After everything that happened, I came back home—soaked to the bone, heart pounding like a drum. Masato's voice kept echoing in my head over and over again. I tossed my wet clothes into the washing machine and jumped into the shower.
Once I got out, I sat down on the couch and slipped the ring onto my finger. For a second, everything was silent—then suddenly, that strange voice echoed in my mind again.
“Connection established. Host status: active.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“You… you can talk?! What are you?!”
“I am the Mind Copy Support System embedded in the ring. My function is to activate and manage your psychic abilities.”
I stared at the ring, bringing it closer to my face.
“Those voices I heard… was that real?”
“Affirmative. That was a preliminary test scan. Using stored energy, mental data was collected from a wide radius. This feature can only be used once.”
“So… I can’t read everyone’s mind from a distance anymore?”
“Correct. Standard mind-reading functionality is limited to a 10-meter range.”
I leaned back and stared at the ceiling, thoughts swirling in my head.
“So this is real… I actually have a power now. I’m not just some regular guy anymore…”
“You are now the official host of the Mind Copy System. From this point forward, all psychic interactions, mental focus, and personal efforts will be monitored and used to enhance your abilities.”
“Enhance…? You mean I can upgrade them?”
“Affirmative. The system supports multi-stage upgrades. With consistent training, usage, and the achievement of specific goals, new features and improvements can be unlocked.”
I stood up and walked to the window. The city was dark, the streetlights flickering with soft yellow light.
“This is all real... I can read people’s thoughts. I can actually know what’s going on inside their heads.”
A few minutes later, I grabbed a notebook and started jotting things down:
- Range limited to 10 meters
- Can be upgraded
- Comes with an onboard AI system
Suddenly, the ring’s voice echoed again:
“Host is advised to begin daily mental training. First task: focus on the thoughts of an individual within close range.”
I let out a short laugh.
“Alright, buddy. I’ll test it out at school tomorrow.”
The next morning, I woke up feeling different—like something inside me had changed. I wasn’t just the outcast kid anymore.
When I got to school, I walked into class and quietly took my seat. No one talked to me, not that I cared. I wasn’t here to talk—I was here to listen… to minds.
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After a few minutes, I decided to give it a try. I closed my eyes and focused. Deep breath. The ring started to warm up. And then—
Voices:
“I’m gonna tell her I like her today… No, no, not now!”
“If I fail this test, my dad’s gonna kill me…”
“Why’s that new guy so weird?”
I opened my eyes, a bit dizzy… but a smile crept onto my face.
“Yep… I can really hear what they’re thinking.”
But something still felt missing. I had no idea where this power was going to take me.
That night, when I got home, the ring gave me a new message:
“Stage Two unlocked. Lie detection ability acquired.”
I paid close attention.
“Lie detection? You mean… I can tell when someone’s lying?”
“Correct. If the host focuses on a subject within a 5-meter range, the system can detect falsehoods with high accuracy.”
I took a deep breath, my thoughts spiraling.
“These powers… any one of them could flip someone’s life upside down. But why me? Why is this ring working for me?”
I couldn’t sleep that night. I lay there for hours, thinking. The next morning, I got to school earlier than usual. I sat alone on a bench in the courtyard and closed my eyes. Time to train.
I steadied my breathing and focused on a passing mind. A group of students walked by.
“Crap, we have a test today!”
“Ugh, why did I wear this outfit… everyone’s staring.”
“Isn’t that the guy who’s always alone?”
I opened my eyes—still a slight headache, but better than yesterday. I was starting to get used to it.
“Training successful. Focus is improving,” the ring said.
In history class, the teacher suddenly hit me with a tough question. I hadn’t studied at all the past two days. But somehow, I blurted out the correct answer.
“I didn’t know crap, but thanks to reading the teacher’s mind, I nailed it.”
I gave a fake smile and sat down. The thoughts of the other students filled my head again.
“Weird hair…”
“Why’s he always so serious?”
But then… one thought stood out.
“He’s hurting. Pretending to be strong… but he’s all alone.”
I turned instantly—and saw her. Long black hair, a sad look in her eyes.
Mia.
Something inside me shifted.
“Ring… I heard her thoughts way clearer than the others. Why?”
“Psychic resonance. Your mind and hers share a similar frequency. Potential for deeper connection is high.”
I blinked.
“You’re saying… we’re alike?”
Silence.
During recess, I decided to test out lie detection. I approached a classmate—the same one who used to gossip behind my back. I smiled and asked:
“Hey. I’m new here. Is there a problem? I heard you were talking about me.”
He frowned.
“Nah man. We weren’t talking about you.”
“Lie detected,” the ring whispered.
I grinned.
“Cool. Just wanted to be sure.”
I walked away, feeling powerful. Now I knew who was honest… and who wasn’t.
Later that day, in the cafeteria, I saw something that made my blood boil. Masato and his crew were crowding around Mia, messing with her.
“Come on, smile a little. Why you always so gloomy?”
“She looks like she’s from another world or something.”
As I focused on Masato’s mind, the ring spoke up.
“Threat level: low to moderate. Do you wish to intervene?”
I didn’t even hesitate.
“Yeah.”
I stepped forward and grabbed Masato’s arm, squeezing hard.
“That’s enough. Back off.”
He pulled his hand away.
“Huh? You again, gramps? You think you’re tough now or somethin’?”
I stayed calm.
“You think your dad would be happy if he knew you wrecked his bike?”
“What the hell are you talking about?!”
“Or worse—what if the principal found out about the fake accounts you’ve been using to mess with teachers online?”
His eyes widened. Frozen.
“Leave now, before I expose you in front of everyone.”
“Tch… let’s go, guys.”
They stormed off. Mia looked at me, confused.
“Why… why’d you do that?”
I smiled.
“Someone’s gotta stand up to people like that. If no one does, they’ll never stop.”
She smiled back—her first real smile.
“…Thanks.”
When I got home, the ring spoke again.
“Mental link with target has strengthened. New ability preparing for activation.”
“A new ability? What now?”
“Advanced empathy: the ability to feel others’ emotions more clearly. Activation requires three training phases.”
I ran my fingers over the ring.
“Let’s see how far we can take this…”
That night, lying in bed, I whispered to myself:
“I’m not the same Kaito anymore… I’m really changing.”