The wind howled through the ruins of Ashvale City, carrying with it dust, ash, and the faint, acrid stench of decayed metal. Buildings once gleaming with glass and steel now lay broken, their skeletal frames jutting out like the bones of some long-dead giant. Kael Ardent walked through the debris-strewn streets, his shoulders hunched beneath a ragged cloak, his boots kicking up clouds of dust with each step.
Everyone around him glowed. Literally. Auras of every color shimmered over the heads of the city's residents—blues, reds, greens, and golds—marking the age of power, sixteen, when abilities awakened. Some levitated slightly above the ground. Others conjured fire, ice, or blades from thin air. The energy was mesmerizing… and humiliating.
Kael had turned eighteen last month. Eighteen. No ability. Nothing.
He kept his gaze low, head down, trying to blend into the shadows. That was the only way to survive in a world where power meant everything. No ability meant nothing.
"Hey! Powerless freak! Step aside!"
Kael's stomach knotted. A group of kids, maybe sixteen or seventeen, with jagged, glowing weapons floating around them, shoved him aside as they passed. He stumbled, almost falling over a pile of rubble.
"Wow… friendly as ever," Kael muttered under his breath, brushing dirt off his pants.
He hated this city. Hated the people. Hated himself. Everyone else had their miracle at sixteen, and he—he had waited, hoped, prayed even—but nothing had come. Just empty hands and a hollow chest.
And yet… something inside him refused to give up.
Kael turned into an alley, narrow and choked with debris. He needed a break. Needed a moment to pretend he didn't exist. He slumped against the wall, staring at a broken sign that read "Welcome to Ashvale"—the irony made him bitterly laugh.
The alley was empty. Too quiet. And then… a flicker of light caught his eye.
At first, it was subtle. A soft blue glow near a pile of broken crates. Kael frowned. Probably another ability user showing off, he thought, but curiosity got the better of him. He stepped closer, boots crunching on broken glass.
The light wasn't moving—it was floating. A holographic screen, suspended in midair, projected into the dust. Words shimmered on it in bold, glowing letters:
[SYSTEM ONLINE]
Kael froze. The hairs on his arms stood up.
"Uh… hello?" he said, unsure if speaking to a hologram was normal. Spoiler: it wasn't.
The screen flickered, then displayed:
User: Kael Ardent
Skill Acquired: Material Merge
Kael blinked. Slowly, cautiously, he touched the floating interface. It made a satisfying click—like pressing a button on an old arcade machine.
"Material… Merge?" he murmured, reading the explanation that appeared:
"Merge materials to create weapons, armor, and consumables. Requires resources. Results vary based on quality and quantity of materials."
Kael frowned. What kind of joke is this? But as he looked down at the broken crates and discarded metal pipes around him, an idea sparked. He picked up a rusted pipe and a shard of shattered glass. Tentatively, he pressed his palm to the interface.
A strange sensation coursed through him, warm and buzzing. Light poured from his hands into the materials. The pipe and glass quivered, twisted, and then… merged into something new.
Kael staggered back, eyes wide. In his hands floated a sleek, black blade, its edges glowing faintly with a pale blue light.
"What… the hell?"
He waved the blade experimentally. It hummed softly in his grip. Tentatively, he swung at a nearby rusted barrel. The barrel split in half, cleanly, as if the blade had been forged from the finest steel in the world.
Kael's heartbeat raced. He… he had power. Real power. Not flashy fireballs or ice spikes. Something else. Something… dangerous.
He didn't notice the shadow flicker at the end of the alley. A soft, almost mischievous giggle made him jump.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa… that's… shiny," a voice said.
Kael turned sharply. A girl sat perched atop a pile of rubble, legs swinging casually. Her hair was silver-white, eyes glinting like polished amethyst. She wore a grin that was equal parts amused and sinister.
"Uh… hi?" Kael said, still gripping the blade.
"I'm Lumi," she said, hopping down lightly, landing on her feet like she'd done it a thousand times. "And you are…?"
"Kael," he replied cautiously. "And… uh… you?"
"Didn't I just say? Lumi. But never mind that. I'm more curious about you." She tilted her head, eyes gleaming. "You've got a system. Finally, someone who isn't screaming fire or shooting lightning. A Material Merge system, huh?"
Kael's stomach dropped. "You… you know about systems?"
"Of course. Everyone talks about them. Well… the ones that exist." She stepped closer, peering at the blade in his hands. "That's… actually really neat. I've never seen one that can merge materials into something real. Most are weak, gimmicky… but that…"
Kael felt a small spark of pride. He clenched the blade tighter. "So… this isn't a joke? I'm… I'm actually… powerful?"
"You're not just powerful," Lumi said with a smirk. "You're… terrifying, in the best possible way. You could literally walk into a gang, merge some scrap into a cannon, and leave them crying."
Kael blinked. "Uh… that sounds… illegal."
Lumi laughed. "Maybe. But also hilarious. And effective."
Kael shook his head, trying to process everything. He glanced back at the glowing blade in his hands. The world felt different somehow. Less… hopeless.
"Okay," he said finally, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Let's try something… bigger."
He surveyed the alley. Broken metal pipes, shattered crates, old electronics, and scraps of concrete littered the floor. Tentatively, he waved his hand, and the system interface floated closer.
[Select Materials]
Kael selected a pile of scrap metal, a broken piece of glass, and a discarded water bottle.
[Merging…]
A faint hum filled the air. The materials twisted and bent, streams of blue light swirling around them. The pile condensed, solidified, and took shape. When the glow faded, Kael held a compact firearm, sleek and futuristic-looking, yet unmistakably crafted from junk.
"Holy… crap," Kael muttered. "I… made a gun out of… trash."
"See? I told you," Lumi said, clapping. "This is so going to be fun."
Kael's stomach twisted in a mix of excitement and fear. The blade in his other hand hummed softly, as if approving. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel weak. He felt… capable.
A sudden noise snapped him out of his reverie. Footsteps—many footsteps—echoed from the main street. Kael ducked behind a crumbling wall, peeking around the edge.
A group of raiders, all with glowing auras, stomped down the street. Their leader, a tall boy with a flaming sword, noticed something in the alley.
"Hey! What's that? Someone hiding?"
Kael's mind raced. He had no experience fighting. But the system… the system could help. He glanced at the weapon in his hand, then at the other scraps of metal lying nearby.
"Okay…" he whispered. "First test… live combat."
The raiders burst into the alley. Kael swung the blade instinctively. It sang through the air, slicing one raider's weapon in half. The others hesitated, shocked. Lumi darted from the shadows, creating harmless illusions of monsters around them, making them stumble and panic.
Kael felt a thrill he had never known. Every movement, every strike, was amplified by the system. A scrap pipe merged with a shard of metal became a makeshift spear. Broken glass turned into throwing knives. Within minutes, the alley was a chaotic mess, raiders retreating, some nursing bruises, others wide-eyed with fear.
When the dust settled, Kael leaned against the wall, chest heaving, sweat on his brow. Lumi bounced over, clapping enthusiastically.
"That… was amazing!" she said. "You just made scrap into weapons and kicked their butts! I love it!"
Kael laughed, a deep, almost shocked laugh. "I… I think… I might actually survive this world."
He looked down at the glowing interface, at the blade and the firearm in his hands.
Maybe… maybe being powerless wasn't the end after all.
And with that thought, a spark of hope ignited in his chest. A spark that would grow… and grow… until he changed the world itself.