Chapter 11: The Hidden Power

The competition results were announced with much fanfare at the end of the day, and Alex's team stood proudly in fourth place. Among the top ten in the school that was no small feat. The other teams congratulated them, though Alex stayed silent, lost in his own thoughts. Even after the rush of energy he'd experienced in the forest, he managed to avoid contributing much, letting his teammates take the spotlight.

But beneath his calm exterior, Alex knew everything had changed. His Tay had awakened.

As the students celebrated, Alex glanced down at his power bracelet a standard device worn by all Tay users. It monitored their strength levels and gave a clear indication of where they stood compared to others. When Alex tapped the screen, the numbers that appeared made his heart skip a beat.

The figures displayed were off the charts—comparable to that of an elite Tay user. Far too high for someone who had supposedly failed to bond with a Tay during the selection. If anyone saw this, they'd ask questions. Difficult questions. His classmates, his teachers, even the school administration—they'd want to know how he had suddenly skyrocketed in power without a visible Tay by his side.

Panic swelled in his chest. He couldn't let them find out, not yet. His Tay, still hidden, needed time, and so did he. Alex wasn't ready to reveal what had happened in the forest. He had to keep this under wraps, at least until he understood more about his abilities and the mysterious Tay that had bonded with him.

Looking around at the students, he realized there was only one way to avoid suspicion—he needed to tamper with the power bracelet. If he could lower the displayed values, no one would think anything of it. He'd just be another ordinary student, biding his time.

But hacking a power bracelet was no easy feat. They were highly secured devices, and messing with them was strictly against school rules. He couldn't do it alone. He needed someone who knew how to manipulate the system, someone who could discreetly make the changes without drawing attention.

As the crowd of students began to disperse, Alex's mind raced through the few people he knew who had the technical skills to pull this off. Only one name came to mind—Jasper, a quiet, unassuming student who had a reputation for being able to hack just about anything. He kept a low profile, but Alex had heard whispers about how Jasper could bypass school security systems with ease.

Jasper wasn't the kind of guy who liked attention, much like Alex, and that worked in his favor. If anyone could help him keep this secret, it was him.

Determined, Alex set off to find Jasper. He scanned the school grounds, finally spotting him sitting alone near the edge of the courtyard, his head buried in a book. Alex approached cautiously, trying not to look too desperate.

"Hey, Jasper," Alex greeted, his voice low.

Jasper looked up, surprised. "Alex, right? From the forest mission?"

"Yeah. I need your help with something," Alex said, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "It's... private."

Jasper raised an eyebrow but said nothing, gesturing for Alex to sit. Once Alex sat down, he explained the situation, keeping his voice barely above a whisper. "I need to change the figures on my power bracelet. It's showing levels way too high, and I don't want anyone to notice. Can you help?"

Jasper leaned back, thoughtful. "Why? Shouldn't you want people to know if you're that strong? Especially after not getting a Tay?"

"I can't explain everything right now," Alex said, his tone urgent. "But trust me, I need to keep this hidden. Just until I can figure things out."

Jasper was silent for a moment, then sighed. "Alright. I can do it. But it'll cost you."

Alex blinked. "Cost me?"

"Not money," Jasper clarified with a smirk. "I need a favor. There's a tech project I'm working on, and I could use someone with access to the school's private archives. You help me get the data I need, and I'll fix your bracelet."

Alex hesitated. Getting into the school's private archives wasn't exactly easy, and he wasn't sure what Jasper was looking for. But he didn't have much of a choice. If he didn't do this, his secret would be out in no time.

"Deal," Alex said finally.

Jasper nodded and pulled out a small device from his bag, a sleek piece of tech that looked like a handheld scanner. "Give me your bracelet."

Alex handed it over, his heart racing. Jasper hooked the bracelet to the device and began working, his fingers moving quickly across the screen. A few moments later, he looked up.

"Done. Your stats now look like those of an ordinary student," Jasper said, handing the bracelet back. "But remember—our deal."

Alex slipped the bracelet on, relief flooding through him as he saw the much lower, more reasonable figures displayed. "Thanks, Jasper. I won't forget."

As he walked away, Alex couldn't help but glance at his wrist, feeling a strange mix of excitement and fear. His Tay had finally awakened, and his strength was far beyond what anyone expected. But for now, that power would remain hidden, just beneath the surface.

The real question was: how long could he keep it a secret? And when the time came to reveal the truth, what would happen next?

After his meeting with Jasper, Alex returned home, his mind still buzzing from everything that had happened. The sky outside was beginning to darken, casting long shadows across his room as he threw his bag onto the bed and collapsed into the chair by his desk. He stared at his power bracelet, the newly adjusted figures still displayed, and felt a mixture of relief and tension. He'd managed to hide his abilities for now, but it wouldn't be long before people started asking more questions.

As he sat there, lost in thought, a notification blinked on the screen of his bracelet. Alex frowned and tapped it, curious. A small message appeared: New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Flicker.

Alex's heart skipped a beat. His Tay had remained hidden ever since it hatched, and he had yet to experience any real abilities from it—until now. Shadow Flicker. The name alone sent a shiver down his spine. It sounded powerful, and something about it resonated with the strange energy that had been coursing through him ever since the forest mission.

He needed to try it out.

Without hesitation, Alex stood up and glanced around his room. It wasn't large, but it would do. He wanted to see what this new skill was capable of. Standing in the middle of the room, he focused, trying to summon the energy he had felt earlier. The symbols on his skin didn't appear, but he could feel the familiar hum of power just beneath the surface.

"Shadow Flicker," he whispered to himself, closing his eyes.

Nothing happened at first, but then, like a switch being flipped, his body seemed to blur around the edges. He felt light, almost weightless, and before he could process it, the world around him shifted. One moment he was standing by his desk, and in the next instant, he found himself across the room, standing by the door.

Alex's eyes widened in shock. He had moved in the blink of an eye like a flicker of a shadow.

His heart raced as the realization hit him. Shadow Flicker allowed him to move instantaneously from one place to another, as long as there were shadows nearby. He hadn't even been fully aware of how he did it, but it had felt natural, like his body had known exactly what to do.

Excited, Alex tested it again. This time, he focused on the shadow cast by his bookshelf. In less than a second, his body flickered, and he reappeared right in front of it. The sensation was exhilarating like he was slipping through the air itself, using the shadows as his path.

He couldn't help but grin. This skill was incredible. He could already imagine how useful it would be, especially in situations where he needed to move quickly or evade danger. No one would see him coming, and with the ability to hide his Tay's existence, he now had a powerful advantage.

For the next few minutes, Alex experimented with the skill, flickering from one part of the room to another, moving faster and smoother each time. He felt more in control of the ability with each use, though he noticed that it drained his energy quickly. After several uses, he had to stop and catch his breath, feeling a little dizzy from the rapid movements.

But still, the power was there. His Tay, hidden or not, had given him something remarkable.

As Alex sat down on his bed, still feeling the rush of using Shadow Flicker, he couldn't help but wonder what other abilities his Tay would reveal. This was just the beginning.