In a basement within a random house, a young man was staring intensely at the clock before him. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead due to the tension.
"i-it's almost here!"
Tick-tock... Tick-tock...
'Everything depends on you. Please, be something useful!!'
23:59
The clock struck midnight: 00:00.
'It's coming!!'
His body stiffened, and his heartbeat accelerated wildly.
Thud!!
"Arghhh!!"
He crashed to the ground with a loud impact, screaming and gasping for air.
"D-Damn it..." He gritted his teeth and endured.
The pain didn't subside; instead, it intensified. An unbearable itch rose from deep within his skin.
He felt his blood boiling, his flesh and bones swelling.
It seemed as if his body was reshaping itself.
"W-What the hell is happening?!" Terror surged within him.
Something was wrong.
The awakening process wasn't a rare occurrence; in fact, it was the most common and widespread event. Every person upon reaching the age of sixteen would awaken to their powers — abilities that reflect their essence and life experiences.
The experience itself was usually not painful; some might feel slight discomfort here and there, while others might feel nothing at all.
But...
But what Marian was going through right now was entirely different.
"Ahhhhhhhh!!!!"
A thick, sticky foam oozed from his mouth as he was hit by a wave of convulsions.
After what felt like an eternity, the throbbing finally subsided.
"Hah... hah..." He panted heavily, gulping for air.
"What the hell was that...?" The remnants of fear still lingered in Marian's eyes as he tried to collect himself and regain his composure.
Finally, he attempted to sit up.
He braced himself against the ground and surveyed his surroundings.
'Okay, I didn't break anything in my fit of madness.'
"Ah, good."
Hmm?
He blinked in confusion.
"Huh?"
"Wait, huh?"
'What's wrong with my voice?'
It was different — specifically, softer.
'What is going on?'
He stood up and walked toward the mirror in the middle of the room.
And the moment he faced it, he gasped.
He almost lost consciousness from the shock.
His body had changed significantly.
His hair had grown longer and silkier, his skin had taken on an ivory hue, his waist had become slimmer and more defined, while his hips had gained a fuller shape.
Without hesitation, he stripped off his clothes and started examining his body.
'Hmm... no breasts... Ah, damn! For a moment, I thought I had turned into a woman, w-'
Marian's expression froze.
His face paled as he looked down.
His penis... had shrunk unnaturally, now resembling a mere acorn, as if its existence was no longer necessary.
'I... I'm done for.' His jaw dropped in disbelief.
Thud.
He fainted.
...
"Hmm... Is he running late? Huh..." A beautiful young woman in her twenties yawned as she muttered.
She was gorgeous and alluring, scrolling through her phone with a sweet smile that appeared from time to time.
And with every passing moment, she would glance at the basement entrance.
"Should I go in?" A hint of worry appeared on her face.
'Hmm, I don't think I forgot to tell him anything important. Everything he needs to know is clear... Yes, yes, everything is fine.'
She tried to reassure herself as she checked the time.
00:30
"Ah... The more I think about it, the more I realize he's been taking too long!! Damn it! I'll make sure to give him a proper scolding!"
...
Capital City, Rinkam
Inside a luxurious villa.
The sound of colliding bodies mixed with hoarse moans filled the air.
"Ah… Ugh…" In the center of the opulent room, a middle-aged obese man relentlessly thrust his hips atop a young girl.
"Damn it, they keep drowning me in taxes—do I look like I shit money?!" He tightened his grip around her neck.
Squeeze!
"Ah… If only I could get more women to revitalize my business."
"Ugh… Sir…" Her face turned red as froth spilled from her mouth.
"Hmph? Tch… Disgusting." The man scowled, spat, then wrapped himself in a robe and stormed toward the bathroom, snarling:
"Remember, your idiot father still owes me! So move that ass with more enthusiasm, you whore!"
"Hmph… Trash." He muttered under his breath.
The girl stared emptily at the ceiling, lifeless, as if she had lost all interest in living.
*
'I know…' She whispered in despair.
'I know even if I work for the next fifty years… I'll never repay the debt.'
Unconsciously, tears began streaming down her face.
Her eyes shifted slightly, catching a glimpse of a golden-encrusted clock hanging on the wall.
00:00
Yet, she didn't care.
The next moment, her pulse spiked violently, and her body trembled.
But soon, a glowing pink serial number appeared below her navel:
B-1076
The changes in her body were suppressed, and silence reclaimed the room.
The only sound left was the obese man's grumbling from the bathroom.
She sighed.
"As expected…" She whispered bitterly.
...
In an unknown land.
inside a wooden cabin.
she sighed...
"Well, that wasn't so hard," said a blonde young woman as she lay comfortably on the bed.
After a few moments of relaxation, she extended her arm and began checking for any changes that had occurred to her.
"Hmm... no visible changes in appearance. Good," she nodded.
"Alright, the serious part begins now," she focused her consciousness for a few seconds.
Suddenly, a black screen appeared before her, with glowing white letters:
Name: [Lisa Bell phiore]