Chapter 1: Awakening on a Cold New Year's Night
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Ding!
The host has activated the system.
A translucent blue panel appeared in front of Kent, glowing faintly in the dim light of his bathroom. Kent's heart nearly stopped at the sight. He blinked once, twice—was he hallucinating?
The panel displayed words he had never seen before:
System Panel
Spiritual points: 699 sp
Shop | Lottery | Income History
[Note: spiritual points short is SP.]
His finger hovered over the buttons as if afraid touching them would make the whole thing disappear.
"What the hell is this?" Kent murmured to himself, his voice a mix of awe and confusion. "Did I… awaken? Is this like those stories on the news?"
Unable to stop himself, he pressed the Shop button. Another menu unfolded, revealing the first item for sale, a Spiritual Fruit priced at 10,000 spiritual points.
At the bottom of the screen, his balance ticked upward steadily +1… +1… +99. Many notifications were there.
"Thank you, God! Thank you!" Kent cried out, tears welling in his eyes. His hands trembled as he clutched his chest.
"I finally got a chance to become rich. This money generating power will change everything. I can earn money, buy food, pay Nima's school tuition and even—"
His thoughts were flooded with images of his sister, Nima, smiling brightly as she finally ate to her heart's content.
For so long, life had been a cruel cycle of poverty, dry carrots and soup, and cold nights.
Overwhelmed, Kent sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "This is it… my chance."
As he cried tears of joy, his eyes shimmered with the reflection of glowing money signs, his mind spinning with dreams of a better future.
But before diving into what is happening now, let's see what happens a few hours earlier.
Earlier That Night…
The road was cloaked in shadows, lit only by flickering street lamps. Their yellow glow attracted swarms of insects mosquitoes and flies buzzing relentlessly.
Bzzzz…
Tap-tap. A lone moth smacked into the glowing bulb, its wings fluttering weakly against the glass.
A few blocks away, laughter echoed through the narrow alley of a small house.
An eleven-year-old girl named Nima skipped inside, holding a teapot tightly in her small hands. Her voice was bright and sweet as she sang an off-tune melody:
"La la la la la~!" 🎶🎶
The house was modest old wooden furniture, cracked walls, and a flickering TV in the corner broadcasting the nightly news.
"This just in reports of individuals awakening strange powers continues to rise. Authorities urge caution, as some of these 'Awakened' have used their abilities to harm civilians. Just yesterday…"
The news anchor's calm voice contrasted the grim footage of a woman attacked by an earth-type ability user. But Nima wasn't paying attention. She twirled through the small living room, blissfully unaware.
A voice boomed from the kitchen doorway.
Seventeen-year-old Kent, scrawny and wearing patched-up clothes, entered the room looking exasperated.
His dark hair fell messily over his forehead, and his face carried the weariness of someone far older than his years.
"Nima! Put that teapot down."
Nima froze mid-spin, clutching the teapot like it was a prized treasure. "Just one sip! Please?"
Kent's brow furrowed. "It's medicine for Aunty next door! It's not juice."
"Ugh!" Nima groaned dramatically, stomping her foot. "But I'm so hungry! Just a teeny sip, and I promise I'll—"
"No."
Nima puffed out her cheeks in frustration and turned away, grumbling. "Hmph! Mean brother. You always say no."
Kent sighed deeply, his heart softening at the sight of her small, dejected figure. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a shriveled piece of carrot. "Here. If you're hungry, eat this. It's good for you."
"Carrot? Again?!" Nima turned to him, her face full of exaggerated horror. "We've had carrots for dinner every day this week! I'm turning into a carrot!"
Kent couldn't help but chuckle at her outburst. He pressed his hand to his chest dramatically. "Oh… My little sister is all grown up now! She argues with me like an adult."
"Stop teasing me!" Nima whined, tugging on his sleeve. Then, her tone shifted. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she clasped his arm tightly.
"Brother, can we have cup noodles tonight? Please? It's New Year's Eve! We've got to celebrate!"
Kent hesitated, his smile faltering. Cup noodles… something so simple, yet out of reach for them. His fists tightened slightly at his sides.
Seeing his hesitation, Nima hugged his arm tighter, her voice pleading. "Please, please, please! I dreamed about it last night, too. It was beef flavored…"
She trailed off, drool practically dripping from her mouth.
"Fine, fine! I'll get you cup noodles," Kent said, rolling his eyes.
"YES!" Nima leaped with joy, spinning in a circle. "You're the best, Kent! I want the beef flavor!"
"Alright, alright, you little monster. Stay here and wait. I'll be right back."
The cold air hit Kent like a slap to the face as he stepped outside. His breath came out in misty puffs, and the streets were eerily quiet almost too quiet. It was New Year's Eve, but the distant crackle of fireworks felt a world away.
He walked quickly, his thoughts fixed on Nima and her innocent excitement.
"She really wanted cup noodles that badly…" Kent murmured with a small smile. "That girl… she's too stubborn for her own good."
As he crossed an empty intersection, his phone buzzed. A video message from Nima popped up. She had recorded herself eating imaginary noodles and saying dramatically, "Kent, hurry up, or I'll starve to death!"
Kent chuckled softly, shaking his head. "This girl…"
Suddenly—
WOOOOOP! WOOOOOP!
The blaring horn of a truck shattered the silence. Kent's head snapped up. A massive truck barreled toward him at full speed, its headlights blinding.
SCREEEEECH!
"NO!" Kent shouted, his voice swallowed by the truck's deafening roar.
BAM!
The impact sent Kent flying through the air like a rag doll. His body hit the pavement with a sickening thud, sliding several feet before coming to a stop. Blood pooled beneath him, staining the cracked asphalt.
For a long moment, everything was still.
The truck skidded to a halt. The driver stumbled out, his face pale as he stared at Kent's motionless body. "I… I didn't see him… What have I done?"
Panicking, the driver tossed a wad of crumpled cash near Kent's body before fleeing into the darkness.
High above, the night sky split open. A faint crack appeared, glowing faintly against the darkness.
Something small and otherworldly, a glowing rock fell silently from the heavens, like a shooting star.
It descended toward Kent's lifeless body.
SHOOOOM!
The rock falls exactly in the chest of Kent. A pulse of energy radiated outward, causing the air to vibrate.
Kent's body glowed brilliantly, the blood on his skin evaporating in an instant. His broken bones cracked back into place, and the gashes on his flesh sealed themselves. He gasped, his lungs suddenly filling with air.
His eyes shot open. "Wha—?!"
Kent sat up sharply, his hands gripping the cold ground beneath him. His mind reeled. "I… I'm alive? How is this possible?"
He glanced down at himself. His clothes were soaked in blood, but his body… it was fine. No pain, no injuries.
"What the hell happened to me?"
Ding!
The sound rang clearly in his mind, startling him.
Host has activated the system.
A glowing panel appeared before him. Kent didn't notice anything. His mind was just blank for some time.
But somehow he managed to get cup noodles for his sister. His mind subconsciously makes him buy the cup noodles. The store owner is very shocked seeing Kent's situation.
The rest of Kent's journey home was a blur. People screamed as he passed, mistaking him for a ghost. He ignored their shouts, his only thought on reaching Nima.
When he finally opened the door to their small house, Nima's face lit up. "Kent! You're—"
Her voice caught in her throat as she saw his blood-stained clothes. Tears welled in her wide, innocent eyes. "What happened?! Are you okay?"
Kent forced a smile, ruffling her hair. "I'm fine. Don't cry."
"But… but the blood—"
"It's not mine," Kent said quickly. "I helped someone who got hit by a car. Took him to the hospital. That's all."
Nima sniffled, wiping her eyes. "You're always helping others… Go shower, you stink."
In the bathroom, Kent stripped off his clothes and froze.
His reflection in the cracked mirror was unrecognizable. His frail, skinny body was gone. In its place was a lean, muscular frame like that of a trained athlete.
"What… what happened to me?" he whispered.
Ding!
The system panel appeared again.
SSS-Rank Skill: Copy Spiritual Energy.
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