Forged by Thunder
[Evening – Hero Academy Courtyard]
The bell rang with its usual metallic echo, announcing the end of another long day at the Central Hero Academy. The courtyard, once filled with laughter and energy, was now a mosaic of shadows and golden light.
Ryu stretched his arms lazily, yawning.
"Later, bros!"
Ethan gave a casual nod, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Catch you tomorrow."
Annie adjusted her uniform and smiled at Ryan. "Bye, Ryan… I'll text you when I get home, okay?"
Ryan smiled back, watching as she disappeared among her friends. The moment she was gone, silence returned — the kind of silence that only evenings could bring. The world seemed softer, gentler… and lonelier.
He glanced up. The last traces of sunlight were fading behind the horizon, painting the clouds in hues of violet and gold.
"Time to go…" he murmured, shoving his hands into his pockets.
He left the academy behind, walking through the dimly lit streets of Herocity. Neon lights flickered to life one by one, bathing the sidewalks in shifting colors. The city buzzed in the distance — aircars floating above, vendors closing stalls, and the hum of quiet life beneath the stars.
Ryan's steps eventually slowed.
Before him stood the Ray Stormbreak Monument — an immense statue carved from polished black stone. The figure's eyes, cast upward, seemed to look beyond the stars themselves. The name "Ray Stormbreak — The Thunder that Saved Humanity" gleamed in silver beneath its base.
Ryan stared at it in silence. The cool air brushed against his face, and something inside him stirred — a mix of awe and quiet longing.
"Will I ever…" he whispered, voice barely audible, "…reach Ray's level?"
A deep voice answered behind him, calm and heavy with experience.
"Tough question, isn't it?"
Ryan turned sharply.
Standing there was a man who carried the weight of the world in his posture — Inavy Stormbreak, the Number One Hero himself. His presence was commanding, his aura calm yet thunderous, like a storm that hadn't yet broken.
"I-Inavy Stormbreak!?" Ryan stammered.
Inavy glanced at him and smiled faintly. "Hey there. You must be young Ryan, huh? Doing alright?"
Ryan straightened instantly, nervous but trying to hide it. "Yes, sir! I'm fine, thank you. But… isn't it dangerous walking around this late?"
"Habit," Inavy replied with a short laugh, turning his gaze back to the statue. "Since I was fifteen, I've been coming here. I clean this statue with my own hands. Never let a single speck of dirt rest on it."
Ryan blinked. "Really? You do that yourself?"
"Every week," Inavy said. "Guess it's my way of saying thank you."
For a moment, they both stared at the statue — the silent guardian of an era long gone.
"Makes sense," Ryan said quietly. "He was the greatest of them all. Sometimes… I look at him and wonder if I'll ever be like him."
Inavy chuckled softly. "Funny. I sometimes look at him and wonder if I'll ever be like him."
They both froze, realizing they'd said the same thing. A second later, they laughed — an easy, genuine laugh that shattered the solemn air between them.
They sat down on a nearby bench. The wind whispered softly through the trees. For a while, neither spoke. The night stretched before them — calm, endless, and full of stars.
Then Ryan asked, "Mr. Inavy… are you stronger than your father?"
Inavy leaned back, eyes half-closed as if the question carried a memory. "Yes," he said slowly. "But I'm still far from reaching him."
Ryan frowned. "I don't get it."
"Ray wasn't just a hero, Ryan. He was… wise. Fair. Pure of heart." Inavy's gaze hardened with reverence. "He used to tell me: 'True heroes are the ones who sacrifice themselves to protect what they love most.'"
The words struck Ryan deep. His fists clenched without him realizing it.
That was it. That was what being a hero meant.
"He taught me something new every day," Inavy continued, his tone softening. "He shaped me — not just as a fighter, but as a man. He was my hero."
Ryan's eyes gleamed. "What was it like… living in those days?"
Inavy chuckled. "You really are a fan, huh?"
Ryan scratched his head awkwardly. "Of him… and of you too."
Inavy smirked. "Thanks, kid. Ray's era was wild. One day it was peace — the next, chaos. We fought the Order of Tyrus. It was hell on Earth. But Ray always stood tall, no matter what. He taught me one thing that got me through everything."
He stood suddenly, facing the monument. The night wind caught his coat, making it ripple like storm clouds.
"Break my limits."
Ryan's eyes widened — and then a grin broke across his face. "Break my limits!" he echoed, his voice strong.
They both froze again. Then Inavy laughed — really laughed this time.
"You know," he said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, "I'm starting to like you, kid. Wish Ethan understood that as well as you do."
Ryan looked at him with sincerity. "Ethan admires you a lot."
Inavy raised an eyebrow. "You think so? He avoids everything that connects him to me. To Ray. To the Stormbreak name."
Ryan shook his head. "It's not that he hates it. Ethan just wants to be the first Ethan, not the next Stormbreak. The weight of comparison can suffocate anyone."
Inavy paused, surprised. Then a faint smile crossed his face. "Maybe… I should talk to him more."
Ryan nodded. The silence between them wasn't heavy this time. It was the kind of silence that understood.
"Mr. Inavy…" Ryan began, his voice steady. "I'm going to enter the Draft."
Inavy's eyes sharpened, curious. "Even without aura, huh?"
Ryan nodded. "Even without aura. I'll become a hero."
For a heartbeat, Inavy said nothing. Then, slowly, he smiled — a proud, genuine smile.
"I believe in you, Ryan. You'll become a hero. You'll show the world that even someone without aura can be the hope it needs."
The words broke something inside Ryan — and rebuilt it stronger. His chest tightened, his vision blurred. He raised a trembling hand to his face, trying to hide it.
"You crying, kid?" Inavy asked, surprised. "Did I say something wrong?"
Ryan shook his head, his voice cracking. "No… just… thank you. I'll become a hero, sir. And when I do… you'll be there to see it."
Inavy smiled and raised his fist. "I will. Now go… and BREAK YOUR LIMITS."
Ryan blinked back his tears and bumped fists with him.
A single spark of static energy cracked between them — faint, but real.
The night sky shimmered above, stars scattered across the heavens. The monument loomed behind them, the stone figure of Ray Stormbreak watching over his son and the boy who carried the fire of tomorrow.
One bore the burden of the past.
The other carried the hope of the future.
And somewhere, beyond the clouds, thunder rumbled softly — as if the heavens themselves approved.
End of Chapter 8 – "Forged by Thunder"
"Legacies aren't inherited by blood. They're earned by will."