Beneath The Surface

Ronan's days at the university took on a steady rhythm—lectures, group projects, and hours spent tucked away in the library or under trees with his books. On the outside, he remained the same quiet boy no one paid much attention to. Inside, however, a storm was brewing.

His system had evolved again.

He woke up that morning with a notification floating in his vision:

*[Blast Amplification Unlocked - Lv.1]*

*You can now channel energy into physical objects. Cost: 10 Energy Points per use.*

Ronan blinked it away. It was risky to use it now, especially with people always around. But it meant progress. Quietly, he smiled to himself.

---

The entire week was tense on campus. A small group of students from a rival department had caused trouble—throwing around accusations, bullying underclassmen. Ronan found himself watching from a distance, never getting involved.

Until they targeted Felix.

Felix was one of the only students who treated Ronan like a person. A lanky, talkative boy with too much curiosity for his own good. And that day, three boys had him cornered outside the cafeteria.

Ronan saw it all. The shoving, the shouting, the fear in Felix's voice.

He stood still.

His fingers tingled.

Then, the leader pushed Felix to the ground—and Ronan's body moved before he gave it permission. Within seconds, he was standing between them. His voice was quiet, but firm.

"Leave him alone."

The boys laughed.

One swung at him.

Ronan didn't move. He didn't need to.

His system flickered to life.

*[Blast Pulse: Activated - 5 EP used]*

The punch never landed. A subtle shockwave pushed the boy back slightly—not enough to notice something supernatural, but enough to make him stumble and curse.

"Something's wrong with this guy," one muttered.

"Let's go."

They backed off.

Felix stared at Ronan like he was a ghost.

"You didn't even flinch. What was that?"

Ronan shook his head. "Just lucky, I guess."

---

That night, Ronan sat under the moonlight, staring at his hands.

He had power now.

But power meant danger. Not for him—he could handle himself—but for his mother, for Felix, for anyone close to him.

No one could know.

So he stayed hidden.

And watched.

And waited.

Because he could feel it—something was coming. Something that would force him out of the shadows.

But not yet.

Not today.

He wasn't ready.

---