The day started like any other.
I, Riku, was trudging home after another exhausting school day, my headphones blasting the usual pop songs I pretended to like. My backpack slung lazily over one shoulder, my phone clutched in my hand, screen cracked in one corner — a familiar reminder that I had zero luck and zero coordination.
"Just… five more minutes," I muttered to myself, scrolling through my feed. Battery was at 1%, the little icon blinking like a warning light I had learned to ignore.
Then, it happened.
My phone vibrated violently, and the screen flickered like a faulty neon sign. But it wasn't the usual glitch. Something in it… felt alive.
[SYSTEM]: Awakening in progress…
I blinked. My thumb hovered above the screen, unsure whether to tap or run.
"Awakening? What the—"
Before I could finish my thought, a new notification popped up.
[SYSTEM]: Stop walking.
I laughed nervously. "Right, sure. Like some… prank app or whatever."
But the street wasn't empty. Cars sped past. Pedestrians flowed around me like normal. And then I noticed it — a loose signboard above my head, swinging slightly in the wind. A sharp gust made it creak ominously.
Something told me to freeze. My phone's message burned into my mind.
"Stop walking."
I stepped back, hesitated, and then jumped aside at the last second. The signboard slammed onto the sidewalk with a deafening crash where I had just been standing.
Heart pounding, I stared at the glowing screen. My phone… saved me?
[SYSTEM]: Ability Unlocked — Future Notification (3 sec)
I nearly dropped it. "Wait. What? Are you serious?"
The phone's screen pulsed, faintly glowing in the dusk light. I lifted it closer. Another notification appeared.
[SYSTEM]: This is only the beginning.
I froze, a mix of awe and fear rooting me to the spot. A soft chuckle escaped me despite the tension. "Woah… okay, this is… kind of amazing."
I tested it instinctively. Looking around, I focused on the crack in the sidewalk.
[SYSTEM]: Step here in 2 seconds… danger avoided.
My legs moved on instinct, and I jumped again, landing safely. My adrenaline was skyrocketing.
This… this wasn't just a phone. This was something else. Something alive. Something that knew what was coming before I did.
And as I stared at it, mesmerized, I realized…
I wasn't just holding a phone anymore. I was holding a weapon. A power.
And the world was about to notice me.
Because the phone wasn't going to stop with just small warnings. It had bigger plans. Dangerous plans. Exciting plans. Plans that would drag me into a world I never imagined — a world where futures could be predicted, avoided… or manipulated.
I took a shaky breath. My phone buzzed again.
[SYSTEM]: Tomorrow's choice will determine your first step. Be ready.
And just like that, my ordinary life… ended.
The real adventure had begun.