“…Miss Alice, what exactly are you taking me to see?”
Alice led Clara into the elevator, heading straight for the top floor of the Association Building—at least, that’s what the elevator display showed.
This suited Nyx just fine.
“The main server of the Hero Network. Whether it’s assigning missions or registering hero identities, everything is handled through this server.”
Alice explained as she led the way, but Clara couldn’t help asking, “Is it really okay to show me something this important?”
“As I said before, the other top-tier heroes besides me also have high hopes for you. Since we can’t simplify the registration process, the least we can do is let you see the broader picture.”
“……Uh, can I interpret that as you grooming me?”
“Of course. The Association is an organization voluntarily formed by heroes. We welcome every aspiring hero to join our ranks.”
Though Alice always spoke in official terms from the Association’s standpoint, Clara was still a bit surprised.
Maybe it was her preconceived notions as a mutant, but she’d held a negative stereotype of the Association. Now that she was actually interacting with them…
‘This organization is pretty human after all?’
【Clara, this is an opportunity.】
Since they had reached the top floor, Nyx naturally wouldn’t forget the “god’s relic” she had her eye on.
‘But what kind of opportunity is this crap?’
All she’d get was a look at some impressive server, a chance to broaden her horizons, and then she’d be sent back down. Alice clearly wouldn’t let her run around freely—she was just giving her a tour.
Besides, there were other staff on this floor, and surveillance cameras everywhere…
【You can persuade her to take you to see that “god’s relic.”】
Clara wasn’t ready to take risks. She thought to herself with a mindset of ‘if there’s no chance, forget it.’
‘Well, I’ll try to steer the conversation that way when I can…’
This was more of a consolation to Nyx.
“Clara, we’re here.”
A few steps after leaving the elevator, Alice led Clara into a room that looked like a command center.
Computer equipment was arranged in an orderly fashion, with many staff members busy at work. Straight ahead was an entire wall of projection windows.
“Miss Alice, you—”
A staff member tried to greet her, but Alice waved them off with a gesture.
“This is the control center. Don’t mind me, get back to work.”
The staff’s job was to monitor the operation of some system.
No need to guess—it must be the Hero Network, right?
“Clara, look at that.”
Beyond the projection window was a massive metal sphere. Its surface was lined with rings of blue fluorescent bands, connected by countless cables…
So the elevator’s top floor wasn’t the real top floor.
That blue metal ball was at least three stories tall. The Hero Association had reserved such a large space on the building’s top floor to house it, showing just how important it was.
【No.】
Nyx denied Clara’s assumption.
【When I hacked into the internal network system for a scan, I didn’t notice any space like this on the top floor.】
【These windows are projection windows; the server itself isn’t here.】
So the server was somewhere else. This was just a command center?
“Is that the server?”
“It’s huge! Is that a new model quantum computer?”
When it came to computers pushing the limits of processing power, Clara’s limited knowledge could only conjure that term.
But Alice shook her head.
“No, it’s far more advanced technology than a quantum computer.”
“What you see is only its outer shell…”
“Now, let me demonstrate the Hero Network’s ability to predict the future. I’ll use existing intelligence to project what’s to come—”
In front of the projection window was a recliner-shaped capsule pod.
At the headrest position, there were cables.
Alice put on headphones, sat in the capsule pod, swept aside her silver-white hair to reveal an interface at the back of her neck, and connected to the capsule pod’s cables…
Now she got it.
This thing was a device exclusive to Alice.
After all, normal people don’t have ports on the back of their heads for cables to plug into.
“Clara, what do you want to know?”
Alice’s voice came from the capsule pod, but Clara hesitated to ask.
Predicting the future.
If the Hero Network really was that miraculous, wouldn’t it see right through her identity as a mole?
“……When will I be promoted to a superior hero?”
She considered her words and asked.
“That kind of question has too many variables. Try something closer in time.”
So it couldn’t do that?
Clara felt relieved.
But Alice then suggested, “You could ask about something today, like what you’ll eat tonight. I can prepare a scheduled email to send you when you’re having dinner.”
Hard to imagine—what was the principle behind this?
If it were a magic-side or mystic-side ability, Clara could understand it.
This ball looked like pure tech-side stuff, yet it could achieve such a mystical function as future prediction?
“Then how about seeing what I’ll do this afternoon?”
“……That question is a bit vague, but it’s doable.”
Alice said so.
The big metal ball outside the projection window erupted with azure electric light. Visibly surging energy was gathering, and the LED-like fluorescent strips on its surface grew even more dazzling.
How much electricity did it take to simulate Clara’s boring future?
Clara regretted not answering Alice’s question more seriously.
She could have asked how many readers her comic would get after it launched…
【Technology that transcends the times, far more advanced than quantum computers.】
【Friend, could it be that under that spherical steel shell lies another “god’s relic” like Nyx? Or technology derived from reverse-engineering one.】
The law explicitly forbids any organization or individual from developing or researching “relics.”
The Hero Association, as a semi-official organization, knowingly breaking the law…
That probably wasn’t the case, right?
Clara wasn’t sure.
But Alice opened her eyes as if she knew something.
She sat up and unplugged the cable from her neck.
Red light streams, symbolizing high heat and danger, flowed over her tight combat suit, and even the air around her seemed to warp from the temperature.
Yet her expression remained as indifferent as ever.
The staff around her seemed used to it. They just fetched cooling spray and doused Alice’s body.
Finally, she smoothed her hair, looked at Clara, and uttered her prediction.
“This afternoon, you’ll go find your comic editor during your off-hours, wanting to discuss the comic’s launch…”
“But she’ll avoid meeting with you, which will make you very sad.”
Whoa!
It sounded so real?!
But why would Miss Nangong avoid her?
Impossible!
In Clara’s view, her relationship with Miss Nangong had already been mended.
They were on great terms now—like brothers—so there was no way she’d be cold like that!
“Also, I’ve gone ahead and entered your data into the Hero Network, and the exclusive app was automatically installed on your phone…”
“The registration process is complete. I’ll take you back to the entrance hall.”
Hearing this, Clara pulled out her phone and took a look.
The Hero Association’s logo icon had appeared on the screen, unbeknownst to her.
A bit sudden…
The Association’s app installed itself?
How was it as rogue as the Nyx App!
Clara turned around, ready to follow Alice out.
But just then, Nyx called out to her.