The amulet was cold against his skin.
Jim stared at it, unmoving, as if it might vanish if he blinked. The faint blue glow that had surrounded it when it called his name had faded. Now it looked... Ordinary. Just a piece of metal.
Toby edged closer. " Okay. So, like... you just going to hold it forever, or...?"
Jim didn't answer. His fingers closed around the amulet, feeling the faint pulse of something inside it, like a heartbeat trapped in a crystal. It wasn't glowing, Wasn't doing anything else weird, but Jim knew—something had changed the moment he touched it.
Everything had already started changing before that.
He slipped the amulet into his hoodie pocket.
Toby raised an eyebrow. "you're seriously keeping it?"
Jim nodded slowly. "It called my name."
"That's exactly why we should not be keeping it! That's how horror movies start, Jim. You pick up a cursed object, and next thing you know, you're possessed, vomiting spiders, and I'm on a talk show saying, 'Yeah, he was quiet, but we never expected the demon stuff.'"
Jim smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "It doesn't feel evil."
"Sure. That's what they always say."
Jim didn't argue. Because honestly? He didn't have answers. Not for the amulet. Not for the weird glowing text.
And definitely not for the fact that his shirt sleeves were still a little too tight on his arms.
Toby kept looking at him sideways as they walked. "You sure you're, okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You've said that like three times now. That usually means the opposite."
Jim didn't reply. The truth was, he didn't feel bad. He felt… sharper. Stronger. Like every nerve in his body was working overtime in the best possible way. But it also felt like he was standing on the edge of something massive—and once he stepped forward, there was no turning back.
They walked the rest of the way in silence.
By the time they got to school, Jim's head was pounding with unspoken questions. The buzz of voices in the hallways felt louder than normal. The fluorescent lights flickered just enough to irritate him. His shoes squeaked on the tile in a way that made him want to tear them off.
He forced himself to breathe slowly. Just act normal.
He ducked into his first period class just before the bell rang, slipping into his seat while trying not to notice how much smaller the desk felt. His knees almost hit the bottom. The hoodie stretched uncomfortably across his chest.
He didn't even realize the teacher was talking until everyone around him started opening their books.
Focus, Jim.
He tried. He really did. But the words on the page blurred, and instead, the system's blue text kept replaying in his mind.
[Marvel Template System Activated]
Current Template: Captain America (Tier 1)
Height Increased: +3 inches
Lean Muscle Mass: +20 lbs
Strength: Slightly Above Peak Human
Stamina: Boosted
Reflexes: Boosted
Sensory Perception: Enhanced
It hadn't disappeared. It was real. It was still real.
He clenched his jaw and looked out the window. This wasn't some freak accident. Something had chosen him. The system had activated for him. And that amulet—it was connected. Somehow.
Lunch couldn't come fast enough.
Jim made a beeline for the back of the schoolyard, past the benches and tables, until he reached a quiet patch under a cluster of oak trees. He sat with his back against the trunk and pulled the amulet out again.
Still cold. Still silent.
"Alright," he muttered. "What are you?"
The second his fingers brushed over the center, blue light shimmered across his vision.
[Template System: Active]
Template: Captain America (Tier 1)Progress: 2%
Template Status: Stable
Traits Active:— Enhanced Physiology— Heightened Reflexes— Sensory Calibration— Combat Instincts (Minor)
Jim blinked. The floating text hovered mid-air, transparent, like a hologram only he could see. He reached out, hesitantly, and swiped at it.
The text shifted.
Mastery Level: 2%
Template Unlock Threshold: 100%
Next Template: [UNKNOWN]
Access Level: Beginner
Additional Skills: Locked
Compatibility: High
His chest tightened. Next template unknown. That meant there was more. This wasn't just some one-time freak event. It was the start of something bigger—and the system wasn't going to tell him what came next until he earned it.
He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath.
The system faded, leaving only the breeze rustling through the branches above him. For a moment, he sat there in silence, trying to make sense of it all.
What did this mean for his life? For school? For… him?
"Hey!"
Jim jumped.
Toby stood at the edge of the trees, holding two juice boxes and a suspiciously full sandwich. "You always sneak off now, or is this new and secretive behavior?"
Jim pocketed the amulet quickly and stood up, brushing off his jeans. "Just needed some air."
Toby tossed him a juice box. "That's what people say when they're hiding alien tech in their hoodie."
Jim rolled his eyes but took the drink. "It's not alien."
"That's exactly what someone with alien tech would say."
Despite himself, Jim laughed. Just a little. But it felt good.
"You've been acting weird all day," Toby said, more seriously now. "Like… really weird. I know we joke, but is something actually going on?"
Jim hesitated. The words were right there. I woke up taller, stronger, and a weird screen is giving me new abilities.
But instead, he said, "I'm fine. Just tired."
Toby didn't push. "Alright. But if this turns into some big secret mission thing, I expect to be your sidekick."
Jim raised an eyebrow. "You want to be the sidekick?"
"Sidekicks survive longer. I've seen the stats."
Jim laughed again, and they walked back toward the school, the noise of the courtyard buzzing faintly in the distance. But even as Toby talked about some ridiculous meme from math class, Jim's thoughts kept circling the same quiet, humming truth.
Something inside him had changed.
And whatever this system was—it had plans for him.
Plans that wouldn't stay secret for long.