Dipon, meaning Divina Potentia or Godlike Power, emerged a thousand years ago, beginning in 2050 with its first known user: Kaede Zuklayde. From birth, Kaede was different. His power allowed him to create any machinery he could imagine. But his gift was both a blessing and a curse. Most of his life, Kaede was exploited, used as a lab rat and a tool for governments hungry for his creations. Over time, the relentless abuse drove him to madness.
In a moment of shattered sanity, Kaede used his power to destroy the labs that had imprisoned him, killing everyone inside. Over the years, he regained his composure and sought to rebuild his life. He married, started a family, and passed his gift to his child—a child born blind. This descendant possessed an evolved version of Kaede's power: his abilities were always active, granting him echolocation so precise he could "see" through walls.
Over the following centuries, more people were born with powers, called "The Awakened" at first. But as time passed and Dipon became universal, the term fell out of use. By the year 2149, in the global capital city of Canaria, Kaede lay on his deathbed with his granddaughter Bryssa Zuklayde at his side. Bryssa was thought to be powerless until she took her own life alongside her grandfather. Only then did her gift reveal itself: the power to create a new element. This element, called Bryssaline Crystal, became a cornerstone of society.
Kaede's final invention was a machine that used the Bryssaline Crystal to identify a person's unique power upon touch. In 2150, a bronze statue of Bryssa was erected in Lumina Plaza, the beating heart of Canaria. Standing fifteen meters tall atop a marble base, it became a symbol of progress and sacrifice. A thousand years later, advancements made through Dipon reshaped the world. People were categorized into two classes: Triggerbound Dipon (manual, requiring intent to activate) and Everflow Dipon (passive, always active). The terms "Sleepers" and "Wakers" were coined for these groups, respectively.
By 3047, The Telling Ceremony had become a universal tradition, performed at birth to discover a child's power. Telling Chips—implanted into the lower palms of newborns—served as both identification and a tool for daily life. Over a millennium, one fact remained: no two powers were ever alike, across past, present, or future.
"Put your hands up and don't move! You are under arrest for murder and sentenced to trial!" The shout echoed through the dimly lit alley, neon lights flickering in the distance.
Ren Alaric stood motionless, crimson blood dripping from his hands, as the officers closed in and cuffed him.
Emotionless, he let his thoughts drift. Memories flashed through his mind—his childhood, the neglect, his parents screaming and shoving, their drug addiction consuming everything. It all led to the moment just minutes ago when they tried to sell him for drug money. He had killed them in self-defense.
Ren tilted his head back, glancing at the night sky. His gaze fell on the Nexus Tower, the nearly four-kilometer spire rising above the ocean.
It's so pretty… he thought, admiring the way the distant lights reflected off its metallic legs, each rooted deep in the sea.
Sitting in the back of the police car, Ren's mind turned to Haruka. He pictured her wavy brown hair, the way her deep emerald-green eyes seemed to see right through him.
"Haruka… I'm so sorry."
The car descended into an underground facility beneath the Nexus Tower. Ren stepped into an elevator that plunged further down, the hum of machinery growing louder. When the doors opened, he was led into a dimly lit hallway lined with cells. His cell was stark and lifeless, save for the graffiti scrawled on the walls by prisoners before him. Some words were inspiring; others were deeply unsettling.
Ren sat on the cold metal bed, staring at the wall. Silence enveloped the hallway, broken only by the occasional drip of water. Then, the quiet shattered.
"Let me go! I can walk by myself!"
The voice rang out, light but fierce, echoing through the corridor. Ren perked up, moving to the cell bars. Footsteps approached, and his heart stopped.
"Haruka?" he whispered.
There she was, throwing up a casual peace sign as two guards flanked her. Even in the dim light, she looked effortlessly composed, her confident smile untouched by the bleak surroundings.
"What are you doing here?" Ren's voice cracked as he gripped the bars.
"It's okay," Haruka said softly. "I'm fighting for your freedom. You didn't do anything wrong. Just watch my trial."
She walked past, her figure disappearing into the gloom. Ren slumped onto the bed, tilting his head back to stare at the flickering lights. For the first time that night, emotion stirred within him: hope, mingled with fear.
A flash of bright light illuminated the dim prison cell. A holographic screen materialized on the once-blank wall, casting a soft glow across the room.
Ren's heart raced as the screen flickered to life, revealing a massive, empty chamber with sleek white walls. Haruka stepped into the room, her expression calm but the faint sheen of sweat betraying her nerves. As the doors shut behind her, the chamber transformed.
In an instant, the sterile room became a bustling shopping hall. Shelves lined with brightly colored goods surrounded a group of criminals—ten in total—standing at the center and holding four terrified hostages. Screams echoed as holographic shoppers fled, leaving Haruka alone in the chaos.
Haruka took a deep breath, her voice steady despite the knot in her stomach. "Please, let's not escalate this. I want to make an offer."
One of the criminals leveled a gun at her. "Huh? Get down on your knees! Now!"
"Okay, okay!" Haruka dropped to her knees, raising her hands in surrender. "I just want to make a deal. I'm a Triggerbound user. My power is Scripture. Anything I write becomes real. I could be more useful to you than these hostages. Take me instead."
The criminal sneered. "Yeah? And how do we know you're not bluffing?"
Haruka's hand hovered in the air, her fingers tracing invisible letters. "Golden Statue," she whispered.
With a faint shimmer, a golden statue—roughly the size of a watermelon—appeared before her, solid and gleaming. She pushed it forward as proof.
"See? I'm valuable. Let the hostages go, and I'll cooperate."
The criminal hesitated, his greed battling his suspicion. Finally, he barked, "Fine. Get up and come here. Slowly."
Haruka obeyed, standing and inching forward. Her gaze flicked to the hostages, who were being released one by one. The moment they were safely out of range, she struck.
"Smoke!" she scripted.
A thick cloud of smoke erupted, obscuring the criminals' vision. Without hesitation, Haruka's fingers moved again. "Chain," she wrote, her hand swift and deliberate. Glowing chains materialized, binding the criminals to the floor.
Through the dissipating smoke, Ren watched intently as Haruka scripted a final message in the air: Win Clean.
So, you want me to hide it... Ren thought, his jaw tightening as the screen faded to black.
A calm voice echoed from the speaker in Ren's cell: "Haruka Solenne, the Tribunal has reviewed your trial. You have received a Complete Pass. You are found not guilty and will be released without a criminal record."
Ren exhaled, relief washing over him—but only briefly. A few minutes later, it was his turn.
As Ren stepped into the white chamber, the room morphed into a familiar nightmare. The shadowed alleys of The Verge District stretched out before him, every detail painstakingly replicated. The air was thick with the scent of engine oil and mud, the ground littered with broken glass and discarded machinery.
Tch... They even nailed the smell, Ren thought bitterly.
Ahead, inside a roofed scrapyard, a gang of thugs huddled together, plotting a bank heist. Ren's fists clenched. This was his home—a place he had fought to escape, only to be dragged back by the Tribunal's trial.
Drawing on his martial arts training, Ren moved through the shadows, silently taking out a few thugs one by one. But just as he subdued his third target, a shout rang out.
"Hey! Who's there?"
The remaining thugs turned on him. Ren fought fiercely, his movements a blur of precision and strength. But the numbers were against him, and he began to falter under the assault.
As he leapt to avoid a blow, a faint light flickered on the back of his hand where his cybernetic implant glowed. Instinctively, he began scripting the word "Slam Down," a surge of Dipon pulsing through him. But then Haruka's words came back to him: Win Clean.
Grinding his teeth, Ren canceled the script mid-air. Instead, he grabbed a rusted pipe from the ground, using his surroundings to turn the tide. One by one, the thugs fell unconscious.
Breathing heavily, Ren stood amidst the motionless bodies.
The scene dissolved, leaving Ren in the sterile white room once more. A voice echoed around him, cold and detached: "Ren Alaric, due to uncertain Dipon usage, you will be brought in for further questioning."