Rain always seemed to fall hardest on the nights Ethan Cross felt the most tired.
That evening, the clouds opened over the city like a cracked skull, spilling cold sheets of rain onto cracked pavement and rust-colored gutters. Streetlights flickered under the downpour, haloed by mist. Cars hissed past the intersection, spraying water that sparkled in the amber glow before fading back into the dark.
Ethan pulled his hood tighter, shoulders hunched to make himself smaller against the biting breeze. His sneakers were soaked through; every step squelched. The wind tried its best to shove him off the curb.
He stood alone at the old bus stop — a metal shelter with graffiti scribbled across its panels and a bench that felt permanently damp, no matter the weather. He checked the small digital display for the next bus.
23 minutes late.
Again.
"Perfect," he muttered.
The day had already been long. Too long. Twelve hours of lifting boxes, pushing carts, scanning pallets, and dealing with a supervisor who seemed personally offended by the concept of a lunch break.
Ethan wasn't a loser. He wasn't lazy. He wasn't stupid.
He was simply… stuck.
A normal guy.
A ghost in a gray hoodie blending into the world.
Just doing his best to survive.
He sighed, rubbing his thumb across the cracked edge of his phone screen.
Inbox empty.
Notifications nonexistent.
Life unmoving.
He shoved the phone back into his pocket.
That was when he felt it — a prickle at the back of his neck.
Like someone was watching.
He froze.
The rain blurred the world into streaks of motion and color, but across the street — through the watery haze — Ethan saw a silhouette.
A man.
Standing perfectly still.
Facing him.
The stranger didn't move. Didn't fidget. Didn't react to the rain soaking through his coat. He simply stared across the road at Ethan, as if he had been waiting there all day.
A slow, chilling unease crept down Ethan's spine.
Is he… looking at me?
The man remained silent, unmoving, a fixed point in a shifting night.
For a moment, Ethan considered turning away. Forget it. Chalk it up to paranoia. But something inside him — instinct, curiosity, or maybe a spark of fear — kept his gaze locked on that figure.
The streetlight above the stranger buzzed loudly, showering sparks.
The light flickered once…
Twice…
Then went out completely.
Darkness swallowed the man.
Ethan held his breath.
When the light flickered back on—
He was gone.
Not walking away.
Not hiding behind a pole.
Not ducking into a building.
Gone.
Ethan's heartbeat hammered in his ears.
"What the… hell…?"
He stepped away from the bus stop, eyes scanning the block, the alleys, the storefronts. No sign of the stranger. No footprints. No movement.
Nothing.
A low rumble echoed above — thunder rolling across the cloud-thick sky.
And then—
A sharp, metallic DING rang inside Ethan's skull.
Not around him.
Not through the air.
Inside him.
He staggered back, hand pressed to his ear. "What was—"
A glowing blue rectangle materialized in the empty air before him.
Floating.
Hovering.
Solid and unreal all at once.
A holographic screen.
Ethan's breath hitched.
"What… is this…?"
The screen pulsed softly, like a heartbeat syncing with his. Lines of text unfolded across the display.
——————— SYSTEM PANEL INITIALIZING ———————
Host Identified: Ethan Cross
Race: Human
Status: Ordinary (Unawakened)
Potential Level: Dormant
Hidden Talent Detected…
Analyzing…
Processing…
Hidden Talent Confirmed:
ETERNAL MULTIPLIER BODY
Talent Description:
• Everything the Host gains through the Panel is multiplied by ×10.
• This includes: income, stats, skills, items, drops, mission rewards, affinity values.
Talent Status: PERMANENT. Cannot be lost.
——————— PANEL FUNCTIONS ———————
• World Travel (Locked)
• Panel Shop (Locked)
• Mission Board (Online)
• Item Extraction
• Skill Extraction
• Trait Extraction
Panel Points (PP): 0
———————————————
Welcome, Host Ethan Cross.
Your life is now connected to the System.
———————————————
Ethan's eyes widened.
"…Am I dreaming?"
He reached out slowly, hesitantly. His fingertips brushed the glowing surface. The panel shimmered under his touch like warm glass.
It was real.
Or as real as something could be while floating in thin air on a rain-soaked street.
His breathing quickened. He swiped experimentally; the screen scrolled smoothly.
Every motion felt intuitive. Natural.
As if he'd always had this.
---
The Hidden Talent — Awakening
A new pop-up appeared.
———————— TALENT MODULE ————————
Talent Name: ETERNAL MULTIPLIER BODY
Effect:
Everything earned through the Panel is multiplied ×10.
Examples:
• Mission giving 5 PP → Host receives 50 PP.
• Strength +2 from capsule → Host gains +20.
• $100 panel-generated money → Host gains $1000.
• Skill proficiency increased by 1 → Host increases by 10.
No side effects.
No drawbacks.
No restrictions.
———————————————
Ethan swallowed, hard.
His heart thundered.
Everything ×10?
That wasn't just good.
It was broken.
Absurd.
World-shattering.
He felt dizzy.
This wasn't a dream.
It wasn't a glitch.
This was power.
The kind of power people would kill for.
The kind of power that didn't make someone rich or strong.
It made them unstoppable.
Lightning flashed overhead.
---
The First Mission — Destiny Begins
A resonant chime echoed as another window appeared.
——————— NEW MISSION ———————
Mission Title: "The Moment You Become More"
Rank: F (Introductory)
Objective:
Perform your first extraction from the Panel.
Reward:
Base Reward: 10 PP
Talent Applied: ×10 → Total Reward: 100 PP
Notes:
• No time limit.
• Failure impossible unless Host refuses.
• This mission begins your System journey.
Accept Mission? [YES] [NO]
———————
Ethan stared.
A mission.
A reward.
A step into something bigger.
His finger trembled as he pressed YES.
The mission window vibrated once, acknowledging his choice.
---
Item Extraction — A First Taste of Power
Without warning, the Item Extraction menu opened.
A list materialized:
Minor Strength Capsule — adds +2 Strength
Stamina Booster (Basic) — enhances physical recovery
Vision Drop (Low) — improves sight in low light
Self-Defense Instinct Chip (Basic) — slight boost to reaction speed
Muscle Memory Patch — enhances efficiency of physical movement
All of them carried PP costs he couldn't pay.
But the mission requirements overrode that.
Mission Assist Engaged:
Host may choose ONE BASIC item for free.
Talent effect still applies.
Ethan bit his lip.
Which one?
Strength?
Vision?
Instincts?
Strength resonated with him — a concrete change he could feel, something undeniable.
He pointed.
"Minor Strength Capsule."
The panel glowed brightly.
Extracting…
Item Obtained:
MINOR STRENGTH CAPSULE (Basic)
Normal Effect: +2 Strength (Permanent)
Talent Applied: ×10
Final Effect: +20 Strength (Permanent)
Congratulations, Host.
A faint red capsule materialized in the air.
Ethan grabbed it on reflex — solid, warm.
He hesitated only a moment before swallowing it.
The effect was instant.
Heat surged through his veins, pooling in his muscles, spine, chest, legs. His fingers curled involuntarily as power flowed into him. The world sharpened — every raindrop clearer, every sound more distinct.
He wasn't superhuman…
But he was not normal anymore.
Not even close.
He flexed his hand.
Power thrummed beneath his skin.
"…Holy shit."
---
Mission Complete — The Floodgates Open
A golden window expanded.
——————— MISSION COMPLETE ———————
Reward Processed:
Base Reward: 10 PP
Talent Applied ×10 → Final Reward: 100 PP
Current Panel Points: 100 PP
Mission Board Updated.
Panel Shop Unlocked.
World Travel Unlocked.
———————————————
A new menu unfolded.
——————— WORLD TRAVEL NODES ———————
Beginner-Level Accessible Worlds:
1 • Teen Wolf (Low-Tier Paranormal, Social + Combat)
2 • Twilight (Emotional Supernatural)
3 • Zombie Apocalypse (Survival Scenario)
4 • Hunter x Hunter (Rookie Zones)
5 • Naruto (Academy/Genin-Tier Entry)
6 • Bleach (Low-Tier Soul District)
7 • One Piece (East Blue Seas)
More worlds unlock as Host grows.
———————————————
Ethan stared at the list in awe.
These were not simulations.
These were not illusions.
Every world on the list felt real.
Alive.
Waiting.
He could enter them.
Learn from them.
Fight in them.
Survive them.
Become powerful through them.
Bring their treasures back.
Bring their skills back.
Bring their gifts back.
×10.
100 PP echoed invitingly in his panel.
Ethan clenched his fists, adrenaline surging.
A normal guy?
Not anymore.
The world wasn't confined to a soaked bus stop in a decaying city.
Not for him.
Lightning lit the sky, illuminating the seven glowing world-nodes before him.
Ethan took a deep breath.
"Alright… Let's see what's on the other side."
His finger hovered, then pressed—
WORLD 1: TEEN WOLF
The panel flared white.
The rain vanished.
The street dissolved.
The air vibrated with a pulse of supernatural energy.
Wind whipped past him, carrying the scent of pine, moonlight, and faint, distant howls.
The world shifted.
And Ethan Cross stepped into a new reality.
His new life had finally begun.