MrSaKaMoTo

Seventeen-year-old Justin Reyes lives like he’s already dead. Trapped in a cycle of poverty and exhaustion, he works brutal hours at a construction site for half the pay of others, enduring discrimination and silent resentment. Home offers no escape—just a rotting shack in the woods and a grandmother lost to addiction, barely aware he exists.

Then, one night, as he clears debris from the site, something catches his eye—a book, hovering inches above the ground, pulsing with an eerie glow. The title: Days of Future Past.

Drawn by something he can’t explain, Justin reaches for it. The glow intensifies, wrapping around his fingers like fire. Heart pounding, he flips it open, his breath hitching as he reads the first words:

"No matter where you lie, if you hold this book, you can tell the future or die."

Days of future's past

Justin woke up to the dim light filtering through the cracks in his shack's ceiling. The cold air bit at his skin, but he barely noticed. His mind was already racing with an idea—a new drawing.

He sat at his makeshift desk, flipping open the worn book. With a few strokes of his pencil, he crafted an image of himself sitting in a quiet room, his gaze distant but focused. However, the details mattered. In his mind, he wasn't just sitting—he was seeing. Above his hand floated translucent numbers, shifting constantly, percentages altering with every potential action.

A skill that let him gauge the likelihood of outcomes before they happened.

As he put the final touches on the sketch, he felt a familiar warmth in his fingers. The ink shimmered for a split second, then the change settled into his body like second nature.

Curious, he glanced at a nearby cup of water and flicked his fingers as if tossing a coin. Numbers flashed across his vision.

He let the coin drop. It landed exactly as predicted.

Justin smirked. Now this… this is going to be fun.

Justin's skills grew rapidly—too rapidly for some. He had risen through the Framework's ranks at a speed that turned heads, impressing even Director Kain. Missions that should have taken squads of trained operatives, he was handling solo.

Tensions simmered within the Framework, especially from those who had trained for years, only to be outshined by a newcomer. Among them, one operative stood out as the most resentful.

A combat specialist named Kael Voss.

Kael wasn't just another recruit. He was part of "Team Umbra"—one of the elite squads in the Framework, known for their brutal efficiency and tactical genius. His pride took a hit watching Justin rise, and it wasn't long before that resentment boiled over into a direct challenge.

Nia pulled Justin aside after training one evening, her expression serious.

"You know you're not the only team in the Framework, right?" she asked.

Justin raised an eyebrow. "Figured as much. Why?"

"Because you pissed off someone from Team Umbra. And that's not good."

Justin smirked. "Let me guess. Some guy who doesn't like that I'm moving up faster than him?"

"More like a guy who's been at the top for years and doesn't want some rookie threatening his spot," she corrected.

Before Justin could respond, a voice cut through the room.

He turned to see Kael standing at the entrance, arms crossed. His short, jet-black hair barely moved as he walked, his golden eyes sharp with challenge.

"You and me," Kael said, his tone edged with confidence. "One-on-one. No powers. Just skill."

Justin tilted his head. "And if I say no?"

Kael smirked. "Then you prove to everyone that you're nothing but a fluke."

Justin exhaled, cracking his knuckles. He had already checked Kael's probability.

He grinned. "Fine. Let's see if you're as good as you think you are."

Probability's burden