PLAYER SYSTEM C16 IAN

Jack could feel the power coursing through his body, thrumming just beneath his skin. But he kept his excitement in check, murmuring to himself, “I might feel powerful now, but I’m still nowhere near the level of the truly awakened heroes in this world.”

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Though... I’m probably stronger than the average F-rank hero already. And that’s saying something. Even F-ranks are a cut above normal humans.”

His eyes drifted back to the status screen hovering before him:

---

«Name: Jack»
Class: Twilight
Level: 10
EXP: —
HP: ~380
MP: ~440

Unallocated Stat Points: 27

Strength: 38
Endurance: 38
Agility: 36
Intelligence: 39
Wisdom: 38
Dexterity: 36
Charm: 41
Luck: 35

[Skills]
• Healing Light (Lv. 3)
• Grasp of Doom (Lv. 1)
• Gracepierce (Lv. 2)
• Piercing Dawn (Lv. 4)
• Piercing Dawn: Radiance (Lv. 3)
• Gracepierce: Lumen Fang (Lv. 1)
• Mournburst (Lv. 1)


---

“I’m only level 10—technically two levels behind Larkight,” Jack muttered with a small grin, “but I still feel amazing. This is more than enough for now.”

He blinked out of his reverie. “Wait—dinner time—oh, crap, I’m late.” He glanced at the clock, shaking his head. “Then again... Father and Mother probably left for one of their other villas to enjoy some ‘family time’ without the family.”

He gave a dry chuckle. “Guess I’m eating alone again. Not that I expected anything different. Can’t blame anyone but myself for getting too caught up in that game.”

Sliding off his headset, he placed it gently on his desk. The system panel flickered out of sight as he turned to his Hologram Desktop monitor. A breaking news ticker scrolled across the bottom of the screen, catching his eye:

> [BREAKING] The War of Eve is a massive hit! Sold out within hours, expected to reach 2 million copies sold today alone!

Jack wasn’t even surprised. “Figures. Blackstar nailed it again. This game was hyped for a reason.” He leaned back, thinking aloud. “With the global VR userbase in the billions—even the older gen models still running—yeah, millions of sales in a day? No biggie.”

He stood up, stretching his limbs. “Bet they’re gonna rake in a billion or two in a couple days easy.”

With that, he brushed off the thought, shook out his arms, and finally left his room.

---

Jack entered the living room and, unsurprisingly, found it empty. No sign of his father or mother—just silence and stillness. He scratched the back of his head and made his way toward the dining room. As he approached, the automatic glass door slid open with a soft hiss, sensing his presence.

"Hmm? Someone’s here..." Jack murmured to himself, instincts sharper than before. Ever since syncing with Larkight, his senses had become more refined—he was level 10 now, after all. And while he could tell it wasn’t his parents inside, he didn’t sense any hostility either.

He stepped into the modern, spacious dining room, eyes scanning the sleek furnishings and artistic centerpiece glowing gently in the ambient lighting. Then a familiar voice cut through the quiet—calm, cool, and eerily similar to his own.

“Jack... finally done with your game?”

Jack turned and saw him—blonde hair, sharp blue eyes, and an almost mirror-like resemblance. The only real difference was the aura the other young man carried: calm, intellectual, introverted confidence. A quiet storm type. The kind of person who spoke little, but thought deeply.

Meanwhile, Jack, with his slightly tousled hair, fit physique, and a faint sheen of sweat still clinging to his skin, looked like a more rugged, charming version—a laid-back hunk in contrast to the poised thinker before him.

“Ian...” Jack said the name quietly, acknowledging the figure across the room. His twin brother. Born just a few minutes apart, but in many ways, they couldn’t be more different.

He hadn’t seen Ian for nearly two months—not since Ian awakened his ability: “Hacker.”

Ian’s eyes flicked to Jack’s bare upper body, surprise flickering across his usually composed face. “So... you’ve been working out, huh?” he remarked, his tone somewhere between amused and impressed. “That’s a good habit. I always thought you were just gaming nonstop, but turns out you’ve been taking care of yourself too. Mom and Dad would probably faint if they knew.”

Jack didn’t respond right away. He pulled out a chair across from Ian and sat down, watching his brother quietly. Ian was the only sibling he was genuinely close to. They’d been each other’s support system when their parents constantly berated them for not awakening their powers. Jack drowned himself in games, Ian in code. They understood each other—until two months ago.

Ever since Ian awakened, something had changed. They hadn’t spoken much. A silent distance had formed.

Lost in thought, Jack finally reached over and tapped the touchscreen panel built into the table. He selected one of the available meal presets, and within seconds, a panel slid open beneath the table, revealing a steaming plate of bacon, eggs, and salad. He took it, gave a small nod to no one in particular, and began to eat quietly.

The silence lingered, thick but not hostile—just full of things left unsaid.

While chewing, Jack finally spoke up. “So… what brings you here? I figured someone as ‘awakened’ as you would be too busy to bother with us mortals.”

Ian gave a faint smile, calm and measured. “Well…” He paused, his gaze meeting Jack’s. “I just wanted to check how you were doing. And from the looks of it, you’re doing better than fine.”

Jack smirked, a bit of food still in his cheek. “I appreciate the gesture.” Then his smile faded. “But as you can see, I’m managing.”

A brief silence stretched between them before Ian spoke again. “You’re still bitter about me awakening, aren’t you?”

Jack let out a quiet chuckle, dry and low. ‘Bitter? Tch.’ He shook his head. “No. Why would I be bitter?”

Ian raised a brow. “It’s kind of obvious… the way you’re talking to me right now.”

Jack leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable. “Can you blame me? For months, I was the one taking all the hits. Father, Mother—they couldn’t stop comparing us. Then you awakened, and just like that, I became ‘the disappointment.’” He scoffed. “Thank god they’re not always around this penthouse, or I’d be hearing it nonstop.”

Ian’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard. He lowered his head with a small cough. “I didn’t realize… I’ve caused you that much trouble.” His voice was quieter now. “Sorry, Jack.”

Jack glanced at his brother—his tone, his posture. It wasn’t fake. It wasn’t for show. Ian really meant it.

He felt a twinge of guilt. “Well… it’s not your fault,” Jack muttered, waving it off. “You didn’t ask to be awakened.”

“I still owe you an apology,” Ian insisted.

Jack let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. If this had happened just a few hours earlier—before the sync, before awakening his PLAYER ability—he probably would’ve stayed angry. But now? Comparisons didn’t matter. Not anymore.

“Alright. Apology accepted.”

A visible breath of relief escaped Ian. His shoulders relaxed.

Changing the subject, Jack asked, “So, how have you been? Word is you’re climbing fast in the company—executive already? That ‘Hacker’ ability doing wonders?”

Ian nodded, a spark in his eyes. “Yeah. A lot’s happened in the last two months…” He began sharing the highlights—his projects, breakthroughs, the chaos of corporate politics.

Jack listened as he ate, nodding along. For the first time in a long while, their conversation felt natural again. Familiar. Like the distance between them was finally closing.

Then, just as Ian paused, Jack leaned in slightly. “Hey, bro… I’ve got a request. Might be a little techy.”

Ian tilted his head, curious. “Alright. What is it?”

Jack hesitated. ‘Can I ask him to build something based on the BEYOND system? Like a wearable interface… maybe glasses that can project my PLAYER status in real time…’