The burning hot coffee flowed freely down Susan’s throat despite having been just poured. The definition of what was hot having changed ever since she gained her powers in her youth.

Putting down the now half-empty cup, she enjoyed the moment of peace she had managed to squeeze into her busy schedule. Pushing aside black hair strands that for every five glowed a soft red-orange similar to her daughters Susan let her tight bun loose so she could softly massage her scalp, letting built-up stress find an exit through her fingers. She definitely needed a vacation before the summer ended, but with all the recent movements from the underbelly of the world, she’d be lucky to get an afternoon off.

“Johnathan, why isn’t my daughter here yet? I sent Bethany right after the speech.” Amongst the Division Heads, it had been Susan’s turn to give the annual supportive speech to the new students for the coming semester. It was an important speech, especially so this year when they had more high Grades than ever previously recorded.

It was a simple speech, but one that still made the majority of the student's blood pump, leading to the cheers that came afterward containing a roar that was deafening to the ears.

To Protect, To Save, To Improve. If the Autarky had their own motto, then how could the Heroes Guild possibly lack one?

To protect is to prevent, so as heroes, they must keep the safety of the public at the front of their minds at all time. Standing firm in the face of powerful adversaries, you turn yourself into the shield of the people, protecting those who can not protect themselves. The Hero’s are the only thing stopping another Decade of Anarchy from occurring.

To Save is to put yourself in harm's way for the sake of others. Protecting and saving are quite similar, but the key difference is putting yourself in an unknown danger to reach those who need your help. Such as jumping into a burning building to search out survivors even if you lack a way to defend yourself from the flames. It requires even more courage than protecting in most cases.

To improve is to look at yourself and say ‘I could do better, be better’. As heroes, some people see their Grade limitations and accept that to be the end of the road for them, but those who follow this creed closely know that there is always a way to improve even if it has nothing to do with combat potential. If you can’t improve your strength, then improve your tactics, if you can’t improve your speed learn to anticipate, if your body can’t keep up there is no shame in using tools to even the playing field. In this world, the only limitations are those you impose on yourself.

These three major points were engraved into the hearts of the new students as they had been for all their seniors and even teachers years ago. When you included the bonus of Susan’s charming beauty into the picture, none of the students were able to look anywhere else while she was on the stage.

Half an hour later Susan could still hear the excited chatter from the students even in the head cabin (which unlike the student cabins was actually fitted with an A/C, not that it mattered to her anyway).

Johnathan flitted through a clipboard that contained a message given by Instructor Yorkshire, his favored tablet going against the security codes placed on the camp. The attack from the lower rank villain Grunk who Susan didn’t doubt was used as a pawn for some hidden motive showed that any device not being protected constantly by a technomancer was too dangerous to be kept around.

The camp had found out that a few students had somehow managed to sneak in cell-phones which had been the source of the breach. Those students were punished a given a warning that included expulsion if such a disregard for the rules were to happen again. It wasn’t easy finding a good location to train superpowered teens without leading to unwanted attention. This Pre-Decade of Anarchy camp would have to be abandoned for the next years students.

As for the suspects, most fingers point at this being the Garden’s handy work, but what it was supposed to accomplish no one had been able to determine. Sending a weakling like Grunk and his goons even when the Instructors were absent or occupied wouldn't have achieved anything when the CCamp had over a dozen students with the ability to fight him of single handly. They were especially unlucky that the first person they came in contact was with a group that had Eva in it, making it impossible for them to cause any real damage before they were suppressed.

“Lady Nagareru gave Bethany a report detailing that she had Young Evalyne go through some special training. It seems she managed to defeat a ©-rank Savage Kong that's been a nuisance for these last few years in sector 44. They should have already returned, but Young Evalyne needed some healing as well as some time to tidy herself up. The wilderness was not too kind to her.” Jonathan handed over a handwritten report for Susan to study personally.

Though filled with satisfaction at her daughter's rapid improvement, she couldn't help but feel an ache in her heart. Nagareru wasn't known for being a gentle teacher, but she got the results time and time again. Recognizing this, Susan had given Nagareru full control of the lessons, even if they would be full of danger.

Death was quite the motivator to grow, but even Susan wasn’t cold enough leave her daughter to die just to help her improve so Nagareru was told that if a lethal blow was seen she would intervene. As a (SS)- Ranked Hero nothing bellow (A)- Rank has the ability to prevent her from saving Eva. But if she somehow failed this Nagareru knew nowhere in the world she hid would save her from Susan’s mournful wrath.

“Already, has the combat abilities of a (C-)- Rank yet just a few months older than 18 years. She already surpassed me when I was her age.” A rare prideful comment slipped out of Susan her face turned alight with delight for her daughter.

Although training in Sector 44 was an odd choice since it was only a few dozen miles from New Athens. Why hadn’t they done it closer to the camp?

The report stated that it was a test of not just of endurance but adapting as well. Running low on energy Eva was unable to make the most out of her lightning, add the fact that the thick fur of the ape made anything but the most draining electrical attacks little more than a light stun Eva was forced to find a way to kill or disable the beast. The use of her fathers Ride Lightning skill had been an ingenious idea that had dealt massive damage where the beasts defenses were their lowest.

Still, they were way too far from the Camp for such a lesson. Susan would be having a conversation with Nagareru about the subject after she talked to her daughter.

“How has Alberts unit done with the search? They discover anything yet?”

Johnathan was just about to answer Susan when the door to the Cabin was swung open forcefully cracking as it barely hung on its rusted hinges. A figure covered in some medical gauze with wet hair hanging down to her mid-back stormed into the room, the fury radiating off her palpable to both Susan, and Johnathan.

Susan grimaced. It was her daughter, and she did not appear to be in a good mood today.

Having stormed in without warning thin serpents of blue lightning could be seen scorching the wooden floorboards wherever they crawled, like pets that where showing their masters displeasure through their own misbehavior.

Just outside the door Susan also spotted the guard who had been placed there to bar all visitors until Johnathan or Bethany went to receive them, spasming on the ground while the door shut partially, the deformed hinges unable to properly close anymore.

“Mom…..” Susan could tell Eva was struggling to keep her voice at a respectable level, the rage hot in her stomach, just like her father. Their anger often like a volcano ready to erupt and spew its molten fury out into the world. But they both knew while a Volcanoes fury was powerful, the long-lasting winter that was Susan's anger was much more devastating to deal with.

“Care to explain why you electrocuted one of my guards and forced yourself into the camps operation center? As my daughter, I’m sure I’ve taught you how important regulations, and rules are, so why have you done something as stupid as this?” Susan's voice was as chilling as the arctic wind, her gaze having sharpened, causing even the fires within Eva to still for a second before rising back up.

“THEN YOU CARE TO EXPLAIN WHY I ALMOST DIED TODAY BECAUSE OF SOME STUPID ‘TRAINING’!!” Her scream escaped the confines of the room reaching even the ears of the students were passing by outside the cabin, a streak of lightning exploded out of her eyes hitting the A/C in the room and short-circuiting it.

Eva was beyond caring about her mother's own anger. She’d never been so Livid in her life, all because her crazy fucking instructor went against her word, preventing her from reaching Lucas. Her rationality had packed its bags and headed out of town for the weekend.

Susan didn’t respond and chose to instead stare at Eva with a glare that would make grass want to wither up and die. Johnathan had subconsciously scooted over to the door where a cute lady with dark orange watched the happenings through the crack of the doorway. Bethany was smart enough to stay out of the brewing storm between the mother and daughter pair.

“Evalyne Flexia Turner, I did not raise you to talk to me like that, I understand the danger you faced was huge, and it pains me that I must put my little girl through such dangers but still! This is nothing compared to what will come. The pain today is to make your future smoother, you might not like it, but it still not an excuse for your behavior.” Susan up from the couch she sat on, her hair flowing down her back. She made her way over to her daughters side and look at her daughter who currently had her head down. She wasn’t happy about her outburst and would punish her both as mother and superior after this but she still loved her daughter dearly and hoped she would be able to show her than with a motherly hug but just as she was about to touch her, Eva slapped her hand away.

“FINE, I ACCEPT THE DANGER, THE LESSONS, THAT CRAZY BITCH! BUT LUCAS NEEDS MY HELP NOW, AND EVERY SECOND IM HERE IS A SECOND I DON’T KNOW IF HE’S OK!” Hot tears flowed like a broken dam down Eva’s face as she stared at her mother who own face was filled with shock.

“What do you mean?! You know Lucas is protected by the Guild as a Teir one citizen? What possible danger could he be in?!” A strange gut feeling then went through Susan as she turned to look at Johnathan who had a wry smile on his face.

“The Black Team units report is in…Captain Albert currently in a coma, having been caused by the blood he ingested to use his power, the word's Magic and Summoner being his last words before he fell unconscious. There's something strange happening around The Rivan estate….. ”

Both Turners in the room felt their blood go cold.