‘So… Signal Eland is a sinking ship? That’s it? Why would they hold back and not try something new when most of the audience stopped watching them long ago?’

Questioning what he had noted down during today’s global media course internally, Aven felt he had missed something crucial on the logic path used, but just couldn’t deduct what it was despite dwelling on it for a few minutes already.

“Anyway! Will it even be asked?! Surely not, right? Then let’s move on!” Exclaiming while throwing his hands up to symbolize his act of throwing the towel, he turned the page of the notepad and continued reading, completely forgetting about the prior nonsense in a few seconds.

However, as he followed up his notes as he would usually do at the end of a university day, he started feeling a bit… Woozy? Strange? Like something was wrong, and due to that feeling, he couldn’t focus properly on reading, understanding, or correcting what he had under his eyes.

Soon proving him right, black spots started creeping into his vision, and they were awesomely visible and distinct for what he supposed to be exhaustion’s black spots.

“Am I tripping or what?” Asking himself aloud helped him realize that what was happening wasn’t exactly normal, and as those black spots just didn’t go away, the worst filled his mind.

‘I’m becoming blind? I’m dying? Is a psy super attacking me involuntarily? Am I already dead? Is this a prank? What did I drink… No, nothing notable… But then what? Why are those black spots not moving? Isn’t this situation really weird? Why can I clearly think and nothing has occurred yet? Did I just jinx myself?’

Again proving him right, the black spots disappeared from his vision, but his relief didn’t last long as flashes of light began occupying his vision as his body stopped responding altogether.

Aven wasn’t able to think anymore, as if his brain couldn’t process things anymore. He couldn’t even begin to panic as this state of mind wasn’t attainable anymore.

He had become a simple spectator.

The flashes of light continued for what felt like hours before the first colors made their appearance. From there, it quickly devolved into a mess of colors, creating a chaos he couldn’t understand at all.

Adding more confusion than ever, numbers, letters, and familiar symbols like the flag of Eland, his birth nation, passed right before him, obviously trying to form a coherent whole, but such attempts kept failing again and again.

As if his sight had passed right through the wall of his bedroom standing before him, which he knew was not aligned with the exterior of his apartment building which was to his right, Aven saw pillars of light gushing forth from the outlines of high buildings.

Before he knew it, and before he realized how both mesmerizing and absurd what he had just seen was, he regained control of his body, and he could think again.

‘What…’

But how could a mortal mind react to something that had completely surpassed its understanding?

He couldn’t form any coherent thoughts as something… Knowledge? Started reality-breakingly and spontaneously appear in his mind, as if it had always been here but he just never had the chance to access it.

‘Faction…’

Accompanying this knowledge, an instinctual understanding of the situation formed in his mind.

‘Contribution…’

What he had just gone through should be something that more people than he could ever imagine would dream of having happen to them.

‘System…?’

And completing this understanding that he had become more than he was just a few minutes ago, a warm, hot, and fuzzy flow of something, not knowledge, started flowing inside him.

‘Energy…?’

The situation was so clear. What he had just lived had also been so clear. And the results of everything combined were also clear.

“I’m a super…” Words he only said comically before but had always hoped to be true flowed out of his mouth, he was neither serious nor arrogant, he was neutral, he was stating a fact.

With the new knowledge about his innate ability that had spawned inside his mind at the same time he had awoken, or maybe it was his innate ability that had awoken him, he didn’t know, or really care, Aven sent a mental command.

And the world obeyed.

Aven Amias

Faction: MIC Serenis University

Energy Grade: 0

Energy Cultivation: 1/10

Energy Affinity: Tech

Physical Talents: None

Energy Talents: Basic Tech Energy Affinity

Spiritual Talents: Inquisitive Spirit

Universal Talents: Unawakened Fairy Ancestry

“Woah…” Overwhelmed by all the meanings behind this simple floating screen made of mainly letters and some numbers, Aven involuntarily let out a small awed whisper.

Gulping one time his saliva, he focused on the 4 things he knew he could get more information about by focusing on them.

And the world obeyed again.

MIC Serenis University

Power Index: 33

Influence Index: 156

Economy Index: 73

Technology Index: 46

Description: An education-focused faction content with privileging its stability over its growth and potential. Its influence mostly comes from its alumni who have succeeded in life and who kindly offer olive branches to freshly graduated students.

First, it gave him a detailed appraisal window of the faction he supposedly was part of. As he just got access to all of this, however, Aven didn’t question anything, he just accepted and continued using his new power.

Basic Tech Energy Affinity: Your energy naturally responds to the tech energy system. Moderately increases the intensity of tech system’s energy applications.

‘The tech system… The tech system… My energy… The tech system?’

Half-understanding, half-throwing the towel, he moved on. He knew he would soon get all the answers he wanted once he announced and reported the fact that he had become a super.

Inquisitive Spirit: Your curiosity cannot be satisfied by merely simple observations, and your spirit naturally seeks understanding of what it doesn’t understand. Slightly increases the speed at which you understand anything you’re curious about or interested in.

“Hehe~ That’s awkward how true that is…” Smiling and laughing confusedly while honestly admitting this definition of who he was and had been until now was true, he was shocked that his personality could be considered a talent by his new status appraisal.

And then the last talent, the most shocking one, the most interesting one, showed itself.

Unawakened Fairy Ancestry: As a descendant of the fairies, while your ancestry and bloodline are diluted and unawakened, you remain linked to them spiritually. Your energy cultivation talent is increased minimally.

‘The legendary founders of Eland… A descendant…’

Vaguely remembering the history he had learned long ago during his youth, legends and myths fused together, forming a mental picture of an era where fairies wielding vast powers guided weak humans on the way to establish what had today become the strongest nation of Green.

‘It’s so… Thrilling. Maybe I can join the royal family if I find a way to-’

Fantasizing about one day maybe becoming able to take on his fairy form after awakening his fairy ancestry, Aven momentarily dreamt about not only being a super able to fly without any help, but also of being a super as powerful as any random member of the symbolic Eland’s Royal Family.

Eventually calming down, he went over all his knowledge about the super world in his mind. Starting from that, he mixed in his new capabilities: That of being able to appraise himself and entire factions. And also…

‘I should also be able to…’

Standing up from his large smooth wooden desk still occupied by lots of pens and pages, he reached for his window and looked down, towards the street.

He saw a passerby probably going back home leisurely after living through a normal day of work as the White was entering its dusk phase. White being the star at the center of the Rainbow stellar system.

Berlin Poole

Faction: Colsart’s Agrifood

“Huhu,” nodding to himself in satisfaction, he went over a few other people before settling back into his comfy desk chair and starting to pursue his previous train of thoughts.

‘I don’t see anything mind-blowing… I’m able to appraise things. But the name of my innate ability is Faction Contribution System, so maybe?’

Passing through every conspiracy theory he knew, Aven still didn’t find any reason to hide his innate ability or lie about it. He had never been a good liar anyway when he thought about it.

‘And what if they can detect lies? Or perhaps I’m already thinking too far?’

Lost in his imaginary world, the high of having become a super still hadn’t decreased, and he felt fortunate at having awakened before night. It at least meant he wouldn’t have to go through the very awkward phase of being escorted by black-clothed agents in the middle of the night.

Feeling inside himself, the flow of a fuzzy, warm, and hot something was still present, and at the moment, this simple inoffensive thing for himself was in fact a massive danger to everyone around him.

The numerous very gore videos of freshly awakened people losing control of their energy available online weren’t a lie, or it was one created by an organization having achieved world domination.

‘No one is home… I need to call… What number was it? How come I go through them every so often but can never remember them?’

Reaching for his phone, he searched for the dedicated super awakening emergency number and called it.

“Hello, what is your emergency?”

The moment he called it was answered, surprising him a bit, but not enough to make him a mute, so he answered, “Hello, I just awoke I think a few minutes ago, innate ability knowledge spawning in my mind, hot flow inside me, everything.”

“An escort team will be sent to your position as soon as possible. Do you confirm your awakening and that you are aware of the sanctions incurred in case of a false report?” A nearly-robotic female voice continued the conversation seamlessly.

“Yes, I confirm,” Aven replied instantly without showing any hesitation. If what he had lived wasn’t a super awakening, what was?

“Thanks for your politeness Mr. Amias. The escort team is underway, please evacuate your building and step onto the street downstairs to be found as soon as the escort team arrives at your building,” calling his name despite having not identified himself, the female voice showed a bit more emotion.

“I’ll do just that then,” starting to move as soon as he said that, he continued talking after passing through the living room and the entrance hallway, taking the time to put on his shoes, “Do I hang up?”

“Just leave the call open and ask me if you need mental support, though from your attitude I don’t think you need such a thing. Take your time, you still have a few hours before your energy flow starts settling down and risks increase drastically.”

The smooth answer erased the mild worries about the situation he had kept hidden, and he backtracked to take some of his stuff like his headphones or the travel bag he used when he used his bike to ride around Serenis.

What if he got thirsty after all? Or what if he had to blow his nose due to an unannounced snot attack?

Finally exiting the apartment he had lived in all his life with his mom and dad, he used the staircase and ended up on the street a minute later.

This little bit of exercise hadn’t been enough to even make his heart start beating a bit faster. It had remained slow and steady the whole way.

‘And now I wait…’

Plugging in his headphones, they weren’t the isolating type, he reduced the call while he put on some music to start waiting in the best way.

Checking the latest news on a randomly picked news site among his favorites, he searched for super-related ones, as it was too relevant to his own situation.

‘Oh. I need to send a message to mom and dad too.’

Recalling a relatively important fact as he started reading a random article, he pictured the scene of his mom immediately calling him if she had her phone near her, so he held back and decided to send a message later as he continued reading.

“The escort team is imminently arriving Mr. Amias,” a voice coming from nowhere called for his attention, making him redirect his sight towards both ends of the street he was in.

‘Imminently… What a relative term.’

Not saying his conclusion aloud, he decreased his music volume as a large black and white van arrived from one end and rushed towards him, stopping in a few seconds when it arrived just before him.

From the back double doors, 3 black-clothed people descended, 1 man and 2 women.

Looking at the obvious signs in all likelihood, the man asked, “Are you the recently awakened super? Aven Amias?”

“That would be me,” Aven nodded at the mention of his name, despite not remembering giving it away at any time.

Surprising himself, he instinctively used his innate ability’s appraisal to identify the 3 black-clothed people before him.

William Cantu

Faction: Serenis City Supers Agency

Elsabeth Cardenas

Faction: Serenis City Supers Agency

Wilda Hudson

Faction: Serenis City Supers Agency

After identifying them, he felt that doing something like that was both right and wrong as one of the women started approaching him.

‘Is this going to become a bad habit? Like, learning someone’s name before they even introduced themselves and giving away my innate ability directly?’

After she, who Aven knew to be Wilda, approached him enough, she put one of her hands on his shoulder and closed her eyes for a second before saying with a slight kind smile, “We still have an hour before he enters the risk zone. It’s an easy case this time.”

The 2 others also allowed themselves to smile before the man invited him to follow them, “Please Mr. Amias, follow me inside the van, we’re bringing you where you need to go.”

“Sure,” nodding again, he then brought his phone to his mouth, “I’m hanging up, the escort team is there and they say it's an easy case this time.”

“Congratulations on your awakening Mr. Amias, have a good introduction period, and don’t forget to call your school and family to announce the news,” the female voice congratulated him enthusiastically before he eventually hung up as there was nothing else to be said between them.

Getting into the black and white van through the back, Aven was welcomed by a very… Disturbing sight: Metallic cages and shackles, syringes and first-aid kits, a few guns…

“Don’t worry about those, it’s just in case some unexpected situation arises. We can never be prepared enough with new supers,” the man said from behind as everyone got inside the van and sat down on one of the available seats.

“So your job isn’t just to escort newly awakened super?” Momentarily curious, he dived right into the subject with no fear.

“Hahaha, if only!” Wilda laughed good-naturedly at that question.

“Our job description encompasses a lot of things, and while one of them is ‘escorting’ new supers, in reality, most of it is spent being sent on super-related cases, like a cat suddenly gaining the ability to transform into a meter-tall panther,” the man informed him of their job reality.

“But grade 0 supers shouldn't be that hard to manage, right? Unless I missed something... If they reach grade 1, it’s not like they can destroy a building, right?” Aven probed without wanting to, he was just genuinely curious about a job dealing with supers on a regular basis.

“I see you’re an enthusiast, eh?” The other women quipped.

“Don’t make fun of him now Elsabeth,” the man acted to defend his pride not knowing if he felt offended or not by the jest, “I think it’s best for you to wait until your crash course before asking questions like that. And if you want an answer now, well, a lot of your early power as a super comes from your innate ability. That’s it.”

“Okay,” nodding like the good boy he was, Aven stopped trying to ask questions and just adjusted his headphones before blasting some music while finally messaging his parents with an identical message.

[Aven: Just became a super out of the blue. I’m being escorted somewhere to be experimented upon by mad scientists now. I don’t know if I’ll be home tonight. I’ll contact uni so you don’t need to do it.]

Most probably due to a perfect timing on his part, no message was sent back in the next few minutes, allowing him to escape the endless chat on his mother’s part and the weird warnings on his father’s part.

‘Perhaps I can use some of dad’s stories later, his job as a war reporter should have given him a few sensitive pieces of information… I’ll ask later when whatever is taking place now is over.’

Feeling yet another momentum spike, he lamented at the absence of windows allowing him to see how savage the van was being driven. He was pretty sure they had gone above double the speed limit intra-city.

‘I wonder what…’

Curiosity taking over, he directed his glance at the black-clothed man. More precisely, he directed his glance at the appraisal window he opened, then at the faction line.

Serenis City Supers Agency

Power Index: 1574

Influence Index: 804

Economy Index: 386

Technology Index: 409

Description: A faction focused on stabilizing and intervening within complex urban environments, answering to the directives and orders of a higher hierarchical entity with much more decisional power.

‘How curiously stated… And those indexes are so high compared to my uni… But what can I do with that? Know that they’re the real deal?’

Starting a relatively useless internal debate about all the possibilities this appraisal ability presented, Aven couldn’t think of many revolutionary applications.

Apart from potentially finding secretly powerful factions and identifying potentially dangerous people according to their factions, there wasn’t much else to grab onto.

‘Well, let’s just follow the flow, what can possibly go wrong?’

And on these thoughts that invoked countless worst cases situations, the van finally screeched to a halt.