Date: May 14, 2018 (Monday)
Location: GDA Central Command, Geneva, Switzerland
Time: 02:00 PM
The world spent thirty minutes trying to reboot power grids and communication systems. At exactly 02:00 PM, an invisible wave hit the Earth without any warning. The highly advanced sensors at GDA Central Command remained completely blind.
The EMP, thermal, and radiation detectors showed zero fluctuations on their screens. This wave bypassed physical matter, concrete walls, and steel vaults. It struck organic life directly, targeting biological cells instead of machines.
Richard Vance stood by the observatory window. Suddenly, a brutal, burning sensation shot through the base of his spine. It felt as if someone had poured molten lead into his nervous system. The physical shift was instantaneous.
The chronic arthritis in his left knee and the pain from old war wounds vanished in a microsecond. His heart rate dropped drastically, yet each beat pumped thick, oxygenated blood like a heavy-duty engine.
His sensory perception went into overload. His vision became ultra-HD without any lenses. He could now see microscopic dust particles floating in the air in slow motion. The spinning of fan blades inside a distant AC vent was crystal clear.
He looked at his hands. His face, white hair, and wrinkles still belonged to a fifty-four-year-old veteran. His exterior had not changed, but beneath his skin, his biological hardware had received a 500% upgrade.
At that moment, the low-frequency humming in his mind converted into pure, clinical data. There was no digital screen or voice. The absolute facts were being hardwired directly into his neurons.
His 'Basic Knowledge' skill had integrated. He realized that existing human technology was now fundamentally obsolete. For the first time, a name for this invisible catalyst imprinted in his mind: "Mana."
The heavy doors of the command center swung open. Aris, the Lead Analyst and R&D head, rushed inside with panic on his face.
"Director, global infrastructure is collapsing. Hospitals are overflowing," Aris said.
Millions of people were suffering from unexplained high fevers and massive muscle tears. This was not a magical blessing. The price of this new power was pure biological trauma. Aris projected raw footage from Mumbai onto the screen.
A man screamed in pain, writhing on the ground. He grabbed an ambulance door for support. In the next second, he ripped the heavy iron door off its hinges without any effort. It was an early manifestation of F-Rank strength.
Richard watched the footage. His cold, analytical face showed no shock or joy about his own upgrade. He processed this superhuman strength as nothing more than a raw tool.
"This is not a disease, Aris," Richard's voice was flat and authoritative. "This is bio-cellular saturation. A new energy is now present in the environment."
Aris looked at the screen in confusion. "But our advanced sensors are detecting nothing. Every machine shows a reading of zero."
Richard accessed the data from his 'Basic Knowledge.'
"Your machines are looking for electromagnetic fields and radiation. Their fundamental programming is outdated. Recalibrate them to measure sub-atomic resonance and biological saturation."
Richard turned toward his desk and gave a final command. "The name of this energy is 'Mana.' Activate the R&D division immediately. I need a device that can measure its density within hours. Go."