Alex sat at his desk in the dispatch office, eyes half-lidded in thought as he twirled the Rubik's Cube within his mind. The rainbow-sheen puzzle floated in his consciousness, shifting on its own as if sensing his mood. The Cube had become more than a tool—it was now part of him.
Steam rose from his summoning mug, bubbling with a new brew. Today's flavor was a mix of roasted hazelnut and vanilla cream, comforting yet vibrant. The scent filled the room.
Beside the desk, Bliss sat by the window, her small ears twitching as she watched birds flutter past. The faint healing aura around her shimmered in the sunlight, like a curtain of warmth.
Alex reached for his mug, sipping slowly as a knock came at the door. Agent Yurei stepped in, clipboard in hand and an unreadable look on her face.
"We're heading to the Hero Reserve Agency," she said.
Alex raised a brow. "What for?"
"To help you understand your summons better. The Agency's reviewing new heroes—we want to see if any patterns in their abilities match how your power reacts. Your input could shape how we guide future summon compatibility."
Intrigued, Alex stood, finishing the last of his coffee before giving Bliss a gentle pat. "Watch the office."
Bliss blinked slowly, almost in acknowledgment.
---
Alex followed Yurei through the corridor, then into a sleek black vehicle waiting outside. The ride was quiet, the city passing in a blur. The Hero Reserve Agency was housed in a towering steel-and-glass structure, secured by multiple government units.
Inside, the air buzzed with energy. New heroes were undergoing physical and mental assessments. Some showed off powers—flames, levitation, enhanced speed—while others were in discussions with analysts.
As Alex watched, his eyes narrowed on one of the candidates—a young man wielding a peculiar metallic gauntlet with swirling red grooves that pulsed faintly.
"That item..." Alex muttered. "I know it. I've seen someone use it before."
Agent Yurei glanced over. "Recognize it?"
Alex nodded slowly, frustration furrowing his brow. "I can't place it yet."
Yurei tapped a few keys on her tablet, accessing the hero and villain artifact registry. Alex's eyes widened a moment later. "That's it. It was used during a bank robbery. One of my old assignments—back when I worked at that private dispatch agency. The guy used it to tear through vault doors."
Yurei gave a short nod. "That confirms a connection we've suspected. Some artifact circulation routes might lead back to your old employers."
Alex's thoughts drifted, unsettled. "Could be coincidence, but... it feels too familiar."
Yurei nodded, but her expression remained sharp. "We've suspected for a while now that certain villain groups or private entities might be trying to infiltrate government ranks. They know government recruitment offers long-term safety, clearance, and equipment."
She glanced back toward the man with the gauntlet. "This could be a bait operation—someone with a recognizable artifact to distract us, while the real infiltrator slips through elsewhere. Or maybe it's just a dumb kid who picked up something dangerous and got lucky."
Alex frowned. "Either way, someone slipped up. That gauntlet was supposed to be secured after the robbery."
"If your old agency had it in storage... they may be leaking more than just bad contracts. We'll dig deeper."
A tense silence followed before Yurei added, "Keep your eyes open. If any of your summons start reacting strangely, or if you recognize any other artifacts—tell me immediately."
Alex leaned against the glass,
After a moment of thought, he turned to Yurei. "Do you think I could interview some of the nominees with the evaluators? It might help me get a better read on their powers, their gear... Maybe even inspire a more diverse set of summons."
Yurei considered it, then gave a sharp nod. "I'll get clearance. That's a smart angle, Thorne. Use your instincts."
Later that afternoon, Alex was given a seat beside two government evaluators. He watched quietly as nominees came and went, but three quickly stood out to him.
The first was a young man with nervous eyes and clenched fists. He introduced himself as Kian Rell. Alex recognized the metallic gauntlet on his arm immediately—it was the one from the bank robbery case. The boy hesitated before answering the questions, and when Alex asked how he acquired the artifact, his tone shifted.
"There was a break-in at our place," the boy said. "The guy tried to hurt my family. I used my dad's old gun... I didn't mean to kill him, but he was wearing this thing. The police said it wasn't registered. I kept it after... I didn't want to throw it away."
The room fell into silence. Alex gave a slow nod, acknowledging the weight of the boy's past.
Next came a woman in muddy boots and a sunhat—despite being indoors. She introduced herself as Leena, a gardener. Her power had awakened during what she called "a divine composting moment."
"I slipped while carrying a bucket of earthworms and landed right in my flowerbed," she said cheerfully. "The worms crawled all over, the flowers bloomed instantly, and my neighbor fainted because she thought I was possessed. But I could feel vibrations—I knew where roots were sick or where weeds were hiding. It's like... plant empathy."
Alex barely held back a laugh, charmed by her eccentricity.
The final candidate was a bulky man with grease-stained sleeves. He introduced himself as Toru Minami. He said he worked in a ramen cup factory before awakening.
"I just wanted to make the ultimate ramen," he explained. "Like five kinds in one—beef, spicy shrimp, miso, tonkotsu, veggie. So I welded the cups together, sealed them, added seasoning... then zap. Powers activated. Now I can merge two items into something stronger."
He demonstrated by merging a spoon and a plastic straw into a self-stirring ramen scoop. He added with a grin, "My power works best when the items are similar—merge two spoons, you get a stronger spoon. But if they're different, like a metal spoon and plastic fork, it turns into something hybrid—a bendable but reinforced spork."
Alex grinned. These weren't just powers—they were potential personalities, experiences, and skills that could influence future summons.
As the last candidate stepped out, Agent Yurei returned, arms crossed thoughtfully.
"They're good," she said. "Rough around the edges, but there's potential."
Alex nodded. "They stood out from the rest to me."
"I want you to take them under you," Yurei added.
Alex blinked. "Me? As in... recruit them?"
"Yes. Other dispatchers are overloaded managing hero teams. You're the only one without assigned heroes outside your summons. Consider it a trial mentorship. You'll help them settle, observe their growth... and maybe learn a few things yourself."
Alex hesitated. "I'm not exactly mentor material, Yurei. I'm still figuring this out myself."
Yurei gave him a firm look. "Exactly why you're right for the job. You understand the chaos of awakening. You've lived through it. And frankly, we don't have anyone else with your insight right now."
Alex exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright... fine. I'll try. But no promises."
"That's all I needed to hear," Yurei said with a small, satisfied smile.
The next morning, Alex and his newly assigned team sat in for a formal meeting. Agent Yurei arrived carrying Bliss in her arms, the little bunny looking curious and alert. The moment the recruits saw her, their faces lit up. Leena gasped with delight, Kian reached out with a gentle hand, and Toru nearly dropped his notes trying to pet her. Bliss, in return, let out a soothing hum that calmed the whole room. He introduced himself with a brief but firm tone, and the recruits seemed genuinely excited to be under his wing. Kian, Toru, and Leena listened attentively, nodding along.
After the meeting, Yurei handed Alex a sealed notice. "You're being moved to a new office. Your current one's too cramped now. We've set you up on the fifth floor—the top level."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Fifth floor? That's... high."
"Standard for dispatchers with active teams," Yurei said. "You'll have three dedicated rooms. One has your usual desk setup with three hero slides installed. Another's a full workshop for Toru, and a greenhouse section for Leena. There's also a private gym space."
Alex folded the notice and tucked it into his coat. "I guess we're moving up. Literally."
Later that week, the recruits were encouraged to demonstrate their powers in their respective new spaces. Kian was first, sparring in the gym with a training bot. His movements were precise and aggressive, his gauntlet flaring with energy at each impact. Alex narrowed his eyes—he could see a subtle field of protective energy emanating from the gauntlet, shielding Kian in short bursts. He quickly made note of this observation in his report.
Meanwhile, Leena was tending to her greenhouse patch. As she touched the soil, gentle vibrations rippled outward, stimulating accelerated growth in the plants. Vines coiled in a rhythmic dance, responding to her presence. Alex watched as she used her ability to quiet an agitated sapling with a soft pulse. He noted her empathetic connection to flora and the calming resonance her vibrations produced.
In the workshop, Toru was busy running government-issued item tests. First, he merged a standard pistol with a portable battery, creating a pistol that emitted small arcs of electricity with each shot. Then he combined two different pistols—one standard and one heavier make—resulting in a bulky hybrid weapon with amplified recoil and damage. When Alex observed the electric pistol, text and diagnostics shimmered briefly in his vision—courtesy of the cube embedded in his mental space. A glowing label appeared beside it:
[ITEMSCAN: ARC PISTOL] Rarity: Uncommon Description: A modified firearm capable of delivering electrical bursts. Effective in stunning targets with low resistance. Stability: Medium. Warning: Overuse may overheat internal core.
He recorded this phenomenon thoroughly in his report.
He noted that merging similar items resulted in a stronger version, while merging different items produced strange but unique tools, albeit less stable. He recorded this phenomenon thoroughly in his report.
Later that evening, Yurei stood by the window in Alex's new office, skimming through the report he had compiled. Alex leaned back in his chair, arms folded.
"Shouldn't they be in Research and Development instead of out here with me?" he asked, eyes flicking toward the door where the recruits had exited.
Yurei didn't look up. "They're all suspected individuals. I checked all three personally. Kian's story checks out on the surface, but some of the evidence from the trespasser's case was redacted or missing entirely."
Alex's brows lifted. "And the others?"
"Leena used to be heavily involved with drug circles. Nothing on her record, but her known associates include several blacklisted names."
Alex frowned.
"Toru's a gambler," Yurei continued flatly. "He's lost more than he's earned. And records show he once tried to apply to your last agency as a cleaner."
Alex looked down at his cube, spinning slowly in his mind's eye. "So this is another test."
—
Elsewhere, in the depths of an undisclosed underground facility, the Boss stood in front of a tall observation tank filled with bluish liquid. A large, coiled form drifted inside—part human, part serpent, its limbs flexing against the containment field.
"So the government finally put him in charge," the Boss murmured, eyes half-lidded with amusement. "Let's see what he does with a broken team."
He tapped his cane lightly against the floor, and a subordinate approached silently.
"Is our operative in place?" the Boss asked without turning.
"Yes, sir. Embedded, and already gaining his trust."
The Boss nodded slowly. "Good. Keep watch. If he starts tapping into his true potential... we intervene."
His gaze returned to the tank, where the creature stirred again. Scales glistened under faint light, and electric pulses crackled across the surface.
"Our last test was failure and success. From that failure we got CR1S1S," he whispered. "Fivefold DNA strain—human, snake, alligator, cuttlefish... and eel. My most promising accident. And the perfect catalyst.Lets see what more can you do!"
___
That night, long after the lights in the new office dimmed and the recruits had gone to their quarters, Alex stood alone by the large glass window. Bliss was curled up beside his feet, softly breathing. He sipped the last of his now-cold coffee, eyes fixed on the moon hanging silently in the sky.
He didn't speak. Just watched. The weight of his role, his powers, and the unknown future ahead circled in his thoughts. The cube hummed faintly in his mind.
He inhaled deeply, letting the moonlight rest on his face.
Another day survived. Another day earned.