Hex stared at the man with utmost respect. He was dressed in a greenish military uniform and carried an intimidating presence that naturally commanded attention.
"Sir, you are?" Hex asked respectfully.
"I am Henkui from the Federation Army. I've spoken with the nurse, and from your symptoms, it seems you've awakened a power," the man replied flatly.
"Yes... I seem to have, but I can't control it properly," Hex admitted with a nod.
"We've decided to shift you to the Esper Bureau in Sector 8 for a swift check-up. Any objection?" Henkui asked in a sharp, authoritative tone.
Hex quickly shook his head. "No objection."
"Good. We'll leave immediately. Don't worry, we'll take care of you."
With that, the squad moved into action. The nurse quickly began preparing the necessary arrangements.
...….
An hour later.
Hex sat quietly inside a military hover truck, surrounded by soldiers. The vehicle hovered smoothly at first, then with a deep hum and a sharp burst of energy, shot into the sky. It wasn't just a truck—it was reinforced with armor, sleek black plating, small mounted sensors, and a humming engine that barely shook even at high speed.
Hex sat near the window, looking down at the ruined cityscape below. What once was a lively sector now looked scorched and broken.
Smoke had mostly settled, but the damage remained—buildings collapsed, roads torn apart, and twisted metal scattered across the streets. People moved like ants in panic, trying to gather what little remained of their lives.
"Tsk… unlucky fellow," someone muttered nearby.
"If the Sector Leader had spent money on the latest drones, it might've avoided most of this mess."
Hex said nothing. He just kept watching silently. Some things were better left unsaid especially in front of soldiers. Drawing attention could lead to trouble.
He looked at them closely, trying to understand their strength or abilities. But besides the overwhelming sense of power they radiated, he couldn't sense much else. Their expressions were hard, faces unreadable.
Noticing Hex's lingering gaze, one of the older men, his face marked with age and deep wrinkles, turned to him and asked, "What happened? Uncomfortable?"
"No, I'm just wondering about your power level and mutation index," Hex replied honestly.
The man chuckled lightly. "Hahaha. Kids nowadays are always curious." He reached out and gave Hex a pat on the shoulder.
The moment his hand made contact, Hex felt a sharp jolt run through his body. He managed to suppress the reaction, though his expression briefly turned uneasy.
"We can't reveal much due to the Treaty," the man continued, "but once you join the Federation, you'll learn plenty. By the way, since you've awakened a superpower, didn't you join the Elite class?"
"I recently awakened it."
The atmosphere inside the truck shifted immediately. Everyone's expression darkened. A few let out quiet sighs.
"That's a bit unlucky," someone said. "If you'd awakened it earlier, you might've had time to grow."
"What's unlucky in that?" Hex asked curiously.
Another soldier sitting with his arms folded looked at Hex with narrowed eyes. "You're eighteen, right?"
"Hmm," Hex nodded.
"See, at eighteen, people are sent straight to the Federation Army. It's brutal... and getting worse every year. The Elite class is meant to prepare you with enough skills to survive out there. But if you awakened late and missed that training… then heading straight into that hellhole is bad news."
"I see." Hex could only nod.
After that short exchange, silence filled the truck. The vehicle flew steadily through the sky, slicing through the clouds, as the bleak weight of what awaited Hex grew heavier with each passing minute.
Instead of wasting time, Hex decided to check the power he had come in contact with.
[Ability detected: Agility Booster.]
[Ability copied to temporary slot.]
'What's this Agility Booster?' he wondered.
Just as he thought about the question, a description appeared in his vision.
[Agility Booster – Rank D]
Grants the user twice the normal speed. During an adrenaline rush, speed can increase up to three times.
That was a great ability. Compared to something like hair growth, it was undeniably a top-tier power—at least within the lower ranks.
It was then that a thought struck him.
Why not take this chance to gather more abilities?
He inched closer towards the man and touched him.The same sensation prevailed.
[Punch Blast– Rank E]
Store power and unleash it in a single punch increasing the punching power as more as 5 times.
Hex narrows his eyes looking for the difference between the rank of two skills he garners.
This was one quite good compared to others so why was it ranked E.
Now that he copied powers from a person opposite to one another.
With that thought, he turned to look at the man beside him. The soldier suddenly shivered under Hex's intense gaze, feeling an odd chill crawl up his spine.
"What's up, kid?" the man asked, a strange sense of déjà vu unsettling him. 'Why do I feel... nervous? He's just a kid.'
"Hmm... water..." Hex mumbled, using the excuse to cover his true intention.
"I don't have any," the man replied.
"I have one," said another soldier sitting across from them. He offered a bottle to Hex.
Hex quickly reached for it and, in the process, brushed the man's fingers. That familiar shiver—a tingling current—ran through his body again.
But what followed left him surprised.
[Ability detected.]
[Ability can't be copied.]
[Temporary slots are full.]
Hex took a few gulps of water, clicking his tongue inwardly in frustration.
"Thanks," he said, handing the bottle back. Then he leaned back, closing his eyes and shifting his focus toward the system interface.
'Then how do I unload a slot?'
[Abilities stored in temporary slots can be used three times before disappearing.]
Hex blinked, mildly surprised. He hadn't expected the system to respond to him like this.
'Can't I delete the powers I don't like?'
[Not for now.]
Hex raised an eyebrow. That response hinted at something "not for now" implied the ability to remove or rearrange powers might come later.
'Then… how do I fill the permanent slot?'
[You need Gene Essence.]
'Gene Essence…'
"What's that?" he asked silently.
This time, there was no response.
The system remained quiet, almost as if deliberately ignoring him.
'Seems like it only responds to power-related queries,' Hex thought, narrowing his eyes.
Even so, he couldn't complain. His current set of powers,Agility Booster,Punch Blast and Chaos Reflection—was enough for survival, provided he didn't actively seek death.
Feeling a wave of exhaustion hit him, Hex slowly drifted off to sleep. He didn't know why, but his body felt heavier… his eyelids sluggish.
As the gentle hum of the flying truck continued overhead, his consciousness faded into rest.