Awakening

Joel glanced at the clock on the wall, his heart pounding in rhythm with the ticking seconds. The school foyer was packed with seniors his age, a sea of excited faces buzzing with anticipation. Graduation was just a month away, but today was the real milestone—the day they all awakened their systems. In this world, every student unlocked a unique power system on their eighteenth birthday, a gift from the cosmos or fate or whatever mysterious force governed such things. It defined their future, their path in life, and tonight, the entire graduating class was here to celebrate the collective awakening.

Punch bowls lined the tables, spilling over with fizzy red liquid that no one bothered to check for alcohol. Music thumped from speakers in the corners, a upbeat pop track that clashed with the nervous energy in the air. Joel felt a firm pat on his back and turned to see Henry grinning at him, his best friend since kindergarten.

"Come on, man, don't put on such a bad face," Henry said, his voice cutting through the chatter. "This is supposed to be fun! We're about to become legends or something."

Joel forced a smile, but his stomach twisted with anxiety. What if his system was lame? What if it was nothing at all? He'd heard horror stories of kids getting "support" systems that amounted to glorified inventory management. "Yeah, yeah. Just... hoping for something cool."

A hush fell over the crowd as their homeroom teacher, Ms. Ellis, stepped up to the podium on the makeshift stage at the far end of the foyer. Behind her, a projector flickered to life, displaying a massive countdown timer in glowing red digits: 00:05:00. The room erupted in whispers, then cheers as the numbers began to tick down.

"Alright, everyone," Ms. Ellis announced, her voice amplified by the microphone. "You've waited your whole lives for this. Systems awaken at midnight—let's count it down together!"

The students and staff joined in, voices rising in unison. "Five! Four! Three! Two! One!"

Joel closed his eyes, counting silently in his heart. Please be something good.

DING!

A chime echoed in his mind, clear as a bell, and words materialized in his vision like a holographic display:

[The SCP Foundation System has attached to the host. Secure. Contain. Protect.]

Joel's eyes snapped open. SCP? What the hell was that? It sounded... official. Bureaucratic, even. Not exactly the epic fantasy or superhero vibe he'd been hoping for.

Henry burst out laughing beside him, slapping his knee. "Oh man, you should see your face! Mine just popped up—Werewolf System! I'm basically a progenitor werewolf now. I can turn others into werewolves, build an army, get stronger with each pack member. Claws, speed, the whole deal. We're gonna dominate!"

Joel blinked, still processing his own notification. "That's... intense. Congrats, I guess?"

Before he could say more, Freya sauntered over, her long hair tied back in a ponytail, a mischievous grin on her face. She'd been part of their trio since middle school—the glue that kept their friendship from devolving into constant bickering. "Hey, losers. Guess what I got? Elf System! I can start my own elf village, recruit subordinates, unlock elven magic, archery skills, and even raise a World Tree. Imagine it: me, queen of the forests, with an army of pointy-eared minions."

Henry snorted. "Elves? That's so you—prissy and nature-obsessed. Remember in middle school when you tried to start that 'save the squirrels' club and ended up with acorns in your locker for a week?"

Freya punched his arm lightly, laughing. "Oh, please. Better than your furry fantasy. Back in seventh grade, you were the one howling at the moon during that camping trip because you thought it would summon wolves. We had to drag you back to the tent before the teachers called animal control."

Joel chuckled, the banter easing some of his tension. Those middle-school days felt like a lifetime ago—endless summers of video games, dumb dares, and secrets shared under the bleachers. Henry, the reckless joker; Freya, the sharp-tongued planner; and him, the quiet observer trying to keep up. They'd promised to stick together no matter what systems they got.

Henry turned to Joel, still rubbing his arm where Freya had hit him. "Alright, spill it, Joel. What'd you get? Don't leave us hanging."

Joel hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one else was eavesdropping. "Uh... it's called the SCP Foundation System. From what the prompt says, it's some kind of organization that captures anomalous things—called 'SCPs.' I can build a base, recruit task force soldiers, even something called D-Class personnel for... experiments, I think? And contain these weird entities to protect the world."

Henry's eyes widened. "Whoa, that sounds badass. Like a secret agency hunting monsters? You could have an underground bunker full of captured freaks!"

Freya tilted her head, intrigued. "SCPs? Never heard of that. But recruiting soldiers and containing anomalies? That's got potential. Way better than turning into a dog-man."

"Hey!" Henry protested, but he was grinning.

Joel was surprised himself. It didn't sound half bad when he said it out loud. Maybe it wasn't the flashy combat system he'd dreamed of, but building an organization? Containing threats? It felt... strategic. Powerful in a different way.

Their conversation was cut short as a booming voice echoed from the stage. Mr. Yorn, the burly history teacher who doubled as the school's system advisor, had taken the podium. The countdown projector had switched to a swirling portal graphic, and the room quieted down.

"Listen up, graduates!" Mr. Yorn bellowed, his mustache twitching with each word. "You've all awakened your systems—congratulations. But the real test begins now. As you know, every year, a new parallel world opens for the senior class. You'll be transported there to establish yourselves, honing your systems in a live environment. You can cross back and forth between our world and this new one, but remember: death in the test world is permanent for your system. If you die there, you respawn here as an ordinary human—no powers, no second chances."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Joel exchanged glances with Henry and Freya. They'd heard the rumors, but hearing it official made it real.

"This year's world," Mr. Yorn continued, "is a ninja realm—think hidden villages, elemental jutsu, clans warring for dominance. Inspired by ancient legends, but with a twist: chakra, summons, and forbidden techniques abound. Your systems will integrate with the environment. Werewolves might form beast clans, elves could ally with forest spirits. But it's dangerous—tailed beasts, rogue ninjas, and ancient curses wait. Survive, thrive, and graduate as elites. Fail... and you're back to square one."

The projector shifted to images of misty mountains, bamboo forests, and shadowy figures leaping between trees. A ninja world, like something out of those old anime shows Joel used to binge-watch. Naruto, wasn't it? His SCP system tingled in his mind, as if eager to contain whatever anomalies lurked there.

Henry leaned in, whispering, "Ninjas? With my werewolves? This is gonna be epic."

Freya nodded, eyes sparkling. "Elf magic against jutsu? Count me in."

Joel swallowed, a mix of excitement and dread building. Secure. Contain. Protect. Whatever awaited in that world, he'd be ready—or at least, he'd build something that was.