AM I SUPERMAN?

Amami, a small-town high school in Kansas.

Kaius was sitting alone in the grandstand of the playground. Although his eyes were fixed on the young men playing American football on the green field below, his mind had wandered far beyond the horizon.

"Sixteen years have passed, and I still can't adapt to this world. Why did I end up here? I swear I didn't do anything! No car accident, no computer explosion, no lightning strike—nothing! And yet, here I am, somehow transported to another life."

Yes, Kaius was originally a thoroughly ordinary Chinese man with roots deeply tied to his homeland. He had a family, friends, and even a secret crush.

Yet, one day, without warning, it happened. It was as though he had fallen into a long dream, only to awaken as a baby, just a few months old, in an unfamiliar world.

And so, sixteen new years went by.

Growing up from infancy in this new life had its advantages. He didn't face communication barriers or have to worry about others discovering his true origins.

Kaius—now called Kaius Rogers—had adapted to his new identity. Ten years ago, his parents had vanished under mysterious circumstances. He vaguely remembered the night a meteor shower struck the town, nearly destroying it. Afterward, Sheriff James Rogers, his uncle, had solemnly told him, "Your parents have gone far away."

Back then, young Kaius couldn't help but recall a lesson from his old class teacher: "The evils of capitalism bring disaster to the common people…"

After his parents' disappearance, Kaius was adopted by his uncle and given the family name Rogers. However, as someone deeply connected to his Chinese roots, Kaius had vowed to keep his original name close to his heart, no matter the circumstances.

"Ring! Ring! Ring!"

The school bell interrupted Kaius's thoughts. The football players on the field below began to take a break. Whitney, the quarterback of the high school football team, hauled a large box of sodas onto the field and called out:

"Hey, guys! Come over here! These sodas are on Kaius. Big thanks to him!"

Cheerleaders and players alike swarmed the box, quickly grabbing the drinks. Whitney, however, took two bottles and walked toward Kaius in the stands.

"Thanks for the sodas, man. You don't look too great, though. Want to join us and try some football?"

Whitney, though only eighteen, stood tall and broad-shouldered, nearly blocking out the sunlight. At 6'2", he towered over the 5'8" Kaius.

Kaius wasn't scrawny by any means. With a Chinese father and an English mother, he had inherited the best features of both and was still quite handsome. He took one of the sodas from Whitney and smiled.

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass. Besides, I've heard enough about you being the star quarterback of the team. You've bragged about it so much, it's starting to get annoying!"

Whitney chuckled and clapped Kaius on the shoulder. "Come on, man. If you join, you'll feel the magic of football—and you might even get to impress a few girls. Anyway, I've got to get back to practice. Thanks again for the drinks!"

As Whitney walked back to the field, an electronic voice rang in Kaius's mind.

Ding! Friendship level increased to 'Friendly.' Character card unlocked: Whitney.

Kaius was no stranger to the voice. It belonged to the system that had been inexplicably tied to him ever since his arrival in this world.

The Friendship System—at least, that's what he called it.

In simple terms, the system measured his relationships with others in six levels: Hatred, Neutral, Friendly, Trust, Admiration, and Life-and-Death Bond.

Once his relationship with someone reached the "Friendly" level, the system would grant him a "character card" that included some of that person's abilities.

He had once gone out of his way to befriend the town's mayor, hoping for something impressive. But when the card unlocked, the ability it granted was "Expert at hiding secrets from one's wife."

At the time, Kaius had been utterly exasperated. Seriously? I'm single and don't even have a girlfriend, let alone a wife! What good does this do me?

The system, he often thought, had a cruel sense of humor.

"Let's see what Whitney's card can do," Kaius muttered to himself. "I mean, if I'm going to be a school star, I might as well have some useful skills, right?"

Kaius closed his eyes and activated the Friendship System with his consciousness. A row of cards, resembling a digital picture book, appeared in his mind. The top row displayed unlocked white cards, including one for Whitney.

White Card: Whitney

Race: Human

Main Card Effects:

Primary charm attribute

Dating specialization

Popularity specialization

"Girl Killer"

Additional Note: Limited physical growth potential.

"Not bad. These are good attributes—way better than a useless sneaky specialization. If a box of soda can earn me this card, I'd say it's worth it!" Kaius consoled himself.

Like most games, the Friendship System cards were categorized by rarity and power. White cards were the most common and weakest. Slightly above them were rare blue cards, followed by heroic purple cards, legendary gold cards, and epic orange cards.

"Equip as the main card!"

The character interface of the Friendship System allowed one primary card and several secondary cards to be equipped. Generally, only the primary card's full abilities would activate, while secondary cards offered limited attribute boosts.

The effectiveness of a card depended on the level of friendship with its owner.

For instance, Whitney's card could utilize 40% of its effect at the "Friendly" level. If their friendship increased to "Trust," the effect would rise to 55%.

The higher the friendship level, the stronger the card's effects!

Kaius equipped the white Whitney card in the main slot. Instantly, he felt a subtle transformation—as though his charm had been amplified.

"Whoa, I feel like I suddenly understand how to flirt! Oh my god, I finally get why I was single in my past life!"

He shook his head, remembering a specific incident:

"Back then, I went out with my crush. She said her dorm was closed, and she'd have to stay somewhere else. But instead of understanding the hint, I rushed off to an internet café with my friends. I even told her the dorm would open in the morning!"

"The way she looked at me wasn't gratitude—it was disappointment. And that wasn't the only time…"

Kaius sighed dramatically, clutching his chest as if in physical pain. "I deserved to be single! All those wasted chances..."

Just as he was drowning in self-pity, a group of cheerleaders passed by. One of the blonde girls glanced at him sitting alone in the stands and gasped.

"Wow! That guy is so handsome. He looks even cooler when he's brooding!"

Kaius heard the comment and turned toward them. A few blonde girls stared back at him, giggling. High school girls in the U.S. are dangerous, he thought.

"Wait... is the effect of this card really this strong?" Kaius mused. Keeping his cool, he maintained a brooding, mysterious expression, the kind that said, I have a story, but I won't tell it.

At that moment, an Asian girl approached him. She had a delicate, flawless face, her smile radiant, with eyes that curved like crescent moons.

Kaius recognized her immediately. It was Lana Lang, the class beauty from the neighboring class. He'd once awkwardly tried to strike up a conversation with her, but the outcome was nothing short of a disaster.

"Hi, Kaius," Lana greeted him with a friendly smile. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

Lana talking to him voluntarily? It felt surreal.

Her presence made the blonde cheerleaders fade into the background. Kaius tilted his head slightly, trying to flash a polite, gentlemanly smile, though it came off as slightly cocky. "Lana, what can I do for you?"

"Here's the thing," she began. "A lot of our team's players are graduating this year, and the coach asked us to recruit some new talent. There's one person who's incredibly qualified, but he doesn't seem interested in football. Since you're so popular, I was hoping you'd help me convince him to join the team."

Kaius maintained his composed smile. "No problem, Lana. So, who's the lucky guy worth your persuasion?"

"Clark Kent," Lana replied with a hopeful look.