Chapter 7
Souta walked toward the grocery store with his hands buried deep in his pockets, his steps slow and absent-minded as his thoughts drifted in every direction at once. The street felt ordinary, yet something about it felt different to him now, like he was seeing the world through a clearer lens than before.
Posters lined the walls along the sidewalk, layered on top of each other with bright colors and bold words. Magazine stands displayed crowded covers filled with faces, headlines, and small printed text. Large tarpaulins stretched between buildings, advertising things he normally would not care about.
But this time, the moment his eyes passed over them, everything stayed.
He did not even try to remember.
The colors, the shapes, the exact wording, even the small details at the corners of the designs, settled and memorized into his mind without effort. When he looked away, the images remained clear, as if they were printed inside his head.
Souta slowed his pace, his heart beginning to beat faster.
"This is already crazy", he thought. "I did not even focus, and I still remember everything".
He closed his eyes briefly while walking and pictured one of the posters he had just passed. Every detail appeared instantly. He could recall the font style, the spacing between letters, and even a tiny scratch near the bottom edge.
"And this is only a one in sixty-five ability"…
His thoughts spiraled further. "If something like this was already this strong, what kind of abilities existed at higher rarity? One in hundreds. One in thousands. Things that could change people, or maybe even break the world".
Manipulation. Control. Things he did not even want to imagine yet.
"But if powers and abilities like this truly exist, then that must mean monsters exist, too. Villains. Maybe even aliens, just like the ones I saw in that dream."
His chest tightened as the thought settled in, heavy and unavoidable. Was he really confident enough to face disasters like that when they eventually arrived? Could someone like him survive something so far beyond a normal life?
No… he couldn't think like that yet.
"I can't die now," he said, clenching his fists. "Not yet. If this system exists, then I need to keep going. I need to gather as many abilities as I can, no matter what it takes. I need to be the strongest."
So lost in his thoughts, Souta failed to notice the car speeding toward him.
A loud horn exploded through the air.
The screech of brakes snapped him back to reality.
The car stopped just inches from him.
Souta stumbled backward, his heart pounding so hard he could feel it in his throat. "What the hell…" he muttered, his voice shaking as adrenaline rushed through his body.
The driver's door opened, and a tall man stepped out, his expression sharp and irritated.
"Hey, kid," the man said, staring him down. "Watch where you're going. Good thing I'm in a good mood today."
Souta swallowed hard, fear creeping up his spine. "O or else what?" he asked, the words leaving his mouth before his brain could stop them.
The passenger door opened.
"What is this, brother?"
Souta froze completely. His blood turned cold.
Hikari stepped out of the car, his calm expression unchanged as his eyes locked onto Souta. For a moment, Souta could not breathe. His mind screamed danger, louder than it ever had before.
The driver glanced between them. "You know this guy?"
Hikari studied Souta closely, his gaze sharp but unreadable. Then something shifted, just slightly.
"Oh," Hikari said. "It's you, Souta."
"H hey," Souta replied, forcing the words out as his legs threatened to give out beneath him.
"Classmate?" the driver asked.
"Yeah," Hikari replied. "Same school."
The driver clicked his tongue and turned back toward the car. Hikari followed, but before getting in, he stopped and looked back.
"My condolences," Hikari said calmly. "About your father."
Souta's eyes widened. "T thanks… I guess."
Hikari continued to look at him for a few seconds longer than necessary, as if measuring something invisible.
"You seem different today," Hikari said quietly. "It's strange."
Then the car drove off, disappearing down the road.
Souta remained frozen in place, his heart racing long after they were gone.
Different… how did he know?
Shaking his head, he forced himself to continue walking. The grocery store felt colder than usual, the fluorescent lights harsher. He grabbed what his mother needed and headed home quickly.
When he arrived, he handed the bags to his mother and hesitated.
"Is Masaki still in his room?" he asked.
She nodded slowly. "Yes, but he is eating more now."
"That's good," Souta said, though his voice lacked confidence.
Up in his room, he closed the door and leaned against it, breathing deeply.
Only then did the thought hit him.
Why am I not as sad as yesterday?
Yesterday, grief crushed him so heavily that he could barely move. Now, the pain felt distant, as if something dull had wrapped around his emotions and softened them without his permission.
To distract himself, he opened his notes and started reading.
Minutes passed.
Then he closed the notebook.
Everything was there. Perfectly clear.
"This feels wrong," he muttered. "I studied, but this still feels like cheating."
His eyes drifted to the clock.
Tomorrow, I need to choose another ability.
Dinner was quiet. He ate with his mother while Masaki stayed upstairs. Later that night, exhaustion finally claimed him, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Morning
Souta woke up to the pale morning light creeping through his window. For a moment, he stayed still, listening to the quiet of the house, his mind heavy but clear.
Then the words appeared before his eyes.
System online.
"Whoa… the system already knows the first thing I do when I wake up," Souta muttered to himself. "That's strange… but kind of cool too. Guess it really does have its own features."
His sleep vanished instantly. He pushed himself up on the bed, his heart starting to race. This was real. It had not disappeared overnight.
"Roll," he said, his voice low but steady.
The screen appeared in front of him.
1 in 12 High Intelligence1 in 18 Enhanced Senses1 in 100 Memory Recall
His breath caught.
One in one hundred…
High intelligence felt practical. Useful. Something he could rely on. But the rare option pulled at him, heavy with promise.
"Choose Memory Recall," he said.
Apply.
Pain bloomed behind his eyes, sharp and overwhelming. His vision blurred as memories flooded in all at once. He nearly collapsed but forced himself to stay conscious.
Then everything came rushing back to him at once.
Every moment he had lived through. Every sound that once filled their home. Every small smile he never thought he would remember again.
His father's voice echoed clearly in his mind. His laughter followed right after, warm and familiar. Memories from years ago, those he thought were completely gone, returned one by one. Sitting together at the table. Walking home side by side. Simple days that felt distant now.
Tears slipped down Souta's cheeks before he even realized he was crying.
"Dad…" he whispered, his voice breaking.
Slowly, the pain in his head faded, leaving only a heavy feeling in his chest. He wiped his eyes and took a deep breath before heading downstairs.
In the kitchen, he saw Masaki sitting at the table, quietly eating.
"Oh," Souta said softly, forcing a small smile. "You escaped your cage."
Masaki glanced up at him and scoffed lightly. "Shut up."
Their mother watched them from the counter, a faint smile forming on her face as she set the food down. The three of them ate together in silence, but it wasn't an empty silence anymore.
For the first time in days, they were smiling again.
But even then, deep down, Souta could feel it.
Something was still missing.
To be continued...