Dai's alarm blared, dragging him out of a dreamless sleep. He groaned, rolling over to fumble for his phone. Ben was already awake, tail thumping against the bed, eager for breakfast.
Did I dream last night? Dai wondered, rubbing his eyes. Something about… a voice? Powers? He shook his head, chalking it up to too much late-night anime.
He reached for his phone to silence the alarm—and froze.
Suddenly, the world shifted. Instead of the familiar cracked screen, Dai saw… something else. A cascade of icons, lines of code, and swirling menus hovered in his vision, as if the phone's entire operating system had unfolded inside his mind. He could see battery stats, app permissions, even a list of missed notifications—all at once, all impossibly clear.
Okay, this is new. Did I fall asleep with my contacts in? Am I still dreaming?
He blinked, but the vision remained. With a stray thought, he watched the alarm app flicker and mute itself, the notification vanishing from both his phone and his mind's eye.
Dai sat up, heart pounding. Ben cocked his head, as if to say, "You good, buddy?"
"Uh… Ben? I think I just hacked my phone. With my brain."
Ben barked, unimpressed, and trotted off toward the kitchen.
Dai stared at his hand, then at the phone, then back at the swirling digital interface only he could see.
Either I'm still asleep, or I just unlocked the world's weirdest cheat code.Dai stumbled out of bed, still reeling from the phone incident. Ben circled his feet, impatient for breakfast. Dai poured kibble into Ben's bowl, then started his own morning ritual: coffee brewing, toast popping, and a quick scan of overnight security alerts on his phone—now with a healthy dose of paranoia.
Did I really just control my phone with my mind? Maybe I'm still dreaming. Or maybe I've finally crossed the line into full-on anime protagonist.
He reached for his mug, but it slid across the counter—without him touching it. Dai froze, staring at the mug as it hovered a few centimeters above the surface, wobbling in the air.
No way. Telekinesis? Dai thought, eyes wide. He willed the mug to move, and it floated gently into his hand.
Ben barked, unimpressed, and returned to his breakfast.
Dai's heart raced. He glanced around, half-expecting a camera crew to jump out and yell "Surprise!" Instead, he was greeted by the sight of his own reflection in the microwave—hair sticking up, pajamas featuring chibi dragons, and a look of utter disbelief.
He tried again, this time with the toast. It popped up, and Dai focused—only to have it shoot across the kitchen and land squarely in his face. Crumbs everywhere.
Great, Dai. You've unlocked psychic powers and your first move is a self-inflicted breakfast attack.
He shuffled to the bathroom, still in his dragon pajamas, and stared at himself in the mirror.
Teleportation, he remembered. That was the third one, right?
He closed his eyes, picturing the living room. Nothing happened. He tried again, focusing harder. Suddenly, he felt a strange tug—and with a blink, he was standing in the living room, still holding his toothbrush, mouth full of toothpaste.
Ben looked up from his bowl, tail wagging. Dai blinked, then realized he was standing directly in front of the window, toothbrush in hand, toothpaste dribbling down his chin. Across the street, a neighbor watering her plants did a double-take.
Dai ducked out of sight, cheeks burning.
So much for a subtle morning. At least I wasn't naked… this time.
He hurried back to the bathroom, heart pounding, and finished brushing his teeth.
Okay, Dai. You've got powers. You've got a dog. And you've got a lot of explaining to do if anyone saw that.
Ben trotted over, nudging Dai's leg. Dai grinned, ruffling Ben's fur. "Guess we're in for an interesting day.
Dai did his best to pretend everything was fine. He got dressed—thankfully remembering to teleport only after he'd put on pants—and headed to the kitchen, where Ben was already waiting for his post-breakfast treat.
He poured himself another cup of coffee, eyeing the mug warily. It didn't move on its own this time, but Dai could feel a strange tingle in his fingertips, like static electricity waiting to jump.
He checked his phone, half-expecting the digital interface to pop up in his mind again. Nothing. He sighed in relief, then nearly jumped out of his skin when the toaster dinged—louder than usual, or maybe he was just on edge.
Okay, Dai. Just act normal. You're a functioning adult. You have a job. You have a dog. You do not have superpowers. Probably.
He got ready for work, choosing his least-wrinkled shirt and his favorite pixelated dragon hoodie. As he brushed his teeth, he caught his reflection in the mirror—hair sticking up in all directions, a dab of toothpaste on his chin. He tried to will the toothpaste off with his mind, just to see what would happen. Nothing. He shrugged, wiped it away, and grinned at Ben, who watched from the doorway with a look that said, "You're weird, but you're my human."
On the way out, Dai nearly tripped over a pile of manga. He reached out instinctively, and the stack wobbled, then righted itself—without him touching it. He froze, heart pounding, then glanced around. Ben just wagged his tail.
Okay, that's two for two. Maybe I'm not losing it after all.
At Work
The office was its usual mix of chaos and caffeine. Dai settled into his cubicle, three monitors glowing with code and security dashboards. He tried to focus, but his mind kept drifting back to the morning's weirdness.
During a meeting, his mind wandered. He imagined muting the endless Slack notifications with a thought—and suddenly, the notifications vanished from his screen. He blinked, startled, and quickly clicked around to make sure he hadn't just closed something important. No one seemed to notice.
Technokinesis… check. At least it's useful.
At lunch, Dai sat in the break room, scrolling through his phone. He glanced up as a coworker—Ana from legal—walked in, balancing a stack of files and a cup of tea. She stumbled, and Dai instinctively reached out with his mind. The cup hovered for a split second before landing safely on the table. Ana blinked, looking confused, but Dai just smiled awkwardly and buried his face in his sandwich.
No one saw that. Right?
Back at his desk, Dai tried to teleport to the kitchen for a snack, just to test his limits. Instead, he blinked and found himself in the supply closet, face-to-face with a poster of a swimsuit model someone had taped to the door. He yelped, stumbled backward, and teleported again—this time landing in the hallway, nearly colliding with Maya, his team lead.
"Uh… just looking for the… uh… extra toner," Dai stammered, cheeks burning.
Maya raised an eyebrow, but just shrugged. "You okay, Dai?"
"Yeah, just… Monday stuff," he managed, hurrying back to his desk.
By the end of the day, Dai was exhausted—not from work, but from trying to act normal while his world quietly glitched around him. He walked home with Ben, mind racing.
If this is a dream, I hope I wake up before I teleport into the women's restroom or something. If it's real… I need answers. Or at least a manual.First Quest Appears
That evening, Dai sat on his bed, Ben curled up beside him, mind still spinning from a day of accidental superpowers and awkward near-misses. He scrolled through his phone, half-watching, half-wondering if he'd finally lost it.
Suddenly, the world seemed to flicker. The room faded, replaced by that endless white space from his dream. Dai blinked, heart pounding.
"Back so soon?" he called out, voice echoing.
A warm, playful voice answered, everywhere and nowhere at once. "You're adapting quickly, Dai. But you're not done yet."
He spun around, searching for a source, but there was only light. "So… what now? Is this where you give me a tutorial?"
A gentle laugh. "You already know how these things go. Open your status screen."
"My… status screen?" Dai repeated, then hesitated. Like in an RPG? He focused, half-expecting nothing to happen.
A translucent panel shimmered into view before his eyes, filled with stats, icons, and three pulsing abilities: Telekinesis, Technokinesis, Teleportation. Each had a progress bar, all nearly empty.
"Your first quest," the goddess's voice intoned, "is simple: Explore your new powers. Find their strengths and their limits. Only by understanding them can you begin to grow."
Dai reached out, his hand passing through the glowing interface. "So… just mess around? See what I can do?"
"Exactly. But remember—every power has its price, and every shortcut has consequences. Learn well, Dai."
The light faded, and Dai jolted awake, Ben licking his cheek.
He sat up, heart racing, the memory of the status screen still vivid in his mind.
Okay, Dai. Time to level up. Just… try not to break anything. Or anyone.huh?"
Dai sat on the edge of his bed, heart still pounding from the memory of the goddess's voice and the surreal white void.
Status screen… right. Like in a game? He hesitated, then focused, half-expecting nothing to happen.
A translucent panel shimmered into view before his eyes, floating in midair. It was simple, almost comically so—like something from an old-school RPG. Each entry had a little star behind it, as if to remind him this was all a bit too fantastical to be real.
[STATUS SCREEN]
Name: Dai Hale ★Telekinesis: ★Technokinesis: ★Teleportation: ★
Each power had a faint, empty progress bar beneath it, waiting to be filled. Dai reached out, his hand passing through the glowing interface.
Okay, this is either the coolest lucid dream ever, or I've finally lost it. At least my name has a star. That's… something?
He poked at the "Technokinesis" entry, half-expecting a tooltip to pop up. Nothing happened, but the bar flickered, as if acknowledging his attention.
Ben, sensing Dai's distraction, hopped onto the bed and nudged his arm. Dai grinned, ruffling Ben's fur with one hand while waving the other through the floating screen.
"Check it out, Ben. I'm officially a ★-rated protagonist."
Ben just yawned, unimpressed.
Dai's Power Experiments: Day One
Dai's apartment was unusually quiet, save for the hum of his computer and Ben's occasional snuffling. The status screen hovered in his vision, a constant reminder:
Quest: Explore your new powers. Find their strengths and limitations. Time remaining: 47:12:08
Telekinesis: The Breakfast Test
Dai started with the basics. He eyed his coffee mug, focusing intently. The mug wobbled, then floated shakily into the air. He grinned, then tried to add his phone, a spoon, and a manga volume. All four objects hovered, but Dai felt a growing pressure in his head, like trying to keep four browser tabs open on a dying laptop.
Ben watched, unimpressed, until Dai's focus slipped and the mug dropped, splashing coffee everywhere.
So, four objects max, and nothing too heavy… He eyed Ben's food bowl, but it wouldn't budge. The status screen flashed:
Telekinesis: Up to 4 objects, max 50 kg each, 10-meter range.
He tried to levitate his own slippers from across the room, but they barely twitched. He shuffled closer, and they finally floated over.
Distance matters. Got it.
Technokinesis: The Digital Dance
After cleaning up, Dai moved to his desk. He placed his hand on his laptop, and instantly, a digital overlay filled his mind—folders, code, even his unread emails. With a thought, he closed a dozen tabs, sorted his files, and muted Slack notifications.
This is amazing. I'm basically my own IT department now.
He tried to control his TV from the couch, but nothing happened until he walked over and touched it.
So, I have to touch it first. No remote hacking from the couch. Fair enough.
Inspired, Dai imagined building a gadget from scratch. A blueprint formed in his mind—a phone stand with a built-in charger. He rummaged through his junk drawer for parts, then, focusing hard, assembled the pieces with his mind. The process was slow and exhausting, and the result was… functional, if a bit lopsided.
Ben sniffed the creation, then sneezed.
Needs work. But hey, it didn't explode.
Teleportation: The Pajama Incident
Feeling bold, Dai decided to test teleportation. He pictured the kitchen, focused, and blinked—only to find himself standing by the fridge, still in his pajamas.
Okay, that's… actually pretty cool.
He tried again, aiming for the bathroom. This time, he materialized directly in front of the mirror, toothbrush in hand, toothpaste dribbling down his chin.
Across the street, a neighbor watering her plants did a double-take. Dai ducked out of sight, cheeks burning.
At least I wasn't naked… this time.
Later, Dai attempted to teleport to his bedroom to grab a clean shirt. He miscalculated and landed in the hallway, face-to-face with a poster of a swimsuit model someone had taped to the supply closet door. He yelped, stumbled backward, and teleported again—this time landing in the living room, nearly tripping over Ben.
Ben barked, tail wagging, as if to say, "Smooth move, hero."
Teleportation Rule #1: Always check your outfit first. Rule #2: Never teleport blind.
He tried to teleport with Ben, but only Dai moved—Ben barked in protest from the other room.
Sorry, buddy. Looks like you're walking.
Testing the Limits
By midday, Dai had a clearer sense of his powers—and their limits:
Telekinesis: Up to 4 objects, nothing over 50 kg, within 10 meters, requires focus. Distractions lead to flying socks and spilled coffee.Technokinesis: Must touch device to control, needs materials and a mental blueprint to create. Too many devices at once gets overwhelming.Teleportation: Must see destination, max 100 meters, can't bring living things. Pajamas are not ideal for public appearances.
He tried to push the boundaries—levitating a stack of books, assembling a USB fan from spare parts, teleporting to the balcony for some fresh air. Each time, the status screen flickered, progress bars inching forward.
In the afternoon, Dai tried to teleport to the laundry room to grab his favorite hoodie. He landed right as his neighbor, Ana, was reaching for her own laundry basket. She shrieked, Dai yelped, and in a panic, he teleported back to his apartment—hoodie-less and mortified.
Teleportation Rule #3: Always knock first. Or, you know, just walk like a normal person.
By evening, Dai was exhausted—not from work, but from trying to act normal while his world quietly glitched around him. He flopped onto the couch, Ben hopping up beside him.
"Guess I'm not breaking the world just yet, huh?" Dai said, ruffling Ben's fur.
Ben just wagged his tail, unimpressed.
By the time the sun dipped below the city skyline, Dai felt like he'd run a marathon—mentally, at least. He sprawled on the couch, Ben curled up beside him, the status screen's timer ticking down in the corner of his vision.
Forty hours left. I've spilled coffee, nearly flashed the neighbors, and built the world's ugliest phone stand. Is this what being "special" feels like?
He absentmindedly scrolled through his phone, but every notification, every app, seemed to shimmer with the possibility of technokinetic control. He flexed his fingers, half-expecting sparks to fly.
Ben nudged his hand, demanding attention. Dai smiled, ruffling the dog's ears. "You know, buddy, I always thought superpowers would make life easier. Turns out, they just make it weirder."
He glanced at the status screen again, watching the progress bars inch forward.
I wonder if the goddess is watching. Or grading me. Or laughing.
The Goddess's Feedback
That night, Dai drifted into sleep almost instantly. The world faded, and he found himself once again in the endless white void. The familiar, commanding-yet-playful voice echoed all around him.
"Well done, Dai. You've made progress—and a mess or two, but that's part of learning."
Dai looked around, still unable to see her. "So… how'd I do? Any pointers? Or, you know, a manual?"
A gentle laugh. "You're adapting quickly. You've found the limits of your powers, but don't be afraid to push them. Creativity is as important as control. And remember: every shortcut has a consequence."
Dai hesitated. "Is there a trick to making this easier? Or am I just supposed to keep embarrassing myself?"
"Growth is never easy, Dai. But you're not alone. You have Ben, and soon, you'll have others. For now, keep experimenting. The more you understand your powers—and yourself—the closer you'll get to your next challenge."
The status screen appeared before him, progress bars a little fuller than before. The timer ticked down, a gentle reminder.
"One more thing," the goddess added, her tone softening. "Don't forget to enjoy the journey. Even the awkward parts."
The light faded, and Dai woke with a start, Ben licking his cheek as if to say, "Time to get up, hero."
It was late—so late that even Ben had abandoned Dai for the comfort of his dog bed. Dai sat at his desk, nervously watching the status screen's timer tick down the final minutes. He'd spent the last two days testing, failing, and learning, but he still wasn't sure if he'd done enough.
Five minutes to midnight, a soft "ding!" echoed in his mind, startling him out of his thoughts. The status screen shimmered, and a new notification appeared:
Quest Complete!
Dai blinked, heart pounding. The screen shifted, and for the first time, he saw experience bars beneath each skill:
STATUS SCREEN
Attribute
Value
Experience
Status
Name
Dai Hale ★
-
Active
Age
30
-
-
Level
0
0/100
Novice
Telekinesis ★
Lvl 0
0/100
Unlocked
Technokinesis ★
Lvl 0
0/100
Unlocked
Teleportation ★
Lvl 0
0/100
Unlocked
So now I get to grind for EXP? This really is just like a game… Dai thought, a tired smile tugging at his lips.
He barely had time to process the change before sleep claimed him, exhaustion finally winning out.
Dai opened his eyes to the now-familiar white void. But this time, the space felt warmer, more alive. The goddess's voice echoed, still playful but somehow closer.
"Well done, Dai. You've completed your first quest. You're learning quickly."
Dai, and for the first time, he saw a shadowy figure in the distance—a silhouette, graceful and radiant, just out of focus. The voice was no longer just everywhere; it was coming from her.
"Are you… really here?" Dai asked, awe and curiosity mixing in his chest.
The goddess's laughter was softer now, almost gentle. "Our connection grows stronger with each step you take. Soon, you'll see me clearly. For now, rest—and be ready. Your next challenge will ask even more of you."
The white light pulsed, and Dai felt a sense of anticipation and comfort as he drifted back toward waking.Morning After: Status Screen Upgrade
Dai woke to the soft light of morning filtering through his curtains. Ben was already up, nosing around for breakfast. Dai felt different—lighter, more aware. The events of the past two days replayed in his mind: the experiments, the mishaps, the goddess's voice, and the final "ding!" of quest completion.
He blinked, and the status screen appeared, now more detailed than ever:
STATUS SCREEN
Attribute
Value
Experience
Status
Name
Dai Hale ★
-
Active
Age
30
-
-
Level
0/100
0/100
Novice
Powers
Skill
Level
Experience
Status
Strengths & Limitations
Telekinesis ★
0/100
0/100
Unlocked
Move up to 4 objects at once (max 50 kg each), within 10 meters, requires continuous focus.
Technokinesis ★
0/100
0/100
Unlocked
Must touch device to control; needs materials and a mental blueprint to create; can command, organize, and build tech.
Teleportation ★
0/100
0/100
Unlocked
Must see destination; max range 100 meters; cannot teleport with living things.
Dai stared at the screen, absorbing the details.
So, I'm officially a Level 0 Novice. Powers locked, but at least I know the rules now. And those experience bars… guess it's time to grind.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the faint tingle of possibility. Ben barked, reminding him that breakfast was still the most important quest of the day.
Dai smiled, ruffling Ben's fur. "Don't worry, buddy. I'm still me. Just… maybe a little more special."
He glanced at the status screen one last time before heading to the kitchen, ready for whatever the next challenge would bring.
Dai finished breakfast, still marveling at the upgraded status screen floating in his vision. He scrolled through the details, feeling a mix of pride and anticipation.
As Dai admired the neat rows and the little stars, a soft chime echoed in the corner of his vision. A new alert pulsed on the status screen:
[NEW QUEST AVAILABLE]
Dai's heart skipped. He tapped the notification, and a brief message appeared.