The rain poured down in sheets, drenching Ethan Steele as he trudged through the dimly lit streets of New York City. His jacket was soaked, clinging to his skin like a second layer of misery. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets, his fingers brushing against the crumpled pink slip he'd received that morning. "Fired due to underperformance," it read. As if that wasn't bad enough, Clara had chosen today of all days to break up with him.
"You're just… pathetic, Ethan," she'd said, her voice dripping with disdain. "I can't waste my life on someone who'll never amount to anything." She'd left him standing in the rain, clutching a bouquet of wilted flowers that now lay in a trash can a few blocks back.
Ethan's jaw tightened as he kicked a pebble, sending it skittering across the pavement. He wasn't sure what hurt more—the betrayal or the humiliation. He'd given Clara everything he had, even as his life fell apart around him. And this was how she repaid him? By walking out on him for Daniel, that smug, self-absorbed tech entrepreneur who'd always looked down on him?
As if on cue, Ethan's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, his heart sinking as he saw the notification: Clara had just posted a selfie with Daniel, captioned "Upgrade complete 💁♀️✨." The comments section was a barrage of congratulatory messages, each one a dagger to his already wounded pride.
"You'll regret this," Ethan muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain. But even as he said it, he knew it was a lie. Clara would never regret leaving him, not when Daniel had the world at his feet and Ethan had… nothing.
He turned a corner, his shoes squelching in the mud, when something caught his eye. A faint blue glow emanated from a nearby alleyway, casting eerie shadows on the crumbling brick walls. Ethan hesitated, his instincts telling him to keep walking, but curiosity got the better of him. He stepped into the alleyway, his heart pounding in his chest as he approached the source of the light.
It was a wristwatch—an old, battered thing that looked like it had seen better days. But there was something strange about it, something almost… alive. The face of the watch glowed with a soft blue light, and as Ethan reached out to pick it up, he felt a jolt of electricity shoot through his arm.
"What the—" he gasped, but before he could pull away, the watch sprang to life. A holographic interface materialized in the air, displaying a series of cryptic symbols and numbers that danced before his eyes.
[System Activated. Welcome, Host.]
A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind, sending a shiver down his spine. [You have been chosen as the bearer of the Infinite System. Prepare for evolution.]
Ethan staggered back, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. "What the hell is this?" he demanded, his voice trembling.
[The Infinite System is a quantum AI designed to elevate its host to the pinnacle of human potential. You now have access to unparalleled abilities: Enhanced Intelligence, Precognition, Combat Mastery, and Financial Insight. Use these tools wisely, Host. The world is yours to conquer.]
Ethan's mind raced, struggling to process what he was hearing. Was this some kind of prank? A hallucination brought on by stress? But the holographic interface remained, pulsing with a steady, reassuring light.
He glanced down at the watch, his fingers trembling as he fastened it around his wrist. The moment it clicked into place, he felt a surge of energy course through his veins, like a fire igniting in his chest. For the first time in years, he felt… powerful.
"This can't be real," he whispered, but even as he said it, he knew it was. The Infinite System was real, and it had chosen him.
A slow smile spread across his face as he stepped out of the alleyway, the rain still pouring down around him. Clara's mocking words echoed in his mind, but this time, they only fueled his determination.
"You'll regret this," he said again, but this time, he meant it. With the Infinite System, he was no longer the pathetic loser Clara had abandoned. He was something more. Something unstoppable.
And the world was about to find out