I packed my belongings for the return home and locked the door behind me.
Then, of course, I didn't head toward the bus stop. Using my abilities without anyone knowing couldn't possibly cause any harm.
As soon as night fell, I pulled my hood over my head and began a short journey, carried by the wind.
Just beneath the clouds, I drifted closer to the city lights, no longer seeing them as fixed points, but as shooting stars sliding past me.
After only a few minutes, I landed with a suffocating sound.
The asphalt trembled as my feet met the ground, as if greeting me.
When I knocked on the door, my mother opened it and welcomed me.
Seeing me after such a long time, she was genuinely happy about the surprise.
I also stopped by my father's place to complete this small surprise.
My parents had chosen to separate through a quiet, mutual agreement when I was still very young. Because of that, I had never truly belonged to the idea of a single "home."
I returned to my mother's place and chose to rest on the final evening of this long summer.
The next day would be the first day of my final year in high school—
and, of course, the beginning of a period where everything would change.
…
That year, I ended up in the same class as my former business partner, Eren.
He was well known at school for his intelligence and was also very close with Leon, the top student of the school.
From the very first day, Eren and Leon drew everyone's attention.
Among the students, they were known as geniuses. Through their projects, they had participated in many events and won numerous awards.
They even promoted their brand by showcasing a drone they had built themselves—one capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour.
I was genuinely happy for them. They were doing everything they could to achieve great things, and I was certain their intelligence would lead them to an impressive future.
When Eren realized we were in the same class, he came over and asked where I had been and what I had been up to.
He also introduced his friend Leon, trying to bring us together.
He spoke highly of me to Leon, mentioning my background as a programmer.
Eren's attitude caught my interest, and I decided to maintain my friendship with them.
We shared information about a few simple programs and talked about our hobbies.
Leon was involved in multiple game projects and teams, each built around ideas that were truly original and full of potential.
What surprised me the most was his passion for game design and construction.
I was already looking forward to seeing Leon make large-scale contributions to the design of future system events.
Perhaps one day, I could even grant him a small role within the system.
Of course, that could never violate the principle of keeping my identity hidden.
No matter what, this information could not be known by anyone.
…
As the days passed like flowing water, I studied for my classes while applying the final touches to the system.
Each day, I reviewed the Retans one by one and organized my plans for the future.
After exactly two more months, the 1,000 badge orders I had arranged online finally arrived.
Each one had been carefully crafted and neatly packed into boxes.
Just as I wanted, they featured a curved glass display on the front, a computer interface port, and an eye-scanning sensor.
Inside, there was a long-lasting battery and a compartment that served as the device's core.
The final step was installing the Retacode software I had prepared in advance.
This would allow the badges to connect to the system, display the user interface, and self-destruct if any tampering was detected.
It was that simple.
For now, the badges were nothing more than tools.
I set the date for two days later.
That would be the day of my first badge sale.
Standing before the cameras, I would slowly plant the seeds of the system into the world.
Once again, it was a quiet night.
In the darkness where visibility was barely possible, I set up the sales stand I had designed in the square.
Before the day began, I completed my preparations.
To make sure everything was clearly understood, I placed several megaphones and small posters around the area.
People passing by ignored me like an ordinary street vendor and continued on their way.
They had no idea what awaited them.
As dawn slowly approached, I checked my reflection in the mirror, mask on, and made the final adjustments.
Then I turned my back to the closed side of the stand and faced the street.
In an instant, everything around me fell silent.
My heart pounded as if it were about to burst from my chest.
One hand rested on the stand, the other on the keyboard of the computer.
I took a deep breath and fixed my gaze forward.
I pressed the key that would trigger the command.
[System >> Parameter: Flight | Command: Gravity_Cancel | STATUS: ACTIVE]