioned to the next student, shouting, "NEXT!!"
And thus, the parade of powers began.
The first girl stepped up, her hair ablaze with elemental flame. "Pyro Dancer!" she called out, spinning like a ballerina as arcs of fire danced off her fingertips. She launched flaming spears into the air, detonating them in a dazzling display.
"Not bad!" Boom shouted. "Could use more death and less twirls—SUPERHERO!"
Next, a boy shaped like a sphere bounced onto the platform. "I'm… Bouncecore!"
He ricocheted from wall to wall, each bounce building speed, until he crashed into the dummy and reduced it to splinters.
"HELL YEAH! SUPERHERO!"
Then came the wave of oddballs.
One girl sneezed and turned into pudding.
"Useless in combat! SIDEKICK!"
A boy tried to control birds but only attracted pigeons.
"Ew! SIDEKICK!"
Someone turned invisible—but only his clothes.
"HORRIFYING! But useful! SUPERHERO!"
Time passed.
Dozens of students showed off their quirks, powers, and abilities. Some were met with cheers, some with laughter.
One summoned a mini-black hole that nearly consumed the arena before collapsing in on itself, while another's only talent was to make people mildly anxious with eye contact.
All the while…
Radiant Man didn't react.
Not once.
He remained as still as stone. Watching. Judging.
Students tried harder, shouted louder, pushed themselves past their limits—but he did not speak. His silence became a storm over the arena. A void of approval. And it made every single person desperate for acknowledgment.
Except one.
Elius.
He stood at the back of the line, trying to steady his breath. But no matter how many times he exhaled, his chest felt tight. His heart wouldn't stop pounding.
He's here. He's watching. What if he knows? What if he already found out? What if he sees through me—?
The panic rose like bile.
He had to stay calm.
Had to be normal.
Just be average.
Blend in.
But then—
His name was called.
"Elius!" Professor Boom's voice struck the air. "You're next!"
And suddenly…
The world slowed down.
The sound of the crowd became a dull echo, muffled, like submerged underwater. Every breath felt exaggerated. Every heartbeat pounded in his skull like a war drum. Even the wind seemed to hesitate.
He moved.
Step by step.
Like walking through syrup, he approached the center of the stage. His long white robe fluttered softly behind him.
His golden hair, kissed by faint sunlight, shimmered with quiet elegance. His sharp features, sculpted and clean, drew eyes without effort.
Students whispered.
Girls gasped. Some eyes widened in awe.
"Who is that…?"
"He looks like an angel…"
"Wait, why does he resemble Radiant Man?! He has the same look…"
He didn't react. He kept walking.
Every step was fire in his lungs.
He stepped onto the center of the platform.
The dummy stood before him, already healed and reset. Its cold, mechanical face stared at him. The weight of dozens of eyes, hundreds of stares, fell on his shoulders.
He looked up.
Radiant Man stood there.
Still watching.
Expressionless.
Silent.
Elius swallowed hard.
Professor Boom leaned forward, eyebrow raised. "Alright, fancy robe. Name your ability. Let's see what you've got."
Elius breathed in. Then out. "I can make a sword fly."
Boom blinked. "...Huh?"
"I can control a sword," Elius said again, voice calmer this time. "From a distance."
Professor Boom scratched his chin, unimpressed. "Well… sounds alright. Can you use it in battle, or are you just good at parlor tricks?"
He waved his hand.
The dummy lit up, entering combat mode. Its eyes glowed red. Metal limbs twitched into ready position. Energy shields snapped over its core.
Elius remained still.
No dramatic stance. No flashy activation.
His hand moved slightly.
CLINK!
A sword floated behind him. Sleek. Weightless. It hummed with subtle power. No magic circles. No verbal chants.
Just raw will.
Radiant Man tilted his head slightly. His eyes narrowed.
Still… no emotion.
Elius extended a single finger.
FWIP—!
In a blink—barely even visible to the naked eye—the sword streaked through the air like a ray of silver light.
And then—
CRACK!!
The dummy's head exploded.
A clean hole pierced straight through its cranium.
The head snapped back with a metallic screech, sparks flying like fireworks. It collapsed to the floor with a violent shudder, eyes flickering out.
The entire plaza went quiet.