Power Dealer Chapter 1: Surrogate Power Cultivator.

Taking a small break today. Will be back tomorrow with updates.

For now, here's something from my drafts.


-0-


Chapter 1: Surrogate Power Cultivator.


Gray leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples as he stared at the growing storm of criticism in his webnovel’s comment section.

“Another fight scene? Where’s the character development?”

“Dude, your MC has the emotional depth of a brick.”

“Abilities are cool and all, but can we care about the characters first?”

The words blurred together as he scrolled through the endless complaints.

His latest chapter had barely been up for an hour, and already, his readers were roasting him alive.

He wanted to argue back, to defend his work, but deep down, he knew they weren’t wrong. He had always been obsessed with supernatural powers—the way they worked, their mechanics, their evolution.

The problem? He was so caught up in crafting intricate power systems that he completely neglected the emotional core of his stories.

With a groan, he slammed his laptop shut and leaned back in his chair.

“Maybe I should just quit,” he muttered, staring at the cracked ceiling of his tiny apartment. It wasn’t like writing was paying the bills.

His part-time job at the comic store barely covered rent, and his latest webnovel was shaping up to be another flop.

A ping from his phone made him glance at the screen. An email notification.

[Sender: FICTIONAL MECHANICS]

[Subject: An Opportunity for You]

Gray frowned. He didn’t recognize the sender. Probably spam. Still, curiosity got the better of him, and he tapped the email open.

[Dear Gray Carter,

We have observed your fascination with supernatural abilities and believe you’d be an excellent candidate for our Surrogate Power Dealer program.

What is a Surrogate Power Dealer?

You will be granted a weak supernatural ability with the potential for growth.

Cultivate and evolve this ability to its full potential.

Sell it for a high price or purchase it at a discounted rate to keep it.

As someone passionate about supernatural abilities, we believe this opportunity is perfectly suited for you. Simply click the link below to accept.

[{Accept Offer}]

Gray scoffed. “Yeah, right. This is a scam if I’ve ever seen one.”

Yet, despite his skepticism, his finger hovered over the link. It was just too perfect. A chance to experience superpowers firsthand?

If this were a novel, he’d be the main character right now, standing at the crossroads of his destiny.

His rational brain screamed at him to ignore it. But his heart, the part of him that had spent years dreaming of abilities, battles, and power systems, told him otherwise.

“Ah, screw it.”

He tapped the link.

The email disappeared. His phone screen glitched for a second, flickering with strange, unreadable text before going dark.

“…Well, that’s not ominous at all.”

Gray shook his head and tossed the phone onto his desk. Whatever. If this was some elaborate joke or a virus, he’d deal with it later. Right now, he just wanted to sleep off the frustration of another failed chapter.

-0-

Gray woke up tangled in his sheets, his entire body wrapped like a cocoon.

Blinking groggily, he tried to move, but the fabric clung to him like it had fused with his skin. Confused, he shifted, only to feel a faint tingling sensation crawling over his body, like tiny static shocks prickling across his skin.

A soft chime echoed in his ears and a floating, translucent screen blinked into existence above him.

[Congratulations! You have received your first Surrogate Power: Static Electricity Generation- D Rank]

Effect-> A weak ability that allows the user to generate a field of static electricity across their skin]

Gray stared at the screen, his grogginess instantly evaporating.

“What the hell…? That shit was real?”

His heart pounded as he read and reread the words. No way. This had to be a dream. Right?

His brain struggled to process the words, but the stubborn weight of reality pressed down on him—this was real.

He shifted in bed, but the sheets clung to him like static-charged plastic wrap. The tingling sensation across his skin grew stronger as he moved, and an odd realization hit him.

“The ability…” he muttered.

Heart pumping, he focused, trying to feel whatever was causing this strange pull.

It was subtle—an invisible force, like a field of energy humming just beneath his skin. He imagined grabbing onto that energy, twisting it somehow.

The moment he did, the sheets suddenly peeled away from him, pushed back by an unseen force.

[Power Growth Meter +50%]

Gray sat up, wide-eyed. “That… worked?”

His pulse quickened. This wasn’t just some elaborate prank. He had an ability. An actual, supernatural ability.

He flexed his fingers, trying to summon that buzzing energy again. A faint static hum built up around him, making the tiny hairs on his arms stand on end.

He tried reversing the sensation, and instantly, the stray sheets on his bed were drawn toward him again.

"Okay, that’s kinda cool," he breathed, his mind racing with possibilities.

But excitement quickly turned to panic.

“What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

A new chime interrupted his thoughts. Another notification appeared.

[Surrogate Power Dealers are encouraged to cultivate their abilities. Experimentation is key to growth and evolution]

Experimentation. Right. If he wanted to make this power stronger—and potentially make money off it—he needed to understand it better.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand. When he picked it up, he saw a message from Magda, his boss at the comic store.

Magda: 'Where the hell are you? Your shift started 20 minutes ago.'

Gray winced. He had completely forgotten about work.

He quickly typed out a reply.

Gray: 'Sick. Can’t come in today. There's vomit everywhere.'

A response came almost instantly.

Magda: ' Bullshit. What’s really going on? '

He hesitated, then took a breath.

Gray: 'I’m working on something big. Trust me on this.'

A pause. Then:

Magda: 'Fine. But send me the next chapter of your webnovel before you post it.'

Gray groaned. He had barely started writing the next chapter. Still, this was better than getting fired.

Pocketing his phone, he turned his attention back to his newfound ability. If he was going to make the most of this, he needed to start testing it—properly.

Today wasn’t a day for shelving comic books.

It was a day for science.

Armed with a notebook and a cheap ballpoint pen, Gray sat cross-legged on his apartment floor, ready to uncover the secrets of his new ability.

His room, once a somewhat organized mess, now looked like a mad scientist’s lair—various objects scattered around for testing: paper scraps, a deflated balloon, a metal spoon, his smartphone, and even his poor neighbor’s cat, Mittens, who had wandered in through the open window.

“Alright,” he muttered, tapping his pen against the page. “Let’s see what D-rank Static Electricity Generation can actually do.”

Test no. 1: Zapping Power.

"Come here kitty kitty..." Gray reached out to Mittens and let the energy buzz beneath his fingers. When he poked the cat’s side, a tiny spark jumped from his fingertip.

The cat's fur poofed up.

Mittens let out an indignant yowl and bolted out through the window.

Result: Zapping Works. Effectiveness: Annoying at best.

Gray chuckled, jotting it down.

Test 2: Hair Raising Effect.

He focused on the static field around him, increasing its charge. His dark hair began to lift slightly, giving him a wild, gravity-defying look.

Result: Effective. Zero combat applications. Good for Halloween.

A little disappointed that he wouldn't be crushing boulders with Tricho-kinesis, he moved on.

Test 3: Attraction & Repulsion.

He placed a crumpled paper scrap on the floor and willed his static energy forward.

The scrap twitched, then slowly lifted off the ground before sticking to his outstretched palm. He reversed the static field, and the paper shot backward.

Result: Pulls and pushes light objects.

Encouraged, he tried it with the metal spoon. Nothing.

Limitations: Only works on dust, paper, fabric, and balloons. Metal? Nope. Not yet at least.

Test 4: Technology Interference.

He tapped his phone screen while channeling static energy. The display flickered wildly, becoming unresponsive.

Result: Can mess with touchscreens. Weak hacking potential and possibly E.M.P generation? Maybe.

After an hour of experimentation, Gray leaned back against his couch, analyzing his notes:


-D-RANK STATIC ELECTRICITY GENERATION.

>What It Can Do:

-Tiny uncontrolled zaps (tested on Mittens).

-Make hair stand up (tested on self).

-Pull and push dust/paper scraps/fabric/balloons from inches away.

-Makes touchscreens flicker (tested on smartphone).

>Limitations:

-Super short range.

-Random, hard to control.

-Useless if target wears gloves.

-Can’t hurt anyone—just annoy.

>Uses:

-Pranks.

-Picking up paperclips.

>Conclusion:

-Very weak.



Gray sighed. “This power sucks.”

He closed his notebook, shaking his head. If he wanted to make this ability stronger, he needed to push it beyond its current limits.

But...how?