Lucas woke up early, because today was the big day—the day he was supposed to get an average result in his awakening and aptitude test, neither good nor bad.
Soon, a knock came at his door. It was Helena, who said in her usual loud and mature voice: "Lucas! Are you awake yet? We have to go to the Heroic Academy now!"
"Yes, just give me a few minutes, I'm changing clothes," Lucas said as he slowly got out of bed.
"You'd better not take too long, or I'll have to come in there and help you get dressed," Helena said jokingly as she quickly walked away, clearly fleeing in case Lucas actually wanted her to help him get dressed.
"...That woman... Seriously... So cowardly..." Lucas thought while shaking his head. He opened the wardrobe to pick something to wear, but found nothing that pleased him, since all the original Lucas's clothes were the same—the only thing that changed was the color.
"Seriously, sometimes it doesn't even seem like this guy was rich," Lucas said as he grabbed ten identical red shirts, along with several other variations of that same shirt in different colors.
In the end, Lucas chose a simple black shirt, the only one in a different color in the wardrobe. He didn't even bother looking for pants, they were all the same, so he grabbed a random pair of black pants—after all, it wouldn't make any difference.
As for footwear... all Lucas found were white or black dress sneakers, so he logically chose a black pair, since it was his favorite color, along with red.
After a few minutes choosing clothes, Lucas went downstairs to the living room, where the two women were waiting for him.
---
Helena watched him descend the stairs calmly, already dressed in a fitted black shirt and simple pants. Her eyes scanned him from head to toe with a teasing smile on her face.
"Wow… not bad for someone whose wardrobe looks like it came from a cartoon." She crossed her arms below her chest, which—inevitably—pushed them up even more. "For a second, I thought I'd have to come up and dress you myself."
Lucas stared at her for a moment, then gave that smile of his—the one that was half lazy, half mischievous, usually followed by a line that could throw anyone off balance.
"Auntie… if you wanted to see me naked, you just had to ask. I'd even stay still, promise."
Helena's eyes widened, her face flushing a vivid red that completely contrasted with her usual confident and seductive demeanor.
"W-what nonsense! I was just joking, you brat!" She stepped back, looking away and trying to hide her nervousness with a forced laugh.
Lisa, who had been sitting with her arms crossed and a pouty expression, exploded.
"Huh?! You're seriously flirting with Helena first thing in the morning?! And didn't even notice I've been here the whole time waiting for you to come down, you idiot!" She stomped her foot, clearly upset, cheeks puffed like a child about to cry… or kill someone.
Lucas looked at her, blinking in confusion, then gave a faint smile.
"Oh, you're here too? I thought you were one of those decorative dolls from the living room."
"WHAT?!" Lisa jumped at him, trying to punch his arm, but Lucas dodged easily and laughed.
"Calm down, shorty, it's too early for domestic violence."
"Stop calling me short, you clueless pervert! You're gonna be late and you're still strutting around like a model in that tight shirt! Bet you picked it just to show off your muscles!"
"Actually, I just didn't want to look like a clown in my tenth identical red shirt… But if you noticed the muscles, that means I'm on the right track."
Lisa turned red as a tomato, muttering incoherently, and turned away with a "Hmph!", completely defeated.
Helena, now more composed, just chuckled softly.
"At least you two have energy today. Let's go before you're late… or I lose my mind."
"You already did, Helena. Ever since you raised me, you haven't had a single peaceful minute."
She let out a dramatic sigh, but couldn't hide the affectionate smile as the three of them headed out toward the Heroic Academy.
As they walked to the garage, Lucas, hands in his pockets and wearing his usual sleepy expression, let his eyes wander — shamelessly — over the two women in front of him.
Helena walked ahead like a true CEO of the Apocalypse: high heels, a tight black pencil skirt down to her knees, and a white blouse that looked tailor-made to test button durability. Every step made her ass sway like it was defying physics — and everyone's sanity. The black jacket added an elegant, almost military touch, but not enough to distract from the dangerously seductive curves beneath.
Lucas sighed inwardly.
'This should be illegal… who wakes up looking like the sexy villainess of an adult anime?'
Right behind her was Lisa, in her Heroic Academy uniform: a navy-blue jacket with gold trim, a matching short skirt, and the institution's emblem on her chest — a stylized silver shield with a star at the center. The outfit was obviously designed for mobility… and for some reason, seemed one size too small.
Lucas frowned, staring at the embroidered emblem on her chest.
'Wait… since when do we have a uniform? Do I have one of those? Did I lose it in the laundry? Or… crap, was I actually supposed to get one?!'
He scratched his head and muttered aloud:
"This uniform… we really have one of those?"
Lisa stopped immediately, turning her head with a deadly glare.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
"No, seriously. I've never seen that thing before. And it's pretty... visible."
Lisa narrowed her eyes.
"You spent the last three and a half months rotting on the balcony like some damn philosophical crow, mumbling about the void, fate, and the shape of clouds. OF COURSE you didn't see the uniform!"
"Hm... fair."
He crossed his arms, eyes still fixed on the emblem on her chest — or maybe a bit below it.
"And that short skirt… is it an official part of the uniform or a silent protest against the patriarchy?"
"IT'S OFFICIAL, YOU PERVERT!" Lisa covered her lower half with her hands, her face on fire. "And stop staring like that!"
Helena, who had heard everything, just laughed.
"My, my, looks like someone's discovering that puberty came late but came in full force."
"It's not my fault you two dress like the world's a fashion show. One looks like a demonic secretary and the other like an angry anime mascot."
Lisa screamed, "I'M NOT A MASCOT!" while trying to kick Lucas's shin, unsuccessfully.
Helena laughed louder, opening the car door with an elegant gesture.
"Get in, you lovable degenerates. We've got an important test to pretend we care about."
Lucas smiled, climbing into the back seat.
"This is gonna be an interesting day…"
The car glided smoothly through the city streets, its electric engine emitting only a soft hum. The surrounding buildings blended modern architecture with classical elements — mirrored towers, curved facades with hanging gardens, and floating holograms in vivid signage. Drones buzzed by in the blue sky, while advertising panels showed popular heroes smiling with various products: from energy drinks to muscle pain creams.
"This place looks more like sci-fi than reality," murmured Lucas, chin resting on his hand, staring out the window.
Lisa crossed her arms, sitting beside him, still pouting but clearly excited about the ride.
"Of course it does. You live locked up at home like a lazy hermit. I bet even the microwave scares you."
"It blinks too much… I don't trust it," Lucas replied with deadpan seriousness.
Helena chuckled quietly as she drove, her blue eyes focused on the suspended road ahead. The elevated highway stretched like a silver serpent between the buildings, lined with translucent energy barriers that provided protection and anti-gravity support.
In the distance, the Hero Association tower came into view — a massive structure made of dark metal that reflected the sky like liquid glass. Its top gleamed with the organization's symbol: a shield wrapped in a golden halo, slowly rotating in three dimensions.
Soon the car pulled up in front of one of the association's branches, more modest but still grand, with uniformed guards, smart sensors at the doors, and a stylized fountain that shot water in the shape of a spear. Lucas stepped out, observing everything with a mix of boredom and curiosity.
"Wait… weren't we going to the Heroic Academy?" he asked, frowning.
Lisa looked at him with an expression that mixed shock, indignation, and pity. The kind of look that said, "Are you dumb, or do you work hard at it?" She didn't even need to speak — her eyes said it all.
Helena, as always, intervened calmly, as if explaining something to a distracted child:
"The old academies suffered from espionage, infiltrations, direct attacks… years of losses. So the new Heroic Academy was built on an isolated island, surrounded by layers of magical and technological protection."
"The only way to get there is through the teleporters located in the Association branches," she concluded, pointing to the large metallic portal just inside the main hall.
Lucas blinked slowly.
"Hm… interesting. I… didn't know that."
Lisa raised an eyebrow with a venomous smirk.
"Of course you didn't. For the past three months, you've been too busy staring at the sky and questioning human existence. I bet you didn't even know we had a cat."
"We have a cat?!"
"NO! But you believed it, dumbass!" she huffed, crossing her arms. "You live in your own universe."
Lucas smirked, eyeing the teleport portal pulsing with intense blue light, surrounded by runes and magical circuitry.
'Looks like this Heroic Academy might be more interesting than I thought…'
"If I come back with fewer than two limbs, I'm blaming you two."
Helena smiled, adjusting her jacket as she walked ahead and said: "Relax… If you lose an arm, we can always get you a mechanical one. They're trendy now."
Lisa huffed again, but her eyes sparkled with excitement. And for the first time in a long while, so did Lucas's.
The three of them crossed the lobby of the Hero Association branch. The place was spacious, with polished white floors reflecting the soft lights above. Heroes of all kinds came and went — some in flashy outfits, others in suits and ties, as if they'd just left a corporate office — an interesting contrast that only emphasized how strange this world was, where superpowers and bureaucracy walked hand in hand.
At the center stood the teleporter: a giant metallic arch embedded with arcane runes and tech plates. Lines of blue light pulsed along its structure, while floating circles spun slowly in the air like invisible gears. An association assistant, tablet in hand, checked the clearances with a nod and allowed them through.
"Let's go," said Helena, snapping her fingers lightly before stepping into the circle, her heels echoing with impeccably dramatic flair.
Lucas followed, hands in his pockets, whistling a random tune, while Lisa hesitated for a second… then finally stepped into the portal too.
The next moment, their bodies were enveloped by a strange sensation — as if pulled by an invisible force, compressed, and shot through a tunnel of light. And then, suddenly… they were there.
The scenery had completely changed.
The Heroic Academy rose in the center of a lush island, surrounded by crystal-clear oceans. The sky was absurdly blue, almost artificial, and the air felt clean and vibrant. The academy's main structure looked like a fusion between a futuristic castle and an elite university: tall towers with solar panels, hanging gardens, floating training tracks, and drones flying in formation.
Lisa stood momentarily hypnotized… until she realized Helena was still with them.
"Wait a minute…" she turned to her aunt, suspicious. "Why did you come with us? Only students and staff are authorized to use the teleporter to the academy…"
Helena replied with a mischievous smile, placing a hand on her hip and turning sideways as if on a runway.
"Oh, darling… when I heard my favorite nephew was enrolling, I naturally decided to join as well."
Lucas narrowed his eyes, curious.
"…you joined the staff?"
"Professor, actually," she answered with a triumphant air. "Department of Advanced Studies in Field Tactics and Psychology. Or as I like to call it… 'How to crush teenage superpowered egos in style.'"
Lisa's eyes widened.
"You've got to be kidding…"
"I'm fabulous, that's what. And don't worry, sweetie, I'll give you attention too. Especially when you get low grades," she said, winking with that motherly and venomous smile.
Lucas gave a low chuckle.
"Now this. This academy is gonna be a show."
'A heavily protected training ground, an isolated island, unstable teenage superhumans, my sexy goth aunt as a teacher… and Lisa on the verge of a mental breakdown. What kind of novel did I walk into?'
Helena turned elegantly, her red hair dancing in the wind.
"Now, children… let's head to the place where the awakening and aptitude test will be held."
And so, with confident steps and a knowing smile, Helena led the two young ones through the main gate of the Heroic Academy.
---
End of chapter.