Aliens and the weak—most people’s attitudes toward these two categories could hardly be called kind. Especially among superheroes, a group placed on pedestals, it was utterly normal for the weak to be bullied and ostracized by the strong. Words spoken by someone like Mumu—a girl born weak and insecure, yet encouraged by Mirror October—

were seen by elite superhero trainees as nothing short of arrogant declarations. An A-Class hero? What did that mean? They were the mightiest beings next to the legendary S-Class! The true backbone defending humanity’s ideals! And Winter Empress stood at the very pinnacle of A-Class heroes! With S-Class heroes detached from worldly affairs, ambitious A-Classers were the real power players.

“Ha! Hahaha! This is too rich!”

“Heh. Such empty boasts. Someone not even E-Class dares compare herself to Lady Winter Empress? I’ll laugh my head off.”

“Exactly! Even geniuses like Ruosui Jing are barely E-Class now. Is she here to clown around?”

“Don’t crush her dreams like that. You might have to pay reparations when they shatter, hahaha!”

The elite clique surrounding Ruosui Jing deliberately mocked Mumu with loud, cutting laughter. The air thickened with malicious glee. Beneath it, Mumu kept her head bowed low, too afraid to lift it. The candle flame Mirror October had cradled in her heart flickered near extinction. Her face turned deathly pale. She couldn’t even glance at Mirror October’s expression.

*Enough!*

She was tired—so tired—of others’ ridicule and blows! So… if any god heard her plea, please! Don’t let his face show even a trace of disdain or distance!

Her body trembled with violent spasms. Mumu felt her blood freeze, her rosy cheeks draining to paper-white. Waves of dizziness crashed over her mind like a storm-tossed sea, leaving her unsteady.

“Can’t ignore others’ words and stares, can you?” Mirror October’s voice remained calm, as if the barbed taunts hadn’t pierced his ears. His eyes—gentle as water on the surface, yet coldly detached beneath—smiled at Mumu.

Like a wounded creature, Mumu nodded timidly.

The more insecure you were, the more you cared. It became a nightmare, haunting every corner of life, tormenting you endlessly. Mumu’s helplessness against Mirror October stemmed not just from his flawless facade, but largely from her own deep-seated insecurity.

“That won’t do…” Mirror October’s crimson eyes gleamed with deeper amusement. He saw a girl teetering on a cliff’s edge. “If you can’t stop caring… then borrow confidence from me next time. How about it?”

“What?”

Mumu blinked in confusion. Lifting her head, she was dazzled by Mirror October’s face inches away. In her most fragile moment, she’d met an angel generous with kindness.

“What a scatterbrain~~” His thumb brushed her cheek. “If you need confidence, take it from me. Courage? Don’t hesitate to ask. If you crave validation, I’ll affirm you a hundred, a thousand times over those who deny you. That should solve everything, right?” He ruffled her hair gently, like an elder brother encouraging a timid sister. Yet not a flicker of warmth ever touched his eyes.

He’d freely give comfort to anyone who needed it.

But if someone could only survive leaning on others… they’d be better off facing harsh reality sooner. He was helping this insecure girl now—but prolonged dependence would only ruin her.

Undeniably, such heart-melting words were a lethal strike to a sheltered, insecure girl. Mumu stared blankly at Mirror October’s smile… then fled. Her mind was chaos, but instinct screamed: *Run! Get away from him now!*

Not malice—but a poison a million times more vicious.

A twisted existence, sickeningly beautiful.

Mumu didn’t know why she ran. Only that his tenderness felt like moonlight on water—too dreamlike to be real. Long drowning in self-doubt, she saw the world’s cruelty clearer than most. Her subconscious warned her: *Don’t sink into that warmth.*

“Scared off already? Little beasts have sharp instincts.”

Mirror October’s interest flickered. The girl was stronger, more alert than he’d expected. If she kept walking the hero’s path… her future might blaze brilliantly. His pale lips curved into a perfect, dangerous smile.

---

“Ruosui, are you alright? You look awful.” An anxious voice pulled Ruosui Jing from her simmering rage. She glanced coldly at the fawning boy before her, irritation flaring hotter.

“I’m fine. You’d be better off staying far away.” She unconsciously compared him to that dazzlingly perfect man—and felt her control slipping.

The boy flinched, muttering an awkward reply before retreating.

*He never changes. Women always swarm him… First that obvious cougar, now this starry-eyed fangirl. Is he really that depraved? Or does that bewitching face exist just to lure women?*

Memories of Mirror October’s endless patience flooded her—his gentle smiles weathering her tantrums and blame. The thought of him being so… vulgar now ignited a fury she couldn’t suppress.

*“Valkyrie, you rage? Allow me to spill the blood of the insolent to quench your fire…”* A soft, heroic voice echoed in Ruosui’s mind. It was her first summoned Heroic Spirit—a nameless female warrior’s remnant consciousness, drawn to her Valkyrie power.

“Not now.” Ruosui forced her petty emotions down, focusing on her sole companion: a peerless archer with a single, magnificent crystalline wing and a bow that gleamed like ice. “Restoring your memories matters more. Only then can you unleash your true strength.”