PHOENIX ACADEMY

Stare, accompanied by Guy, arrived at a massive white metallic gate adorned with LED lighting decorations that would occasionally dim. Tall fences, seemingly constructed of thick concrete blocks, surrounded the area.

As their Hovering Car approached the gate, it automatically opened in slow motion, allowing their vehicle to pass through.

They had finally arrived at the Phoenix Hero Academy.

Somehow, Stare felt as though the journey had only taken a few minutes. However, he couldn't determine if it was just his perception or if the journey had indeed passed that quickly.

The pace of the vehicle within the gates appeared to slow down even further.

Stare couldn't determine if this was merely one of Guy's quirks or if he was adhering to some sort of protocol.

So far, all Stare could discern in the vast expanse of land was a tarred road and nothing more. This was accompanied by an unusual silence in the vehicle, as Guy refrained from speaking for the first time since meeting him, remaining oddly focused solely on the road ahead.

Stare felt a slight unease in the environment, yet he also recognized that academies like this often concealed their bases and buildings, sometimes for security purposes and other times to foster detachment from the outside world. Similar situations had occurred in his previous cycles.

After several minutes of driving, Stare finally spotted a group of people, approximately five of them, standing not too far away. They were armed with laser blasters and dressed in uniforms that he easily recognized, even from a distance of a mile.

They wore gray combat uniforms adorned with the logo of a globe with green sprouts on their chest—the emblem of the government's New Earth Defense Force (NEDF).

Stare had overheard once or twice about the Academy's close ties with the government. However, after spotting government personnel on the academy's premises, he suspected that the relationship between the Academy and the Government was likely more than just friendly.

As Stare was absorbed by the presence of the NEDF officials, his attention was suddenly diverted to Guy, who finally spoke after many minutes since they had entered the premises.

"You know, when I first walked through those gates into the Academy's grounds, I thought the security was quite lax and basic. However, that perception changed after I assumed the Vice Rector position and gained access to the information privileges that came with it."

"That was when I first read one of the reports handed to me by the Rector of the 'Phoenix Guardian,' a Tier IV Prime specially hired for handling all of the Academy's security matters—the Academy's own guardian angel."

"Interestingly, no one has ever seen or heard about this Guardian, not even me as the Vice Rector, who was only given limited information."

Stare looked at Guy oddly, unsure of his reason for bringing up the topic. It almost seemed like a subtle warning.

Not knowing how to reply, he simply nodded and refocused his gaze on the officials, who now looked closer.

As their vehicle drew closer to the officials, it came to a stop, allowing Stare to be the first to step out, his bag slung over his shoulder.

The officials, three females and two males, all fixed their gaze on Stare the moment he emerged from the vehicle. Although their stares were sharp, there was no overt sign of hostility.

One of the officials, a blonde woman holding a tablet-like device, approached him and requested his identification.

As Stare was about to comply, he was abruptly interrupted by Guy, who had also exited the vehicle.

The officials' attention immediately shifted to him, and Stare observed how they instantly straightened up, even offering a respectful salute.

"Mr. Guy, we were not aware you were accompanying him," the blonde woman stated bluntly, stepping aside as if making room for Stare and Guy.

After a few seconds, a warping sound echoed, and a blue doorway gradually materialized until it became fully visible.

"A teleportation device," Stare murmured inwardly, impressed.

He promptly passed through the doorway, the last thing he saw being Guy waving farewell with his signature smile before suddenly finding himself standing in a different place.

NEDF officials were present and promptly directed Stare away from the doorway, conducting a search and confiscating his bag and phone.

It turned out that phones and other communication devices were prohibited within the academy, as were external luggage. Fortunately, Stare was able to persuade the officials to allow him to retain his media player.

A wristwatch of some kind was then placed on his left wrist by the officials before he was escorted by one of them to the convocation venue.

Along the way, Stare quietly observed the surroundings.

He could immediately discern that this place was markedly different from the previous one.

Numerous buildings, structures, and statues were already visible, scattered throughout the area. Somehow, this place seemed to boast an even larger landmass than the previous one, evident in the ample unused land amidst the numerous buildings. This fact was particularly staggering given New Earth's current dwindling land mass.

Stare also noticed some inconsistencies with the sky. While it appeared normal at first glance, he could discern abnormalities such as repetitive cloud formations, giving it an artificial appearance.

Additionally, the air felt somewhat stale.

These observations suggested they were likely in an enclosed environment, possibly underground.

They soon arrived at the venue—a large, tall, and elegant building with imposing columns adorning its entrance. The doors, seemingly made of platinum, bore the engraved logo of a Phoenix Crest on both.

While the escort official remained outside, Stare walked into the hall.

AN: This work is filled with a lot of mysteries and plot twists. As such a good author, I tend or will tend to leave some pointers in some chapters.