"Once again, the Agents have proven their reliability. Yesterday, in Sector 5, a team of Agents successfully rescued civilians from a rampaging giant. No lives were lost, and the monster was eliminated. Citizens can rest assured that our protectors remain vigilant against the growing monster threat."
I watched the TV news, frowning.
"Vigilant?" I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.
"They didn't even save my parents 8 years ago from a demon that attacked our home." I bit my lower lip, clenching my fist as a painful memory flashed before me.
"All thanks to Captain Clara, who the people have called the Lightbringer for her Angel System!" the news anchor said, gesturing dramatically toward the screen. The people in the restaurant clapped and cheered loudly.
"Lightbringer? Don't make me laugh." I scoffed, sipping my coffee.
"The people have given her countless likes, earning her an 8-star rating, placing her among the highest-rated Agents. Isn't she amazing? We now have a strong new protector among us," the news anchor continued, pointing toward images of Clara in her Angel gear.
"I'm out of here." I muttered, pushing back my chair and leaving a few bills on the table.
Ding!
The doorbell rang as I stepped outside.
The street buzzed with the usual noises of vehicles and chatter.
"Wait! My toy!" a small voice cried out in the road.
I turned and saw a small boy darting into the road after a toy car rolling toward traffic. A car was coming fast.
Instinct kicked in. I sprinted across the street, arms outstretched. I scooped him up, but the car slammed into me.
Bang!
Pain exploded through my chest, and I was thrown into the air. My vision blurred. The boy was safe in my arms, clinging tightly.
Blood ran down my face, and I couldn't catch my breath. Around me, people shouted and ran, but all I could focus on was the boy trembling in my arms.
I tried to push myself up, but my body refused. The world spun around me. My vision darkened, and the last thing I saw was people gathering around.
Everything went dark.
---
A sharp, cold implant slid along my spine, sending a strange, pulsing vibration through my body. Tiny pins and circuits traced paths up into my head. Energy surged through my hand, spreading into my fingers, like something unknown had awakened within me.
"Candidate detected… System compatibility confirmed… integrating powers…"
The words were distant, and the voices of people around me were muted, impossible to fully comprehend, like I was underwater. I tried to open my eyes, but the light around me was blinding.
A sudden heat ran through my body. My fingers twitched on their own, sparks of energy moving along my arms. My heartbeat matched the rhythm of the voices inside me.
"Sorcerer Class assigned… Magic Core extraction complete… Fusion successful."
I groaned, trying to move, but my body refused. Something powerful now flowed through my veins.
I blinked slowly, and then, all of a sudden, I woke up.
"Aghhh! What happened?!" I gasped, my voice trembling with panic.
Nurses rushed to my side, gently trying to calm me down, holding my shoulders as I struggled to sit upright.
One nurse quickly pressed a button on the wall.
"Doctor! We need you here immediately!" she called out.
Footsteps echoed down the hallway, and soon a man in a white coat appeared. He knelt beside me, placing a hand gently on my forehead, then checked my eyes as he examined my condition.
"You've been unconscious… for two weeks," he said calmly, straightening up and adjusting his glasses. "It seems your body recovered surprisingly well from the critical impact with the car. You're very lucky. Most people in accidents like this suffer broken bones or worse."
"What about the boy?" I asked, still dizzy.
"He's fine," the doctor replied. "Just a few minor injuries. And don't worry about the hospital bills," he added with a faint smile. "Someone already paid them off."
I blinked, trying to process everything, and let out a shaky breath. Two weeks… unconscious.
I pushed myself up from the hospital bed and changed into the clothes I had been wearing the day I was hit.
I stepped outside the hospital. The city was alive. Cars sped by, and people walked and chatted with each other.
[Agent Ezekiel… awaken]
Before my eyes, a holographic interface flickered into existence, hovering in midair. Symbols and numbers rotated slowly across its surface.
[System detected…]
[Compatibility confirmed…]
[Welcome, Ezekiel Valerion]
I stumbled backward, my heart racing, unsure whether I was dreaming. A rush of energy swept through my body, making me feel more alive than ever before.
[▶Do you accept the Sorcerer System?]