*Will be fix later*
The rain hit the asphalt like a thousand tiny hammers. Ethan Cross pulled his hood tighter and kept walking. The city never slept, but tonight it felt especially hostile. Neon signs reflected in the puddles, smeared and broken. He had just finished a double shift at the warehouse, his back aching, his bank account still empty. Twenty-seven years old and already tired of living.
He turned into the narrow alley behind the convenience store, the usual shortcut home. The lights here were weaker. Shadows stretched long and thin. Somewhere a dog barked once and fell silent.
That was when the world changed.
A soft chime sounded inside his skull, clean and digital, like a notification from a phone that did not exist. Blue light bloomed in front of his eyes, forming a translucent window that hovered in the air no matter how he turned his head.
**[SYSTEM INITIALIZING…]**
**[Host detected: Ethan Cross]**
**[Compatibility: 97.4%]**
**[Integration complete.]**
