"Begin training sequence!"
The metallic voice echoed across the chamber as holographic walls materialized, sealing Arlen inside a large, circular arena. Around him, five combat drones activated one by one — each armed with plasma blades and scanning sensors.
> "System," Arlen whispered, lowering into stance, "combat mode on."
> "Acknowledged. Synchronizing neural output… 78% linked."
Blue light surged through his veins, his eyes flashing for an instant. The air around him trembled.
The first drone lunged forward — a blur of steel.
Arlen sidestepped, his instincts sharper than thought, and slammed his palm against its chest.
A burst of energy erupted. The drone spun backward, crashing into another.
"Too slow," he muttered, twisting as the remaining three attacked at once.
He moved like a streak of lightning — sliding low beneath one strike, flipping over another.
A blade grazed his cheek, but before the drone could press forward, Arlen kicked upward, smashing its head off clean.
> "Power output rising," the System noted.
"Warning: exceeding Level 3 limit."
"Noted," Arlen said through clenched teeth, dodging another flurry of slashes. "Let's see how far I can go."
He raised his hand, energy condensing into a sharp, glowing arc. The mark on his wrist flared to life — not just reacting, but calling something forth.
Then everything exploded in light.
The drones froze.
The floor cracked beneath him as a wave of blue-white energy burst outward, shredding the machines instantly.
Silence followed.
Smoke, sparks, and the faint hum of broken circuits filled the air.
---
The simulation room was silent.
All that remained of the Level 5 combat drones were fragments of metal scattered across the floor, still sparking from Arlen's final blow.
His chest heaved, his hand trembling as faint blue light faded from his veins.
> "Simulation terminated," the System announced.
"Warning: Power levels exceeded permissible range."
The instructor stared, wide-eyed. "Arlen… what did you just do?"
He shook his head, equally stunned. "I—I don't know. It just happened."
The students whispered among themselves.
"Did you see that speed?"
"He moved like a high-level Advent!"
"That's not possible at Level 3…"
Arlen barely heard them. His wrist still burned faintly, the mark from the day before pulsing under the skin.
> "System," he whispered, "what was that power?"
> "Analyzing… Unknown ability activation detected. Source appears to be an external memory fragment."
"Memory fragment?" he echoed.
> "Affirmative. You may have accessed stored data — not originating from this life."
Before Arlen could reply, his surroundings blurred.
A flash of light swallowed the room, and suddenly — he wasn't there anymore.
He stood on white stone beneath a shattered sky, lightning splitting the horizon.
In the distance, he saw a city in ruins and countless stars falling like embers.
Then came the voice.
> "Even the System you rely on is only a fraction of your true strength."
Arlen turned, searching for the source. But before he could see who spoke, the world cracked apart —
and he was back on the ground, gasping for air as the last drone's wreckage smoldered nearby.
> "System," he panted, "what did I just see?"
> "A memory echo," it replied calmly.
"Origin unknown. I will continue monitoring your condition."
---
By the time classes ended, Arlen had already been questioned by two instructors and a System analyst.
He told them the same thing each time — he didn't remember how he did it.
Now, sitting on the school rooftop with his lunch, he finally let himself breathe.
> "System," he said quietly, "that… thing from earlier. It didn't feel like me."
> "Your readings suggest otherwise," the voice replied. "It was you. But something deep within your neural network activated momentarily. A buried protocol."
"Protocol?" He poked at his food. "So basically, I have secret powers now?"
> "That assessment is… incomplete."
He chuckled. "You can just say you don't know."
> "Acknowledged."
For the first time all day, he smiled.
---
Later, he wandered through the city, letting the neon lights and chatter drown his thoughts.
Everywhere he looked, digital billboards advertised Guilds — groups of adventurers, mercenaries, and fighters who explored dungeons and fought monsters beyond city borders.
"Join the Azure Spear Guild — protect the world and rise in ranks!"
Arlen paused for a moment, watching the holographic ad flicker.
Maybe someday, he thought. A guild doesn't sound too bad.
But for now, he just wanted to be normal — school, friends, and training.
No glowing marks.
No burning symbols.
No mysterious voices in his dreams.
---
That night, as he lay in bed, the room dimly lit by the city's glow, he glanced at his wrist.
The mark was faint, almost invisible — but still there.
Still waiting.
> "System," he murmured, "promise me something."
> "Specify."
"Don't tell anyone what happened today. Not even the instructors."
> "Understood. Data from today's simulation has been encrypted."
He smiled faintly. "Good. I don't want more rumors."
> "You are aware," the System said, "that your abilities are growing at a rate beyond prediction?"
"Yeah…" he whispered, closing his eyes. "Let's just keep that our little secret."
---
Outside his window, the city lights flickered.
Far above the clouds, the atmosphere shimmered faintly — as if something vast and unseen had stirred.
And deep within Arlen's soul, the first fragment pulsed again — faint, ancient, and alive.
It wasn't done yet.
It had only just begun to awaken.
---