The Association's field office in Sector 7 was a converted shipping container with folding tables, a coffee machine that actually worked, and a bored clerk stamping mission reports.
Andrey slid their provisional IDs and the drone-captured combat footage across the counter. "Quest complete. Minor rift contained, bonus wave cleared. Zero civilian casualties. One new recruit processed."
The clerk raised an eyebrow at Lisa's mint-green twintails and Sarah's barely concealed scowl, but stamped the forms without comment. "Good work for provisionals. Payment deposited—2,400 credits each, plus 800 bonus for the extra ogres. Rank-up review in two weeks if you keep this pace."
Sarah's phone buzzed almost instantly with the deposit notification. She stared at the number. "That's… more than my old monthly salary."
Lisa's eyes went wide. "I can finally pay off my student loans. Or at least buy real groceries."
Andrey checked his own account, expression unchanging. Balance: 187,600 credits. He'd barely touched his savings in years—rent was cheap, meals were prepped, entertainment was spreadsheets and free gym trials.
The clerk handed them mission badges and a small loot crate: mana crystals, minor potions, and a coupon for the hero cafeteria. They stepped outside into the late afternoon sun, sitting on a stack of crates near the extraction zone while waiting for the next van back to downtown.
Lisa swung her legs, still in her mint dress because the system refused to let her deactivate until they were "safely home." "Okay, serious question. What are we spending this on first? New gear? Apartment upgrades? Fancy dinner?"
Sarah leaned back, hands behind her head. "Food. Then maybe clothes that aren't 90% lace. After that… I don't know. Never had disposable hero income before."
Both girls turned to Andrey expectantly.
He shrugged. "I don't spend much. Rent, utilities, bulk chicken breast, protein powder. Everything else just… accumulates."
Lisa blinked. "Wait. You're telling me the guy who color-codes his socks is secretly loaded?"
Sarah grinned slowly. "How much are we talking, Captain?"
Andrey cleared his throat, a little embarrassed. "Enough that money isn't a concern. For any of us. If you need gear, training, better housing, whatever—consider it covered."
Lisa's jaw dropped. "You're like… our sugar daddy now?"
Sarah burst out laughing. "Oh my god. Hero team funded by Andrey's untouched savings account. That's the most on-brand thing I've ever heard."
Andrey's ears went pink, but he didn't deny it. "Efficient resource allocation. We focus on leveling up, not worrying about bills."
Lisa leaned over and nudged him with her shoulder. "You know, for a workaholic who lived like a monk, you're kinda sweet under the spreadsheets."
The next morning, Lisa handed in her resignation letter at what remained of Apex Logistics' temporary office. The HR rep barely looked up from his screen—just stamped it "approved" and wished her luck. No one was surprised; half the staff had quit or transferred after the attack. Lisa walked out with a light backpack, her intern badge tossed in the nearest trash bin.
"Done," she texted the group chat titled
"Rank D license already synced. Ready whenever you guys are."
The reply came almost instantly from Sarah:
"Come over to Andrey's place. We're planning today's schedule. Address attached."
Lisa blinked at the pinned location. That was… literally ten minutes' walk from the old office, in the upscale riverfront district with the glass towers and private gyms. She'd always assumed Andrey lived in some tiny studio full of filing cabinets.
Curiosity piqued, she headed there.
The building lobby was all marble floors, subtle mana-shielding runes etched into the walls, and a concierge who nodded politely as she gave Andrey's unit number. The elevator was silent and fast, opening directly into a private hallway on the 28th floor.
Lisa stood in front of the only door, suddenly nervous. 'Sarah's already here… in his apartment… this early? Are they already that close?' Her cheeks warmed at the memory of yesterday's barrier reward. 'No, no, focus, Lisa.'
She knocked twice.
The door opened almost immediately. Andrey stood there in casual clothes—soft gray sweatpants and a plain black t-shirt that actually fit him properly, showing he'd been hitting the gym more than she realized. His hair was slightly messy, glasses off for once.
"Hey. Come in," he said, stepping aside.
Lisa slipped off her shoes in the entryway. "excu—uh, I mean, excuse me…"
The apartment opened up into a spacious, minimalist living room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city river. Clean lines, neutral colors, a huge L-shaped couch, and—most shocking—a gaming setup with multiple monitors on one side.
Sarah was sprawled across half the couch in an oversized hoodie clearly one of Andrey's and shorts, feet propped on the coffee table, controller in hand. The TV blared colorful explosions from some co-op shooter game. Empty snack bags and three cans of soda littered the table.
She waved lazily without looking away from the screen. "Yo, Lisa! Grab a seat. We're almost done with this level."
Lisa stood frozen in the doorway, backpack still on. "Wait… weren't we supposed to have a meeting? Hero activities, gate schedules, training plans…?"
Sarah finally paused the game and rolled onto her side, grinning. "Relax, Lisa. We literally just got licensed yesterday. Portals don't open on a 9-to-5 schedule. Today's a rest day. We earned it."
Lisa's eye twitched. "I quit my internship to focus on being a hero full-time. Not to… to lounge around playing video games!"
Andrey closed the door and walked past her toward the open kitchen. "Coffee? I have three kinds of beans."
Lisa pointed an accusing finger at Sarah. "You're wearing his hoodie! And you're hogging the entire couch like you live here!"
Sarah stretched dramatically, hoodie riding up a bit. "It's comfy. And his couch is huge. Also, laundry day—my stuff's in his dryer."
Lisa's brain short-circuited for a second. "His dryer? You—how often do you—?"
Andrey returned with a mug for Lisa, perfectly brewed. "She stayed over last night. Safer than going home alone after the rank-up paperwork ran late. Guest room's down the hall."
Sarah winked. "Don't get any wild ideas, intern. Separate rooms. Mostly."
Lisa took the coffee with both hands, muttering, "This is not what I expected from a hero team base…"
Andrey sat on the arm of the couch, pulling up a holographic tablet—the system interface projected in mid-air. "We can still plan. I have a proposed patrol route for tomorrow, plus three low-risk quests on the board that give good EXP. But Sarah's right—recovery is important. Mana fatigue is real."
Lisa plopped down on the opposite end of the couch, defeated. "Fine. But only because the coffee's good. And… this place is insane. Since when do logistics specialists live in penthouse-level apartments?"
Andrey shrugged like it was nothing. "Low expenses, steady salary, compound interest. Bought it three years ago when prices dipped after a major portal incident nearby."
Sarah reached over and ruffled his hair. "Still can't believe you own a 75-inch OLED and only used it for Excel dashboards before yesterday."
Lisa stared at the massive TV, then at the panoramic view, then at the two of them looking annoyingly comfortable together. She sipped her coffee and sighed.
"Okay, fine. One rest day. But tomorrow we train. And patrol. And level up. Deal?"
Sarah unpaused the game and tossed Lisa a second controller. "Deal. Now get over here—we need a third player for the boss fight."
Lisa hesitated, then kicked off her shoes properly and scooted closer. "…Fine. But I'm carrying you both."