The mont Lumian stepped off the plane, he could feel the weight of the city, the thousands of people bustling and buzzing. It was sure different from Maomoa
New York. The heart of the modern world. A place that pulsed with power and ambition. And now, the ho of his next move.
The ferry ride and flight had been uneventful. Shirley had spent most of it staring out at the ocean, her thoughts locked behind a quiet tension she refused to acknowledge. Lumian hadn’t pushed. He had bigger things to focus on.
Like what waited for him inside the Vanguard’s headquarters.
By the ti they reached Midtown Manhattan, the sun had begun to set, casting golden light against the towering skyline.
And then he saw it.
Vanguard Headquarters.
A glass-and-steel monolith, standing tall amidst the skyscrapers. The golden eagle insignia of the organization glead under the city lights, plastered boldly at the top for all to see. There was nothing secretive about it.
They weren’t hiding. They wanted the world to see them.
The main entrance was a constant flow of movent. Heroes, officials, civilians, people of all kinds walked in and out, unrestricted.
Shirley let out a low whistle. "Damn. They really don’t give a shit about secrecy, huh?"
Lumian didn’t reply. Instead, he walked forward, stepping into the lion’s den without hesitation.
The lobby was just as grand as expected.
High ceilings. Marble floors. A digital display on the far wall showed live broadcasts of heroes in action.At the reception desk, a woman barely glanced up as Lumian approached.
"State your business."
Lumian dropped the envelope Reinhardt had given him. "We’re here to see Trinity."
A brief pause. Then a flicker of recognition in her eyes.
She tapped sothing on her screen.
"Top floor. She’s waiting."
No security check. No extra questions. Either they already knew who he was, or they simply didn’t care.
Lumian stepped toward the elevators, Shirley close behind.
As the doors slid shut, she exhaled. "Not gonna lie, I expected more... I don’t know, fanfare?"
"Why?" Lumian leaned against the wall, watching the numbers climb. "Too them I’m not a hero. I’m an investnt. You can’t celebrate the returns of an investnt before it yields it"
Shirley frowned, but before she could respond, the doors opened.
The top floorwas different from the rest of the building.
No bustling heroes, no background noise of the city. Just a sleek hallway leading to a single office.
The door was already open.
Inside, a woman sat behind a desk, flipping through a tablet.
Trinity.
She looked exactly as he expected, short silver hair, sharp blue eyes, a crisp uniform that was more military than hero.
She exuded control. The kind of authority that didn’t need to be announced.
For a few monts, she didn’t acknowledge them. She simply finished what she was reading.
Then, finally, she looked up.
Her eyes t Lumian’s.
And in that instant, he knew that the woman in front of him wasn’t soone to underestimate.
She sees through people. And she’s already trying to see through . She reminded him of Reinhardt
"Lumian," she said, her tone unreadable. "You’re finally here."
Lumian smirked. "Didn’t want to keep you waiting."
Trinity didn’t return the smile. Instead, she studied him in silence before shifting her gaze to Shirley.
"...And this is?"
"Shirley," Lumian said. "She’s with ."
Trinity’s eyes lingered on her a mont longer. Then she simply nodded.
"Sit."
They obeyed.
Trinity leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk.
"Let’s be clear about sothing."
Her tone was calm. Controlled.
"Reinhardt thinks you’re valuable. But that doesn’t an Vanguard is your ho yet."
Lumian tilted his head. "That a warning?"
Trinity smiled. "No. It’s a fact."
She leaned back. "I know what you did to Voltstrike. I don’t know how you did it. You’re not just strong, Lumian. You’re calculated. You seem like the type to know how to pick your fights. "
Her fingers drumd against the desk.
"That’s useful. But it’s also dangerous."
Lumian chuckled. "And Vanguard doesn’t like dangerous things running loose, huh?"
Trinity didn’t answer imdiately.
Then
"Vanguard doesn’t tolerate unknown variables."
Silence.
Then she stood.
"Follow ."
Lumian exchanged a glance with Shirley before rising to his feet.
Sothing told him this was going to be interesting.
Trinity led them down a private corridor, and as they walked, Lumian couldn’t help but notice the swaying of Trinity’s hip and the way her ass danced around as she walked. Under her strict uniform and her even stricter deanour, she was still a woman to Lumian.
He licked his lips sensually, ’I’m going to enjoy breaking this one’ he thought to himself.
Shirley saw his expression and knew just exactly what he was thinking. She rolled her eyes and frowned at Lumian, then She quickly walked in front of Lumian, covering his view of Trinity’s behind. Lumian simply chuckled under his breath
At the end was a reinforced steel door. No labels, no signs. Just a security scanner that she pressed her palm against.
The door unlocked.
Beyond it was a large, circular room.
Glass walls. Training equipnt. Combat simulation screens.
And standing in the center, waiting, was a man.
Tall. Muscular. Battle-worn.
A scar cut across his cheek, his dark brown hair cropped short. His arms were crossed, but his stance was sharp and ready.
Trinity stopped at the edge of the room and turned to Lumian.
"et Fenrir."
The man—Fenrir—smirked. "You’re the rookie?"
Lumian’s eyes flicked to him, assessing. "Rookie?"
Fenrir cracked his knuckles. "That’s what you are until you prove otherwise."
Lumian smirked. "That so?"
Trinity cut in. "You want in, Lumian? You fight him. Right here. Right now."
The air shifted.
Shirley tensed beside him. "Wait, what?"
Lumian just smiled.
He liked this already.
Trinity’s expression didn’t change. "No theatrics. No warm-ups. Just raw ability. If you manage to pass this stage, the people you’ll be up against won’t give you ti to prepare. Besides, you took down Voltstrike this shouldn’t be too hard for you"
Fenrir rolled his shoulders. "Don’t hold back, rookie. Because I won’t."
Lumian stepped forward. "Wouldn’t dream of it."
Shirley took a step back, muttering under her breath. "Of course, the first thing we do is fight so asshole."
Trinity ignored her. "Begin."
Fenrir moved first.
Fast.
Faster than most people Lumian had fought. But not faster than him.
He dodged, pivoting just enough to let Fenrir’s strike graze past.
Then he countered.
His fist shot forward. Precise. Sharp.
Fenrir barely blocked it in ti, his arms shaking from the impact.
His smirk widened. "Not bad."
Then he lunged again.
The room echoed with the sound of fists eting flesh, feet hitting the floor.
And as they fought, Lumian couldn’t help but grin.
He wasn’t here to join Vanguard.
He was here to conquer it.
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