The training hall smelled of steel, sweat, and ozone. Twenty aspiring heroes stood in two uneven lines, backs stiff, eyes darting toward the golden figure at the far end. Solarius didn't need to speak to command the room—his mere presence pressed down like sunlight at noon, burning away pretense.
An instructor at his side held a clipboard, nervously reading names. "First Division… for assessment, sir."
Solarius barely nodded. "Let's see what the prodigies of this generation look like when the polish is scraped off."
A ripple of tension swept the cadets. Some straightened proudly. Others swallowed hard.
---
1. Daigo – Stonehide Idol
"Step forward."
Daigo, broad-shouldered, stomped into the center. His body shuddered as his skin roughened into jagged rock. The floor cracked under his weight. He grinned—until he tried to move.
His feet refused to lift.
"…Sir, uh… I can't—" He toppled sideways, the crash echoing like a landslide. Dust filled the hall.
The cadets laughed nervously.
Solarius didn't.
"Next time, remember that a hero who can't move is just a boulder waiting to be ignored."
2. Mei – Echo Step Idol
A slim girl with restless energy darted forward. "Watch this!"
She split into after-images—one, two, three, six—then all six sprinted in opposite directions.
Two collided with each other, one slammed into the wall, another tripped over Daigo's leg. The last two blurred and vanished mid-step.
She landed in a heap.
"Excellent at confusing enemies," Solarius said flatly. "And yourself. Control, cadet."
3. Haruto – Shockstream Idol
Electricity danced between his hands. Sparks built into crackling arcs. He grinned, then screamed as the current snapped back into his body. His hair stood on end, smoke curling from his collar.
Snickers erupted from the back row.
Solarius raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. You've discovered the world's most painful lightbulb."
4. Hana – Verdant Chain Idol
A nervous girl held her hands up, summoning vines from the floor. They twisted beautifully at first—then whipped out of control, lashing desks, tangling two cadets, and hoisting one boy into the rafters.
She shrieked. "Sorry! Sorry!"
The instructors rushed to cut the vines free.
Solarius merely exhaled. "Nature is powerful, cadet. But it obeys only those who stand firm. If you hesitate, the forest eats you first."
5. Kaito – Ember Fist Idol
Fire blazed from his knuckles. His punch left a trail of flame, brilliant—until the hem of his sleeve caught fire. He yelped, slapping at it wildly.
Solarius didn't even blink. "Heroes who set themselves on fire rarely live long enough for villains to finish the job."
6. Rina – Glass Shard Idol
She extended a hand, conjuring floating slivers of transparent crystal. They hovered elegantly for a moment, then rained uncontrollably, shattering on the floor.
Half the cadets ducked.
"Good," Solarius said, voice like steel. "At least you'll keep civilians entertained at parades."
7. Tsubasa – Wing Veil Idol
Feathers burst from his back, translucent wings spreading magnificently. He jumped, flapped hard—and went nowhere. Another try, and he shot three feet up, before crashing face-first into the mat.
Groans filled the air.
"Birds are majestic," Solarius said dryly. "You, however, are a pigeon."
8. Ayaka – Frost Vein Idol
She shivered as frost spread across her arm. A beam of ice shot forward—straight into a dummy's chest. Perfect.
She smiled, proud—until the frost crept up her shoulder, freezing her hair and cheek.
Her eyes widened in panic.
Solarius snapped his fingers, golden warmth melting it instantly. He gave her a sharp look. "Control the frost, or you will become it."
9. Renji – Sonic Pulse Idol
He inhaled, chest swelling, and let out a scream. The shockwave blew papers into the air, knocked three cadets over, and ruptured a nearby speaker. His voice cracked halfway through.
The silence after was deafening.
"Congratulations," Solarius said. "You've weaponized puberty."
10. Kaede – Shadow Stitch Idol
Her shadow elongated, snaring a dummy's leg. It worked beautifully—until it latched onto a cadet's ankle instead. He fell screaming, convinced he'd been cursed.
Kaede flushed scarlet. "It wasn't on purpose!"
"Tell that to your hostage when they bleed out," Solarius replied coldly.
11. Satoshi – Iron Grasp Idol
His hands gleamed metallic, crushing a steel bar like clay. He grinned, flexing—until his hands refused to revert. He shook them wildly, clanging like cymbals.
The class howled with laughter.
Solarius didn't. "If you can't turn your hands back, cadet, enjoy your new career as a pair of garden shears."
12. Emi – Light Prism Idol
A rainbow burst from her palms, dazzling, refracting across the hall. Beautiful—until it blinded half the cadets. One tripped, another cursed loudly.
"Artistry," Solarius murmured. "But a blinded ally is as good as a corpse. Heroes don't kill their own."
13. Kengo – Force Step Idol
He stomped, kinetic force rippling outward. The ground shook, knocking three cadets down like bowling pins. He laughed nervously.
Solarius' eyes narrowed. "A hero who topples allies is just another earthquake. Control the radius. Or I'll bury you in it."
14. Aoi – Mist Veil Idol
Mist poured from her hands, thickening until the hall filled with fog. Voices echoed, bodies stumbled, panic spread.
"Stop! Stop!" she cried, unable to pull it back.
Solarius raised a glowing hand, vapor burning away instantly. His glare silenced her. "A hero who blinds their own unit doesn't deserve a battlefield."
15. Ryo – Magnet Core Idol
Metal clattered, desks screeched, weapons yanked from racks. He stood horrified as screws ripped from the walls and nailed him flat to the floor.
The cadets roared with laughter.
"Cadet," Solarius said. "If you can't even command a nail, the enemy will use you as a compass."
16. Mika – Bloomfire Idol
Her flames bloomed like flowers, petals of fire whirling beautifully. But the "flowers" fell, setting mats ablaze. Instructors rushed with extinguishers.
She bowed in apology, near tears.
Solarius' voice was cutting but quiet. "Beauty without discipline is just destruction in disguise."
17. Daichi – Tremor Palm Idol
He struck the floor—cracks spiderwebbed outward. The entire hall shook. Dummies toppled. A cadet screamed as his chair flipped.
Daichi grinned sheepishly.
"Not bad," Solarius admitted. "If your goal was property damage."
18. Yumi – Threadbind Idol
Silken threads flowed from her fingertips, binding a dummy neatly. Perfect—until they snapped mid-tension and tangled her arms, cocooning her against the wall.
She squeaked.
Solarius shook his head. "If you want to play spider, cadet, at least avoid trapping yourself in your own web."
19. Akihiro – Radiant Body Idol
He stepped forward, calm, aura shimmering gold. His control was near-perfect—energy flowing steady, precise, elegant. He bowed slightly, a quiet smile tugging at his lips.
The cadets murmured in awe.
Solarius studied him silently, then nodded once. "At least one of you remembers what control means."
20. Yuna – Pale Bloom Idol
The room hushed as the mysterious girl stepped forward. She didn't move much—just exhaled softly. A faint, pale aura seeped outward. One cadet swayed, then collapsed unconscious.
Gasps filled the hall.
She stopped immediately, expression unreadable.
Solarius' eyes sharpened, voice low. "Dangerous. Very dangerous. Learn restraint—or I'll bury you before you ever touch the field."
---
By the end, the hall was a mess—scorched mats, cracked tiles, fog residue, and unconscious cadets strewn like ragdolls. The instructors looked exhausted, clipboards ruined.
Solarius stood tall, golden light radiating faintly. His glare swept across them.
"Good try." His voice was quiet, but it cut deeper than a shout. "Children wielding storms, earthquakes, fire, frost… and not a single one of you can stand without stumbling. You dream of heroes, but right now, you are hazards. Civilians would fear you more than villains."
No one dared to breathe.
Then, softer—still sharp, but edged with possibility:
"But ore can be forged. Steel can be sharpened. And weapons… can change the world."
The twenty cadets straightened, cheeks burning, determination simmering. For the first time, they weren't laughing or whispering. They were trying to be prepared.
The sun outside blazed brighter, its reflection dancing across Solarius' armor.
Training had only just begun.