Inside, the Eastern District Hero Bureau headquarters looked far less dramatic than Luke had expected.

The security outside had made the complex feel closer to a military facility, with reinforced barriers, cameras, and armed officers controlling the entrance. Beyond the checkpoint, however, the main lobby could have belonged to a large government office.

Employees crossed the polished floor carrying folders, tablets, and cups of coffee, while receptionists worked behind a long security desk. Most people wore dull office clothes, including several heroes Luke recognized from social media.

Seeing them without their costumes felt strange. One hero who usually appeared in silver armor walked past in a wrinkled shirt with his sleeves rolled up, while a heroine known for controlling plants sat behind the reception desk and ate from a plastic container as she studied her monitor.

Under different circumstances, Luke might have found the sight interesting. Today, he barely noticed.

His fingers tightened around Lauren’s hand as the Bureau employee waiting near the entrance led them toward the security desk. Lauren adjusted her grip and squeezed back.

The small gesture helped, though it did little to settle the knot in Luke’s stomach.

Neither of them knew why they had been summoned.

The hospital staff had mentioned further examinations, psychological follow-ups, and possible training, but the Bureau caller had explained nothing. He had only told Lauren that a car would arrive in thirty minutes and instructed them to bring their identification and hospital papers.

Luke had spent most of the ride imagining what the Bureau’s silence might mean.

The government could confiscate their remaining headsets or forbid them from using their abilities until researchers understood how they worked. There was also a chance the authorities would decide that anyone altered by Powerforge Online posed a danger to the public.

Losing his power worried Luke more than anything else. He had only just gained the strength to protect Lauren, and if someone took it away, he would be helpless again.

"You’re squeezing rather hard," Lauren whispered.

Luke loosened his hand immediately. "Sorry."

"I didn’t tell you to let go."

A faint smile touched her lips. Warmth crept into Luke’s face, and he looked away before she could tease him about it.

The identification process took less time than he expected. An employee checked their names, scanned their identification cards, and asked them to place their hands on a glass panel.

Lauren handed over the folder containing their hospital papers.

"Have either of you experienced any new symptoms since being discharged?" the employee asked while reviewing the documents.

Luke looked at Lauren before she could answer.

She noticed immediately.

"I’ve had a mild headache since using Oracle’s Glimpse again this morning," Lauren admitted. "It isn’t severe, but it hasn’t completely disappeared."

The employee entered something into her tablet.

"Neurological staff will examine you after the briefing," she said. "Tell us immediately if the pain becomes worse, you feel dizzy, or another vision begins."

"I will."

Luke continued watching Lauren for another moment.

She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "I promised I would tell them."

Once another staff member confirmed their information, they received temporary visitor badges and were allowed through.

No one tried to separate them or asked them to demonstrate their abilities, but Luke remained tense anyway.

As they moved farther into the building, ordinary office workers became less common. Uniformed officers passed them in the corridors, armed heroes stood beside several reinforced doors, and cameras tracked everyone walking through the halls.

Lauren noticed the security too, but her pace never changed. Every so often, her thumb moved across the back of Luke’s hand. He couldn’t tell whether she meant to comfort him or whether the gesture calmed her as well.

Their escort finally brought them to a large gymnasium. Rows of folding chairs covered the polished floor, all facing a raised platform at the opposite end. The basketball hoops had been folded against the walls, while thick blue mats were stacked near several storage rooms. A faint smell of rubber and disinfectant hung in the air.

Dozens of people had already arrived. Some sat quietly with their hands folded in their laps, while others whispered to relatives or checked their phones despite the weak signal inside the building.

Luke slowed as he took in the crowd. Every person in the gymnasium had developed an ability after playing Powerforge Online, and until that moment, he hadn’t realized how many people had been affected.

At the hospital, Luke and Lauren had been treated like an unusual pair whose situation no one understood. Seeing so many others gathered in one room changed that. Their awakening had not been an isolated miracle or accident. Something much larger had happened, and neither the heroes nor the government seemed to understand where it would lead.

The thought should have made Luke feel less alone. Instead, it made the situation seem even more dangerous.

Men and women of nearly every age filled the seats. A few appeared old enough to be retired, while others looked as though they had come straight from work. One broad-shouldered man still wore a construction uniform, and nearby, a woman in medical scrubs kept rubbing her palms against her knees.

Luke wondered what kinds of abilities they had brought out of the game. Some might have awakened harmless support skills, while others could possess powers capable of destroying the entire gymnasium. There was no way to tell by looking at them.

Lauren glanced around and chuckled. "This feels like a school assembly. It’s been so long since I attended one."

Luke smiled. "Quite the opposite for me."

"That’s right. You’ve only been out of school for a little while."

"I graduated."

"Recently."

She stretched out the word, clearly enjoying herself. Luke considered arguing, but the amusement in her eyes made it impossible to sound serious.

Several people near the back looked close to his age. They had formed their own group and were talking loudly enough for half the room to hear them, their excitement standing out among the nervous adults.

As Luke and Lauren walked past, pieces of their conversation reached him. They compared abilities, bragged about what they had accomplished in the game, and tried to guess which hero agencies might recruit them.

One young man claimed he would become famous within a month. Another insisted the government would have to pay them enormous salaries because people who awakened through Powerforge Online were still rare.

One of them spotted Luke and raised a hand.

"Hey! Another one over here."

Luke glanced toward the group. He wasn’t eager to join them, but sitting near people his own age might make the situation feel less intimidating.

Then the young man noticed that Luke and Lauren were holding hands, and his welcoming expression twisted into a grin.

"Never mind. He came with his mommy."

The others turned toward them.

"Look at how tightly he’s holding her hand."

Someone laughed. "Bro even went to play the game with his mom."

"Loser."

Their voices carried through the gymnasium. A few adults looked over, though most quickly faced forward again and pretended they hadn’t heard anything.

Heat rushed into Luke’s face, but the embarrassment gave way to anger almost at once. His chest tightened as he stared at the group.

They knew nothing about Lauren. They had no idea what she had endured, what she had done for him, or how uncertain both of them felt about being here. Still, they laughed because she was an easy target.

Luke turned toward them, and the closest boy’s grin faded when he saw his expression.

Before Luke could take more than one step, Lauren pulled him back. Her grip was gentle but firm enough to stop him.

"Luke," she whispered.

"But they..."

"I heard them."

She moved closer until her shoulder touched his arm.

"Having power doesn’t mean you need to answer every insult with it," Lauren said. "If you rush over there now, a few childish words will have controlled you."

Luke clenched his jaw. "They called you my mother."

"I noticed."

"And they called me a loser."

"You didn’t seem nearly as upset about that part."

Luke opened his mouth, but no answer came. Lauren’s smile deepened as she watched him struggle to respond.

"You’re already eager to test what you can do," she continued. "I understand why. After everything that happened, your abilities probably feel like the answer to every problem. But if you confront every idiot you meet, you’ll end up acting just as childish as they are."

Luke glanced back at the group. They were still watching, though their laughter had stopped.

"We can’t just let them say whatever they want," he muttered.

"We won’t."

The change in Lauren’s smile made him suspicious. It became warmer and far more mischievous.

"There are better ways to shut them up."