The train station looms ahead, but nothing prepares me for the sight of Astra Hero Institute.
White towers glint in the sunlight. Glass domes reflect the morning sky. Students swarm the gates like a moving tide of color and sound. Capes, insignias, even a few experimental Quirk displays. The place is… intimidating. And massive.
"Whoa," Taiyashè breathes beside me.
His eyes sparkle with the kind of excitement that I can never fake. He's tall, lean, with a grin that could probably get him expelled for charm alone. His hair catches the sun, gold streaked with orange, and he wears a messenger bag slung casually over his shoulder.
"This is… bigger than I thought," I say, clutching my bag tighter.
Taiyashè bumps my shoulder lightly. "Bigger? Ren, it's insane! Look at all this! You're finally here, man. Nova-1. That's top-tier."
I glance around, taking in the crowd. Some students are practicing small quirks openly — fireballs dancing over palms, light sparks flickering in the air, even a girl levitating her backpack like it's weightless. My own fire feels small suddenly.
"Yeah, well…" I mutter, keeping my palms tucked in my jacket pockets. Can't show too much. Not yet. Not the other thing.
"Not impressed?" Taiyashè teases, nudging me again.
"Impressed. Just… cautious," I admit.
He laughs. "Of course. That's the Ren I know. Nervous but trying to act chill. Don't worry — I've got your back."
We walk through the massive gates, passing statues of famous heroes whose names I only vaguely recognize. Each figure seems larger than life, carved in stone with eyes that almost follow you.
A gust of wind blows past me. I feel a small tingle along my spine — nothing unusual, I tell myself. Just the breeze. Just Astra.
"Look at that," Taiyashè points ahead. "That's the main campus. The combat training grounds are… wow. You can literally see sparks from the elemental labs."
I can't help a small smile. The fire in my palm flickers instinctively, as if reacting to the excitement in the air. I clamp it down.
"Hey," Taiyashè says quietly, nudging my side. "You're going to do fine, Ren. Seriously. You've got more talent than you think. Nova-1 won't know what hit them."
I nod, but inside, there's that quiet unease I've been carrying since the letter arrived.
I didn't apply. I don't know who put me here. And the other thing… the power I barely understand…
I swallow. "Thanks, Taiyashè. I just… hope I can keep this normal for a while."
He grins. "Normal? Ren, you? Yeah, right. Let's see what Astra's got."
We step onto the main courtyard, the hum of power around us buzzing in the air. Students practice, instructors walk purposefully, and somewhere far above, a sleek drone hovers silently, recording every movement.
I glance at Taiyashè, who's grinning like he belongs here already.
I take a deep breath.
This is it.
The place I never applied to.The school that might just change my life.The place where fire is only the beginning…
And maybe, just maybe, something else is already stirring.