Alex groaned as he sat up, his bare chest rising and falling with each breath.
He pushed himself upright slowly, breathing heavily, sweat clinging to his skin like a second layer.
Then, he noticed it.
Etched onto the back of his hand—a glowing symbol pulsed softly, blue and alive. It resembled a majestic tree, ancient in its design but surreal.
Its branches didn't bear leaves… they bore stars. Miniature constellations sparkled along the twisting limbs, as if the universe itself lived in his skin.
'What… is this power…?'
He stared in awe. Everything felt different. His muscles didn't ache. His breathing felt smoother. His thoughts clearer. It was like being reborn—no, like being unbound.
'It's like… all my limitations have been erased.'
But the symbol—that symbol—was what unsettled him most. It throbbed with an energy that felt... Unreal.
"What the hell... what did I just awaken?"
