Prologue

New York, 2024

The summer heat left as the sun set, and the night sky began to drape over the suburban neighborhood. Inside an apartment building made of bricks lived a young boy of 15.

Theo Dimagiba Promet is a bright but ordinary child born of mixed race from the Philippines and the United States, where he currently lives. His parents met when his Filipino mom, a nurse, married his dad, a doctor. It was love at first sight, my ass; they hooked up drunk, and I came out nine months later.

Anyway, he's gonna be really honest: he loves the atmosphere when he has nothing to do except read the latest chapters of his favorite web novel. He's way past watching anime and reading the Asian trinity of comics: manga, manhwa, and manhua. He's already at the point where the pictures are in his head, meaning light novels aren't enough, so he turned to fanfics.

Man, has he ever felt that summer is about to end tomorrow when yesterday was just the end of school.

Although it's fine as his friends talk to him on DisKord when they invite each other to play video games. He loves it when they play at the park with their frisbee, and he's gotta tell you that he's an amazing thrower. He was literally the baseball captain back in sixth grade, though not anymore.

The world is greatest when life is simple and comfy, and he loved it just as it is: normal.

He might be hypocritical for reading fantasy adventures for the thrill of it, but now he'll ask you, who hasn't?

Yeah, he might've dreamt of having superpowers on one occasion, saving people, but those are so distant, far away, and impossible even, that he's considered it unrealistic as it only happens in stories.

But tonight is different for our young hero, for his perspective on fantasy and reality will blur.

As he reads in the darkness of his room, alone inside the apartment, the light of his phone screen covers his focus. A glowing light had his attention focused on just reading, engrossed by the newest update on 'Nah, I'd Adapt'.

R-r-r-rrRRRIIPPP

A rift that held a kaleidoscope of colors that can't be described by every color spectrum swirled with eerie light that pulsated throughout the room. Theo now noticed the phenomenon.

The rift in a split second became a vortex that started sucking in Theo, who was startled and tried to grab the closest thing to himself.

It was a comic book, DC's Absolute Power #1, and he could only curse as he was dragged into the vortex.

Sensations that he could only describe as exhilarating and terrifying made Theo's head go through a million thoughts of his coming death or torture, whichever was worse if he even came out of this trippy hell.

Then, the sensations stopped as he floated in the air. The colors were replaced by stars and an unnatural mosaic of colors. His previous point of the "portal" still stood.

With an unceremonious drop as the energy that made him fly disappeared, he felt disoriented.

The atmosphere had him kneeling to a crawl as an otherworldly energy emanated from an enigmatic entity, form shifting and undefined, cloaked in an ethereal glow that pulsed with cosmic power every second.

A resonant and ancient voice boomed throughout this void-like space, "Greetings, Theo Promet. I am known by many names across the multiverse, but for you, I am the Weaver of Destinies. I have chosen you for a purpose beyond your comprehension!"

Theo, now looking up, his eyes flashing with anger, disbelief, and despair. "Chosen? Chosen?! What the fuck gives you the right to pull me out of my fucking life and decide to push me into whatever agenda you have?! I didn't ask for any of this!" His voice was hoarse after his shouts died down.

The Weaver's presence and demeanor remained calm and unwavering, and it didn't look good. "Your existence has intersected with the threads of fate in ways unforeseen. You have inside your soul an ability rarely seen in 10,000 universal resets. Honing and utilizing it is paramount. You have been born with the power 'One with Equipt.'"

Theo barely had time to react, nor to ask even a question on what this power meant, as the space shimmered around him, gathering over his skin in a split second. With a surge of energy changing, Theo, enveloped in it, was thrust through another rift-portal, his feelings being: questions unanswered, confused a ton, and red-hot boiling hate.

Yes, he was told he had a power never before seen for 10,000 universal resets, but he wasn't happy that he'd disappear from his peace without an ounce of explanation, just that he had a purpose he wouldn't understand.

The next moment, as he perished his thoughts, he landed with a jarring thud on a three-story dilapidated building in what he could only describe as a dark and grim neighborhood. He looked for a fire escape to get down from and moved down from there.

The chill of the night air and the distant sounds of the bustling city quickly reminded him that it really did happen.

For a few moments, he took deep calming breaths, thankful for not changing into homely attire, but what he wore when he went out.

As Theo brushed his dark, messy hair and took on a determined look in his now brown-crimson eyes, he steadied himself and went down the fire escape to the alleyway after dropping from the step-ladder.

The sheer scale and intensity of this grimy city... 'PUTANGINA, WEAVER!' was his only thought as it began to sink in. The narrow skyscrapers were imposing, and the shadowy streets were accompanied by eerie glows from neon lights as they flickered on the wet pavement. The air was thick with grime and chemicals, with a dash of a foreboding feeling.

As Theo wandered the streets, he observed the pedestrians walking by with a strange indifference to the chaos around them. Just around the corner, a beatdown was happening, but people passed by without a second glance. It was a stark contrast to New York, where people watch for a bit, then call the cops, as something that violent would have drawn crowds and a flurry of concern.

But indifference and avoidance, seriously. He's pretty sure that checks out, one of five things from his mugging reaction list, to what city this might be.

He had to determine where he was, and what was the best place for information? Of course, a library. He didn't have his phone, as he let go of it mid-shock during the kidnapping, and could only rely on manual means.

He approached a passerby, a middle-aged woman with a hurried stride.

"Excuse me," Theo called out, keeping his voice steady. "Could you tell me where to find the nearest library?"

The woman glanced at him briefly, then pointed down the street. "Two blocks that way, then turn left. You can't miss it."

"Thank you," Theo replied, and with a nod, he started walking in the direction she had indicated.

As he walked, Theo's mind raced with questions. Why had the Weaver sent him here? What was his power? And most importantly, how was he supposed to survive without shelter, money, and water?

With each step, he resolved to find answers and adapt to his situation in this world. Hopefully, the library would help him out. Because he has no system, but a cheat-like power he doesn't even know how to use. He could only think grimly, as his work got cut-out for him.

END