Awakening and a New Life
Morning broke, casting a soft glow over Raiden Blond as he slowly opened his eyes. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him as he stared at the ceiling. The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, signaling the start of another day. He ran a hand over his face, took a deep breath, and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, placing his feet on the cold floor. Rest was a luxury he could no longer afford. "Just one more day," he muttered to himself as he stood up.
He headed upstairs to wake his siblings. Knocking softly on Olivia's door, he peeked inside. Twelve-year-old Olivia was curled up under her blanket, a peaceful expression on her face. Raiden sat on the edge of the bed and gently shook her shoulder.
"Hey Olivia, wake up. Breakfast is ready," he said softly.
Olivia mumbled something, burying her face deeper into the pillow. "Is it a monster attack? If not, let me sleep..." she groaned.
Raiden chuckled. "Yes, there's a monster – the one eating the last slice of bread. If you don't get up, you'll miss it all."
Her eyes fluttered open, still heavy with sleep. "Fine, fine. I'm up. But you owe me," she grumbled.
After rousing Olivia, Raiden moved on to his other sisters. Irina was curled up with a book, while little Alice was completely buried under her blanket. He gently woke them both, then led them downstairs to the kitchen.
In the kitchen, their mother Martha had already laid out breakfast. Fresh bread, cheese, jam, and fruit were neatly arranged on the table. When Raiden entered, Martha greeted him with a warm smile.
"Good morning, son. You're up early today," she said kindly.
Olivia plopped down at the table, still rubbing her eyes. "Mom, why do we have to get up so early? The only monster here is probably my brother," she grumbled.
Martha chuckled softly and stroked her daughter's hair. "Early mornings are good for the soul, Olivia. And it's nice to sit together and talk over breakfast, isn't it?"
Irina glanced at Olivia with a calm expression. "You'd surprise us all if you didn't complain every morning."
Olivia shot back sarcastically, "Maybe everyone should respect my right to sleep!"
Raiden watched their playful banter with a faint smile. Their energy was a welcome distraction from his worries. Despite the lighthearted moment, a question lingered in his mind: How much longer could he keep this up?
Martha, noticing his distant expression, placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're working too hard, Raiden. You don't have to carry all this weight by yourself," she said gently.
He turned to her with a forced smile. "We've talked about this, Mom. I'm strong enough. I can handle it."
Olivia's face lit up. "My brother is a superhero!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.
Raiden laughed. "Don't exaggerate, Olivia. I'm just a guy."
With breakfast finished, Raiden grabbed his bag and left for the construction site, ready to face another grueling day.
After a 30-minute bus ride, Raiden arrived at the construction site. The sun was already beating down mercilessly, even in the early hours of the morning. The air was filled with the noise of machinery, the scent of fresh cement, and clouds of dust.
Eric, his ever-energetic friend, greeted him with a loud shout. "Hey, King of the Laborers! Ready for another rock-solid day?"
Raiden smirked faintly. "You mean a day of hauling rocks, right?"
Eric laughed. "Exactly! But it builds character, doesn't it?"
Work began in earnest as Raiden hoisted heavy bags of cement over his shoulder. Each bag weighed over 40 kilograms, and he carried them carefully to different points around the site. The sweat pouring down his face made his vision blurry, and his shirt clung to his back. His muscles strained with each step, the weight pressing down on him like a lead blanket.
He paused briefly to wipe the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, but it was no use. The relentless sun seemed to be draining him from the inside out. "Just a little longer... I can do this," he whispered to himself.
Every movement felt like a test of his endurance. His shoulders ached as if knives were stabbing into them, and his arms burned with exertion. Yet, Raiden didn't stop. He couldn't afford to.
During a short break, Eric handed him a bottle of water. "You're pushing yourself too hard, man. Take it easy," Eric said, concern evident in his voice.
Raiden took a sip of water and wiped his face again, shaking his head. "I have to do this. My family depends on me."
Eric frowned but said nothing. He simply watched as Raiden, despite his exhaustion, got up and returned to work.
While carrying yet another bag of cement to the mixer, Raiden didn't notice the banana peel on the ground. His foot slipped, and he fell backward with a loud thud. Disoriented, he tried to get up, but his hand accidentally touched an exposed electrical wire near the mixer.
A searing jolt of electricity coursed through his body. His muscles clenched involuntarily, his breath caught in his throat, and his vision went black. In those final moments before losing consciousness, all he could think of was his siblings' faces.
Eric shouted in panic, rushing toward him, but an older worker grabbed his arm. "Don't touch him! The power's still on!" the man warned.
The main switch was flipped off, and Eric ran to Raiden's side. "Stay with me, Raiden! Don't you dare give up!" he pleaded, his voice trembling. An ambulance was called, and Raiden was rushed to the hospital.
When Raiden opened his eyes, the sterile white walls and steady beeping of medical equipment greeted him. His left arm and shoulder throbbed painfully, bandages covering the burns. He stared blankly at the ceiling, his thoughts muddled.
"I'm alive... But how?" he muttered.
He slowly sat up, his movements sluggish and labored. When he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, his tired face and the dark circles under his eyes struck him. But something else—something deeper—felt different, though he couldn't place it.
As he tried to gather his thoughts, a sudden "ding" echoed through the room. Startled, he looked around, expecting to see his phone, but there was none. Instead, a translucent blue screen materialized in front of him, glowing softly.
Words appeared on the screen:
> [System Message]
> Upgrade Complete.
> New abilities unlocked.
>
Raiden blinked in disbelief. His hands moved instinctively to touch the screen, which shimmered under his fingers.
The screen changed, displaying another message:
> Congratulations, Raiden Blond. Access to the 'Hunt' Protocol has been granted.
>
Raiden stared at the screen, his heart pounding. Whatever had just happened to him, he knew one thing for certain: his life would never be the same.