maker of power

• Chapter One: A New Beginning

In a long-forgotten, abandoned neighborhood stood a dilapidated house, barely held together by its decaying beams. The walls were cracked, and the ceiling creaked with every passing breeze, as if ready to collapse at any moment.

Inside the shack, a boy lay on a frail wooden bed that looked like it would fall apart at the slightest touch. His thin body was drenched in sweat, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Haah... haah... no...!"

The boy jolted awake, gasping for air like he'd been running for hours, his eyes darting around in confusion, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

"Where the hell am I?"

He lifted a trembling hand to his head. A splitting headache pounded at his skull like a hammer.

"The last thing I remember... I was playing with my friends, then fell asleep from exhaustion... and now... nothing."

He exhaled slowly, trying to gather his thoughts through the pain, but the headache suddenly intensified. It felt like a flood of memories was crashing into his mind all at once.

Ten minutes passed—though to him, they felt like ten years.

"Ugh... I thought I was going to die..."

He sat at the edge of the bed, breathing heavily, trying to process what he had just experienced.

"What are these memories...? No... they aren't mine. This... this isn't my body."

He paused for a moment to focus before the realization hit him like a wave.

"I've... transmigrated into someone else's body? His name is also Adam? This is insane."

He looked down at his skinny arms, at the worn-out clothes he was wearing, then around the nearly empty room.

"A rundown home... a frail body... no need to be a genius to realize how poor I am."

A dry chuckle escaped him as he tried to make light of the shocking situation.

"Well, this body is mine now. Rest in peace, my friend. I'll take good care of it."

He stood up slowly, only for dizziness to hit him like a brick. He clutched the wall to steady himself.

"Damn it... I forgot. This body died of hunger."

A deep, painful emptiness gnawed at his stomach. It was a kind of hunger he had never felt before. Even though he'd been an orphan on Earth, the orphanage always had something to eat. And once he turned eighteen, he had started working at a gas station with his friends.

"Don't tell me... I'm going to die of starvation before I even get a chance to do anything?"

As he clutched his stomach, trying to gather the strength to stand again, a sound echoed in his mind:

Ding! Installing system...

Adam froze in place. A wide grin slowly crept across his face.

"Of course! What's a transmigration without a cheat?"

He sat down, anticipation building as he waited for the installation to finish, almost like he was downloading a game.

Installation complete. Binding to host... Success. Error: Host is in critical condition. Beginner package replaced with emergency treatment. Substitution complete. Initiating treatment...

Before he could process the words, a warm sensation welled up from his lower abdomen and spread throughout his body. It was soothing, reassuring—like being returned to the safety of a womb.

"Mmm... this feeling... it's incredible."

He closed his eyes and let the warmth wash over him. It felt like his frail body was being reborn.

But the moment didn't last long. He opened his eyes slowly and looked down at his hands. They were no longer as pale. His body didn't feel as weak anymore.

"Did I... heal?"

He approached a dusty old mirror in the corner. Though it barely reflected anything, it was enough to see some change—his complexion had improved, his posture was better.

Then the voice returned:

Emergency package successfully activated. Host is advised to use the treatment wisely.

Adam's expression grew serious. Things were beginning to make sense—there was a system, an opportunity, and perhaps... a new future. المحتوى هنا...