"Once again, the Agents have proven their reliability. Yesterday, in Sector 5, a team of Agents successfully rescued civilians from a rampaging monster. No lives were lost, and the monster was eliminated. Citizens can rest assured: our protectors remain vigilant against the ever-growing threat of monsters."
I watched the TV news, frowning.
"Vigilant?" I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.
"They didn't even save my parents 11 years ago from a demon that attacked our home." I bit my lower lip, clenching my fist as a painful memory flashed before me.
"Thanks to Agent Clara, who the people have called the Beacon of Light thanks to her Angel System!" the news anchor said, gesturing dramatically toward the screen. The people in the restaurant clapped and cheered loudly.
"Beacon of Light? Don't make me laugh." I scoffed, sipping my coffee.
"The people have given her countless likes, and she has achieved an 8-star rating and has also climbed to S-rank Agent. 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. 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 into my chest, as if something metallic had been placed beneath my skin. Tiny pins and circuits traced paths along my veins, sending a strange, pulsing vibration through my body.
"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. I could feel… something alive moving beneath my skin.
A wave of heat surged through me. My fingers twitched on their own, sparks of energy crawling along my arms. My heartbeat thumped in sync with the strange rhythm of the voices inside me.
"Sorcerer Class assigned… magical core established… ready for activation…"
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—cases like this don't happen often."
"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.
Stepping outside the hospital, the city greeted me with life—cars rushing past, people chatting as they walked, massive screens flashing news about Agents and monsters.
Then, a female voice echoed inside my mind.
"Agent… awaken."
My head snapped up, but there was no one around. The voice was gentle yet commanding, vibrating deep within me.
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?]