Why is his holy light red?

Inside the Hero Association building's training room, cool-toned ceiling lights illuminated the empty training area.

Magic Eye stood in the center of the arena. He wore a cowboy hat and a sharply tailored pure white suit. He looked to be in his early thirties, with ordinary features, but his eyes were unusual—his pupils were composed of interwoven rings, with a crosshair in the center, resembling a sniper target.

He looked away from the tablet in his hand and at the three young trainee heroes standing opposite him: "The new recruits in this division are really trash."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the empty training room, causing the three young men's expressions to change drastically.

Vincent, with his striking red hair, shouted, "What did you say?! What do you mean?!"

His hair was not only brightly colored, but it was also shaking violently like real flames. As he lost control of his emotions, the temperature in the training room rose rapidly, and a slightly distorted heat wave rippled through the air.

Rex, who was wearing a gold bodysuit, quickly grabbed his shoulder: "Don't fall for this provocation. This is an old trick from the movies. The new senior deliberately tests the junior's patience. If you get really angry and make a move, he will start lecturing you."

The crosshair in Magic Eyes locked onto Rex, and said calmly, "Movies? The younger generation these days has their brains fried by the internet."

He chuckled coldly, then looked down and read the information on the tablet: "Vincent Holden, can create high-temperature flames and short-range jet propulsion. Rex Howard, can generate high-voltage electricity to enhance his body and increase speed. Nora Perry, her superpower is... what the heck, making soap bubbles?"

When Nora's name was called, she shrank back awkwardly and rubbed her hands together. Several transparent soap bubbles popped up from her palms and floated into the air.

Magic Eye Man silently lowered his left hand, placing it on the quick-draw holster at his waist. There, a rugged, high-tech custom-made pistol was inserted.

"When I say 'trash,' I mean exactly what it says." The Magic Eye Man stared at the three young people in front of him. "Your abilities are too weak. Your stats are as bad as a baby who has just learned to walk."

The gesture of touching the gun made the three interns take a sudden half-step back.

What is this guy trying to do? Is he going to pull out a gun right there in the training room?

"I'll count to three, then I'll fire. If you're still standing here before my magazine runs out, you've passed." Ignoring their astonishment, Magic Eye began the countdown: "Three!"

Vincent and Rex exchanged a quick glance.

"two!"

Before he finished speaking, Vincent suddenly raised his hands, and a blinding flame shot out from his palms. The flame shot out several meters, and by the time it reached the Eye of the Storm, it had expanded into a high-temperature pillar of fire half a meter thick, and the heat wave seemed to completely engulf the white suit.

Without even looking, Magic Eye Man simply took a step to the side and back, precisely dodging the pillar of fire.

At the same time, Rex's entire body exploded with crackling blue and white arcs of electricity. Under the cover of the flames, he injected high-voltage electricity into his muscles, pushed off the ground with both legs, and shot towards the side of Magic Eye like an arrow.

Their tactics were clear: Rex's electricity couldn't be fired out; it only took effect upon contact. Vincent's pillar of fire was merely a feint; the moment Rex's hand touched Magic Eye, the extremely high-voltage current, even through fabric, would cause the opponent to instantly convulse and collapse. Most importantly, they timed it perfectly within the countdown—Magic Eye wouldn't fire until the countdown reached "one."

Rex completely abandoned defense, only wanting to press the lightning crackling in his palm onto Magic Eye Man as quickly as possible.

But as he rushed up to him, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Magic Eye didn't even look at him, but the strangely shaped pistol had been drawn at some point, its dark muzzle hovering steadily in mid-air, perfectly aimed at Rex's forehead. It was as if Rex himself had accelerated and brought his head right up to the gun's muzzle.

The countdown hadn't even ended yet, so why did he draw his gun?!

Rex was horrified. If he were to inject high voltage into Magic Eye's body now, his biological instincts would cause Magic Eye's finger muscles to instantly tighten and contract—the trigger would be pulled immediately, and the bullet would blow his skull off.

Rex was so startled that he stopped abruptly and desperately turned his neck to the side.

Magic Eyes gripped the gun, slammed it forward with a powerful flick of his wrist, and the heavy barrel struck Rex squarely in the forehead. Rex screamed in pain, lost his balance, and crashed heavily onto the plastic floor.

Then, the Magic Eye Man calmly uttered the last number: "One."

boom!

The gunshots were muffled yet deafening.

Although there was only one gunshot, Vincent and Rex, who were in different directions, were each hit by a bullet. The terrifying shockwave from the specially made stun grenade was like an invisible giant hammer that sent the two flying.

The two boys were thrown out like tattered sacks, rolled several times on the ground, and then passed out completely.

The flames burning in the air lost their source and slowly dissipated as wisps of black smoke.

Magic Eye Man put the pistol back into his waistband and looked around.

At the edge of the field, Nora was lying face down on the ground, her hands covering her head. The instant Vincent breathed fire, she had given up resisting and willingly lay down.

"You're a little smarter than those two," the Magic Eye Man said, looking at the girl lying on the ground with a flat tone. "They're all unqualified. You, drag them to the infirmary."

Nora obediently got up and struggled to pull Rex, who had flown further away.

But just then, the metal doors of the training room slid open to the sides, and a travel-worn Mercury walked in from outside.

Looking at the two unconscious classmates on the ground, he couldn't help but let out a short "Wow".

Magic Eyes turned his head, his pupils with crosshairs looking at Mercury.

Mercury immediately felt his hair stand on end, as if he were being stared at by a ferocious beast.

"Sorry I'm late." Mercury raised his hand, readily admitting his mistake.

Magic Eyes narrowed his eyes slightly, shifting his gaze from the man back to the tablet in his hand, and swiped his index finger across the screen: "You are Mercury Anderson."

His tone was cold and flat: "At this time, you should be at the branch office participating in basic training. Where have you been?"

Mercury explained, "Well, I helped an old lady home."

Magic Eye Man raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "This is the first time I've heard of such an excuse. You're quite creative."

"I'm sorry." Mercury's apology was very sincere. After all, he was the one who skipped work, so he was in the wrong no matter what.

Listening to the reprimand from the Magic Eye Man, Mercury inexplicably thought of his middle school principal who used to catch students for not doing their homework. However, compared to that teacher who was always yelling, the Magic Eye Man's words were quite restrained.

However, Mercury glanced at the two who had fainted and thought that this teacher might not be very good at scolding, but he was very good at corporal punishment.

Sure enough, the Magic Eye raised his left hand and drew the special pistol from his waist again.

"Same rules." With the gun pointed at the ground, Magic Eye looked at Mercury. "I'll count down from three, then fire. If you're still standing before my magazine runs out, I won't hold you accountable."

"three!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a blinding red holy light burst forth from Mercury's body, turning most of the training room crimson.