They had arrived home, ate their dinner and went up to their room. Liam just couldn't help himself, he looked straight into Kane's eyes and Kane also responded by looking into his. There was a moment of silence or more like a calm before the storm and Bam, like expected, Liam began…
"How stupid can you be, Kane?" Liam practically screamed, pacing back and forth. "Did you lose your brain somewhere along the way home? Accepting a challenge with Andy and his minions?"
Kane slouched back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "Trust me, I'm questioning my sanity too."
Liam didn't let up. "They've got abilities, Kane! Real abilities they understand and know how to use! And what do we have? We don't even know if we have anything. Unless you're planning to fight them with sarcasm!"
Leo chimed in, nodding his head vigorously. "Liam's right, man. We're walking into this blind. Maybe we could just—"
Kane shot Leo a look that could have melted steel. "Oh, so now you're the voice of reason? The same idiot who was hyping me up to take on Andy? Don't even start with me."
Leo instantly shrank back, stuffing another handful of chips into his mouth, and mumbling, "Never said a word…"
Liam huffed, dropping into his bed, clearly exhausted by the whole situation. "I swear, between the two of you, we're doomed. It's almost like you have some kind of main character syndrome, Kane! Do you have to play the hero every…single… time?"
Kane sighed, feeling the weight of his friend's words. "Look, I just… I didn't want them thinking they could push us around forever. We have to stand up for ourselves eventually, right?"
Liam grumbled but didn't argue. Instead, he paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as he remembered something. "Wait. Before you stupidly decided to accept this challenge, I noticed something. Your eyes—they changed color for a second. Did you feel… anything?"
Kane frowned, searching his memory. "Now that you mention it, I did feel a surge of… I don't know, adrenaline? I just had this overwhelming urge to wipe that smug look off Andy's face."
The boys went silent, each processing what this could mean.
"Well," Liam finally muttered, "I guess it's a start. Let's just hope that color change means something useful."
With a tired sigh, they each settled down for the night, resigned to their newfound mystery and the looming challenge that awaited them.
_________
Morning arrived, and as if by some unspoken signal, all three boys opened their eyes at nearly the same time. They quickly freshened up and made their way downstairs to the dining area, where the other kids were already buzzing with energy, especially Ryan, who seemed unable to contain his excitement.
Leo, watching the enthusiasm, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "What's got everyone so pumped up this morning?" he asked, genuinely confused. But his question was met with stunned looks, as if he'd just spoken in an alien language.
Sophie was the first to speak up, shaking her head at him in disbelief. "Leo, are you even on the same planet as us? It's the academy announcement! Everyone's talking about it! This is our chance to finally get abilities!"
The table erupted in cheers, and Ryan practically jumped out of his seat. "Yeah, just think about it! Real, actual powers! And it's all happening soon."
The boys exchanged a knowing look. They'd already heard the news at school, of course, and would've been just as thrilled as everyone else—if not for the small detail that they already had abilities. Powers they didn't fully understand, powers they couldn't even control. Kane, Leo, and Liam just shrugged and laughed, doing their best to blend in as they took their seats for breakfast.
Once they finished their meal, they headed to school, which felt as tedious as ever. The hours dragged on, each minute inching closer to the moment they'd been waiting for all day. Finally, when the end bell rang, Kane was the first out of his seat, practically bolting out of Class C to meet up with Leo and Liam, who were waiting just outside.
With grins plastered on their faces, they grabbed their skateboards and headed straight for the park, the excitement building as they prepared for the experiments Liam had cooked up.
At the park, Liam laid out his makeshift "training plan," a series of tests based on his understanding of how abilities supposedly worked. "Okay, remember," he said, adjusting his glasses. "We've each seen hints of something—Leo, your eyes glowed when you got riled up with Andy. So maybe strong emotions trigger things. Let's try pushing those buttons and see what happens."
Hours went by, filled with focus and frustration, as they tried to summon even a flicker of their powers. But no matter how hard they concentrated or how many times they followed Liam's instructions, the results were the same: nothing. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows as they exhausted themselves, getting more discouraged with each passing minute.
Finally, just as they were about to call it quits, Kane felt a strange, familiar tingle—the same sensation that overtook him whenever the system activated. He froze, his heart pounding, as a glowing screen materialized in front of him. His eyes widened as he read the words:
[System synchronization is now one hundred percent complete.]
A jolt of happiness surged through him, and he couldn't contain the triumphant grin spreading across his face.
"Finally"