Le temps n’avait pas vraiment cessé de couler —Ren le savait—, mais quelque chose dans l’air avait changé. Comme si une couche invisible venait d’être posée sur la réalité.
The translucent window still floated before his eyes.
[Unlimited Evolution Human Potential — Initial Activation.]
[First Echo available.]
[Compatibility: 3%]
[Do you wish to establish the connection?]
His heart was pounding so hard his chest hurt.
Am I… hallucinating…?
A drop of rain slid down his temple.
The pain in his stomach was very real.
So was the hand pulling his hair.
— Hey! You falling asleep or what?!
The violent shake snapped him back to the present.
The laughter of the three boys still echoed around him.
Everything was real.
…including that window.
An icy shiver crawled up his spine.
Unlimited Evolution Human Potential…
Even the name sounded… wrong.
Dangerous.
But behind the fear—
…there was something else.
A glimmer.
A possibility.
Amane’s face surfaced in his mind.
Her pale expression.
The machines.
The bills.
His jaw tightened.
If… if this is real…
His hand trembled slightly against the wet ground.
— Want us to wake you up for real?
One of the thug’s feet lifted.
Ready to strike.
Ren inhaled sharply.
—
Yes.
—
The world tilted.
[Connection established.]
[Synchronizing…]
A monstrous pressure exploded inside his skull.
— Ghh—?!
His vision instantly blurred.
This wasn’t normal pain.
It was like—
Like someone had opened a door inside his head.
Fragments.
Sensations.
Impressions.
Raw.
Ancient.
Violent.
[Echo partially loaded.]
[Warning: compatibility extremely low.]
The floor beneath his fingers suddenly felt… different.
Harder.
More familiar.
His breathing changed.
Shorter.
More controlled.
His fingers slowly tightened.
Unconsciously.
The thug frowned.
— …Huh?
Something was off.
Ren felt it too.
His body was still weak.
Still hurting.
Still small.
But—
…he no longer felt completely lost.
As if a silent presence was observing through him.
[Recommended instruction: basic movement.]
Movement…?
The foot came down.
Ren moved.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Instinctively.
His shoulder rotated at a tiny angle—ridiculous, even—but enough for the blow to slide instead of landing cleanly.
— What—?!
The impact still hit him.
He rolled across the ground with his breath knocked out.
But…
It wasn’t the same.
Not as clean as usual.
Silence fell for a second.
— …Did you see that?
— He moved?
— Lucky miss.
The laughter resumed.
But Ren wasn’t laughing.
His heart was beating even faster.
I… dodged?
Not completely.
Not cleanly.
But…
He had felt the movement coming.
A fraction of a second early.
His fingers trembled.
The system window flickered.
[Analyzing…]
[User comprehension: insufficient.]
[Progress: 0.2%]
Ren stared at the words.
Comprehension…?
Something in his head was stirring.
Not memories.
Not exactly.
More like…
…a sense of posture.
Of balance.
Of timing.
Brutal.
Primitive.
As if his body had glimpsed a possibility it didn’t yet know how to reproduce.
A hand suddenly grabbed his uniform and yanked him up.
— You getting cocky now?
The tallest one’s face moved closer.
Too close.
— Looks like you forgot your place.
The fear came back.
Brutal.
Crushing.
His body trembled despite himself.
I can’t win…
Even with this thing.
Even with this system.
There were three of them.
And he…
…was still Ren Aster.
One meter fifty.
Zero talent.
Zero power.
The window flickered again.
[Observation: mental state unstable.]
[Recommendation: continue Echo exposure.]
Continue…?!
Easy for you to say.
His breathing grew uneven.
But then—
A thought crossed his mind.
Cold.
Clear.
Not a voice.
Not exactly.
More like…
…foreign logic.
Move before impact.
Ses élèves ont contracté.
Le coup de poing arrivait.
Ren l'a vu.
Pour la première fois.
Pas rapide.
Pas lent.
Mais… lisible.
Son corps a réagi.
Toujours maladroit.
Toujours en retard.
Mais cette fois—
Il se pencha sur le c?té.
Le poing lui effleura la joue au lieu de l'écraser.
Le voyou maudit.
— Merde !
Le c?ur de Ren a explosé dans sa poitrine.
Je l’ai vraiment… esquivé…
[Progrès : 0,7 %]
La migraine a frappé immédiatement.
Violent.
Sa vision vacillait.
— Ngh—!
Ses jambes tremblaient.
Le système vacillait.
[Attention : surcharge mentale mineure.]
[Compatibilité insuffisante pour une utilisation prolongée.]
Alors…
Chaque mouvement lui a co?té cher.
Bien s?r.
Rien n'était gratuit.
Une peur froide lui glissa dans la poitrine.
Mais derrière ?a—
…une étincelle venait de na?tre.
Pour la première fois de sa vie—
Il n’était plus complètement impuissant.
Le voyou recula, agacé.
— Peu importe, ?a devient ennuyeux.
Un autre soupira.
— Oublie ?a. Nous recevrons l'argent demain.
La troisième dispute près de Ren.
— Préparez-en deux, crevettes.
Puis—
Ils sont partis.
Juste comme ?a.
Le silence retomba dans le couloir.
Ren est resté immobile pendant plusieurs secondes.
Puis ses jambes ont laché.
Il s'effondra contre les casiers, haletant.
La fenêtre flottait toujours devant lui.
[Séance d'écho terminée.]
[Progrès total : 0,7 %]
[Statut : sujet viable.]
Ses mains tremblaient.
Son corps lui faisait mal.
Sa tête palpitait.
Mais au plus profond de sa poitrine—
…quelque chose br?lait.
Lentement.
Dangereusement.
Ren leva les yeux vers le plafond humide.
Sa voix résonna comme un murmure rauque.
— …Je peux… devenir plus fort…
La pluie continuait de tomber sur Eidryss.
Et quelque part, au plus profond du système—
…quelque chose avait officiellement commencé à le surveiller de près.
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