The next morning began like any other. Sunlight spilled into the small house, Raghav was already humming while preparing to leave for work, and Mira fussed over Arin's breakfast.
But to Arin, something felt… off.
As he walked toward the door with his school bag, his ears caught the faintest sound—like a thread pulled from silence. A low creak, a subtle vibration from the wooden beams of the house. His brows furrowed.
Strange. Why do I hear that?
He shook his head and kept walking with Lyra, who had come to pick him up. The morning breeze carried laughter, chatter, and the rustle of leaves. Yet beneath it all, Arin sensed an odd pulse, a faint flicker in the air.
It wasn't sound. It wasn't sight. It wasn't even smell. It was something beyond.
At School
During lessons, Arin found it harder to concentrate. His sharpened senses caught every little detail—chalk scratching, paper crinkling, even Kai tapping his foot impatiently.
But then it happened.
During break, a ball flew across the playground, spinning wildly toward Lyra. She laughed, unaware.
Arin's eyes snapped wide. The world slowed. Every rotation of the ball, every arc of its path, every breath around him—he could see, hear, and feel them at once.
His body moved before he thought. He dashed forward, faster than even Kai expected, and caught the ball with perfect timing, inches before it struck Lyra.
Everyone gasped.
But Arin wasn't listening. His chest pounded as the System's voice chimed.
[System Notice]
Super Senses has reached maximum Advanced level.
Conditions fulfilled: Crisis response, instinctive activation, protective intent.
Super Senses evolving → Sensory Domain - Intermediate (0%)
Arin froze as glowing text filled his vision. His breath caught.
[New Ability Unlocked: Sensory Domain - Intermediate (0%)]
Perception expands beyond the body in a small radius .Instantly detects movement, sound, and energy fluctuations .Can sense intent within the domain.
Arin staggered slightly, his mind swimming with information. It wasn't just sharper senses anymore—he could feel everything around him as if the world had expanded inside his head.
Kai walked up, eyes narrowed but curious. "You… moved faster than me just now."
Arin forced a smile, hiding the storm inside. "Maybe just luck."
Kai smirked. "We'll see."
That Night
Back home, Arin opened his glowing Skill Panel.
[Skill Panel]
Hard Work – Intermediate
Movement Mastery – Advanced (95%)
Observation – Mastery (50%)
Enhanced Communication – Advanced (55%)
Sensory Domain - Intermediate (0%)
He exhaled deeply. This… this is on another level. It's not just hearing or seeing better anymore. I can feel everything around me. If I train this, I'll never be caught off guard again.
But even as the thrill filled him, a chill ran down his spine.
For the briefest moment in the playground, when the Domain first activated, he had sensed something strange—far away, outside the school. A shadow. A presence that didn't belong.
And it had noticed him too.
The chapter closed with Arin's heart racing. The Sports Fest was only the beginning. His path of growth had opened doors… but something else was starting to look back through them.