Everyone wants to be something.
I knew someone who wanted to protect.
Another who dreamed of becoming rich.
And one who just wanted to be strong.
All of them had desires—fierce, burning ones. But none of them were born with powers.
In this world, power isn't earned by effort alone. It's granted.
By what? Some call them gods. Others, fate.
These powers go by many names—abilities, blessings, gifts, espers. Whatever you call them, they reshape lives. They bring status, wealth, fame—or chaos, justice, and change.
It's said that powers manifest to balance the ever-changing world.
To reflect the ever-changing desires of humanity.
Why talk about desire? Because that's the most common catalyst for awakening.
The stronger your emotions, the higher the chance your ability will awaken.
And desire… desire burns hotter than most emotions.
Some people want powers so badly, they'd sacrifice anything to gain them.
But what about me?
I have power.
Yet I don't remember wanting it.
No strong emotion. No trauma. No desperate plea to the heavens.
So how did I awaken?
Was it fate? A mistake? Or just dumb luck?
Whatever the reason... I was born with it.
And because of that, I live a double life.
To the world, I'm just another student.
But when night falls, I fight in the shadows—exploring forbidden zones, exterminating monsters, uncovering truths buried beneath the surface.
I don't want fame. I don't want eyes on me.
So I hide it.
Balancing normal life and a secret duty is exhausting.
But I won't lie there's a strange thrill in it, too.
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I am in the middle of class, aching all over, and my brain was threatening to shut down for good. Sleep tugged at me like a heavy fog whispering to me that I need to close my eyes, but I had to focus—midterms were coming, and I'd spent most of my week hunting monsters just to save up some cash.
"This is what happened during the year the history—"
My teacher's voice droned on me, something about ancient wars or past heroes. I couldn't focus on. My body was here, but my mind was drifting far, far away like in my bedroom.
"Theo."
Was that my name?
"Theo!"
Someone hissed near my ear.
I turned to my right.
It was my seatmate. Kleo.
I let out a small sigh
She looked at me with narrowed eyes.
"You look totally dead," she whispered. "Are you even listening?"
I nodded. A lie.
''This heroes blah blah blah…''
She started rambling about the lecture anyway—stuff I already knew, or didn't care to know.
Kleo Ruby. One of my classmates, and… I guess you could call her a friend. She's talked to me constantly over the years. Her red eyes matched her last name, and her reputation as a fire user practically blazed around her.
She inherited her power from her bloodline—classic elemental fire. Her black hair and glowing red eyes earned her the nickname "The Drake." Her family's famous around here, so none of it was surprising.
I glanced back at the teacher. He'd wrapped up the lecture and walked out. Kleo, of course, was still talking about ancient heroes this time that what she want to be in the future or known for.
"Still talking about class?"
A deep voice cut in. I didn't even have to look who that person is.
Calvin.
He was tall—at least 6'3—with smooth brown skin and slightly messy brown hair. Built like a soldier but acted like a chill older brother. Girls in the academy practically worshiped him. He is like a weird famous idol that doesn't sing or perform yet he get idolize.
"Yup!" Kleo chirped. "We're talking about the blessed heroes from the past!"
Calvin chuckled and patted her head. "Nice. Anyway, class is over. You guys wanna grab lunch?"
I nodded. Kleo instantly agreed.
We stood and walked toward the cafeteria together.
They kept chatting the whole way. Everything and nothing. I wanted to join in drop some facts about past heroes, but my body was too heavy. I felt like I could collapse on the spot. All I wanted right now was to disappear—to fade out of this moment and sleep.
They don't know what I'm really capable of. They think I'm just one of the "smart kids."
That's the official reason I got into this academy. Brains over brawn.
But that's not the whole story.
I hide my power. Not to escape responsibility—if I really wanted that, I wouldn't be fighting monsters by night. No, I hide it because… I don't have a good enough reason to show it. Or maybe I'm just scared of what it'll mean when I do.
"Theoooo!"
Kleo's voice pulled me back from reality that I'm kinda tired of.
She was pouting. Calvin was smirking.
"Why are you so tired this week?!" Kleo huffed. "You're not even training like us!"
Calvin patted her head. "C'mon, he's probably just busy with tech stuff or whatever," he said, looking at me for backup.
I sighed. "Yeah, just… been up late doing research and stuff..."
That was a lie. It was an obvious lie but I don't have the energy to make it not obvious.
Kleo's expression softened. "Well, if you're really that struggling… it's okay to ask for help, you know?"
She said it shyly, then turned and walked into the cafeteria.
I blinked. Huh. That was... kind of sweet.
Calvin and I followed her inside.
They grabbed their fancy meals. I just went for my usual.
A strawberry vanilla milkshake and a cupcake. The sugar would keep me from collapsing. Hopefully. Finger cross.
As we ate, they kept getting interrupted by other students dropping by, wanting to talk. Makes sense. Both of them were kind of famous. Well their family is very well known in the City itself.
Calvin Heron—he's got this power called Momentum Scarrum. Tattoos appear on his body and grant him different effects. It's wild card ability in my own opnion. He's tough, flexible in a fight, and already has stamina rivaling seasoned agents. Not bad for a seventeen-year-old.
Kleo, on the other hand, got her ability through bloodline inheritance. Her family's "dragon magic" lets her create fire, summon flaming wings, and fly. That's why people call her "The Drake"—a little fire dragon in human form.
And me? I'm just the third wheel. The extra. The balance.
They don't need me in combat or strategy. They've got their own personal team. Calvin once told me he wanted to befriend "non-powered" kids to seem more down-to-earth. I guess I'm that friend. The token powerless guy.
Except... I do have a power.
I've just never shown it. It's not easy to notice unless I use it deliberately—or if something forces my hand.
I finished my cupcake and slurped the last of the milkshake. Worth it.
"I'm heading back to my dorm," I told them, waving lazily.
They waved back and dove right back into their conversations and admirers.
"I need to rest for later," I mumbled to myself with a yawn, walking out.
My dorm was just outside the academy. Ten minutes away. A short walk. But right now, it felt like a journey.
The building looked like a hotel, but it was actually the dorm I lived in. I guess it's a condominium I really do not know the difference between them.
I stayed on the seventh floor. It wasn't far from the academy, so the walking back and forth wasn't much of a problem. At least I don't have to take buses to get to the academy.
After checking in with my ID card, I headed straight to my room.
"Finally… I can rest and get ready," I muttered, closing the door behind me.
A small photo of my family caught my eye—me, my mom, and my dad. My mom worked overseas. My dad… he died in the line of duty.
I let out a sighed and went to the kitchen for some water.
Both of my parents were latent psionic users. My mom worked as a carrier on another continent, using her levitation ability to assist with heavy lifting and logistics. My dad's ability was a supportive one—psionic shielding. He died on an expedition when I was still a kid.
"I need to save up for food," I said quietly, eyeing the nearly empty fridge. ''I'm gonna fill this fridge when I got the money''
My mom sent money when she could, but there were always more things I needed. That's why I worked for my own greed and gluttony. That's why I hunt for golds.
I dropped my stuff on the couch and headed into my bedroom. There, leaning against the side of my bed, was my metallic suit—ready for tonight.
I closed the door and sat cross-legged in the middle of the room.
For me, rest didn't always mean sleep. Sometimes, it meant meditation.
Psionic abilities work differently from other types of power. Our strength doesn't just depend on training or bloodline. It's tied to our mental state—our clarity, our control.
Stability isn't guaranteed. In fact, the stronger the power, the harder it is to control. The mind can fracture before it can focus. Being stable doesn't also mean it grant more power, sometimes we have limits that we have to surpass.
I closed my eyes and began to breathe slowly, calming my thoughts.
I could feel the energy—psi energy—around me.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
I could feel the psi energy is flowing through me. It felt like a wind, yet I could feel that it can drown me at the same time.
It slowly surrounds me.
Exhale
I'd practiced this way even before my powers fully awakened, back when I was just a kid, waiting for something inside me to ignite. My parents thought me how to meditate either way I guess it help me to develop my ability without me knowing.
Meditating with psionics is difficult. Psi energy pushes against the mind, testing your focus. It creates internal resistance. Mastering it takes years of discipline and practice.
BZZT. BZZT.
A loud vibration snapped me out of it.
My phone.
Of course.
I opened my eyes and stretched. My body felt... better. Like I'd actually gotten some sleep. I arched my back, stood, and glanced at my reflection in the mirror on the cabinet. I looked rested. Peaceful, even. ''I looked alive now.'' I said to myself. While making weird faces in the mirror.
I checked my phone.
"8 PM already," I muttered.
Six hours of meditation. Not bad. I wish it could be a bit longer.
There were a bunch of missed messages from Kleo and Calvin. They were inviting me to eat dinner with them after their training.
I replied, "Sorry, just woke up from a nap."
Calvin instantly responded with a thumbs-up emoji. What a chronically online person. I always notice he is always active on his social media.
and Kleo Just left me on seen.
I shrugged it off and moved to the kitchen. Time to make a quick dinner before heading out for tonight's mission.
There were only two eggs left in the fridge. I took them out, brewed some warm milk, and started heating the pan. Once the pan was hot, I put some oil and wait for it to heat up. When I could feel it heat up, I cracked the eggs—sunny side up. A little salt on top.
I forgot to cooked rice earlier morning, but I have bread in here. I just grabbed two slices of bread.
Simple. Enough to keep me going for tonight.
I sat at my small table and started munching my foods.
Buzz. Buzz.
Another message. I glanced at my phone while chewing.
It was from Kleo in the group chat with Calvin. I opened my phone.
"Gonna be a busy night! Training outside~" Kleo message.
"What're you up to?" Calvin replied.
"Real training. With monsters. Going with my cousins~"
Training with monsters? Haven't they done that already? I thought all their recent sessions were human-based simulations. I guess I should've paid more attention to their training.
"Where?" I asked in the chat.
"Secret~!" Kleo answered. I stopped from chewing.
That gave me a bad feeling. I just shrugged it off.
''Have fun.'' I replied. Kleo heart reacted on it.
Kleo and Calvin kept chatting in the group for a bit I was about to read it but lost interest along the way. I finished the last of my eggs and milk and stood up.
Went to the bathroom took a quick shower and changed into my work clothes. A quick get up with a grey hoodie and dark blue pants.
I grabbed my metallic armor—disguised as a backpack—and strapped it on.
"Here we go," I said under my breath.
Just a few blocks from the building that I was staying on is an old, unused underground rail station. It was closed due to the seismic wave that happen few years ago but, after that it was never opened again.
Rumors started when people saw that the entrance is getting block by military men as if they were protecting something. Well at least the government were honest about it. They were quote-on-quote 'studying' that caused the seismic waves. It wasn't a lie, but I wasn't the truth either.
Walking towards to it wasn't that far. It's like walking back to the Academy but in different directions.
By 9 PM, the streets had quieted. Fewer people were out walking. A short walk took me there for like 10 minutes.
The entrance was guarded by military personnel. Access required special permits.
Which, of course, I had.
The city's nightlife still buzzed around me—music from the downtown blocks, neon lights from clubs and arcades still open near the academy. No one paid attention to where I was going.
''I should try the Arcade…'' I muttered to myself. A bit of relaxing would not hurt.
This people must have no Idea that I was going underground.
As soon as I reached the underground stairway, a group of men in military uniforms stepped forward, blocking my path. They're heavily armed.
"Kid, this area is closed. It's under military control for now," one of the soldiers said firmly, crossing his arms. I forgot they shift different people from time to time. The last night I don't have to deal with this.
Before I could respond, a familiar face emerged from behind the group. Lieutenant Marx—his smug grin barely concealed his tired eyes—stepped up and casually patted one of the soldiers on the shoulder.
''Let me handle this'' He said.
"Lieutenant Marx!" the soldier greeted, snapping to attention and saluting sharply.
Marx turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a permit?" he sarcastically asked at me. I rolled my eyes.
I sighed, reaching into my pocket and pulling out my wallet. Opening it, I grabbed my identification card and held it up. "Yeah. Is this really necessary?"
He took the card, examining it closely like he never seen it before, then gave a small nod.
"Follow me." The rest of the soldiers stepped aside with disciplined precision as I trailed after Marx down the dimly lit stairwell.
As we descended, the overhead lights flickered on automatically, casting long, eerie shadows on the concrete walls. The faint hum of distant machinery echoed through the narrow corridor.
"Another day, another extermination, huh?" Marx said, his voice echoing slightly.
"Yep," I answered simply.
Marx snorted. "Don't you ever get tired of this? When I was your age, I'd rather be playing games or doing anything else."
I shrugged. "I get paid. That's good enough for me."
He looked over at me, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Money for what?"
"Food, gear, things I want to buy," I said honestly. I don't really need to hide what I buy.
He chuckled softly but then sighed. "Well, at least you know what you want."
Lieutenant Marx Frograss. I've known him for nearly five years now. I started working underground when I was twelve, barely more than a kid but it can't be help.
I got recruited and trained to be a Null agents—that's what they call us. We're the ones sent into the ever-shifting labyrinth beneath the city to exterminate monsters, explore newly formed catacombs, and retrieve dangerous artifacts.
"Any details about today's mission?" I asked, eyeing the heavy circular door that sealed the chamber ahead.
Marx's smirk faded. "The boss said it's a strange one. Something about a breach no one expected."
A breach? In the underground? That's rare. Specially there is only two entrances and it's heavily guarded at the same time.
He stepped forward and pressed his right palm against the metallic door. Almost as if alive, the surface rippled and absorbed his hand, then slid open like liquid metal.
"Tech's improving," I thought as we entered. I should ask him when I'm going to upgrade my gear.
Inside of the chamber, two women waited for us. One was older, probably in her early forties, with her gray hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. Her green eyes sparkled with sly confidence, and the combat suit she wore told me she was no stranger to the front lines. The other was younger, mid-twenties perhaps, her jet-black hair flowing down her back. She wore a military skirt and a medic's insignia on her back, and her cold, calculating gaze showed she was all business.
If other people that don't know them show up in here, they will be probably get scared due to their intimidating aura. Well, lucky for me I've been working with them for years.
"Right on time, my beloved Riku!" Marx greeted the medic with a teasing grin as he rushed to her side.
Riku Frogress smiled softly and returned his embrace. Then she turned to me. "Good day, Theo."
I nodded and returned the smile, feeling the weight of the moment settle in.
I wouldn't believe at first that both of them are married couple until Riku showed me the papers.
The older woman approached, her presence commanding the room. "Theo, ready for the quest?"
Lady Virgila Ferrus—renown war hero, legend, and nightmare for monsters—stood before me. Her aura alone was enough to intimidate most people, let alone monsters. The stories about her feats in the last invasion were well-known, and her abilities were no joke.
She is literally a walking weapon disguised as a human because of how powerful this woman. I just looked at her.
"As long as it pays well, I don't mind," I answered without hesitation.
Her laugh was loud and genuine, echoing through the chamber like a battle horn. "Good answer."
Riku raised her answer gently to get our attention ''Listen up.'' Her voice were calm.
Riku stepped forward, holding up a tablet. "We have three emergency quests. Each pays 500 gold coins."
WHAT
The room erupted in surprised murmurs and excitement.
"Five hundred!?" Lady Virgila almost shouted.
"That's enough to buy a house and a plot of land," Marx added with a grin.
I just stood there, mouth hanging open. Five hundred gold coins? One gold coin could sustain me for a week. Five hundred would change everything—artifacts, weapons, gear. I'm practically close to be a millionaire!
"How important can this quest be?" Lady Virgila suddenly asked, her brow furrowed. "Emergency quests are usually 100 gold, tops."
I nodded in agreement. "I've never seen a payout like this. How dangerous could it be?"
The last mission I did last night is just 10 gold. The last emergency we did which is last year is just 100 golds and now it went to 500 gold? It doesn't make any sense. How important this mission can be that it reach to that amount.
When I looked at Riku her expression darkened. "Someone entered the underground without permission."
The chamber fell silent. Even Marx's smirk vanished, replaced by a look of disbelief.
Shit.
I remember the bad feeling.
I glanced down at my phone. The group chat was buzzing nonstop earlier. I checked the message I saw Kleo was gearing up to fight a monster tonight with her cousins at a secret location. Base on the quest it's a breach… There is no way.
"The patron of this mission apparently contacted the Military General," Riku explained, "requesting immediate help because members of a certain high-rank family were dragged into the underground."
I sighed heavily when I heard those.
"Ruby familia?" I said sharply. They all turned to look at me, surprised.
"Yes," Riku replied. "How do you know?"
"A friend of mine. It might be connected," I said carefully.
"You have a friend?" Marx asked sarcastically, eyebrows raised. I shot him a glare, and he just chuckled.
"This is a rescue mission. We need to move fast," Lady Virgila said with urgency.
Riku nodded. She pointed at me. "Since you know one of them, you'll take this mission. Protect the Rubys. They're trapped in Labyrinth A12. Your abilities should get you there quickly. Reports say they're fighting monsters but are getting overwhelmed."
This is bad.
I wanted to refuse—to switch quests, to disappear into the shadows—but I knew I couldn't.
"Can I switch with someone else?" I blurted.
Riku shook her head. "I wish I could. Since I am aware that you want to work anonymously, I'd assign it to someone else, but this mission requires your specific skills."
At least I tried asking.
She turned to Marx. "Artifact is detected at A14 it's being guarded by monster. Retrieve it damage or not.''
Lieutenant Marx nodded and vowed his head.
Then Riku turn to Lady Virgila: "Your task is to exterminate. There are nests near Areas 13, and 14. They appeared suddenly and are spawning monsters rapidly. Destroy it at all cost."
Lady Virgila's eyes lit up as she grabbed her baton. "Finally."
"Retrieve any artifacts and survivors. Bring them back here for healing and repair," Riku said firmly.
"Yes, ma'am!" we all replied in unison.
A door opened on the right side of the chamber, and Riku gestured for me to proceed.
I took a deep breath, grabbed the metallic armor from my back, and carefully lowered it to the ground. The heavy clank echoed through the chamber, but in my hands, it felt as light as feathers.
"I'm heading out," I said.
"Take care," Riku said softly.
"Call for backup if you need it," Marx added, tapping my shoulder.
"I'll be nearby," Lady Virgila assured me.
"Thanks," I replied.
I closed my eyes for a moment as I stepped into the labyrinth.
A surge of psionic energy flooded my body, and the metallic armor reshaped itself into a sturdy shield.
"Finally, I can use my ability freely," I whispered.
Then as the psionic energy surrounds me, with lightning speed, I dashed toward Area 12, ready to find the Rubys and protect them from the darkness waiting in the depths.