Damon kicked off his sneakers the moment he entered his dorm and slumped back onto his bed like he'd just run a triathlon. His hoodie stuck to his back as he let out a sigh and the wallet he'd stolen now sat on his desk like a ticking bomb.
He'd just stolen from someone. On impulse.
And the worst part?
> He didn't feel guilty.
A soft red ding resonated in his ears.
> [Abilities Shop Unlocked.]
Available Aura Points: 50
Would you like to browse the shop?
Damon hesitated—then sat up straighter.
"…Yeah. Let's see what kind of twisted marketplace you've got for me."
The screen expanded into a floating interface filled with red and gold panels. A list of ability names scrolled downward endlessly.
The cheapest was at the top:
---
1. [Smoke Trick] – 100 AP
Creates a burst of smoke around you. Great for dramatic exits.
"Be a magician, or just disappear after stealing candy."
2. [Sticky Fingers] – 250 AP
Grants enhanced finger sensitivity and mild adhesion for 10 minutes.
"Pickpocket like a ghost."
3. [Shadow Fade] – 500 AP
Allows you to merge with shadows for up to 30 seconds.
"Go dark… literally."
4. [Voice Scrambler] – 500 AP
Your voice changes each time you speak. Choose between 30 presets.
"Perfect for prank calls and identity fraud."
5. [Phase Blink] – 2000 AP
Teleport 5 meters in the direction you're facing by phasing through reality.
"Walk through walls. Or into vaults."
6. [Aura Pulse: Fear] – 1500 AP
Unleashes a wave of terror in a 10-meter radius. Causes confusion, fear, and hallucinations.
"Clear the room without lifting a finger."
7. [Spit Bomb] – 2200 AP
Turn everything that comes out of your mouth into an explosive.
8. [Super Jump] – 4000 AP
Jump very tens to hundreds of meters across the air.
9. [Gluttony] – 4500 AP
Everything you consume turns into power.
...
50. [Authority Null] – 20,000 AP
Temporarily disables all hero-class abilities within a 30-meter radius for 60 seconds.
"Make gods feel powerless."
---
Damon eyes widened more with each tier as he scrolled through them slowly.
His fingers hovered over the [Smoke Trick] one for a moment.
He snorted. "Why would I waste 100 points just to cosplay as a cartoon ninja?"
No. He'd save his points for something better. Something that actually made a difference.
Shadow Fade looked cool. Phase Blink looked even cooler. But he was still way off from affording them.
He exited the ability screen and tapped into the next tab.
> [Stats Console – Available AP: 50]
The menu split into three glowing categories:
1. Appearance (Blue)
2. Biological (Green)
3. Physical (Red)
---
Appearance:
Enhance your physical features. Look the part—be the part.
● Face Structure – 1
● Chiseled Jawline – 0
● Eye Sharpness – 3
● Height – 5'8" (10 AP per inch)
● Nose Structure – 2
● Skin Clarity – 3
● Hair Quality – 2
> Cost: 5 AP per +1 (unless otherwise stated)
---
Biological:
Tweak your internal biology for peak… everything.
● Body Scent – 1
● Libido – 2
● Endurance Stamina – 1
● Health (Immunity) – 1
● D*ck Length – 4.4 inches (10 AP per 0.3cm upgrade)
● Digestive Efficiency – 1
> *Note: Biological upgrades are subtle but long-lasting. Use with caution.
---
Physical:
Stat your way to supernatural.
● Strength – 2
● Agility – 1
● Speed – 2
● Reflexes – 1
● Endurance – 2
● Flexibility – 0
> Cost: 5 AP per stat point
---
Damon leaned back on his palms while squinting at the numbers like they were a mirror to his mediocrity.
"…Damn. I really am mid," he muttered.
He started with the physical stats.
+2 Strength (10 AP)
+1 Agility (5 AP)
+1 Reflexes (5 AP)
"Let's stop walking into doors and maybe outrun a mall cop," he muttered.
"Although this probably won't be enough..."
That was 20 AP gone.
Then he flipped back to Appearance.
+1 Chiseled Jawline (5 AP)
+1 Hair Quality (5 AP)
+1 Skin Clarity (5 AP)
30 AP gone. 20 left.
He glanced at Biological.
'No. Not yet.'
He hesitated… then spent 5 AP boosting Eye Sharpness +1.
> [Aura Points Remaining: 15]
<[ Changes processing… Updating host body… ]>
A strange sensation spread through his skin. It wasn't painful. Just… tingly. Like standing in front of a microwave too long.
He rushed to the mirror.
Was it dramatic?
No.
But his jaw didn't look as soft. His face felt slightly more angular. His hair had a little shine. His eyes looked a bit more alert, less zombie-core.
"This is subtle," he voiced while touching his cheek. "But it's working."
Then he glanced at the wallet he'd stolen which was right beside a pizza box.
Only $27.50 was in it.
"Ugh… does being a villain really pay?"
He took a slice of pizza, opened a can of soda, and leaned back.
At least now, he felt a little less like background NPC #17.
---
Meanwhile – Hero Association, Inner City HQ
The Hero Association HQ sat like a temple of justice at the center of New Eagle City.
It was a massive glass and chrome tower with a holographic statue of a flying hero above its entrance and news drones circling like digital birds.
Inside, the real power gathered.
A conference table longer than a stretch limousine dominated the room. Around it sat 24 of the world's highest-ranked heroes.
Their names were known in every household. Their merch sold out within minutes.
At the head sat the Number One Hero—ChronoKnight.
Unlike most flashy heroes, he wore a long black coat with a glowing violet timepiece embedded on his chest. His hair was silver and slicked back. His face was unwrinkled despite being a hero for decades.
He rarely spoke unless something needed to be decided.
Across from him sat Thunderman clad in his beautiful armored costume, sipping from a golden energy drink can.
ChronoKnight leaned back.
"Nice work with Razorstrike. Clean takedown. Good theatrics. Boosted HeroNet's algorithm nicely."
Thunderman grinned. "Glad to help."
ChronoKnight's eyes flicked to the scrolling screen on the table—civilian casualty stats.
"You ended it too fast though. Should've let a few more civilians get hurt first. Maybe ten deaths or more. Desperation spikes engagement. You could've easily doubled your stream bonus."
Thunderman chuckled. "Duly noted. I'll… time my entrance better next round."
The room laughed.
Across the table, Velvette, Hero Rank #7, blew a kiss into a camera drone. "We're influencers, boys. Not charity workers."
"Clicks matter more than cries," Cutterjaw muttered while scrolling through fan messages. "Public doesn't care who lives. They care who looks good doing it."
ChronoKnight cleared his throat.
"Moving on. We've got our next Emerald Dimension sweep next week."
The air shifted.
The Emerald Dimension...
A world that had been connected to Earth via a dimensional rift over two centuries ago. A place of power and chaos.
It birthed monsters, beasts, sentient species—some who crossed into Earth for bloodshed. Others stayed behind, offering trials, wars, and power in return for survival.
Many Earth-born heroes earned their powers there. Unless you were born with powers passed through bloodlines, it was the only other way.
"Portal's unstable again," ChronoKnight said. "Expect pushback. Bring your best gear. This one's sponsored."
"Sick," Thunderman smirked. "Brand deals?"
"Three of them. Energy drinks, suit upgrades, and a VR line for immersive replays."
They all smiled.
Not one of them mentioned safety or people.
Only clicks.