Knox stood in the doorway of his ruined home, staring blankly at the street bathed in dim yellow light from a flickering streetlamp. The cold air nipped at his skin, but he couldn't feel it. His parent's blood soaked his clothes, smell of iron clinging to him like a curse.
"Alright, kid," the system's voice broke the silence, its usual sarcastic tone laced with something colder. "It's time we had a little talk."
Knox blinked, the voice pulled him from the haze of grief, His fists clenched at his sides as he took a slow step forward, his boots crunching against the cracked pavement. "What now?"
"Oh, you're gonna love this," the system said, its voice dripping with mock excitement. "I figured you might want to know what's happening. You see, you're not the only one with a system anymore."
Knox stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"
"I mean everyone is getting one," the system replied as if explaining something obvious to a child. "My creator—you don't get to know who they are, so don't bother asking—thought it would be a fun little twist to introduce systems to all of humanity. Some will get powerful ones like me. Most will get useless trash."
Knox's brow furrowed. "So... I'm not special?"
"Ding ding ding! We have a winner!" the system said, its glowing interface appearing in the corner of Knox's vision and pulsing blue. "Sorry to burst your bubble, champ, but you're not the only one with shiny new powers. You're just lucky I'm on your side. Trust me, compared to me, the other systems are like cheap knockoffs."
Knox's jaw tightened. He wasn't sure whether to be angry, confused, or both. "Why would someone do this? Why give systems to everyone?"
"Ah, the million-dollar question," the system said, glow turning a faint, ominous red for a moment. "Let's just say the age of power is upon us. People are going to start waking up to what they can do, and it's going to get messy. Governments will panic, try to control it. Some people will go along with the rules, sure. But others? They'll take what they want and burn down anyone who gets in their way."
Knox frowned, his mind racing. "And me? What's my role in all this?"
"That's up to you, big guy," the system replied, its tone casual. "Maybe you'll be one of those self-righteous types, saving kittens from trees and stopping bank robberies. Or Maybe you'll do something smart—like I suggested earlier—and take control. Be the one calling the shots instead of following someone else's orders."
Knox scowled. "I don't want to be a hero. That's not my thing."
"Good," the system said with a satisfied hum. "Because heroes are overrated. They're too busy worrying about 'doing the right thing' to actually make a difference. Most of them are going to end up dead anyway."
Knox started walking again, his steps heavier now. The words stung, even though he couldn't argue with them.
"Oh, and before you ask," the system continued, "no, I'm not telling you who my creator is. That's classified. But I'll give you this: they've got a sense of humor. You're going to love what's coming next."
Knox rolled his eyes. "Great. Just what I needed."
The system chuckled. "Oh, come on, don't be like that. You're lucky to have me, you know. I'm top-tier. Way better than the bargain-bin trash everyone else is stuck with."
Knox snorted. "Yeah? And what makes you so special?"
"For starters, I've got personality," the system said smugly. "The other? Most of them are like those annoying YouTubers who compare superheroes in hypothetical fights. Like, why would Batman and Superman actually fight? Because Superman's a big softie who hates Batman's traumatized-rich-kid methods? Please."
Knox raised an eyebrow. "What are you even talking about?"
"In your world's logic," the system explained, "comparing me to the other is like comparing Superman to Ben 10 Alien Force. I'm leagues ahead, kid. And you're welcome for that, by the way."
Knox sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're seriously the most irritating thing I've ever had to deal with."
"And yet, here we are," the system said cheerfully. "Now, let's focus. You've got powers now, but you're still a newbie. We need to get you up to speed before someone stronger comes along and wipes the floor with you."
Knox didn't respond immediately. His mind was still stuck on what the system had said earlier—that everyone was getting a system. That the world was about to change.
"What do you think's going to happen?" he asked quietly. "With all these people getting powers?"
The system was silent for a moment, as if considering the question. When it spoke again, its voice was lower, more serious. "Chaos. Pure, unfiltered chaos. Some people will want to play hero, save the world or whatever. Others will realize they can do whatever they want and go wild. The government will try to keep things under control, but let's be real—they're not equipped for this. It's going to be a mess, and you'd better be ready to deal with it."
Knox's fists clenched at his sides. He thought back to the thug he'd killed—the man who had taken everything from him in a single night. The thought of more people like that, running around unchecked, made his blood boil.
"I won't let them win," he muttered under his breath."
"Attaboy," the system said, its tone brightening. "Now you're getting it. Forget being a victim. Forget being weak. You've got the power now. Use it."
Knox didn't reply. Instead, he kept walking, his footsteps echoing in the quiet night. He didn't look back at the house he'd called home for so many years. There was nothing left for him there.
The world was changing, and he would have to change with it.
....
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