The underground training hall was filled with heavy silence.
The only sounds that echoed through the room were the creaking of steel and the sharp snap of a tensioned cable.
Aibar trained without stopping.
A thick steel cable, attached to five tons of iron weights, slowly lifted the massive load off the ground before letting it crash back down with a deafening thud.
With one hand, Aibar pulled the cable.
Then released it.
Every five minutes, he switched to the other arm.
There wasn't a single wasted movement.
Azamat watched him in silence for a while.
Finally, he let out a quiet sigh.
— My lord... this much strain isn't necessary.
Aibar didn't answer.
The cable stretched once again.
The thick steel wire groaned as the enormous weights trembled and rose from the floor.
Azamat frowned.
— Calling you a superhuman doesn't even feel appropriate anymore.
Aibar continued training as if he hadn't heard a single word.
— Even without your modes... you're already unbelievably powerful.
— This strength... it's beyond human comprehension.
His eyes drifted toward the white bandages wrapped around Aibar's arms.
— It's still hard to believe, my lord...
— The boy who was once so weak... is now pulling five tons with one hand.
— And now...
— You even possess those modes.
The cable slammed back into place once more.
Aibar simply let out a slow breath.
— Being weak once...
— ...doesn't mean I'll stay weak forever.
Aibar released the cable.
The thick steel wire snapped back one final time as the enormous iron weights crashed onto the floor with a thunderous boom.
He pulled off his sweat-soaked shirt.
His body, drenched in sweat, was still almost entirely wrapped in white bandages.
Only a pair of black training shorts remained on him.
Without wasting a second, Aibar moved on to the next exercise.
He placed both palms on the floor and immediately began doing push-ups.
A few minutes later...
He switched to sit-ups.
Then squats.
He moved from one exercise to another without taking a single break.
His movements were so incredibly fast that anyone watching from the outside would struggle to follow them with their eyes.
In less than an hour, he had finished his entire training routine.
Meanwhile...
Azamat sat on a long bench at the edge of the training hall.
His legs were crossed.
Resting his head on one hand, he looked completely bored.
— ...
— My lord... watching you train is becoming harder than training itself...
Aibar didn't respond.
Instead, he walked toward the massive steel door at the very end of the training hall.
He opened it and stepped inside.
The heavy door slammed shut behind him.
Beyond it lay a special chamber as cold as a giant freezer.
Thin white mist drifted across the floor.
Aibar walked to the very center of the room.
He sat down, crossed his legs, and slowly closed his eyes.
Not a single muscle moved.
Even his breathing became almost impossible to notice.
He simply entered a state of meditation.
...
An hour and a half later...
The massive steel door slowly opened once again.
Aibar stepped out as though nothing had happened.
After finishing his training, Aibar walked up the stairs and left the underground training hall.
Without wasting a second, he headed straight into the bathroom.
Azamat remained behind, cleaning up the training hall.
After returning every piece of equipment to its proper place, he walked into the central room and sat down on the sofa.
A few minutes later...
The bathroom door opened.
Aibar stepped outside.
His body was still damp from the shower.
A simple white towel was wrapped around his waist.
Azamat looked at him and smiled faintly.
— My lord... you push yourself like this every single day.
Resting one hand beneath his chin, he continued,
— Perhaps... that's exactly why you've been adapting to the new modes much faster than everyone else.
— It's... remarkable.
Aibar wiped his wet hair with the towel draped over his shoulder before answering.
— Master... once, I made a promise to protect the people who are precious to me.
He looked directly at Azamat.
— Everything I'm doing... is for that promise.
— ...
— My lord...
Azamat fell silent for a moment.
As if he had become lost in thought.
Aibar slightly raised an eyebrow.
— Master...?
Azamat suddenly snapped back to reality.
— Ah... yes, my lord.
— What were you about to say?
Azamat slowly shook his head.
— Nothing...
— Please, don't mind me.
He stood up from the sofa.
— Would you like something to eat?
— I don't mind.
Azamat walked toward the kitchen and began preparing dinner.
The following day...
Aibar returned to his usual duty.
He silently walked through the school hallways, observing every corner.
Every movement...
Every student...
Every tiny change...
Nothing escaped his attention.
As if he were...
...a living surveillance camera.
Official statements from the Government of Kazakhstan began to be released one after another.
For the first time, the events taking place across the country were no longer hidden from the public.
Newspapers.
Magazines.
News websites.
Every media outlet competed to report the same story.
Before long, one of those newspapers was delivered to Aibar's house.
Azamat was the first to pick it up.
The moment he unfolded it, his eyes were immediately drawn to the front page.
Printed in bold letters were:
A+ Rank — Aibar Rasululy
A+ Rank — Lucas Karl Schmidt
A Rank — Kim So-Hyeon
Beneath those names was another title.
The First Superhero
And beneath that title...
Only one name was written.
Aibar Rasululy
...
Azamat stared at the page in silence for several seconds.
Then...
A faint smile appeared on his face.
— At last...
He gently folded the newspaper.
— The whole country has finally begun to recognize your efforts, my lord.
The third bell rang.
The long break had begun.
As usual, the classroom quickly filled with noise and chatter.
Meanwhile, So Hyeon rested her head on her desk, looking completely bored.
Eventually, she picked up her phone and opened social media.
As she absentmindedly scrolled through the latest news, one headline immediately caught her attention.
"Kazakhstan officially launches its first State Program for Heroes."
So Hyeon's finger froze on the screen.
She immediately lifted her head from the desk and leaned closer to read.
Her eyes widened.
A small smile slowly appeared on her face.
The article read:
The Government of Kazakhstan officially recognizes individuals with extraordinary abilities.
A state program has been launched to register, evaluate, and support their activities at the national level.
So Hyeon fell silent for a moment.
Before long, the events from a few days earlier resurfaced in her mind.
Reporters and government officials sent by the Kazakh authorities had visited the school.
That day...
Lucas.
Maria.
Symbat.
The three of them had given official interviews, explaining everything that had happened in great detail.
But Aibar...
As always, he had refused to participate.
And So Hyeon herself hadn't been in the right state of mind that day, so she hadn't gotten involved either.
— ...
She unconsciously clenched her fist.
— If only... I had given an interview too...
For a brief moment, she felt a little frustrated with herself.
But the feeling didn't last long.
She took a deep breath and smiled again.
— What's done is done...
So Hyeon continued reading the article.
It explained that, based on the information provided by Lucas, Maria, and Symbat, the government had completed a full analysis of every enemy encountered so far, the threat levels they posed, and the abilities of the three heroes.
As a result...
The first official Hero Ranks in the history of Kazakhstan had been established.
So Hyeon's eyes immediately shifted to the bottom of the article.
There, the newly announced rankings were displayed.So Hyeon scrolled further down the page.
A new section appeared on the screen.
Confirmed Deceased — Rebel Side
- Asanali Saparuly (Deceased at age 22) — Rank: B
- Arsen Kairatuly (Deceased at age 23) — Rank: B+
- Nurman Kanatuly (Deceased at age 25) — Rank: B
- Meyrambek Bakytuly (Deceased at age 20) — Rank: S+
- Unknown Kunoichi (Age Unknown) — Rank: Unknown
...
So Hyeon silently stared at the list for a few seconds.
Without saying a word, she scrolled down again.
Another section appeared.
Registered Heroes
- Aibar Rasululy — Age: 15 — Rank: A+
- Lucas Karl Schmidt — Age: 16 — Rank: A+
- Kim So-Hyeon — Age: 14 — Rank: A
So Hyeon's gaze stopped on the rankings.
She frowned slightly.
— Yeah...
She quietly muttered to herself.
— So... they still ranked me below those two.
She remained silent for a moment.
Then, a faint smile slowly appeared on her face.
— It's fine...
She shrugged lightly.
— Rank A isn't bad either.
So Hyeon slowly lowered her phone.
For a brief moment, she glanced at Aibar, who sat quietly, lost in his own thoughts.
At that exact moment—
Symbat suddenly jumped to her feet.
— What?!
Her face was filled with excitement.
The entire classroom instantly fell silent.
Everyone's attention shifted toward Symbat.
Aibar slowly turned his head and looked at her as well.
Realizing everyone was staring, Symbat quickly came back to her senses and gave an awkward smile.
— N-Never mind...
She quietly sat back down.
So Hyeon stood up and walked over to Aibar.
Crossing her arms with a small smile, she said,
— Well then... Mr. A+ Rank.
Aibar turned his head toward her.
— ...
So Hyeon smiled and continued,
— Yes, I'm talking to you. The Government of Kazakhstan has officially launched a special state program for heroes.
She held out her phone for Aibar to see.
— According to it... you, Lucas, and I have all been officially assigned ranks.
The rest of the class silently watched their conversation.
Symbat stood up once again.
— That's... what I wanted to say too...
Aibar showed no reaction.
He simply looked forward again.
— Just what I needed...
— I have absolutely no interest in rank systems.
So Hyeon frowned and stared at him for a moment.
— Sometimes...
— That attitude of yours is honestly irritating.
A few seconds later, however, a gentle smile returned to her face.
— Still...
— Isn't this amazing, Aibar?
— Think about it... the government itself has officially acknowledged you.
Aibar remained silent as he listened.
Only after a brief pause did he answer in his usual calm voice.
— This...
— Only means they'll compare me to Lucas again.
He slowly turned his gaze toward the window.
— I don't want that.
— Things like this can drive people apart.
A brief silence followed.
Then he quietly finished his sentence.
— It wouldn't even surprise me...
— If one day...
— You ended up resenting me as well.
So Hyeon's expression froze for a moment.
That was the last thing she had expected him to say.
Because Aibar wasn't thinking about himself...
He was thinking about everyone else's feelings.
A warm smile appeared on So Hyeon's face.
She looked directly at Aibar.
— Don't worry, Aibar...
— No matter how strong you become...
She shrugged slightly with a gentle smile.
— To me...
— You'll always be...
— The friend who sometimes drives me crazy...
— But someone I could never bring myself to hate.
...
For a brief moment, a warm atmosphere filled the classroom.
Smiles naturally spread across many of the students' faces.
Symbat silently looked at So Hyeon.
A faint smile formed on the corner of her lips as she drifted into thought.
"You're... truly an amazing girl, So Hyeon..."
"You know... I think I've started respecting you even more than Lucas and Maria..."
Aibar turned his gaze toward So Hyeon.
His voice remained as calm as ever.
— Thank you, So Hyeon.
— But...
— I hope that one day...
— You won't change your mind.
So Hyeon couldn't help but laugh.
— Aibar...
— You speak far too formally.
— I think you should learn to speak more naturally... the way you actually want to.
Without even thinking, Aibar replied,
— This...
— Is simply the way I normally speak.
So Hyeon shook her head with a smile.
— Maybe...
— But to everyone else...
She paused for a moment, searching for the right words.
Then she laughed softly.
— You sound like someone who memorized an entire speech before walking onto a stage.
A few students around the classroom couldn't help but laugh.
As for Aibar...
As usual, not a single emotion appeared on his face.
He simply let out a faint sigh that no one seemed to understand.
— ...
— I understand.
Maria and several other students walked into the classroom at that very moment.
The instant So Hyeon saw her, she stood up.
— Maria!
Maria looked at her in confusion.
— What happened?
The next second, So Hyeon rushed over and hugged her tightly.
Maria froze for a moment, not understanding what was going on.
— So Hyeon...?
With a bright smile, So Hyeon said,
— Maria...
— Your bestie...
— Is officially an A-Rank Superhero!
Maria's eyes widened slightly.
— What...?
A few seconds later, a warm smile appeared on her face as well.
She returned the hug.
— So...
— It's true...?
So Hyeon nodded.
— Yeah.
— You guessed right.
The two stepped back.
Holding up her phone, So Hyeon continued,
— The Government of Kazakhstan has officially announced a new state program.
— They've officially recognized heroes.
— And...
— They've even assigned official ranks.
Maria stared at the phone with curiosity.
— So...
— It has finally begun...
At that exact moment, the classroom door opened.
Lucas walked inside.
He had only caught the last part of the conversation.
Raising an eyebrow with a faint grin, he asked,
— Did someone...
— Say ranks?
Lucas smiled faintly.
— Interesting...
— What kind of ranks are you talking about?
So Hyeon couldn't wait to share the news with him.
— Luka!
— Do you remember those people who interviewed us a few days ago?
— The government has officially recognized us.
— They even assigned us ranks.
She held up her phone with a bright smile.
— You and Aibar are A+.
— And I'm A.
Lucas let out a quiet chuckle.
— Oh...
— "Luka?"
He smiled and shook his head.
— That's an interesting nickname.
— I don't mind it.
After a brief silence, he glanced at the screen once more.
— This...
— This is wonderful news.
— So...
— Aibar is officially on the same level as me.
"No..."
"In reality... he's far more talented than I am."
"If the government had actually witnessed his battle against Meyrambek..."
"He would already deserve an S Rank."
"I have to admit it..."
"He fought on a level even higher than mine."
"Damn it..."
"What an unbelievable talent..."
"A true monster..."
Aibar looked at Lucas for a brief moment.
It was almost as though...
he could sense what Lucas was thinking.
But he remained silent.
So Hyeon waved a hand in front of him.
— Luka...
— Are you even here?
Lucas snapped out of his thoughts.
— Ah...
— Yeah.
So Hyeon looked at him suspiciously.
— You've been acting strange lately.
She smiled slightly.
— What...
— Are you jealous of Aibar?
The classroom fell silent.
Everyone waited for Lucas's answer.
Lucas...
simply smiled as calmly as ever.
— No.
— He's my friend.
— I have nothing to be jealous of.
— If anything...
— I'm happy for his success.
His voice...
His expression...
Everything about him felt completely genuine.
Everyone believed him.
...
Everyone except one person.
Aibar.
The rest of the school day passed as usual.
When the final bell rang, everyone headed home.
Several hours later...
Night quietly settled over the village.
Aibar lay silently on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Lucas..."
"I can tell..."
"Status and recognition matter to you."
"But..."
"None of that matters to me."
"The only thing I care about..."
"Is protecting the people precious to me."
"And for that..."
"I have to become the strongest."
He slowly closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry..."
"But from now on..."
"I'll have to be more cautious around you..."
Aibar quietly let out a long breath...
and drifted off to sleep.