John sat cross-legged on the bed, his gaze fixed on the holographic screens that floated before him. The city outside pulsed with life, oblivious to the anomaly that now stirred in their midst. But he wasn't watching the streets. He was watching the energy — invisible to the ordinary eye — swirling faintly around the room, as though the air itself held secrets.
A soft chime echoed from the interface,
[SYSTEM ONLINE — REGULATION PROTOCOL INITIALIZATION]
The letters shimmered, floating in the air. The words were calm, precise, yet carried a weight that John could feel, as though the system itself had consciousness.
SYSTEM: "John. Observation has concluded. Your anomaly exceeds classification parameters. Immediate intervention recommended."
John frowned. "Intervention? What… what does that mean?"
SYSTEM: "It means your consciousness is active beyond the limits of a standard human body of this era. Your potential energy signature is detectable by Ton 618. This constitutes an irregularity. Immedi
He swallowed hard. Ton 618… the black hole that had first called to him. The pull was faint, but insistent, tugging at the very core of his mind. It is aware of me, he thought.And the system is trying to control it… or me.
SYSTEM: "Would you like to initiate training?
John hesitated. He could feel the energy
SYSTEM: "Acknowledged. Commencing cultivating
The floor beneath him shimmered, lights twisting
SYSTEM: "S
John inhaled. At first, all he felt was a weight, a gravity too vast to comprehend. Then — almost imperceptibly — the pull began to spe. Not in words, but in thought. A rhythm, a vibration, a presence that tugged
SYSTEM: "Focus, John. Synchronize your consciousness with the resonance."
He concentrated. The hum of the black hole became a song. Every pulse of his heart echoed the distant rhythm. Colors danced behind his eyelids — impossible hues, patterns beyond geometry. He reached out, mentally, and for a fraction of a second, he touched it.
A shock of sensation tore
SYSTEM: "Control is request
JOHN: "I… I can fe
SYSTEM: "Correct. Ton 618 recognizes your anomaly. But recognition carries risk. Alignment is incomplete without calibration."
JOHN: "This… it's too much… I—"
SYSTEM "
He concentrated
SYSTEM: "Phase two: energy manipulation. Will you attempt resonance with external flow?"
JOHN: "Yes."
A stream of invisible energy coalesced around him. His mind reached into it, pulling, guiding, shapi
SYSTEM: "Warning: unregulated fluctuation detected. Correction required."
Suddenly, a sharp tug almost yanked his consciousness toward Ton 618. He bit his lip, forced cal
JOHN: "I… I did it."
SYSTEM: "Partial synchronization achieved. Ton 618 is aware and aligned at 12.3% efficiency. Further training is required. Subject exhibits extraordinary potential for rapid growth if stability
John collapsed o
SYSTEM: "Observation: your anomaly
John clenched his fists. "Then I'll be re
SYSTEM: "Acknowledged. Phase three — environmental calibration — can be initiated when subject is prepared."
He looked out the window at the city. Ordinary to anyone else. But to him, every shadow, every light, every movement now held potential meaning. Somewhere in the streets, the alleys, the buildings — forces moved
The first day of his new life had begun.
And the universe had marked him
John sat cross-legged on the edge of his bed, every muscle trembling from the resonance with Ton 618. The energy still hummed in his veins, the rhythm of the universe echoing in his consciousness. Yet exhaustion was only half of it — the ot
He looked around his dorm room. Sparse, functional, but not empty. Holographic interfaces floated in the corners, reacting to his presence. Panels showed school schedules, student profiles, and city maps layered with energy flow indicators — something most hum
SYSTEM: "John, environmental analysis shows irregularity in immediate surroundings. Probability of interference: 37.6%. Recommend surveillance."
JOHN: "Who's watching me? Is it related to the alley attack?"
SYSTEM: "Data inconclusive. Historical patterns suggest coordinated observation by
The words sent a chill down his spine. Pawns, observers, hidden age
SYSTEM: "Calibration phase: integrate environmental resonance. Do you wish to proceed?"
John hesitated only a moment. His instincts screamed yes. He reached out, foc
SYSTEM: "Warning: overextension may
John ignored the caution. His hands traced patterns in the air, pulling energy from the room's environment. The floor shimmered under his feet. Lights twisted into arcs that shouldn't exist. Every movement he made altered the flow around him.
SYSTEM: "Excellent. Environmental
He smiled faintly
JOHN: "How… how much can I handle?"
SYSTEM: "Limit unknown. Subject exhibits potential beyond measu
Hours passed. Or perhaps minutes — time had become fluid. John's mind absorbed patterns, probabilities, and flow. He felt himself interacting with the city, sensing currents of energy threading through streets, buildings, even underground nodes. Invisible, yet profoundly real.
Then
Liam Chen — brash, confrontational, potentially dangerous.
Mira Okada — quiet, observant, likely intellige
Ryu Takahashi — competitive, energetic, possible rival.
Sofia Alvarez — curious, friendly, possible ally.
He realized something: everyone here had their own potential, their own hidden strengths. Some would become allies, others ob
SYSTEM: "Recommendation: social calibration. Observation: interpersonal interaction may influence energy flow."
John nodded, almost unconsciously. Understanding people was part of understanding the environment. Energy wasn't just cosmic or mechanical — it was in every decision, every int
SYSTEM: "Would you like to access
JOHN: "Yes."
Panels flickered to life. Ancient techniques, modern modifications, historical records of secret families and h
SYSTEM: "Note: Ton 618 resonance will amplify subject abilities but also attract attention. Recommendation:
John paused. Ton 618 wasn
JOHN: "I… I understand. I need to learn fast. I can't afford mistakes."
SYSTEM: "Acknowledged. Phase four: integration with system regulation can be initiated. Alert: first social and combat simulation recommended to calibrate both abilities and observati
John looked out the window at the city lights. Shadows moved, people went about their live
And he
SYSTEM: "John, do you comprehend your status?"
JOHN: "I'm… the anomaly. And I'm awake."
SYSTEM: "Correct. Further observation will determine your role in this world. Ton 618 resonance may be expanded at any time, subject to your control
The room hummed with energy, shadows bending, lights bending, the faint pulse of a black hole whispering across reality itself. John breathed deeply. The first day of his new life was ending. And yet, he knew — in every pulse of his body, in every heartbeat of the
Somewhere, outside, the hidden forces stirred. Some watched. Some waited. And Ton 618… Ton 618 waited too.
John clenched his fists. He had no family, no allies yet, and countless unknown dangers ahead.
But for
Ready to confront the universe.
Ready to awaken.