Chapter 1 New Strength

• A terrible car accident occurred in the dark of midnight. The sound of tires screeching against the asphalt echoed in the air, followed by a tremendous jolt as the red sports car flipped over. Gaston Harper, a thirty-year-old man, was in a panic. He felt foolish and utterly clueless. All he could do was repeatedly call out his wife's name.
• As the car rolled over, his head struck the interior roof with force, causing him to lose consciousness for a moment.
• In the chaotic state, Gaston felt sparks beginning to fly from the engine. The hissing sound of flames added to the already suffocating tension. In the darkness, he felt his body riddled with injuries; pain radiated from his bruised head throughout his entire body. He groaned, the sound drowned out by an explosion that shook the earth.
• A few seconds passed, and Gaston opened his eyes. In that perilous moment, a blue light appeared.
• Gaston lay in the overturned car, his head throbbing painfully from the impact. In the chilling darkness of the night, the hissing of fire grew closer, intensifying the panic gnawing at his soul. However, in those critical moments, something unexpected began to happen. A bright blue light emerged before him, enveloping his body with an energy he had never felt before.
• Gaston's body trembled, as if an electric current was flowing through every fiber of his muscles. He felt an incredible power, as if all his physical and mental limits were starting to shatter. Amidst the panic, his awareness began to pierce through the fog of ignorance that had bound him for so long. The bitter memories of his childhood, where he was often beaten and humiliated, slowly began to fade, replaced by waves of newfound knowledge and understanding.
• In his mind, the voices that usually shackled him—the taunts and insults—transformed into a symphony of ideas and insights. The neurons in his brain pulsed, connecting in ways he had never experienced before. He could sharply analyze the situation around him; the crackling sound of flames, the scent of gasoline evaporating, and the vibrations of the overturned car all became part of a larger picture. He began to understand the physics behind the accident, how gravity and momentum worked.
• His muscles, previously weak and untrained, now felt strong. Gaston sensed a drive to move, to survive. With this newfound strength, he grabbed onto something inside the car and began to struggle to free himself. His hands and legs, which had felt numb before, now functioned perfectly.
• The flames grew larger, consuming the remaining parts of the car. Gaston knew he had to act quickly. With all his might, he shattered the windshield with his injured hands.
• Once he managed to escape, Gaston ran with all his strength, even though his steps were unsteady. Behind him, the car exploded with a loud bang that shattered the night's silence. Flames soared high, incinerating everything in their path. Gaston fell to the ground, gasping for breath.
• Suddenly, headlights approached from down the road. A passing driver spotted him struggling in the darkness. The sound of a siren began to pierce the tense silence. The driver, a woman named Lisa, immediately recognized the emergency unfolding and quickly called for help.
• Lisa rushed over to Gaston, assessing his injuries and trying to calm him while waiting for the ambulance. "Are you okay? Please, don't fall asleep!" she said, panicking. Gaston tried to explain the situation, but his voice came out in gasps.
• Just a second before everything went dark, the sound of sirens approached, and the ambulance finally arrived. The medical team quickly assessed his wounds and loaded him onto a stretcher. They spoke rapidly, giving each other instructions, while Gaston felt his body being lifted. In the ambulance, he gasped for breath, realizing that his life now depended on their help.
• The next day, Gaston woke up in the hospital. The beeping of machines and the smell of antiseptic greeted him. The room was bright, with white walls and large windows letting in the morning light. Next to him was a nurse checking his medical records. When she saw Gaston open his eyes, a friendly smile spread across her face.
• "Good morning! You're awake. How are you feeling?" the nurse asked as she checked his blood pressure.
• Gaston felt confused. He clearly remembered everything from the night before—the accident, the explosion, and how Lisa had helped him. Strangely, he didn't feel any pain at all, despite his serious injuries. He recalled the intense pain he had felt when he fell, but now everything seemed normal.
• Curiously, Gaston tried to sit up in bed. The nurse noticed and said, "Be careful! You just had an accident."
• However, Gaston ignored her warning. He wanted to see himself in the mirror. With some effort, he stood up and walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room. When he saw his reflection, he was shocked. His face was bruised, and there were several stitches on his forehead, but oddly, he didn't feel any discomfort.
• He touched his face, feeling the swollen texture of his skin, but no pain. "What's happening to me?" he thought. He felt more aware, sharper, as if his mind was functioning in a new way. He could analyze the situation clearly, understanding small details he usually overlooked.
• "Why am I not in pain?" he muttered, perplexed. Memories of his violent and taunting past now felt like a distant nightmare. He was no longer the foolish, weak Gaston. Something had changed within him—something that gave him strength and clarity.
• The nurse approached him, noticing the confused expression on his face. "You've suffered serious injuries, but the doctor has given you pain medication. That might be why you don't feel any pain," she explained.
• Gaston nodded, but he wasn't entirely convinced. There had to be more to it than just the medication.
• The nurse, still by his side, encouraged him to lie down so he could rest properly. "You need time to recover; don't move around too much!" she said.
• As Gaston lay back, he suddenly heard a very familiar voice. It was Vivian, his wife, speaking just outside the room.
• Gaston was startled. He could hear Vivian's voice very clearly, even though he knew their recovery rooms were on different floors. Curiously, he asked the nurse, "Excuse me, what floor am I on?"
• "This is the third floor, intensive care unit," the nurse replied while jotting down some information on her clipboard.
• Gaston was taken aback. "Three?"
• Vivian had just asked where Gaston's recovery room was. That meant she was on the first floor, at the registration desk.
• Gaston felt confused. The distance between them was significant, yet he could hear Vivian's voice as if she were right beside him. Had his hearing become superhuman?