Chapter 1: The Burn in the Rain
The rain poured down like judgment.
Kairo Adeniyi tightened his hoodie and pushed through the empty streets of Lagos's tech district, neon signs flickering above puddles of oil and light. His backpack was heavy with spare drone parts, but heavier still was the silence that had followed him all day.
Something was wrong. He could feel it.
He wasn't the type to believe in omens—but when your hand starts burning in patterns, even the most logical mind starts asking questions.
It began during coding class. One moment he was writing a simple AI patch, and the next—searing pain shot through his palm like molten fire. He nearly screamed. He covered it up, said it was a cramp, but he knew better.
Now, walking home in the dark, he peeled off his soaked glove and stared again.
The mark had returned.
A strange golden symbol, pulsing under his skin, like a rune drawn by a mad god. Lines ran from his wrist to his fingers, glowing faintly—like digital circuits fused with ancient calligraphy.
> [God Key Protocol initializing…]
Please submit: One Core Memory
Warning: This action is irreversible.
Kairo froze. The voice wasn't from outside. It echoed directly inside his skull.
"What the hell?" he whispered, heart racing.
He stumbled backward, breathing hard. The world shimmered around him like a glitching hologram. Streetlights dimmed. Colors bled. The air felt…hollow.
> Select: Memory Fragment to trade for Ability Unlock.
1. Childhood memory: "First time you saw your mom cry."
2. Academic memory: "How you built your first drone."
3. Emotional memory: "Your last real laugh."
He stared at the options, horrified.
"Trade a memory? For what?" he asked aloud.
> Confirm trade to activate [Talent Awakening].
[You currently possess: Locked SSS-Tier Potential. Activation requires sacrifice.]
Something inside him whispered, Say yes.
And then—they came.
A crack in the sky. Not thunder. Not lightning. A vertical slit tearing through the air above the street. Blue fire licked its edges. From inside, figures stepped out—cloaked, armored, eyes glowing with the same sigil that burned in his hand.
"Subject 12-A confirmed," the lead figure said in a distorted voice. "The God Key has chosen."
Kairo ran.
He didn't look back—just ran, boots splashing through the downpour, lungs on fire.
But the voice returned, louder this time.
> Choose your memory, Kairo Adeniyi. Or be consumed.
Cornered in an alley, he slammed his back against the wall and made the choice he never thought he'd make.
"I… I give up my laugh."
> [Memory fragment erased. Access granted.]
Talent Unlocked: Phasefire Control.
Current Rank: Unknown. Potential: SSS-Tier.
The pain returned—but it wasn't pain anymore. It was power. Heat flowed through his veins. Fire danced around his hands, not red—but blue, crystalline, and pixelated.
Kairo opened his eyes, no longer afraid.
And for the first time in his life, he didn't smile.
Because he couldn't remember how.