Kyle scrambled to his feet and checked the time.Barely a minute had passed.Yet it felt like he had lived an entirely different life.
When he stepped back into the assessment hall, the fear that had weighed down his chest earlier was gone—replaced by something sharper, steadier. Determination. The others glanced at him briefly as he rejoined the group, but no one spoke.
Moments later, they were led through a reinforced door into the testing chamber.
Kyle froze.
The room was massive, its walls lined with glowing machines and floating power orbs, each humming with restrained energy. Advanced Omega Corp technology filled the space—devices infused with power harvested from defeated mutants the Invaders had sent to Earth over the years. Every machine felt alive, dangerous, like it was waiting to be awakened.
A woman stepped forward. She was calm, composed, and striking in a way that demanded attention without effort. Her eyes were sharp but not unkind, her posture relaxed yet authoritative. When she spoke, her voice was soft—but carried absolute certainty.
"This machinery will assess your power capacity and identify your ability type," she explained. "Your results will determine your rank within Omega Corp. Different abilities and power levels correspond to different classifications." She gestured toward a massive transparent orb at the center of the room.
Kyle stepped inside,The moment the orb sealed shut, the machine activated.
The walls began to tighten, pressure building from all sides. His breath hitched as invisible forces compressed around him. Pain surged through his body—sharp, overwhelming—his limbs growing numb as if his nerves were being shut down one by one.
Then, Something snapped.Electricity exploded from within him.Blue-white arcs burst from his skin, flooding the orb like violent streams of light. The machine hummed , trying contain the surge as Kyle cried out, his vision blurring under the intensity.And then it stopped.
The orb opened.
Kyle stumbled forward, gasping for air, his heart racing.The woman studied the readings, her eyes narrowing slightly before she calmly documented the results.
They moved to the next test.
A strength machine—simple, brutal. A reinforced punching bag connected to a digital meter.
"Five strikes," she instructed. "For accuracy."
Kyle's fists slammed into the bag again and again, each impact echoing through the chamber. His muscles screamed, but he didn't stop.They continued—reaction tests, endurance trials, mental resistance scans—each machine pushing them closer to their limits.
Finally, it was over.
The woman returned to her terminal, fingers moving rapidly as calculations flashed across the screen. After a moment, she turned and handed each of them an identity card.Kyle stared at his:
Omega Corp – Official Identity Card
Name: Kyle Nova
Age: 16
Ability: Electric
Strength Index: 735
Rank: C-Rank
Status: Private
Note: Identification expires every two years.
C-Rank.
The word burned into his mind.
"You five are now assigned as a squad," the woman announced with a polite smile. "Outside, you will receive a handbook containing Omega Corp rules and codes. Memorize them. Upon resumption of duty on Monday, you will be issued gear of your choice."
She paused.
"Thank you for joining Omega Corp. For a better future."
Outside, the group exchanged contact details before Kyle spoke up.
"Since we'll be working together, we should know each other. I'm Kyle..Kyle Nova. And this is Bill Andrews."
"Stella Rose," the tensed girl said quietly.
Kyle's eyes widened.
"Stella Rose… as in Commander Steven Rose?"She nodded.
"Wow. That's amazing. Can I meet him someday?"
She scoffed lightly.
"It'd be embarrassing to bring a weak C-Rank to see my dad. So I'll pass."
The words hit harder than Kyle expected.
"I'm Mike Steven," the calm boy said. "Nice meeting you all."
"Sophia Raymond," the last girl added flatly. "That's all you need to know. Can we go now?"
They parted ways soon after.
As Kyle headed home, Stella's words echoed in his mind.
Weak.
He ate, rested—but his thoughts refused to settle. The fate of the world. The power sealed inside him. His potential. The burden he didn't fully understand yet.
That night, Kyle sat up in bed and focused his mind on one thing—growth.
The moment his resolve hardened, darkness swallowed him.
When he opened his eyes again, he stood before the radiant figure once more.
Astreil had returned.
And this time… Kyle was ready.