The walk home was slow, careful, and filled with a silence that felt heavier than the humid afternoon air. Emma clung to Aiden's back, her face resting against his shoulder, her breathing soft and uneven. He adjusted his grip beneath her legs to make sure she was secure, even though his enhanced stamina made her weight feel like nothing.
But emotionally—
She weighed everything.
Every tiny breath she took was a reminder.
A reminder that she had fainted because he couldn't even afford regular meals.
A reminder that their survival depended on scraps and luck.
A reminder that he had wasted too much time trying to understand the system instead of using it to protect her.
Not again.
Never again.
When they reached their apartment, Aiden gently lowered Emma to the bed. She blinked sleepily, her eyes glossy with exhaustion.
"Aiden… did I ruin your day?" she whispered.
His chest twisted painfully. "No, Em. You didn't ruin anything."
"I didn't mean to faint… I just felt dizzy. I thought I could handle it…"
He brushed her hair back. "You don't have to handle anything alone. I'm here. Always."
Her small hands clutched his sleeve. "I don't want you to be sad."
Aiden swallowed hard. "Then get some rest, okay?"
Emma nodded weakly, curling beneath the thin blanket. Within minutes, sleep pulled her under.
Aiden stood there, frozen in place, staring at her fragile form.
His sister—
His only family—
had collapsed because he couldn't feed her.
And yet, he had abilities most people could never dream of.
What am I doing?
Why am I hesitating?
I have everything I need to change our lives.
Emma's powers were unstable—yes.
Dangerous—absolutely.
But so were poverty, hunger, and hopelessness.
And he could protect her from all of those.
He quietly stepped into the living room and pulled out the notebook he had filled earlier. With his enhanced intelligence, the scribbles felt childish now, incomplete. But they were still the foundation of something greater.
A plan.
A real one.
He sat at the desk and began rewriting the entire strategy—line by line, decision by decision, reshaping the future with clarity sharper than steel.
His handwriting flowed effortlessly.
Immediate Need: Food & Stability
Short-Term Goal: Increase Income Within 48 Hours
Mid-Term Goal: Acquire Sustainable Business or Skill Certification
Long-Term Goal: Secure Safe Environment, Education, Healthcare for Emma
Core Rule: Never trigger Emma's lies intentionally. Protect her innocence.
As he wrote, a faint shimmer rippled before his eyes.
[System Alignment Detected]
[User Intent: "Provide security and stability for Emma"]
[Processing…]
Aiden tensed.
Was the system responding to his thoughts?
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
[New Trait Unlocked: Strategic Focus]
Effect: Increases planning efficiency by 30%, improves long-term decision accuracy, and enhances pattern recognition in economic, social, and environmental factors.
Aiden inhaled sharply.
His thoughts sharpened even further.
The notebook filled rapidly.
Solutions, risks, opportunities—
everything aligned like puzzle pieces falling into place.
The world had always been blurry and uncertain.
But now?
Now it looked like a chessboard waiting to be dominated.
This was only the beginning.
Two Hours Later
Aiden slipped out of the apartment once Emma was deep asleep. He needed to move fast—while the city was still busy, while businesses were still open.
His improved senses scanned the environment effortlessly.
Voices
Traffic patterns
Signs
Shifts in people's behavior
Everything painted a vivid picture in his mind.
He made his first stop at a local mini-mart and bought proper groceries—bread, eggs, milk, vegetables—nothing luxurious, but everything essential. He paid with the last of their saved coins, ignoring the sting in his chest.
"Next time," he murmured, "it won't be coins."
Then he walked to the commercial district with a purpose.
One particular storefront had caught his attention earlier—
a small repair shop with a handwritten sign:
WE BUY OLD PHONES AND BROKEN ELECTRONICS
He stepped inside.
The owner, a middle-aged man with grease-stained fingers, looked up. "Yeah? What do you need?"
"I'm looking for work," Aiden said calmly. "Even temporary. I can repair electronics."
The man raised an eyebrow. "Got experience?"
Aiden paused.
Experience?
No.
But he had something better.
His upgraded mind pulsed subtly, and a stream of knowledge shaped itself:
Circuit pathways
Battery issues
Screen connections
Motherboard diagnostics
It was like remembering a skill he never learned.
"I do," Aiden said confidently.
The man grunted. "Fine. Try this."
He tossed a dead smartphone across the counter.
Aiden caught it and immediately saw the issue—
a tiny, burnt connector hidden beneath the LCD plate.
Five minutes later, the phone powered on.
The shop owner's jaw dropped.
"…You're hired."
Aiden exhaled in relief.
And just like that—
the first step toward stability was secured.
Back Home
Emma woke in the late afternoon, groggy and confused.
"Aiden…?" she called.
He rushed to her side instantly.
"You're awake."
She nodded sleepily. "My head still hurts… Did you eat?"
Aiden blinked.
Even when she was sick, she worried about him.
"I will soon. And so will you. I brought groceries."
Emma's eyes widened. "Really?!"
He nodded and lifted her into a sitting position. "I'll make dinner, okay?"
Her eyes softened with trust.
"Okay…"
Aiden cooked a simple meal—scrambled eggs and toast—but to Emma, it looked like a feast.
She took a bite and her eyes sparkled. "Aiden… this is amazing."
His heart warmed.
He didn't need luxury.
He just needed to keep her smiling like this.
After dinner, Emma curled up beside him on the couch with her plushie.
"Aiden… I had a dream," she murmured.
"What kind of dream?"
"That you were… a hero."
Aiden froze.
"Like a real hero. Strong, brave… someone who could do anything."
His chest tightened.
She doesn't know.
She doesn't understand what her words can do.
But she believes in me more than anyone ever has.
Emma yawned and closed her eyes again.
"You're my hero, Aiden…"
A soft glow flickered in the air.
Aiden's blood ran cold.
[Verbal Assertion Detected]
Trigger Source: Emma Cross
Statement: "You're my hero."
Processing…
[New Ability Seed Generated: Heroic Fortitude]
Status: Locked
Requirement: Crisis Situation
Crisis situation?
Aiden's eyes narrowed.
So the system was preparing something—
responding to Emma's dreams, her feelings, her image of him.
A "heroic" ability…
Activated by danger.
That couldn't be good.
He pulled Emma closer and kissed the top of her head.
"I'll protect you," he whispered. "No matter what."
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
Like the calm before a storm.
And deep inside Aiden's mind—
the system pulsed again.
As if quietly warning him:
Your life is about to change again.
Prepare yourself.