Chapter 6: Awakening
Damian sits on the cold floor of the rundown warehouse, the only light coming from the flickering, dim streetlamp outside the cracked windows. It's his birthday today, his fourteenth, and the weight of it feels heavier than most.
His life hasn't been much of a celebration. Since his mother left him to fend for himself at 10, Damian had learned the harshest lessons early. The streets had shown him what real survival meant — and it didn't come in the form of a sweet celebration or some kind of birthday wish.
No, today was just another day to get stronger. To prepare.
And then, suddenly, it happens.
It's not some dramatic surge of power, no earth-shattering explosion, no overwhelming flood of magic. It's more like a spark — tiny, insignificant, barely noticeable, yet enough to make him stop. He feels it like a pulse in his chest, a subtle thrum in the air.
My system...
The words appear in his mind like a whisper. The system. For some reason, he can't remember ever activating it, but it's there, the same way it's always been — quietly hovering in the background, a reminder of something he doesn't fully understand yet.
Before he can even process it, a notification appears, and Damian's hand instinctively reaches out, his fingers brushing against the cool steel of the nearby pipe.
---
Damian's System
---
Name: Damian
Age: 14
Tier: 1 (10% to Tier 2)
Overall Ranking: 205/500
---
Skills:
1. Lightning Manipulation (Lv. 1)
A skill that allows the user to control and manipulate raw lightning. The user can channel electricity into weapons, unleash bolts of lightning at enemies, or even manipulate the energy to augment physical abilities. Requires high control to prevent unrestrained bursts of power.
Current Ability: Empower your weapon with lightning, launch lightning bolts at targets.
Control Level: Low (Requires training to improve precision and consistency)
---
Attributes:
Strength: 34
Endurance: 42
Speed: 50
Agility: 48
Mana Pool: 20%
Mana Regeneration Rate: 1%/min
Stamina: 65%
Health: 80%
---
System Status:
Overall Control Level: Low
Combat Power: 120 (Based on current skill and attributes)
Mana Consumption: Low
Training Required: Skill mastery and control enhancement required to unlock advanced capabilities of Lightning Manipulation.
---
Notifications:
New skill unlocked: Lightning Manipulation (Lv. 1). Your control is unstable. Continued training is required to master the skill and increase control.
---
The text blinks on his vision, and Damian stares at it, his heart hammering in his chest. It's real. His powers... they're real now.
He's always known that something inside him was different. Dune, his mentor, had taught him everything he knew — swordsmanship, survival tactics, and the hard truths of the streets. But none of it ever felt like enough. Until now.
The spark of electricity thrums under his skin, making his fingertips tingle. He can feel it, swirling and waiting for his command. Lightning. Manipulation. The words echo in his mind as he flexes his fingers, trying to test the new power.
It's small, but the crackle of energy is undeniable.
Damian presses his palm against the pipe again, focusing on the sensation. His body feels like it's alive, buzzing with energy. Just need to focus, he tells himself. He doesn't have time for mistakes, not when everything has been leading up to this moment.
A pulse of energy courses through him, and for the first time, Damian feels something resembling power coursing through his veins. The air around him vibrates, the walls of the room seem to hum with the current of his power. He imagines the lightning, calls it to him, and in a split second, the pipe in his hand crackles, small bolts of lightning arcing from his fingertips.
It's clumsy. It's uncontrolled. But it's there. And that's all that matters.
The power of lightning hums in his chest, the feeling wild, uncontrolled, a beast waiting to be tamed. His heart beats faster. This is just the beginning.
He pulls his hand back, watching the sparks fizzle out. Sweat is dripping down his forehead. There's no way around it — he needs training. He needs control. The raw energy surging through him isn't something he can just throw around. He'll destroy everything if he's not careful.
He looks at the system again, feeling the weight of his new reality pressing in. He knows that with this power, with the strength of the lightning in his hands, he can change everything. He can take control. He can—
"Damian."
The voice calls out, breaking his focus. He turns to find a shadow in the doorway — it's Dune. His mentor. The man who had pulled him from the gutter, who had shaped him into something more.
Dune steps forward, his eyes narrowing as he observes the crackling energy in Damian's hands. "I see it. The power... it's yours now. But power without control is a curse."
Damian looks down at his hands, still trembling with the aftershocks of the lightning. "I know. But I'll master it. I won't let it control me."
Dune's lips curl into a slight smile. "Good. You're starting to think like a warrior. But you're still far from ready. That skill... it's just the beginning. I'll help you harness it, but you'll need to put in the work. This is your fight now, Damian. Make sure you're ready for it."
Damian nods, his gaze hardening. He won't fail. Not now. Not after everything he's been through.
"I will be," he says, his voice low but certain. "I'll make sure of it."
---
With his newfound skill, Damian knows the road ahead won't be easy. But for the first time in his life, he feels something akin to hope. Lightning. It's just the start.
And he won't stop until he's ready for whatever the world throws at him.