Knox crouched in the darkness, his pulse hammering as he heard the door splinter downstairs. Heavy footsteps echoed through the walls the walls of his tiny, rundown home, and the hair of his neck rose as the reality of the break-in hit him, His parent's voices floated up from the living room, tense and pleading. The sound of something heavy being slammed against the wall made his blood run cold.

Stay hidden, he told himself, heart pounding. But he couldn't. The thought of his parents—his only family—helpless, waiting in fear, broke whatever invisible chains held him in place.

He crept down the narrow hall to the top of the stairs, watching the scene below. A man, thick-shouldered and draped in leather, stood in their living room, a gun leveled at his parents. The man's voice was low and menacing, but every word stuck Knox like a hammer.

"Gather all the money in the house," the man sneered, his gaze flickering around the dim room. "Now."

Knox's father was shaking, his hands raised, but there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. His mother was crying, clutching his father's arm, a look of pure terror etched on her face.

Knox's fists clenched, his whole body trembling as he fought the urge to charge down and tear the man away from them. But he was sixteen, thin, and no match for the man with a gun.

But his feet moved anyway.

He came down the steps fast, his voice shaky but loud as he shouted, "Leave them alone!"

The robber turned, his eyes narrowing in cold amusement. "You? Get back up there. This doesn't concern you."

Knox's anger surged. "You're not taking anything from us!" he yelled, lunging forward with every ounce of strength he could muster.

The robber smirked, effortlessly dodging Knox's attack. A second later, Knox felt a flash of pain as he was thrown to the floor, his vision swimming. But something deep with furry that burned through his veins like fire. His arms trembled as he forced himself to his feet again, ignoring the pain.

The man seemed almost impressed, but then his face twisted with impatience. In a flash, he aimed the gun, and a single, deafening shot echoed through the room.

Knox froze. His mother's body crumpled, but then his face twisted with impatience. In a flash, her eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling, blood pooling around her head.

A strangled scream tore from his throat as he threw himself at the man again, his vision blurred by range and tears. But before he could reach him, a second shot rang out, and his father staggered back, clutching his stomach, blood staining his shirt. He fell, reaching out one last time before his hand went limp.

The world shattered.

Knox didn't hear his own scream. He didn't hear the way his heart cracked, splintering under the weight of grief and rage. His body moved on its own, driven by something primal. He pushed himself to his feet with unnatural speed, his body screaming in agony but ignoring it. The man turned towards him, his face twisted into a grin. 

"You're next kid," the robber sneered.

But Knox didn't wait. A blur of motion. His hand wrapped around the man's throat before he even knew what was happening. The man gurgled in shock, clawing at Knox's unyielding grip, Knox's fingers tightened, his newfound strength overpowering the man's feeble attempts to escape. The robber's eyes bulged in terror as the life drained from him, his body going limp.

But it wasn't enough. Something inside Knox snapped completely.

With a sickening yank, Knox tore the man's head from his shoulders, feeling the blood spray across his skin. The body collapsed to the floor, leaving only a pool of crisiom behind. Knox stood over it, breathing heavily, his hands shaking as the blood soaked into his clothes.

And then, as the last remnants of his rage burned out, a voice spoke within his mind, clear and distinct:

Welcome, Knox Jun. The System has activated. You have acquired the powers of Kryptonian origin. Your transformation is complete.

Knox staggered back, feeling the weight of the words settle into his mind. His body pulsed with new, unimaginable strength. His senses were sharper, his muscles stronger. He could feel the weight of the world lifting off him.

But his parents were gone. The man was dead by his hands. And in that moment, Knox knew there was no going back. No way to undo what had been done.

Not now. Not ever.

...

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