Almost two weeks had passed since the Tide, and yet the flood of videos and posts about superpowers on the internet showed no sign of stopping. The public, once skeptical, began to doubt if these bizarre abilities were truly real. The sheer volume of footage made it impossible for the governments to remove all traces, and the more they tried, the more it spread.
But then, one post began to dominate every forum, appearing under a single account name:
Seeker_of_Eden2034.
"My fellow humans of Earth," the post began, "I am the Seeker of Eden, a humble believer in the promised land. By now, you've seen the footages—magical powers, abilities beyond imagination. Perhaps you know someone who possesses such power. Or perhaps you, too, have been Blessed.
For those still in doubt, I am here to confirm this truth: It is real. The world has changed. It began on January 14th, 2034—just two weeks ago. The transformation is upon us, and we must all prepare. But it is not only humans who have been Blessed. Every living being has received this gift—dogs, birds, fish, even insects.
As humans, we are entrusted with the responsibility to ensure the safety of all creatures. And so, I leave behind this prophecy—a warning of what is to come:
First, the continent of Nambara will fall to the Beasts—those animals now Blessed with power. Second, the Axia Dynasty will face the tragedy of water next year. Third, the United Freedom Federation will lose its president to assassination, and with him, the city will fall. Finally, the River Kingdoms Confederation will be brought to its knees by a monster of metal and steel in five years.
These prophecies are not set in stone. There is still time to alter their course. You will need your champions to rise and protect your people. Do not attempt to hide or suppress this message, for one of the Blessed in my organization has ensured it will remain visible to all for three weeks."
Comments flooded on the post as shockwaves of alarm rippled through governments across the world. Every nation scrambled to contain the fallout, deploying every tactic they knew to remove the post. Yet, no matter what they tried, the message remained untouched, seemingly immune to all efforts. Even the forum administrators were powerless; they couldn't alter or delete it.
Experts and tech specialists were baffled, left to ponder the impossible. After days of futile attempts, governments reached the inevitable, though disheartening conclusion: this was the work of an Ability. An unknown power was at play, and it was beyond their control. The helplessness of their situation only added to the panic that was quickly sweeping through the public.
Desperate to calm the growing unrest, world leaders made the unprecedented decision to reveal the existence of individuals with magical abilities—two months ahead of schedule. It was a rushed and reckless move, and it only made the chaos worse.
In the United Freedom Federation, fear ran rampant. Groups of ordinary citizens began calling for the segregation of the "Supers" from the general population, demanding that those with powers either be banished or imprisoned. Tensions escalated as both sides dug in their heels, each convinced they were right.
Meanwhile, in the Moros Empire, the situation was slightly better. Thanks to the intervention of the Chosens—those with abilities who had already proven themselves—the animals causing havoc in the cities were brought under control, under the view of the common citizens. The Emperor publicly endorsed the Chosens, presenting them as heroes and defenders of the people, a move that calmed much of the population.
The Axia Dynasty, on the other hand, was in a peculiar situation. Ordinary citizens were simply stunned by the revelation of magical powers, but the Ten Families seized the opportunity to publicly recruit Awakened individuals, using the newfound abilities as a way to further solidify their influence. Their internal political strife only intensified, and tensions among the ruling elite began to rise.
In the River Kingdoms, the government spared no effort in shaping the narrative. They worked tirelessly to present Weilders as protectors of society, showcasing footage of them fighting off animal attacks and subduing dangerous criminals. While some protests and rallies did emerge, they were nowhere near as widespread or intense as in the UFF. The public seemed more willing to accept the reality of the Weilders, seeing them as essential to maintaining order.
For a full week following the post of Seeker_of_Eden2034, the world remained in a state of heightened tension.
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Inside the office lounge of the Division 0 Wist City Branch, South Squad had gathered to discuss the latest developments, as well as to catch up with Jackie, who was now discharged but still covered in bandages.
Adam looked around at the group, his voice steady as he posed the question, "What do you guys think of this Seeker of Eden?"
Jackie whistled and leaned back in his chair, "More like Seeker of Attention. He's done more damage than those rabid animals ever could. I spent most of my time browsing the internet while I was in the hospital, and I gotta say, crime rates are spiking, prices are skyrocketing, and people are panic-buying like it's the end of the world. A lot of people going missing and don't even get me started on the increase in suicides—one week, just one week!"
Beth nodded in agreement, her tone serious. "The officers in Wist City are overwhelmed since that post. We're getting calls at all hours for the most ridiculous things—people suspecting their neighbors of having magical powers because their car's not working, or accusing their spouses of using powers to cheat. There was even a call from a school where parents were accusing a teacher of using magic to make their kids stupid." She paused, as if catching her breath from her rant. "It's like the whole city's lost its mind."
Adam raised an eyebrow in surprise at Beth's impassioned rant but didn't comment. Instead, he turned to Arnold, who was sitting with his usual scowl.
"The intentions of that Seeker are definitely not pure," Arnold grunted, his voice rough with irritation. "Or maybe they're too pure... either way, they're an idiot."
Tia, sitting quietly in the corner, fidgeted nervously as the conversation unfolded. Peter, ever the quiet one, continued typing away on his laptop without joining the discussion.
Sarah spoke up then, her voice thoughtful. "Ben told me that in his school, things are getting weird. If you're already popular and have powers, you're treated like some kind of 'chosen one.' But if you're not, you're shunned and ostracized."
Jackie chuckled. "The first few weeks will be chaotic, but eventually, it'll settle down. People will treat it like the new normal. Who knows? We might even end up as celebrities!" He gave a mocking grin.
Sarah shot him a derisive look. "Keep dreaming." Jackie smirked, then started whistling.
Tia shyly raised her hand, her voice soft. "Um, actually, in our neighborhood, powers are treated with respect. At least, after it was revealed that I had an Ability, people stopped causing problems around us." She looked down, as if embarrassed by the attention.
Adam's thoughts drifted.
That's right, Tia lives on the poor side of the city...
Arnold asked calmly, "Who's causing you trouble?"
Perhaps a bit too calm.
Jackie leaned in, his eyes glinting as he stopped whistling. "Yeah, Tia, any other troublemakers around?"
Tia hesitated for a moment before nodding shyly. "The gangs usually stick to their own territories and mind their business... but sometimes they fight. My family lives under Viper's turf. They're not good people. They ask for money sometimes..."
Adam and Sarah's eyes narrowed at the mention of the gang.
"Viper..." Sarah muttered under her breath with a venomous tone.
Adam glanced at her.
Jackie smirked and whistled in an amused tone. He turned to Beth. "Hey, Beth, does Division 0 deal with gangs and criminals?"
Beth took a moment to think, her fingers tapping on the armrest of her chair. "We at the department usually leave gangs alone unless they're causing too much trouble," she replied thoughtfully. "Most of them stick to petty crimes, but I know they have some shady dealings with the department. Now, though..." She paused, then continued. "Division 0 is funded directly by the government. Especially now that we've gone public, our authority has only grown. And South Squad is under my command, not the Wist City Police Department."
Adam smirked. Jackie let out another whistle, clearly amused. Sarah nodded, her expression serious.
Beth stood up and walked over to the table, grabbing a tablet from her bag. "And speaking of trouble," she said, tapping the screen a few times. "I was just given a new assignment this morning. It came from higher up—not from Wist City Police, but directly from Division 0 head quarters, Central. A missing person case."
Everyone turned toward her, the room instantly quiet.