<Technomancer class, Hacker Talent>

The screen flickered and then stabilized. A different black HUD appeared, displaying a new set of stats, entirely different from the ones I had seen before.

[Unlocked <Technomancer > class]

[Unlocked <Hacker > talent]

[Technomancer class (Unique): a highly specialized and versatile class that combines technological mastery with magical and scientific principles. Grants user the ability to manipulate technology, energy, and data.]

[Hacker talent (Unique): an ancient and near-extinct ability. Hackers are the architects of systems, guardians of information, and explorers of the digital frontier.]

[Class: Technomancer (Unique)

Rank: EX

Talent: Hacker

DA: MAX

EA: MAX

STR: 55

INT: MAX

WIL: MAX

AGI: MAX

END: MAX

LCK: 0]

I stared at the stats, too stunned to speak.

Technomancer? Hacker?

These weren't classes anyone had ever mentioned before. And EX? I hadn't seen that in any guidebook.

A voice from the capsule's system interrupted my thoughts. "Based on our analysis, you have unlocked the unique class Technomancer. Due to limited data on this class, you will be placed under temporary surveillance."

My heart sank. Surveillance?

This was supposed to be routine, and now I was flagged.

In this world, systems tech knowledge was virtually erased, and professions like software engineering, systems architecture—anything related to systems technology—were considered a threat.

GAIA controlled everything.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a screen flickered into view beside the ominous black interface of Codebreaker.

This display was sleek and bathed in a subtle blue glow. This was undoubtedly GAIA's signature—a display I'd seen countless times already. But seeing it side by side with the Codebreaker HUD was surreal, like watching two worlds collide in real time.

Where Codebreaker felt raw, edgy, and almost sentient in its responsiveness, GAIA's system was precise, sterile, and corporate.

[Verification complete. Your surveillance status has been revoked.]

[Class Threat Level: Low]

Before I could fully process what I was seeing, the capsule's display shifted back.

[Registering your class and rank with GAIA Talent Bureau…]

I watched as my stats recalibrated.

Noah Adler

Class: Technomancer (Unique)

Rank: D

Talent: Technical Specialist (Combat/Support)

DA: 43

EA: 60

STR: 55

INT: 77

WIL: 72

AGI: 42

END: 58

LCK: 0

[Technomancer (Unique)]

[Description: Highly specialized and versatile class that combines technological mastery with magical and scientific principles. Grants user the ability to manipulate technology and energy.]

[Technical Specialist (Combat/Support)]

[Description: Support-oriented talent with limited combat capabilities, focusing on hardware construction, repair, and minor battlefield assistance.]

I blinked, trying to make sense of it. The Codebreaker screen had shown one thing, but now GAIA HUD was reporting something completely different. My jaw clenched as realization dawned.

The Codebreaker system… it had altered my stats, masking my true rank and class from GAIA. I was the only one who knew the truth. I was supposed to be EX rank, with a Technomancer class and a Hacker talent. Yet, GAIA saw me as a mere D-rank Technomancer with a Technical Specialist talent.

That feeling of excitement quickly morphed into a knot of anxiety in my stomach. The Codebreaker was essentially hacking GAIA, and if anyone found out, I was done for.

But at the same time… I couldn't deny the thrill that pulsed through me. I hadn't felt this feeling in a long time.

So, the Codebreaker system I stumbled upon last night did more than I thought. It was stealthy—like a digital cloak, concealing my true stats from GAIA's all-seeing system.

But why would it do that? Was it helping me stay hidden? This world didn't have software architects, let alone hackers, so maybe the Codebreaker was a safeguard to keep my strange abilities under wraps.

My pulse quickened as the implications settled in. I could hack the system—this world's ultimate system.

The thought sent a thrill up my spine. The power that lay in that ability could be enormous, but it also felt dangerous, like holding a live wire with no clue whether it would shock me or not.

The capsule door slid open with a hiss, signaling the end of my awakening process. I hesitated before stepping out, my heart pounding, still shaken from what I had seen.

As I moved, my HUD flickered with my updated stats, albeit displayed to GAIA as far weaker than what I had just seen inside the capsule.

I laughed quietly, the sound slightly hysterical. A D-rank Technomancer class. That was the official record GAIA had for me, while the true stats were stored elsewhere, masked from view.

The world would look at me as just another average guy with modest potential, and no one—no one—would know what lay beneath.

Graham was waiting just outside, waving me over with a grin. "Hey! What did you get?"

I shrugged, giving him my best nonchalant look. "Technomancer, D-rank. Nothing special," I replied, glancing around to make sure nobody else was listening in.

"What? You're joking," he gasped. "You're kidding, right? They put you at D?" He gaped, clearly astonished, and I could feel the judgment, though he tried to hide it.

Graham was usually supportive, but right now he looked like he couldn't believe it. "And what's with that... what exactly is that class of yours, anyway?"

"It's a tech specialist with magical capabilities, I believe," I replied.

"Whoa. That sounds really cool. I got a combat class—Fighter. All that boxing class was worth it." He clapped me on the back, looking genuinely sympathetic. "Well, don't worry. I'm sure you can still get into one of the minor academies."

"Yeah, thanks," I muttered, barely listening.

My mind was racing, running through the possibilities. How could I test my Technomancer abilities without drawing too much attention? It wasn't like I could just go around hacking things in public.

I'd need to be careful and strategic.

"Alright, everyone, let's go!" Mr. Riz's voice boomed over the crowd. He was waving the last of us back into formation. "I don't want to be here all day while you lot complain about your ranks!"

I rolled my eyes, falling in line with the others. The post-awakening buzz was almost deafening. Everyone was either bragging, complaining, or debating which academy they might get into.

A handful of people glanced at me curiously but quickly lost interest when they saw the D-rank classification on my ID display.

The shuttle ride back to school was a blur of voices, none of which I registered. I kept thinking about my new abilities, the strange hack that showed me my real stats, and what on earth an "EX" rank was supposed to mean. Is it some kind of special rank?

No one had mentioned it, and Mr. Riz had only talked about SSS ranks being the highest and a special rank. If Gaia hadn't recognized the EX rank, then what did that make me?

As we disembarked, Graham threw his arm around my shoulders, still chatting about his B-rank talent, something combat-based. "We could totally team up, you know? My talent for offense, your... technician skills for support?"

I chuckled, nudging him away. "Sure, Graham. We'll make a killer duo."

Once back in class, I noticed the curious stares aimed at me had mostly faded. I was, after all, a D-rank Technician—a nobody in the grand hierarchy of talent rankings. Everyone else was already wrapped up in their own ideas of glory or grumbling over disappointment.

Even Mr. Riz had barely acknowledged my awakening result, moving past me as if I were just another statistic. Which, for once, worked in my favor.

As the day dragged on, my mind remained restless, buzzing with the revelation from the capsule. When classes finally let out, I made my way to the rooftop, where I could get a moment to myself. I'd been wanting to test out my abilities, and with no one around, this was my best chance.

I concentrated, imagining the screen from the capsule, the strange interface that displayed my stats as raw data.

I unconsciously spell out Codebreaker in my mind. And then, as if in response, that same black HUD flickered to life. And the first thing I saw was an icon—Codebreaker Mode.

I clicked it.

Suddenly, it was as if the world around me shifted. A mesh of green and blue digital lines overlaid everything, as though reality had been remade in pixels and code.

My vision adjusted, and I could see faint traces of code even on the walls and windows, like the GAIA system was woven into every molecule. My heart raced, and I instinctively reached out a hand, as if I could touch it.

A faint menu appeared before me, detailing things I could adjust, test, or even bypass. The possibilities were dizzying.

But then, just as quickly, a new notification appeared.

[Security Protocol Detected.]

[Warning: Unauthorized Access.]

My stomach dropped. Crap! I hadn't expected GAIA to detect my actions so quickly.

In a panic, I deactivated Codebreaker Mode, watching as the digital overlay faded, leaving only the usual rooftop in front of me. My HUD went back to normal, though a slight static remained in the corner of my vision. Hopefully, that would disappear over time.

But the feeling of dread didn't fade. I had barely scratched the surface, and already GAIA's system had noticed something.