Brink ran at a speed comparable to that of the Supe students under his tutelage.
The fire sprinklers were still hissing overhead, and flames still flickered on the arena floor, but the old man in a three-piece suit had already rushed to the center.
His well-maintained face was now filled with fervor and excitement, without a trace of his usual composure as an educator.
He snatched the microphone from the dumbstruck host and stood beside Lucian.
"Did you see that? Everyone! Did you all see that?"
Brink's roar carried through the microphone to every corner of the venue.
"This is Godolkin University's new pinnacle! A true miracle! An uncut gem already shining like a diamond!"
He turned toward the dumbfounded Vought executives and spread his arms as though embracing an entirely new era.
"The old era is over! Strength, speed, defense! He has it all! He is the perfect superhero we've been searching for!"
The feverish praise brought the executives in the stands out of their shock. They whispered among themselves, and all the attention and resources originally directed toward Golden Boy shifted to Lucian at that moment without hesitation.
Judging commercial value took only an instant.
Brink watched it all with satisfaction. He had to strike while the iron was hot.
Brink clapped his hands against the lapels of his half-soaked suit. A crisp signal.
The side door backstage opened, and three staff members in matching uniforms filed out. The one in front carried a custom black case in both hands, Vought International's logo printed on its surface.
"Go on, my boy." Brink stepped up to Lucian and lowered his voice. "Go backstage and put it on. This is your coronation."
Lucian said nothing. He simply walked over calmly and followed the staff's directions to the backstage changing room.