Their introductions were cut short as the clock in the wall struck 10:45 AM. Jack Ace bid the two farewell and immediately sprinted out of the room.

Lozen could sympathize with her right-hand man. Testing room Beta was on the other side of the center, and traversing the center during exam day could be a bit stressful. However, Jack Ace leaving left the heroine with a bit of a problem. She was left alone to guide Wattz.

There was something about this newbie that rubbed her the wrong way. Enough for her to raise her guard with him. Yet she had agreed to guide him, and she wasn’t about to go back on her words. So, she walked out of the room and beckoned the man in green to follow her into the hallway.

As they walked silently, a feeling of awkwardness ensued between the two. Neither was sure on how to strike a conversation.However Lozen seized this chance to study the man beside her. She shamelessly stared at Wattz up and down, analyzing him like a scanner.

Without taking the green string visor into account, Wattz seemed like a typical guy at first glance. He looked well-built and a tad bit muscular. He had a youthful face and well kept brown hair, which led her to speculate that Wattz was somewhere around twenty-six to twenty-seven years of age. In Lozen’s opinion, Wattz truly fitted the image of an everyday city guy.

Yet, it was the careful manner in which he walked that reminded her of heroes she had only seen in her early days as a hero. His walking figure seemed to ripple with an air of maturity that showcased experience and knowledge. Like her, he seemed constantly alert, with a hand that was always near his belt, prepared for any attack.

This cautiousness only served to give more intrigue to the woman. This was very atypical for a newbie. Shouldn't he be more naïve or excited for today?

"Um, miss Lozen?” The young man’s voice snapped her out her thoughts. Wattz was looking at her, a bit confused from all her staring. "Is anything wrong?"

"Don't worry, Wattz. I was thinking about something." She responded cordially.

"Hmm." He simply went back to aimlessly walking, but she noticed a bit of a sweat drop.

They continued walking in this awkward silence, taking a left or a right every so often.

"So, miss Lozen--." Wattz started saying.

"I would prefer it if you would call me Lozen. I'm not that much of a miss." She responded as she started walking with a bit of a trot.

"Right, uh, sorry, Lozen," He apologized as he matched her pace, "I meant to ask, ever since I've entered The Center, everyone's been looking weirdly at me. Especially pro-heroes. Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?"

“Weird looks?” Lozen inquired, confused, “How so?”

“I dunno why, but many of the heroes in the lobby gave me dirty looks and glares,” Wattz replied with a shrug, “Is there anything on me that’s causing some offense?"

Lozen scanned him up and down, but she didn't see anything wrong. Then she focused on his jacket and finally noticed what caused the others to react. How shameless can they be? They were acting like predators towards a newbie!

"Oh those--” Lozen took a deep breath to calm herself, while Wattz kept looking at her. This was no time to badmouth her coworkers, “Wattz, do you know about the color code?"

"There's a color code? Since when?" He asked in a mortified tone.

"Oh no no no! It's not anything formal,” Lozen waved her hand around a bit frantically, “It’s just something of a color language we pros have amongst ourselves. For example, you usually see a lot of heroes wearing something blue, right?"

Wattz nodded, interested.

"That's because we heroes consider blue the color of heroism. We use it to honor the heroes who saved the country during the Green Fall."

"Oh, that explains your costume color,” Wattz interjected, “You're honoring The National Codes of Blue. Yet that doesn't answer my question."

"I was getting to that. You are wearing green, a color most heroes have a... distaste for, for lack of a better term." Lozen said while looking away from Shindo.

"Pardon?" Shindo looked at her. She stayed silent for a bit, thinking her next words carefully before opening her mouth.

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"Most heroes associate the color green with the Night of Fear and the man most consider responsible: The Undaunting Villain Herttz." Lozen stopped talking to see Wattz walking slower.

Wattz gave her a small nod, but his slowed pace worried her a bit. She couldn't tell if he was amused or surprised at what she spoke of, but she noticed that he slowly grabbed his right hand at the mention of the Undaunting Villain.

It took her a bit, but she recognized this saddened reaction. He was someone who was affected by The Night of Fear. Lozen looked at her silver bracelet on her wrist in silence, empathizing with what the man must've gone through. That Night robbed something from her too...

"That night did a lot of damage to the city. It was a disastrous event that ended in HOC’s victory. Although, some heroes refuse to call that event a victory since Herttz managed to escape that night." She continued with her explanation, trying not linger on that topic any longer. "That is why you won't see many that are willing to speak about The Night or you will see heroes glare at you for wearing green. For these heroes, green is the color of villainy."

At that, Wattz sighed. He leaned his back and slowly released his right hand, placing both of them in his jacket's pockets. "That's just absurd. A color shouldn't be associated with villainy. Especially when someone just decided to wear it."

Lozen nodded, "I agree; it is absurd." She then tilted her head back in a relaxed manner. "Apart from you wearing green, it is a bit curious that you chose to use a string visor."

"Strings are not a villain's gadget!" Wattz looked a bit offended at what she said. Lozen giggled before looking back at the examinee. How could someone be so defensive over a gadget?

"I am not saying that! It's just that I rarely see someone wearing both green and a string visor!" They stopped talking to make a few turns. Lozen then continued. "After all, strings have a similar social stigma as the color green, but that’s only amongst gadgetsmiths."

Wattz nodded tiredly. "Tell me about it." He then pointed at his string visor with a wry smile. "In my former job, they used to send commissions for strings. The DSG had a field day with us."

Lozen raised an eyebrow. "You worked as a gadgetsmith before applying for the exam?"

Wattz flinched a bit at that, but he kept his tired smile. "Yes, for two years." There was a bit of silence, but he quickly changed the topic. "How about you, Lozen? For how long have you been a hero?"

"Around eleven years," She answered, "I started seven years before the Night of fear. I think I was seventeen when I began my hero career."

"Hm, interesting." Wattz then went into deep thought. They were starting to get close to the testing site, as they were passing more and more youthful-looking examinees.

"You're younger than me, then." He suddenly commented, catching the heroine off guard.

"Wait, you’re older than me? I thought you were around twenty-six!"

“Thanks! People usually say that to me,” Shindo looked at her with a smile. "If my math isn't wrong, you're around twenty-eight years old, right?"

Lozen nodded.

"Then, I'm older by two years. I turn thirty-one this December."

Lozen looked at him in disbelief.

"You’re even more of a rarity now." Lozen said as they passed a pair of heroes wearing matching costumes. Wattz looked a bit offended at that comment.

"It is rare to see hero prospects at the age of thirty." She clarified.

"Really? I thought HOC took heroes at any age."

"HOC those take many prospects from different age groups. Still, the usual age for examinees is around 20 to 23 years of age."

Wattz nodded slowly at this and then continued to make small talks with Lozen. By now, there was an ever-growing mass of aspiring heroes, as they were almost reaching the examination room.

"Well, Wattz, I guess you can find the exam room from here, right?" Lozen said as she watched, there remained little time for the exam to begin. She had to arrive at the spectator grounds.

"Yeah, I think I can manage. I take a right here, and the exam is in the second door to my left." Lozen nodded to affirm Wattz.

"Well, this is where we part ways. Good luck with your exam." Lozen smiled at him while turning to leave for the spectator's room. That is until Wattz called for her again.

"Um, Lozen?"

She turned around. "Yes, Wattz?"

The man in green had a soft look, which surprised the heroine. "I forgot to ask you anything about the exam. Is there any advice you can give me before going in?"

She was taken aback at the question. How long has it been since someone asked her something as simple as this?

Yet, Lozen's face could not help to darken as she walked towards Wattz until she stood right in front of him. "I cannot say a lot, since there are regulations for “influencing” examinees. However I can tell you this. Your performance is being watched by other hero teams, and they will offer you a place in their team. If there are multiple teams vying for you, please choose an average team, not one of the top ones."

Wattz stopped smiling, tilting his head in confusion at Lozen's statement. "Please, Wattz, believe me when I tell you to choose one average at what he does and knows of the hero world. Do not pick a team on the top nor… nor a team without accomplishments."

Wattz's confusion seemed to deepen the more Lozen tried to clarify herself, but he didn't know how twisted being was being a hero. Here in Sector Seven's HOC, most heroes adopted the 'eat or be eaten' philosophy, causing everyone to bully the weak and worship the strong. By telling him about this, she can at least help someone not fall to this barbaric philosophy. At least she can help one last person, even if that person was as mysterious as Wattz.

However, Lozen was not expecting what Wattz did next. He smiled. He smiled the sincerest smile Lozen had seen in over six years.

"Thank you, Lozen. Thanks for the advice." He turned around but not before looking back at her. "I'll take it into consideration after I pass the exam."

He then gave her a final look before disappearing into the crowd of heroes... Yet his smile never left his lips.