Eastonia Country, Fior Province, Magnolia City, Gordon.
Ring Ring Ring…
The shrill alarm pierced through the stillness of the room, breaking the morning's calm.
Dean stirred, his eyelids fluttering open as he squinted against the sudden intrusion. With a groggy movement, he reached over to silence the persistent alarm clock on the bedside table. He yawned widely, the remnants of sleep clinging to him, before tossing off the warm quilt that had enveloped him throughout the night.
As he padded across the cool hardwood floor to the window, he felt the anticipation of a new day stirring within him. With a swift pull, he drew back the thick curtains, allowing a cascade of golden sunlight to flood the room and chase away the shadows that lingered in the corners.
Standing by the window, he gazed out at the world awakening beyond. The streets were already alive with activity as a stream of pedestrians bustled along the sidewalk, each individual immersed in their own morning routines, hurrying to seize the opportunities of the day ahead.
"A beautiful day to start my 36-year-old life," Dean murmured to himself.
If someone who knew Dean heard what he was saying, then they would definitely think he was talking nonsense. After all, he was only 20 years old, not 36.
However, he was neither confused nor joking.
In fact, he harbored a secret deep within him—one that he would never share with anyone in his life.
He was not actually from this world.
The planet he lived on before was called Earth, and now he found himself on a planet known as Blue Planet.
Blue Planet is a parallel version of Earth but has a different history and various country names.
Dean's journey to this world was uneventful. He was simply hit by a car while crossing the road after school.
Perhaps he died that day, and when he woke up, he discovered he was in this new world, having taken on the form of a newborn baby.
It was akin to reincarnation but in an entirely different world.
Dean's second life was going well. He was born into a wealthy family, but his parents were often busy and rarely home, which he found beneficial. He also had a younger brother who was just five years his junior.
Beep, beep—his cell phone rang, pulling Dean back to the present.
He answered, "Hello!"
"Good morning, Dean. It's me, Lucas," came the energetic voice on the other end.
"Lucas?" Dean glanced at his phone to confirm the caller's identity. He then held the phone back to his ear. "What's going on? Why are you calling me so early in the morning?"
"Dean, here's the situation: the rent is due in two days, and I've been a bit tight on money lately due to some unexpected expenses. I'd like to pay the rent a month late and settle the full amount next month when I get paid," Lucas explained.
"That's not a big deal! Just pay me back when you can," Dean responded. "Is there anything else?"
"No, that's all. Thank you!"
"Okay, let's go with that for now. I need to head out."
"Alright, bye."
After hanging up, Dean tilted his head and muttered: "This guy used to always pay his rent early... did something happen to him?"
As he pondered this, he headed into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth before moving to the kitchen to heat a cup of milk and fry two eggs. Breakfast was ready, and as he ate, he browsed Skynet and checked his circle of friends.
Once he finished breakfast, Dean got up and left the house wearing his jogging clothes.
This was how Dean's day began.
Exercise plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and well-being of individuals, particularly those known as Awakeners—people who experience the awakening of their superpowers.
The timing of these awakenings is unpredictable; some individuals discover their powers as toddlers, while others may not awaken them until adulthood or later.
In the case of Dean, he has experienced four awakenings at ages five, ten, fifteen, and twenty. This phenomenon is particularly noteworthy, as it is rare for anyone to awaken their superpowers more than once—at least, Dean has yet to encounter anyone else who shares this experience.
Initially, Dean was unaware of the implications of awakening his powers and experienced his first awakening as a source of happiness. However, subsequent awakenings, occurring every five years, left him feeling bewildered and apprehensive.
His concerns stemmed from the possibility that continuous awakenings could attract the attention of government entities or criminal organizations, potentially leading to his abduction and dissection. Consequently, he has resolved to keep his multiple superpower awakenings a secret.
In his first awakening, Dean discovered his superpower, "Dream Weaver," which is related to dreams.
After years of practice, he developed several skills using this ability, such as Dream Invasion, Dream Realm, and Lullaby.
Dream Invasion is a skill that allows him to enter other people's dreams.
As a child, Dean used this skill to invade the dreams of family members and neighbors.
In the beginning, his actions went unnoticed since most people cannot recall their dreams upon waking. However, after a few incidents, people began to notice irregularities; they found themselves dreaming of Dean almost every night.
Many believe that dreams carry significance. So, when neighborhood residents frequently dreamed of Dean, they started to suspect something was happening to him. Concerned, they flocked to Dean's house and asked his parents about his well-being.
Dean's parents, just as confused, could only reassure them that Dean was fine. They, too, were puzzled but figured that if their son was healthy at home, the dreams simply indicated that they just missed him. After all, their busy jobs often kept them from spending quality time with him, so it made sense they would feel that way.
Following that day, Dean decided to stop using Dream Invasion on those around him. He realized it would be problematic if others investigated the situation and traced it back to him.
The second skill that Dean developed from Dream Weaver was called Dream Realm. This ability allowed him to draw any creature into the dream world, where he could create anything he desired. However, this skill could not be used to harm the target; at most, it could only trap them until his psychic power was exhausted.
The final skill was Lullaby, a simple skill that could induce sleep in people.
Dream Weaver was an intriguing superpower with immense potential. Despite this, Dean could only develop three skills over five years until he awakened his second superpower.
His second superpower was even more powerful than the first, which is called Time Stop.
As the name suggests, this superpower allows him to halt time within a specific radius for a duration of fifteen seconds. During this brief period, all individuals and objects within the area become immobile, while Dean remains fully active.
His third superpower is Ice Manipulation, which allows him to control and shape the ice element according to his will. This power enables him to create various forms and constructs made of ice.
Most recently, Dean awakened a fourth superpower: Transformation. This ability allows him to take on the appearance of anything he chooses, including other people, animals, or inanimate objects, enhancing his versatility in different situations.
With these four superpowers and years of training under his belt, Dean believes he is powerful enough to survive any dangerous scenario.
He no longer worries as much about the possibility of being kidnapped and dissected by the government or a criminal organization.
However, feeling powerful does not mean he is fearless or disregards the law.
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of Awakeners worldwide, with Eastania Country experiencing a similar trend. This surge has also led to a rise in incidents involving Awakeners misusing their superpowers.
In response to these developments, the government has stepped up its surveillance of Awakeners. Thanks to that, public perception of Awakeners has shifted, and they are no longer seen as merely strange beings.
Recently, the newly appointed director of the Seven Bureau of the Superpower Division took office in Magnolia City. Upon assuming his position, he immediately implemented new regulations, announcing that all Awakeners must register their identities with the Superpower Division. Failure to do so will result in arrest if they are caught using their abilities in ways that violate the law, which has raised concerns about public safety and social order.
Dean is a good, law-abiding citizen. When the announcement was made, he immediately went to the nearest Superpower Division to register himself as an Awakener.
However, he chose not to disclose all his superpowers during registration, as revealing everything would be too shocking.
While he possesses confidence in his ability to protect himself, Dean strategically opts to shield certain aspects of his abilities, prioritizing discretion as a means of navigating this evolving landscape.
After all, having a regular and stable life has always been his motto.