88CloudSpace

Gabriel Alvarez was born with nothing. A poor Hispanic-American kid struggling to survive the streets of New York, he died alone and starving—just another forgotten soul. But death wasn’t the end.

He awakens in Neo-Terra, a world where magic and technology have fused into a powerful System that governs society. Every person has a class, skills, and stats, their fate determined by the System’s rules. Yet Gabriel is different. Labeled Unawakened, he has no class, no abilities—until he discovers something forbidden.

He can hack the System.

What starts as a glitch quickly escalates into something much bigger. Gabriel isn’t the first to defy the System—there were others before him, people known as Deviants. Every single one of them was erased. Now, the Academy that once offered him sanctuary wants him dead. The Federation considers him a threat to world stability. And an ancient secret buried deep within the System is waiting for him to uncover it.

Armed with his unique ability to override the laws of reality, Gabriel is no longer a forgotten street rat—he’s a rogue element in a world that runs on rules.

And if the System wants him erased?

Then he’ll rewrite it.

Reborn in a World of Magic and Machines

Gabriel and Aurelia were led through the twisting pathways of the Underbelly, deeper into territory untouched by the Federation's control. Rust-covered towers stretched high, their neon signs long broken, their foundations now repurposed into makeshift housing and fortresses. The deeper they went, the more Gabriel realized—

It was clear there were two factions within the group. The older members, identifiable by their scarred faces and cybernetic enhancements, walked with rigid discipline, their gazes filled with mistrust. They wore cloaks over their modified armor, bearing the Red Hand insignia—a palm print smeared in crimson.

But the younger members? They were different. Their outfits were patched together from scavenged Federation gear, their weapons sleek and custom-made. They whispered among themselves, stealing glances at Gabriel.

Gabriel could feel it in the air. A divide.

Finally, they were brought before what could only be the Elders' Hall. A massive underground structure, its walls lined with ancient Federation tech repurposed for survival. A group of five elders sat in a semi-circle, watching Gabriel with unreadable expressions.

The hooded figure who had captured them stepped forward, removing their hood. Underneath was a grizzled older man, half his face replaced with cybernetic plating.

"You are an anomaly," the Elder said, his mechanical voice tinged with suspicion. "The System should not bend to you. And yet, it does."

Gabriel met his gaze. "I didn't ask for it to."

The Elder narrowed his eyes. "Power like yours invites war. We do not fight the System. We survive beneath it."

From the crowd, a younger voice scoffed.

"Survive? Is that what we're calling this?"

A young woman stepped forward, no older than Gabriel. She had short, red-streaked hair, a pair of modified gauntlets on her arms, and a defiant glint in her cybernetic eye. Unlike the Elder, she wasn't afraid.

"The System keeps us in the dirt," she said. "And you think we should just let it happen?"

The Elder's gaze hardened. "Rebellion leads to extinction, child. We do not fight wars we cannot win."

She turned to Gabriel. "But maybe now we can."

The crowd murmured. Some older members looked disgusted. The younger ones looked hopeful.

And he might have just lit the fuse.

Chapter 17: The Divided Hand