The morning sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of their tiny apartment, casting fractured golden lines across the floor. Aiden stood still for a long moment, staring at the peeling walls, at the battered table, at the cracked floor tiles that had been part of his life for over a decade.
His mind couldn't stop replaying yesterday's events.
Emma fainting.
Emma's fragile voice apologizing.
Emma smiling despite everything.
And the system's cold, glowing notifications.
He would never forget the exact moment he realized it:
He couldn't let their lives stay like this any longer.
He couldn't afford to wait.
Not when Emma's body was already showing signs of breaking.
Aiden inhaled and clenched his jaw.
"Today," he whispered to himself, "I change everything."
Aiden's New Plan
Emma was still asleep, curled up peacefully on the bed. Aiden quietly made a simple breakfast—eggs and toast this time. Food he bought last night with his remaining cash.
He placed a glass of milk beside her seat and waited until she finally opened her eyes.
"Aiden… morning," she murmured, rubbing her face.
"Morning, Em," he said softly. "I made breakfast."
Emma jumped up as if startled. "Real breakfast? Not noodles?"
"Yes," he said with a smile. "And we'll have real meals from now on."
Her eyes brightened instantly. "Really?"
"Really."
But inside Aiden's mind, gears were already turning. He had abilities now—gained from Emma's belief, her imagination, her unintentional wishes. And the system was evolving. Adapting.
If he acted carefully, he could exploit it.
Not with lies.
But with opportunities.
Aiden Tests His Ability — And Learns Its Limits
After breakfast, Aiden walked Emma to school. He kept replaying the system notifications in his head, trying to map out a pattern.
Emma's lies came in categories:
1. Lies she said to protect herself emotionally
("My brother is smarter than a genius." → cognitive boost)
2. Lies she said to avoid embarrassment
("We have enough food at home." → fridge restocked)
3. Lies she said to impress classmates
("My brother has a rich grandfather." → inheritance creation)
And every time she believed her own lie—even just a little—the world shifted.
But there were limits.
Yesterday she had said, "We have a broken car."
Nothing happened.
Which meant:
The system only acted on positive lies.
Lies that helped Aiden.
Lies that enhanced his life.
A broken car didn't benefit him—so nothing manifested.
That confirmed it:
Emma's heart shaped the power.
Her intentions directed the miracles.
Aiden felt a sharp twist in his chest.
She had no idea what she was doing.
He had to protect her.
He had to manage this ability.
He had to control the consequences before something slipped out of hand.
A Strange Visitor
Around noon, as Aiden walked through the city taking notes on business opportunities, a sudden chill prickled the back of his neck.
Someone was following him.
He could feel it with startling clarity—another effect of his enhanced senses. Aiden slowed his pace and pretended to check his phone before glancing at a reflective window.
A man stood across the street.
But this man wasn't like the lawyer who delivered the inheritance documents.
This man was watching him.
Observing.
Aiden's eyes narrowed. He turned a corner quickly, weaving through the crowd, then into an alley. He waited silently.
Footsteps approached.
The man appeared—dark suit, sunglasses, face emotionless.
Aiden stepped forward aggressively. "Why are you following me?"
The man didn't flinch.
"You are Aiden Cross," he said.
It wasn't a question.
Aiden's pulse quickened. "Who are you?"
"I work for an organization that monitors irregularities," the man replied. "Reality distortions, unexplained changes, anomalies."
Aiden's blood froze.
No.
NO.
Someone noticed?
The man continued, voice chillingly calm:
"Recently, several official records in the city changed overnight—bank data, property registries, family trees, historical infomation. These alterations appear authentic… but they weren't there before."
Aiden's heartbeat thundered.
Damn it.
Someone detected the system's changes.
Before Aiden could respond, the man asked:
"Do you know anything about these anomalies?"
Aiden swallowed.
If he said yes, Emma would be exposed.
If he lied, the man might dig deeper.
He forced calm into his voice.
"No. I don't know anything."
The man stared at him for a long, terrifying moment.
Then he slipped a card into Aiden's hand.
"If you notice anything strange," he said, "call this number. For your own safety."
Then he turned and disappeared into the street crowd.
Aiden stared at the card.
There was no name on it.
Only a single symbol:
A circle
with a slash
through the center.
And below it, one word:
Division-0
Aiden felt cold sweat run down his spine.
This was bad.
Very, very bad.
Aiden Makes a Decision
He couldn't risk them coming near Emma.
He couldn't risk them suspecting her ability.
He needed money.
He needed power.
He needed a safe place for Emma.
And he needed to become someone Division-0 wouldn't dare approach.
Someone untouchable.
Someone dangerous enough that they'd stay away.
But how?
As he walked, the system chimed suddenly.
[New Trait Unlocked: Situational Adaptability]
[Source: Aiden Cross — self-generated potential]
[Condition: Extreme mental pressure + protective instinct]
[Effect: Your mind will generate creative solutions to survive threats.]
Aiden inhaled sharply.
This was new.
He wasn't gaining abilities ONLY from Emma now.
He was slowly unlocking his own potential—triggered by real danger and survival necessity.
For the first time since this nightmare began…
Aiden felt a flicker of hope.
The system didn't want him to die.
It evolved to protect him.
He whispered to himself:
"Then help me protect her."
Emma Makes Another "Small Lie"
That evening, Aiden arrived early at Emma's school to pick her up.
She ran out smiling—until she saw his face.
"Aiden… you look tired."
"I'm okay," he said softly. "Let's go home."
But before they could leave, a group of her classmates rushed over.
"Mia said your brother is the smartest in the whole city!" one of them squealed.
Emma puffed her cheeks proudly. "He IS! My brother can solve anything! Even adult problems!"
Aiden's eyes widened.
"No—Emma—don't—"
Too late.
The system activated instantly.
[Verbal Assertion Detected: "My brother can solve anything!"]
[Interpreting belief…]
[Ability Manifestation Initiated]
[New Skill Acquired: Analytical Problem Solving — Expert Tier]
[Secondary Trait: Pressure-Enhanced Insight]
[Tertiary Trait: Rapid Scenario Simulation]
A sudden rush crashed through Aiden's skull.
His mind exploded with clarity—calculations, strategy branches, probability maps.
His breath shuddered.
This ability was beyond anything he had before.
He knelt, placing a hand on Emma's shoulder.
"Em… you can't say things like that."
"Why?" she asked innocently.
He couldn't answer.
How could he tell a ten-year-old girl that her imagination could alter reality?
That her kindness could wipe out cities?
That her harmless lies could attract people like Division-0?
He forced a gentle smile.
"Just… be careful, okay?"
Emma nodded softly, confused.
Aiden Realizes Something Terrifying
Later that night, while Emma slept, Aiden sat at the tiny dining table, head in his hands.
The system was evolving too fast.
Emma was talking too freely.
Division-0 was already suspicious.
And the biggest problem:
The stronger he became, the stronger the reality distortions were becoming.
Every lie Emma told now created larger, more permanent, more complex changes.
This wasn't magic.
This was rewriting the world…
piece
by
piece.
And if Emma ever told a dangerous lie—
Aiden's eyes went to her small sleeping form.
His breath turned cold.
If Emma ever said something like "My brother can beat anyone"…
or "My brother can't die"…
or "My brother is stronger than the government"…
The consequences would be catastrophic.
The entire world could shift.
Or break.
He whispered into the darkness:
"No more accidents.
No more random lies.
I need a plan.
I need control.
Before this spirals into something we can't fix."
And with his new abilities,
his sharpened mind,
and the pressure of imminent danger—
Aiden began building the first blueprint
for a future neither the world, nor Division-0, nor even the system itself
would be able to stop.