Rain.
The rhythmic pattering of droplets against glass. The scent of antiseptic. Faint murmurs and soft footsteps echo through sterile halls.
I was in a hospital room.
Not because I was sick this time.
I was born into a family of wealth and a medical legacy. My father, Dr. Lucien Nox, was the owner of Nox Medical Institute—one of the top hospitals in West City. Respected, calculating, always pressed for time. My mother, Elira Nox, was softer in tone but no less sharp, elegant, reserved, and with eyes that missed nothing.
And then… There was my sister.
Seris. Five years older. Sharp-witted, inquisitive, and already being groomed to take over one wing of the hospital someday. She carried herself like a young noble but looked at me like a curious cat finding a glowing orb in the backyard.
I barely made a sound, even in her presence. But I watched.
And they watched me.
It was the seventh day after my birth when it began.
I was resting in the quiet of the nursery room. No monitors. No nurses hovering. Just me, the rain tapping the glass, and the sound of pages turning—Seris reading a book aloud in the corner chair, half for herself, half pretending it was for me.
Then it happened.
<< Sign-In System: Location Verified – Earth | West City | Nox Medical Institute >>
<< First Sign-In Activated >>
<< Reward: Evolution Stone – Seed of the Law of Growth and Evolution >>
Absorbing Reward…
<< The Evolution Stone has detected human genetic framework. >>
<< Recalibrating… Successful. >>
<< Initializing Passive Mutation… >>
My skin tingled, but there was no visible change. Internally, everything began shifting. Quietly. Slowly. Irreversibly.
"Lyraen?" a soft voice whispered.
Seris had walked over, her book forgotten.
She leaned over the crib, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "You're so quiet, Lyraen. What's going on in that little head of yours?"
She gently tickled my chin, and I watched as her fingers made soft creases in my skin. My gaze never wavered, his eyes locked onto Seris' face.
I didn't flinch. I looked at her with wide, calm eyes.
Seris's eyes narrowed, her brow furrowed. "Lyraen, you're...different."
"Creepy little owl," she whispered, smiling. She straightened, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what it is, but I feel like you're watching me, really watching me."
She pulled out a small plush from her coat pocket and placed it beside me.
"Maybe you're just a genius, little brother," she teased, her voice lightening the mood.
"Fine. Keep your secrets. But one day, you're going to talk—and I'll make you tell me everything."
She smiled… and I blinked once.
Just once.
Later that day, I heard my mother's voice from the hallway.
"Elira," my father's voice spoke, steady as always, "He's… unusually aware. Reflexes are strong for a newborn. He's not crying as much as he should. Not reacting like a typical infant."
My mother replied calmly, "He's healthy. Exceptionally so. Maybe… gifted."
Father paused. "Or hiding something."
A short silence.
"Like you did," she added, amusement hidden beneath her tone.
He chuckled. "Touché."
I stayed silent through it all.
They didn't know. They couldn't know.
<< Bloodline: Unknown Species – Data Insufficient >>
The world saw a calm, silent infant.
But I was something else entirely.
It's already been seven days since my birth.
Seven days of silence. Observation. Growth.
I could feel it—something building beneath the surface of my being. Not just the subtle shifts from the Evolution Stone… but anticipation. The System.
If daily sign-ins granted simple rewards… then surely, this accumulation would be greater.
The question was—how do I activate it?
I couldn't speak. I couldn't move much. But my mind was sharp. Clear.
So, I tried.
"System… Sign in."I spoke not with words, but with thought, intent sharp and focused.
<< Accumulated 7-Day Sign-In Activated >>
In this life, I will be known as Lyraen Nox.
But I will become something far more.