"One guy fainted for three years, and when he woke up, he devoured a ton of bread and could lift a truck with one hand."
"A 60-year-old man's ears mutated, and now he can hear conversations from 10 kilometers away."
"Recently, a teacher in Sheep City gained the ability to fly and signed a million-dollar contract with a delivery company. Some experts say this could help him beat competitors."
"One tourist claims he met a talking monkey during his trip, and there's video proof."
"Fishermen off the coast of East Sea reported seeing mermaids, their tails splashing as they swam."
A few days ago, colorful meteors were spotted falling from the sky, and suddenly, strange and mysterious news filled the internet. The world had changed, and people were unsettled.
Ethan stared at these headlines and couldn't help but feel a mix of disbelief and unease. He was a recent graduate, searching for a job for over a month but still hadn't found the right opportunity. Now, with the world in chaos, he realized that it might be a while before things calmed down.
Rather than searching for work, he decided to see if he had developed any abilities like the people in the news. Unfortunately, after many attempts, he felt no different. His strength hadn't increased, his speed didn't improve, and his senses were no sharper.
He even tried chatting with a stray cat outside, but it just gave him two judgmental looks.
"The world's changed, but it seems I'm still the same useless guy," Ethan sighed, putting down his phone with a resigned shake of his head.
He didn't dare speak of his feelings of being overlooked by fate; that was just self-pity.
After a while, he picked up his phone again and opened the group chat for his classmates. Maybe he could see if anyone around him had awakened any powers. It wasn't about finding someone to rely on, but maybe seeing everyone else in the same boat would make him feel a little better.
"Hey guys, what do you think about all these weird news stories?"
"What can we think? The world's changing so much, my worldview is collapsing."
"Has anyone awakened a power yet? I'm looking for someone with connections."
"I have a power! Ever since graduation, I haven't found a job, and I sleep 10 hours a day. Isn't that a special talent?"
"Yeah, you've got a talent for being a pig."
"This is why everyone's proposing a meet-up—to see who's awakened powers so we can support each other."
The class chat was lively, but it seemed like no one was admitting to having any powers.
"Haha, seeing everyone still being useless makes me feel better," one classmate said, voicing Ethan's unspoken thoughts.
Ethan glanced at the screen and saw that it was Ned who had posted this. Ned and Ethan were close, especially since neither had found a job after graduation, and they often complained to each other. Their bond had grown even stronger since then.
Ned was usually outspoken, saying whatever came to mind. His words were harsh, but they were real.
"I got a tip about the meteor shower—it's going to be worldwide. Even if you haven't awakened yet, there's a high chance that most people will soon. Of course, even if everyone awakens, the power levels will vary. Those of us who were useless will probably just be more useless."
Right after Ned's message, another classmate, Ged, spoke up with a harsh tone. Ged was from a wealthy family with significant influence in Cloud City. He was always pompous, and Ethan figured that while Ged's words might not be pleasant, they probably had some truth to them.
"Wait, does that mean I'll also awaken powers?" Ned replied eagerly.
"Haha, didn't Ged say those of us who were useless would just remain useless? Don't get too excited, Ned," another classmate joked.
"Heh, what if I get lucky?" Ned responded with his usual optimism, convinced that he couldn't be any worse off than he already was.
Ethan, however, was deep in thought. If everyone awakened powers, the world's order would likely be thrown into chaos. Though the chances of awakening strong powers were low, many people would never settle for their current circumstances once they gained abilities.
The world was going to be a mess.
"Lynn, what's the latest news from your side?" Suddenly, a classmate tagged Lynn in the chat.
Lynn was famous across the campus for her beauty, always aloof and cold, a true ice queen. Rumor had it that her family's influence was even greater than Ged's.
At the mention of Lynn, the entire chat fell silent as everyone waited to see if she would respond.
After a while, Lynn spoke up, dropping a bombshell:
"The Talent Association will be announcing a new power ranking system, dividing powers into four categories: A, B, C, and D. B is the lowest, and A is the highest. Also, not only humans will awaken powers, but other creatures may also undergo mutations, so everyone needs to stay safe."
The group collectively gasped. The idea that other creatures could mutate left everyone uneasy.
Even Ethan felt a shiver down his spine. If his own powers weren't strong enough, he could end up being prey to the newly mutated creatures.
"I have a question," Ned suddenly asked, trying to lighten the mood, "Why isn't there a rank for S-class powers? SSS sounds cooler, right?"
"Why not just rank them 1-4?" another classmate teased.
"Ned, if you have a level 3 power, doesn't that sound a bit weird?" someone else replied with a sly smile.
Ned: ...
Ethan closed the group chat. After hearing Lynn's news, he realized that no matter what level his power might be, he needed to start preparing for the dangerous times ahead.
If his powers weren't strong enough, the world might feel like the "end of days."
Buzz...
At that moment, Ethan suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck.
Instinctively, he slapped at it and found a bloody mosquito stuck to his hand, still twitching violently as it died.
"This place is infested with mosquitoes, but thankfully, they're not mutated," Ethan muttered with a self-deprecating laugh. His cheap apartment cost him hundreds of dollars a month, so he couldn't expect too much.
But just as he thought that, a sudden ding echoed in his mind.
"You have killed a mosquito. You have earned a car. It has been stored in your inventory."
Ethan froze in place, stunned by the message.