Birthday Beauty

Kyren woke up to sunlight filtering through the fabric of his tent, casting a warm glow on his surroundings. As he stirred, something felt… different. His arms, peeking out from beneath his black shirt, looked more defined, the muscles slightly more toned than before. Frowning, he sat up and pulled the shirt over his head.

The change was undeniable. His chest was broader, his abs more chiseled. He ran a hand over his torso, feeling the firm ridges of muscle that hadn't been there yesterday. Was it just his body that had changed, or his face too?

Reaching for his dagger, Kyren studied his reflection in the polished blade. His light brown skin was smooth as ever, but his hair—thick, curly, and gathered into a high puff—looked wilder in the morning light, the coils spilling out like a dark halo. Then, he noticed something strange. His eyes.

They had always been a warm, light brown. But now… flecks of gold swirled in his irises, like molten metal drifting beneath the surface. The color wasn't stable, shifting as if trying to consume the brown entirely.

He should have been scared, but he wasn't. His eyes didn't hurt. If anything, he felt… powerful.

A smirk tugged at his lips. Who would've thought I'd get a birthday gift like this? He clenched his fist, watching the light shimmer in his golden-flecked eyes. With this, I can change more than just myself. I can change my surroundings. I can do more than just pay back Grandma Windy—I can clean up the outskirts.

His smirk turned into a full grin. Hell, it might even raise my hero rating.

The thought made his stomach twist. The system had called him the worst hero in Epsilon. Maybe that had been true before, but now? He refused to accept it.

Shaking off the thought, Kyren got dressed and summoned his inventory. He pulled out the last of the cooked panther meat from the night before and devoured it quickly. The energy surged through him, his body absorbing every bit of strength the beast had once possessed.

After recalling his tent and bedroll to his inventory, Kyren set out.

The Chase

As he approached the outskirts village—the place he called home—his ears picked up a familiar voice.

"Kyren! Kyren, help!"

He turned just in time to see Lydel sprinting toward him at full speed, terror written all over his face.

Kyren's stomach dropped. "What did you do now?"

"I won big in the gambling hall, and they didn't wanna pay up!" Lydel gasped, his breath coming in sharp bursts.

Kyren groaned. "Lydel, you know you're not allowed in there with your power. Let me guess—blackjack?"

Lydel had the decency to look guilty, but there was no time to argue. Kyren grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into a narrow alleyway behind the convenience store he always robbed.

"Move!" Kyren hissed, shoving Lydel ahead.

Lydel took off, expecting Kyren to be right behind him—just like always. Kyren had been fast for a powerless, able to keep up with Lydel even when he shouldn't have been able to. But this time…

Lydel glanced back, expecting to see Kyren at his heels. Instead, Kyren was already ten yards ahead, moving like a shadow through the alley.

"What the hell—?" Lydel's breath caught in his throat. He pushed harder, trying to close the gap, but it was useless. Even without a physically enhancing ability, powered people were naturally stronger and faster than the powerless. There was no way Kyren should be moving like this.

Lydel's face paled. Did his powers finally develop?