system:Reborn

Chapter 7: The Other Awakened

Rain began falling over Neo-Tokyo.

Kai moved through the ruined streets toward the Evolution Center, keeping his hood pulled over his head.

The city he had known only hours ago was gone.

Buildings were damaged. Emergency drones filled the sky. People with newly awakened abilities carried injured civilians toward temporary shelters.

Above everything, the Core remained motionless.

Watching.

Kai's System suddenly displayed a warning.

[QUEST UPDATE]

The Hidden Awakened

Distance to matching System signature: 1.8 km

Direction: Northeast

Kai stopped.

Someone was nearby.

Someone with the same strange System signature.

He turned toward the direction indicated by the interface.

A massive emergency shelter had been established beneath an elevated transit station.

Hundreds of survivors were gathered there.

Kai entered quietly.

A large holographic screen displayed instructions.

ALL AWAKENED INDIVIDUALS MUST REPORT FOR CLASSIFICATION.

Kai immediately understood the danger.

If the System was watching him, the classification test could expose his true ability.

He joined the line.

One person at a time stepped onto a circular platform.

"Name?"

"Marcus Lee."

"Ability?"

"Enhanced Strength."

The scanner activated.

[ABILITY CONFIRMED]

[RANK: E]

Another person stepped forward.

"Ability?"

"Pyrokinesis."

[RANK: D]

The crowd reacted with excitement.

Then a girl stepped onto the platform.

She looked around seventeen or eighteen, wearing a damaged black jacket.

The scanner activated.

Nothing happened.

The technician frowned.

"Try again."

The machine scanned her a second time.

[ERROR]

The girl looked confused.

Then Kai's interface suddenly flickered.

[MATCH FOUND]

[SYSTEM SIGNATURE: 98.7% COMPATIBLE]

Kai stared at her.

Her.

The girl slowly turned.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then her interface appeared in Kai's vision.

[NAME: UNKNOWN]

[ABILITY: NULL]

[RANK: F]

Kai's heart stopped.

She had the same ability.

Null.

The girl stepped off the platform.

A security officer approached her.

"Miss, you'll need to come with us for additional testing."

She looked uncomfortable.

Kai knew exactly what would happen if they took her away.

She might be discovered.

And if the System wanted them connected, there had to be a reason.

Kai quietly activated System Vision.

The girl's status expanded.

[HIDDEN ABILITY DETECTED]

[SYSTEM OVERRIDE]

[ACCESS LEVEL: 2]

Kai's eyes widened.

She had his ability.

But then something else appeared.

[WARNING]

[SUBJECT HAS BEEN MARKED BY THE OBSERVER.]

Kai looked toward the ceiling.

Nothing.

Then every light in the shelter suddenly went out.

People screamed.

Emergency systems activated.

Red lights began flashing.

[WARNING]

[HOSTILE SYSTEM BREACH DETECTED.]

The shelter doors slammed shut.

Something moved above them.

Kai looked at the girl.

She looked back at him.

"You can see it too, can't you?" she whispered.

Kai nodded.

"What are you called?"

She hesitated.

"Mira."

A metallic voice echoed through the shelter.

"Unauthorized System users detected."

The crowd fell silent.

Kai's interface turned black.

Then one final message appeared.

[NEW OBJECTIVE]

PROTECT MIRA.

Failure will trigger System Purge.

Kai stared at the words.

Mira looked at him.

"Whatever that means..."

A metallic figure dropped from the ceiling.

"...we're probably in trouble."

Kai activated System Override.

[COMBAT MODE: ENABLED]

And for the first time, Kai wasn't fighting alone.