Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt!

The alarm clock screamed like it had a personal grudge against me.

I groaned and smacked it until the buzzing finally died. I lay sprawled across my bed like a defeated warrior-braid hair sticking out in every direction, eyes barely open. Morning light leaked through the blinds, washing over my dark skin and forcing me to squint.

"...Ugh..."

My gaze drifted to the poster above my desk.

A figure frozen mid-fight-one arm extended toward an unseen opponent, a crescent of wind slicing across a painted skyline.

STORM. Hero Rank #15.

"Morning already..."

I staggered into the bathroom, splashed water on my face, then yanked my uniform shirt on crooked. By the time I stumbled downstairs, my older sister was already seated at the kitchen table-perfect posture, perfect uniform, hair tied neatly as always.

"Morning, Naomi..." I mumbled, flopping into the chair across from her.

"Barely," Naomi replied without looking up from her tablet.

"Did Dad already leave...?"

"Yeah. Said he'll be back late again." She didn't glance up.

I reached for the toast. "I see... By the way, why are you dressed like you're meeting the mayor?"

"Because I don't want to look like a disaster. Unlike you, Ellie."

I took an obnoxiously loud bite, chewing with exaggerated satisfaction. "Mmm. Disaster tastes like victory."

Naomi sighed. "You sound like a child."

"At least this child is enjoying her youth. Meanwhile, you're acting like you're fifty."

Naomi set her tablet down with a sharp clack. "Or maybe I'm the only one who realizes the world doesn't wait for people who oversleep every morning."

I snorted. "Spoken like a true robot."

Naomi's lips twitched. "And yet this robot will get into college while you're still daydreaming about your typical wind hero."

I slammed my toast onto my plate. "She's not typical."

Naomi raised an eyebrow.

"Her name's STORM," I declared, fire in my eyes. "The most underrated hero in this entire stupid ranking system."

Naomi leaned back, unimpressed. "She's A-Rank. Do you even know what that means? She's basically a glorified patrol officer."

I shot to my feet, pointing dramatically toward the poster hanging on the kitchen wall. "No, she's not. She's a real hero. She saves people because it's the right thing to do-not because it makes her famous. She doesn't care about rankings, sponsors, or money. She's-she's-"

My voice cracked.

"-she's the reason people like me believe in heroes at all."

The kitchen went silent.

Naomi blinked, then slowly picked up her tablet again. "...You're so annoying, you know that."

I flopped back into my chair with a grin. "And you love me for it."

She muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Unfortunately."

But I caught the faintest smile tugging at her lips.

And that was enough.

We ate in silence for a while-me with messy, reckless bites. Naomi with quiet, surgical precision. The only sounds were clinking silverware and the low hum of the fridge.

After a minute, I broke the silence again.

"Did you see the news last night? Storm stopped five villains from the White Tiger group..... They were holding thirteen people hostage during a bank robbery in Midtown......!"

Naomi sighed. "Yes, Ellie.... The entire city saw it."

"She's amazing," I whispered, eyes shining. "Everyone else panicked, but she stayed calm. She even cracked a joke while the guy had a bomb strapped to him."

"You've watched it ten times already."

"...And I plan to watch it ten more."

Naomi shook her head, but she wasn't annoyed anymore. "You're such a fangirl."

I pressed my palms together dramatically. "STORM, marry me!"

Naomi choked on her juice. "Please never say that again."

I smirked. "Too late. It's canon now. I'm a married woman."

The clock on the wall beeped.

Naomi stood, brushing crumbs neatly off her skirt. "Come on. We'll miss the tram."

I groaned, stuffing the rest of my toast into my mouth. "Fine, fine."

"And fix your collar. You look like you got dressed in the dark."

"I did," I admitted proudly.

Naomi pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why do I even try?"

I slung my bag over my shoulder, bouncing on my heels. "Because deep down, you know I'm the main character."

She rolled her eyes so hard I was surprised they didn't get stuck.

I saw the tiniest curve of her lips.

My sister is the only person who doesn't ignore me for being annoying....

I wish we could stay like this forever......

The tram hummed as it glided along elevated rails. Students packed inside, chattering as they pressed against the windows to gawk at Nova Yorka's skyline-skyscrapers stacked like blades, neon billboards flickering even in daylight, heroes darting between rooftops in flashes of color and cape.

"Look! That's Silver Fang!" a boy shouted as a white blur leapt across rooftops below.

Gasps rippled through the tram.

I smashed my face against the glass. "No way! Naomi, did you see-"

She yanked me back by the collar before I could topple into the doors. "Try not to drool."

"I wasn't drooling! I was appreciating."

"You act like you've never seen a hero before."

"Not in person! That's different."

A boy from my class leaned over the seat in front of us. "Hey, Ellie. Don't you only care about STORM? Thought you had posters of her in your bathroom."

I gasped. "Lies!.... Who told you that?"

He grinned. "Everyone in class knows you're her number-one fangirl."

I puffed my cheeks. "So what if I am? At least I support someone who doesn't care about rank. Unlike you sheep, worshipping whatever S-Rank shows up on TV."

A girl nearby snorted. "Wow, coming from the girl who cried when STORM trended at #25 last year."

Naomi covered her face. "Ah... I remember that day."

"Naomi!" I whined.

The whole tram burst into laughter.

I laughed with them.

I sank into my seat, pretending to sulk. "One day you'll see. When she saves this city again, you'll all regret mocking me."

"Yeah, sure," the boy smirked. "Maybe she'll swim by and autograph your diary."

I perked up. "...You think she would?"

Naomi groaned.

By the time we reached Arclight High, I had mostly recovered from the teasing.

The school buzzed the moment we walked in.

"Did you hear?" someone whispered. "We're going to Helios Dynamics!"

"No way-that's top clearance!"

I froze.

"Naomi. Did you hear that?"

"Yes," she replied calmly. "It was in yesterday's announcements. If you ever read them."

I flailed my hands. "Forget that! Helios Dynamics-the Helios Dynamics? The ones with the Tesseract Core?!"

She gave me a flat look. "Please don't embarrass me today."

I was already vibrating with excitement. "Do you think we'll see it? The actual Tesseract? Do you think they'll let us touch it?!"

Naomi's eyes widened. "If you touch it, we're both dead."

I paused.

"...Okay, maybe not touch. But look! We'll get to look!"

Naomi sighed as she adjusted her bag. "You're exhausting. I'm heading to class. I'll come get you at lunch, okay?"

"Okay," I said, grinning.

Homeroom was chaos.

The teacher barely had to say a word before the class exploded into cheers. "Everyone, settle down!" she tried, waving her clipboard. "Yes, it's true... We've been invited to tour Helios Dynamics. This is a rare privilege, so please-conduct yourselves with dignity."

Half the class didn't even hear her over their excitement.

A kid behind me leaned forward. "Hey, Ellie, maybe you'll finally get to see your girlfriend for the first time..."

"Shut up before I beat your ass," I replied with a sweet, disturbingly calm smile.

The class went quiet.

"...Is she gonna beat him too?" someone whispered, barely holding in laughter.

"I heard she fought an upperclassman two days ago for calling Storm ugly."

"Who knew she could fight?"

"They do say don't judge a book by its cover..."

"Scary... and kinda cool at the same time."

"Man, I wish I was her boyfriend. Just thinking about it makes me wanna hug her angry face."

I ignored them.

I made a vow to beat anyone who insults my hero - and that upperclassman absolutely deserved it.

Ugh... just thinking about it makes me mad.

...Wait.

Who am I even talking to right now?

Before I could spiral further into my own thoughts, the teacher cleared her throat loudly.

"Stop whispering and focus! Unless you want Elliana to personally address your little rumors..."

The room went silent.

"Good," she continued with a tight smile. "We leave right after lunch along with the third-year students. Remember, this is not a playground. Helios Dynamics is the most advanced facility in Nova Yorka. One mistake could end your career before it even starts."

That sobered everyone. Even me.

The Tesseract..... The heart of this city and it's power.... Well... excluding the four villain cities to the north - who are somehow too busy fighting each other and the heroes over control of it.

Whatever.

I'm finally going to see it in person..... And maybe... just maybe... I'll get to see her.

The afternoon bell rang, and Arclight High's cafeteria emptied faster than I had ever seen. Students rushed out with half-eaten lunches, stampeding toward the transport trams.

And I was at the very front.... No way I'm missing this.

"Naomi, hurry up!" I shouted, halfway down the stairs and nearly tripping over my untied shoelaces.

Naomi sighed, jogging to catch up. "If you break your leg now, you'll miss the trip entirely."

"I'll limp there if I have to!!" I declared, eyes blazing with a determination.

The school had rented two maglev trams. Sleek and silver, they hummed with barely contained power as they hovered above the rails. Inside, students buzzed with excitement, pressing against the windows as Nova Yorka stretched out beneath us.

I squished my nose against the glass like a kid seeing candy for the first time.

"Naomi, Naomi! Look! The skyline is insane from up here!"

She pulled me back before I permanently branded the window with my face. "You've seen this city a hundred times."

"Not from this high! Look at the towers - like steel teeth biting the clouds! And the banners! Oh! That one's advertising Silver Fang's new merch drop!"

Naomi glanced lazily. "You already own three of his jackets."

"Yes, but that one has reflective lining... I need it."

"Ellie," a voice cut in.

David leaned over from across the aisle - the guy I sometimes ate lunch with.

"You'd bankrupt yourself if heroes started charging for the air they breathe." He smirked and shoved his phone in my face. "My hero, HYDRO, is way cooler than those low-tier heroes."

On his screen was a poster of HYDRO looking dramatic with water swirling around him.

"Oh, he's the new S-Rank who took first place last week, right?" I asked.

"Yep. Youngest hero ever - eighteen years old. And the only hero that shows no mercy to villains. Or anyone who threatens the city. Best hero alive."

I stared at the screen.

By no mercy, he means he beats criminals so hard they reconsider their life choices in the afterlife... And somehow that qualifies as public service.

I puffed up. "Storm is better! He's just keeping the number one seat warm for my queen....!"

Naomi tugged my sleeve. "Ellie. Volume."

I sank into my seat, cheeks burning. "Sorry... but One day they'll understand. My Storm actually cares about people. Not ranks. Not money. Not glory."

Naomi softened slightly. "I know. You don't have to convince me."

I blinked. "Wait... really?"

Is she saying that to make me happy?... That's, so sweet...!

Naomi looked away quickly. " hey...Don't get the wrong idea."

I grinned so wide my face hurt. " Hahaha!...... I knew you had taste!" I said, tapping her shoulder.

She muttered, "Try putting the same effort into your studies as you do into defending heroes. Maybe then your grades would rank S-Class too...."

As the tram neared Helios Dynamics, the city changed.

Skyscrapers grew taller, sleeker - black glass reflecting the sky like mirrors. Electric cars flowed through pristine streets while uniformed agents patrolled every corner. Even the air felt different - charged, heavy with invisible energy.

I pressed my palms against the window. "Naomi... this is it. The science capital of the world. Do you think the Tesseract Core is glowing right now? Maybe humming with cosmic energy? Or floating in a chamber carved with ancient runes-...."

"You've been reading too many comics..."

"It powers the city! No one knows what it looks like or what it's capable of! What if it's a giant cube of swirling energy? Or a tiny star trapped in a bottle? Or the reason people can use supernatural abilities?!"

Naomi's lips twitched. "Or it's a blue paperweight."

I gasped dramatically. "How dare you....!?"

She chuckled. "Maybe if you studied this hard for exams, you'd pass physics without needing divine intervention."

We pulled into the private docking platform.

Uniformed Helios staff lined the exit, silver badges gleaming.

"Welcome, students of Arclight High," a stern woman announced. "Remain in line and follow instructions. Helios Dynamics is not responsible for accidents caused by disobedience."

I leaned toward Naomi. "She sounds like a villain...."

Naomi elbowed me. "Shhh..."

The main facility loomed ahead - steel and glass spires woven together like a futuristic fortress. It hummed faintly, and I swore I could feel something beneath the ground.

I can't believe I'm here...

Now that I think about it... I did get chased by security a few months ago trying to sneak in because I heard my queen Storm was visiting....

I'm so hyped....!!

"Ellie," Naomi murmured. "You're spacing out."

"I'm not," I whispered. "I can feel it. Something big is about to happen... Maybe I'll even get to hold my hero's hand."

Naomi frowned. "Don't start your destiny speeches. This is a school trip. If you keep talking like that, you're going to jinx us."

I didn't respond.

I was already staring at the massive steel gates ahead.

They parted with a slow metallic hiss.

Revealing the world inside Helios Dynamics.

My breath hitched.

The interior wasn’t like any building I’d ever seen.

It felt less like architecture and more like the inside of a living organism — transparent floors crisscrossed with glowing cables like veins, walls humming faintly with contained power, and massive glass chambers where scientists in sleek white suits.

Above us, a domed ceiling shimmered with an artificial sky. Soft daylight radiated down without a sun.

…Awesome…!?

I spun in place, nearly tripping over my shoelace again.

“Naomi! Look at this! It’s like we’re inside a spaceship!”

Naomi yanked my sleeve just before I collided with a scientist carrying a tray of glowing vials.

“Hey, You’re going to get us kicked out before we even start.”

“I’m being respectful,” I protested, eyes wide. “I haven’t touched a single glowing thing yet.”

“Yet,” Naomi muttered darkly.

The stern woman from earlier stepped forward and clapped once. The sharp sound echoed through the chamber.

“Welcome to Helios Dynamics,” she announced, her voice amplified effortlessly. “I am Director Hargrove. You are here because your school has been granted a rare privilege — to witness a fraction of the technology that sustains Nova Yorka. You will remain in groups, follow your assigned guide, and obey all instructions without question. Anyone who breaks protocol will be escorted out immediately.”

Her gaze swept across us, cold.

“Is that clear?”

A shaky chorus responded, “Yes, ma’am.”

I leaned toward Naomi. “She could definitely glare a villain into early retirement, hehe....”

Naomi pinched my arm.

“Ow—?! What did I do?!”

“Focus.”

Our group was assigned to a tall young scientist with messy brown hair and nervous energy.

“Dr. Elias Ryn,” he introduced himself, scratching the back of his neck. “I’ll be guiding you through the Applied Energy Division. You’ll see things today that… well, you probably won’t see again.”

As we walked, we passed labs filled with robotic arms assembling sleek combat drones. Transparent tubes carried glowing liquid like neon rivers through the walls. Holographic maps of Nova Yorka floated midair, rotating slowly.

Some chambers held strange substances and objects suspended in viscous fluid — things I’d only ever seen in movies.

Everywhere, warning signs glowed:

『AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.

HIGH ENERGY RISK.

EXPOSURE LEVELS ABOVE 3.0 ARE LETHAL.』

I slowed in front of one chamber, pressing my nose against the glass.

Inside, a containment unit pulsed with faint blue light.

“Naomi…” I whispered. “Do you see this?”

She glanced over. “It’s… just a machine, Ellie.”

I shook my head slowly. “What if it’s alive?”

Naomi frowned. “stop imagining things.”

Then we reached it.

The heart of the division.

A massive circular chamber reinforced with layered glass and energy barriers. At its center floated a crystalline structure the size of a car — suspended midair by streams of rippling energy that moved like water but burned like fire.

『 The Tesseract Core 』

My knees almost gave out.

“It’s… it’s real,” I breathed, hands trembling.

Dr. Ryn cleared his throat. “Yes. This is a stabilized prototype derived from the original Tesseract artifact discovered decades ago. It is not the primary source — but this fragment alone powers nearly half of Nova Yorka.”

Gasps rippled through the class.

One student raised a hand. “Is it true heroes train here? And that our powers come from the Tesseract?”

Dr. Ryn gave a careful smile. “Some heroes undergo compatibility testing here. As for the Tesseract… it is the origin of why certain individuals can manifest abilities. But the details are classified.”

I shot my hand up.

“Is it true you take blood from powered people for experiments? And where did the Tesseract come from? Was it a spaceship or — or a huge meteorite...?”

Silence.

Dr. Ryn very deliberately looked past me and continued speaking.

The class burst into laughter.

This guy just ignored me....

He’s lucky we’re surrounded by people. Otherwise, I’d be interrogating him the old-fashioned way.....

Naomi gave me a flat look. “Stop it..... You’re going to get us kicked out asking conspiracy-theory questions you got from comic books.”

“If he’s ignoring me, that means I’m right,” I whispered, eyes locked on the crystal.

Naomi sighed deeply.

Dr. Ryn continued, slightly stiff now. “The Tesseract’s energy is… unpredictable. It interacts differently with every biological system. That is why only trained personnel are permitted within a certain proximity. Accidental exposure could—”

He stopped himself.

I leaned forward. “Could what? Explode?”

He hesitated.

“.... It Could Cause irreversible mutations in one’s DNA. Severe instability. Or worse… death.”

A shudder passed through the students.

I, however, leaned closer, eyes gleaming.

Wow….!!

The more I look at, the more I wanna—

Naomi grabbed the back of my collar and yanked me away from the glass.

“Don’t. Even. Think about it.”

“I wasn’t!” I hissed. “I was just appreciating it!”

“You were calculating the fastest way to commit a containment breach.”

“Nahhhhh......” I giggled nervously.

We moved through more labs — fusion reactors, tanks filled with nanobot swarms shimmering like silver fish, genetic interface systems that looked straight out of a sci-fi series.

My commentary did not stop.

“Naomi, what if they’re secretly building a hero army down here using dead heroes’ DNA? Or mixing villain DNA with powerless people to manufacture abilities?”

“Ellie. Stop.”

“Okay, okay — what if they’re hiding alien samples? Or! What if the Tesseract is actually a prison for an ancient space god and we’re just using it as a battery?!”

“You need therapy.”

Eventually, we were gathered on an observation deck overlooking the Core chamber again.

Director Hargrove appeared, her presence instantly straightening everyone’s posture.

“Remember what you have witnessed today,” she said, voice echoing. “This knowledge is not for gossip. The Core is the lifeline of Nova Yorka. Its secrets are not for idle speculation. Do not test the patience of Helios Dynamics.”

If it’s not meant to leave the building… then why the hell did you bring us here.....!?

I stared at her blankly.

But I can’t take it anymore....

The Tesseract..... It’s  telling me to touch it so bad.....

Gotta find a way to get back in again....

Naomi nudged me. “You’re spacing out again.”

I forced a bright smile. “I’m fine! Totally fine! Not planning on stealing cosmic energy or anything.”

Naomi narrowed her eyes.

“That is exactly what someone planning to steal cosmic energy would say.”

I burst into nervous laughter.