POV: Zai
The system didn't even give me time to breathe.
As I stared into the grimy school bathroom mirror, the air shimmered in front of me again. Another system message slid into place like a game notification—except I wasn't holding a controller.
[LEVEL 2 REACHED — REWARD UNLOCKED]You have been granted 3 Random Smash Character Skill Fragments.Each skill has been adjusted for compatibility with your human body.
I held my breath as three icons flashed in rapid succession, spinning like a roulette wheel.
They stopped one by one.
[DROP 1: Captain Falcon – Falcon Dash (Human Variant)][DROP 2: Mario – Fireball Throw (Basic)][DROP 3: Sheik – Needle Shot (Single Thread)]
The system followed up with a breakdown:
1. FALCON DASH (Human Variant)A burst-speed shoulder charge over short distance. Doesn't ignite or explode but can knock enemies off balance.Cooldown: 8 seconds.Stamina Cost: Medium.Use Case: For fast escapes, shoulder tackles, or initiating a surprise hit.
2. FIREBALL THROW (Basic)Hurl a small, heated energy orb forward. Travels in a straight line, weak but can distract or cause light burn.Cooldown: 10 seconds.Stamina Cost: Low.Use Case: Useful for ranged pressure or last-ditch ranged attacks.
3. NEEDLE SHOT (Single Thread)Throw a single hyper-thin needle with high velocity. Accurate but does low damage unless aimed at sensitive points.Cooldown: 6 seconds.Stamina Cost: Very low.Use Case: Precision tool. Best used from mid-range for strategic targeting.
[Tip: Skills grow with use. Keep fighting. Stay alert.]
I exhaled slowly, my hands shaking. Not from fear. From possibility. Fireballs? Dashes? Frickin' needles?
But none of that prepared me for what came next.
AFTER SCHOOL — 3:45 PM
The day had been weirdly quiet after the morning.
People stared. Some whispered. Evan even dabbed me up between classes. For once, I wasn't invisible. But being seen was dangerous. DeShawn wasn't the kind of guy who let things go.
So when the final bell rang, I tried to dip early. Took the back stairwell, bag zipped tight, hood up.
Didn't work.
"You really thought I was done with you, huh?"
DeShawn stood outside the rear exit, arms crossed, two of his boys flanking him. I felt that same pressure again—the tension that builds before a fight starts in Smash.
[SOCIAL THREAT DETECTED — POTENTIAL COMBAT ENCOUNTER]
[Objective: Survive. Use system skills as needed.]
"I ain't lookin' for problems, bro," I said, trying to walk past.
He stepped in front of me.
"You embarrassed me in front of everybody, little man. You gotta pay for that."
Then—like he was trying to send a message—he shoved me hard in the chest.
I stumbled backward—off balance—and my heel caught the edge of the concrete steps.
There were five concrete stairs behind me. A straight drop to the sidewalk.
I slipped—
[DANGER: FALL DETECTED – SYSTEM INTERVENTION AVAILABLE][ACTIVATE: EDGE RECOVERY? (Y/N)]
Y.
Time slowed again.
My body twisted mid-fall. A blue tether of energy yanked me back with a clean snap, like I was a character magnetized to a platform. I landed perfectly on the last step, crouched low, balanced, safe.
Even DeShawn froze.
"What the hell…?"
[PASSIVE SKILL USED: EDGE RECOVERY (Lv. 1)]Remaining Uses Today: 0
I stood up slowly.
"Don't try that again."
His boys didn't laugh this time. They backed up.
I was done playing defense.
"Falcon Dash," I whispered under my breath.
[FALCON DASH – ACTIVATED]
A quick surge pulsed through my legs as I drove forward, shoulder-first. I slammed into DeShawn's side with a clean thud—nothing anime-style, but real. Painful. He hit the wall behind him with a grunt.
The boys stepped forward—
[FIREBALL THROW – ACTIVATED]
I hurled a small orange flame from my right palm. It fizzled midair but singed the grass and made them both hesitate.
"Yo—this dude got powers!"
They ran.
DeShawn staggered back, wheezing.
I didn't chase. I didn't gloat.
I just stood there—breathing hard, system still glowing faintly in my vision.
[COMBAT SUCCESSFUL]+30 EXPLEVEL UP PROGRESS: 65% → 95%Skill Growth Chance: FALCON DASH → Lv. 2 (Range Increased)
As DeShawn limped off, I realized something.
I wasn't scared anymore.
Not of him. Not of the system.
Not even of what I was becoming.