In a world where powers defined status and survival, Zik Toporiya was nothing but a shadow. An orphan without a family, he had no one to gift him a power or guide him to find one. Without powers, he had no place in the academies training young heroes, and no future that promised glory or respect. Even the few weaklings who weren't that powerful still looked down on him, clinging to their small powers as proof they were above him. They mocked him for his "silly dream" of one day becoming a hero.

Zik had thought about taking a contract before — the army was always eager to recruit power-users, or anyone willing to submit to their grueling tests with the Power Stone. But he knew what that meant. He'd be forced into servitude, bound to an institution that would use him as just another pawn. Even though he was at the bottom of the social ladder, Zik held onto his pride. He might be weak, but he wasn't going to sacrifice what little freedom he had for a chance at being someone's errand boy. No, he thought, it's better to remain powerless than to be a hero by someone else's rules.

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One night, Zik was walking down a narrow alleyway under a full moon. This was the only time he felt safe, free from the sneers and contempt of others. He let his thoughts wander, mostly about his uncertain future, when something in the corner of his vision caught his eye. There, in the shadows, was a stone. At first glance, it seemed like any other rock, but in the dim light, it glowed faintly, almost pulsating with an unnatural warmth. His heart skipped a beat. Could it be… a Power Stone?

With a flicker of hope, Zik picked up the stone. He inspected it closely, half-expecting something magical to happen. But after a minute of standing there like a fool, he realized it was just… a rock. Frustration flooded him, and with a burst of anger, he hurled it into the darkness.

A grunt sounded from the shadows, followed by the clanging of metal. Zik froze. Out of the darkness, a tall man emerged, rubbing his shoulder where the stone had struck him. His eyes narrowed, and before Zik could react, a blast of energy knocked him back against the wall, sending pain rippling through his body.

"Think you're funny, kid?" the man growled, walking closer. His eyes gleamed with an odd, almost predatory thrill as he saw Zik cowering. The man liked to fight, that much was obvious. "What's wrong? Too scared to fight back?" The man cracked his knuckles, eyeing Zik with a wicked grin. "So… what's your power, huh?" He moved closer, pressing a foot onto Zik's already bruised arm. "Super healing, I bet," he guessed, watching Zik wince in pain.

"...I don't have one," Zik mumbled, gritting his teeth as he tried to hold back tears.

The man stopped, stunned for a moment, then laughed. "No power? Seriously? In this day and age? That's rare, kid… really rare." He pulled his foot back, crouching down so his face was level with Zik's. His expression had shifted from anger to intrigue, his gaze piercing.

"What kind of power do you think you'd have?" he asked, excitement flashing in his eyes.

Zik glanced at the man, and sensing his strange, erratic energy, figured his best shot was to play along. "I… I always thought super strength would be cool," he muttered.

The man scoffed. "Super strength? Nah, it's totally gonna be super healing. You've got 'punching bag' written all over you." He cackled, clearly entertained by his own joke.

Zik forced a weak smile, trying to keep the man's interest from turning hostile again. "No way. Super healing sounds like a good way to get tortured for life."

The man grinned wider, as if impressed by Zik's thinking. "You know what? Let's bet on it." Without waiting for a response, he whipped out a small, cheap-looking Power Stone from his pocket. Its dull sheen barely caught the moonlight, but Zik recognized it instantly.

"Please, just let me go to the hospital," Zik pleaded, sensing something dangerous in the man's twisted eagerness.

The man just shook his head, his grip tightening on Zik's arm. "Nah, I got a better idea. Let's use this stone and see if I'm right. Bet you get super healing!"

Before Zik could protest, the man slammed the Power Stone against his palm, forcing it to activate. The stone glowed briefly, and Zik felt a strange warmth wash over him, but then… nothing. No transformation, no surge of energy, no healing magic. His broken arm throbbed painfully, as useless as before.

The man's face twisted in disappointment. "What? Your arm's not healing? Then what's your power, huh?" He shook Zik, growing frustrated.

Just then, a faint notification appeared before Zik's eyes, hanging in the air like an interface in a video game.

> Congratulations! You have acquired the Hero System.

Welcome, Player. Level: 1.

Zik blinked in disbelief. He could see a stat window, filled with information about himself: Health, Strength, Agility, even Experience Points and Skills. And at the top was his first ability: Hero's Perception, which allowed him to see the world as though it were a game, with levels, stats, and goals.

The man watched him carefully. "Well? What is it?" he demanded.

Zik quickly thought of a lie. "Uh… super vision," he said, feigning disappointment. "I can, like… see in the dark better or something."

The man laughed, shaking his head. "Ha! What a useless power. No wonder you didn't get anything good."

As the man walked off, muttering to himself, Zik lay there, catching his breath. When he was sure he was alone, he shakily opened the stat window again, marveling at the strange new power he'd stumbled into. The screen in his mind displayed basic stats:

Zik Toporiya - Level: 1

Health: 40/100

Strength: 5

Agility: 7

Experience Points: 0

And then, right below, he saw his first ability:

Hero's Perception: View the world as a game, with levels, stats, and objectives.

Zik's heart raced. It might not be the super strength he had always wanted, and it might not grant him instant immunity from bullies, but something deep inside told him that this "Hero System" was only the beginning. With a power that allowed him to see life like a video game, he realized he might have stumbled upon something no one else in this world could understand or prepare for.

He dismissed the interface, feeling a new determination building within him. All his life, people had seen him as the weakest, the least likely to ever become anything. But maybe that weakness could now become his greatest advantage.

Over the next few days, Zik began to experiment cautiously with the Hero System, exploring the limits of what it could do. He noticed that every time he completed even simple, everyday tasks, a subtle "+1" or "+2" floated up in his field of vision, and his Experience Points bar nudged upward. As he progressed, he earned small increases to his Strength and Agility stats, and he even unlocked a new ability—Stealth. It allowed him to temporarily reduce his visibility, which he found incredibly useful when slipping past bullies or nosy teachers at the academy.

Days turned into weeks, and Zik's progress didn't go unnoticed. At first, his bullies mocked him as usual, but when he suddenly avoided all their traps and seemed faster, stronger, and more resilient, they grew confused. It was as though Zik was leveling up with each confrontation, quietly gaining strength in the background.

Then, one day, the academy hosted its annual "Testing Trials," an open contest where students could demonstrate their powers and skills in combat. Normally, Zik would never have even dreamed of entering, but his Hero System had notified him with a quest:

> Quest: Enter the Trials.

Reward: 100 Experience Points, +5 Strength.

Zik grinned. This was it. He had finally found his path to becoming the hero he'd always dreamed of, not by submitting to anyone's expectations, but by carving his own way with every level, every quest, and every battle.

As he stepped into the ring on the day of the Trials, Zik could feel the world's eyes on him, and for the first time in his life, he didn't feel like running. Because now he had a plan — one that no one else could see. And with each passing second, he was one step closer to unlocking his true potential, ready to show the world that even the weakest could rise to the top, he felt a surge of confidence. The cheers from the crowd washed over him, and for a moment, he believed that this was his time to shine. But as the match began, reality hit him hard. His opponent, a burly guy with a smug grin, swiftly overpowered him. Zik barely had time to react before he was knocked out of the ring, the impact rattling his bones.

As he lay on the ground, he activated his Hero System to analyze what had just happened. The screen flashed in front of him, displaying:

Opponent: Unknown Fighter - Level: 5

Health: 100/100

Strength: 8

Agility: 6

He scanned the surrounding arena, realizing with a sinking feeling that everyone else was at least Level 5, many of them reaching between Level 5 and 10. Right, still at the bottom of the food chain, he thought grimly. Zik knew he needed to level up quickly. I have to do quests and reach at least Level 5 to keep up with these guys.

After being escorted to the infirmary, Zik found himself waiting for the nurse. He winced as he pressed a hand to his side, where the impact had left bruises. The nurse, a woman with a kind smile and a gentle demeanor, was busy chatting on her phone, completely ignoring the injured teenager in front of her. Zik could hardly believe his luck. Here he was, bleeding and in need of immediate care, while she casually gossiped, oblivious to the urgency of the situation.

Finally, the nurse glanced up, her expression shifting from surprise to concern when she saw Zik's condition. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, but even as she began to approach him, Zik felt his body start to tingle. The pain began to fade, and a new skill unlocked in his mind:

Skill Unlocked: Regenerate

Description: Slowly recover health over time. Level: 1

Cooldown: 1 minute

It wasn't much, but Zik felt a surge of relief wash over him. He realized he could now heal himself, even if it was just a little at first. The nurse finally attended to him, but he hardly noticed. He was already focused on the fact that he was evolving, and that was a thrilling sensation.

It's a nice feeling to move forward, he thought, a small smile creeping onto his face. With determination, he promised himself he would not only survive but thrive. He could level up Regenerate, and who knew what other skills lay ahead?

As he left the infirmary, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. Quests awaited him, challenges to conquer, and levels to achieve. He was ready to face them all. No longer just a dreamer, Zik was determined to carve his own path and rise from the bottom of the food chain.

After his trip to the infirmary, Zik's next goal was clear. He needed super strength to survive in this world — at least enough to hold his own in a fight. His new Hero System didn't make him strong on its own, but maybe he could earn the stats he needed by training. Full of excitement, he headed to the gym, ready to unlock the power he'd always dreamed of.

As he stepped through the gym doors, he opened the Hero System, eagerly anticipating a quest to boost his strength. Sure enough, a quest appeared:

Daily Quest: Hero's Warm-Up

Objective: 100 Pushups, 100 Sit-Ups, 100 Squats, and a 10KM Run.

Success Rewards: +1 Strength, or +1 Speed, or +1 Stamina, or 30 EXP.

Failure Penalty: Lose all hair.

Zik's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?!" he muttered, staring in disbelief at the quest details. He'd just joined a gym, paid his hard-earned membership fee, and he was hit with this? He looked around the gym, spotting shiny, state-of-the-art machines he'd expected to help him level up. And yet here he was, saddled with a ridiculous bodyweight workout he could've done in a park for free.

"Why is this so hard? And why… why would I lose my hair if I fail?" he groaned, running his fingers through his already shaggy mop as if to reassure himself it was still there. "And what if I break my arm or something? Does that mean automatic baldness?" The absurdity was infuriating.

He sank onto a bench, glaring at the quest notification. "This has to be a joke," he muttered. But as he considered his options, he realized that with no one to give him powers and no way to boost his strength without leveling up, he didn't have much choice.

"Well," he sighed, rolling up his sleeves and glancing at the quest timer that had just started ticking down, "guess I'd better start… or I'm going to be bald by morning."

With a resigned groan, Zik got down on the mat and began his push-ups.