Reboot My Heart

Chapter One: The Compatibility Ceremony

The grand hall of the Neo-City Federation shimmered under the glow of holographic lights, the air thick with anticipation. The Compatibility Ceremony was the most awaited event of the year, where the Universal System would reveal the fated partners of its citizens. For Kian Arlen, it was a night he had both longed for and dreaded.

Kian stood at the edge of the crowd, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his worn-out jacket. His low-level System implant buzzed faintly on his wrist, a constant reminder of his place in the hierarchy. Around him, the elite of the Federation mingled effortlessly, their high Power Levels evident in the way they carried themselves. Kian’s eyes, however, were fixed on one person: Elena Voss.

Elena stood at the center of the room, radiant in a gown that seemed to glow with the same brilliance as her Power Level. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her sharp green eyes scanned the crowd with a mix of confidence and detachment. She was the High Chancellor’s daughter, a prodigy with a Power Level that surpassed even the most seasoned System users. And she was the woman Kian had loved since they were children.

“Kian!” a voice called, snapping him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Darius Voss, Elena’s cousin and his former best friend, approaching with a smirk. Darius’s System implant gleamed on his wrist, a stark contrast to Kian’s dull one.

“You actually showed up,” Darius said, his tone laced with mockery. “I thought you’d skip this one, considering how the last ceremony went for you.”

Kian clenched his jaw, refusing to rise to the bait. The last Compatibility Ceremony had been a disaster. The System had assigned him a near-perfect score with Elena, but she had publicly rejected it, choosing Marcus Hale instead. Marcus, the Federation’s golden boy, had been hailed as a hero after saving Elena from a terrorist attack. What no one knew was that Kian had been the one to save her. He had carried her out of the burning building, shielding her from the flames, only to collapse from his injuries. When he woke up, Marcus had taken the credit, and Elena had believed the lie.

“I’m not here for you, Darius,” Kian said quietly, his eyes flicking back to Elena.

Darius chuckled. “Still hung up on her, huh? Face it, Kian. You’re a low-level nobody. Elena’s never going to look at you the way she looks at Marcus.”

Before Kian could respond, the lights dimmed, and the room fell silent. The High Chancellor stepped onto the stage, his presence commanding attention.

“Welcome, citizens of the Federation,” he began, his voice echoing through the hall. “Tonight, we celebrate the bonds that unite us, as chosen by the Universal System. Let us trust in its wisdom and embrace the futures it has laid out for us.”

The crowd erupted into applause, and Kian’s heart raced as the System’s holographic interface activated above the stage. One by one, pairs of names appeared, their Compatibility Scores glowing in golden light. The crowd cheered as couples stepped forward, their fates sealed by the System.

Then, the screen displayed two names that made Kian’s breath catch:

Elena Voss

Kian Arlen

Compatibility Score: 99.9%

The room buzzed with murmurs of surprise. A near-perfect score was rare, and for it to be assigned to someone like Kian—a low-level user—was unheard of. Kian’s eyes met Elena’s across the room, and for a moment, he dared to hope.

But then Elena stepped forward, her voice cutting through the silence.

“I reject the System’s verdict,” she declared, her tone firm. “My heart belongs to Marcus Hale.”

The crowd gasped, and Kian felt as though the ground had been ripped out from under him. Marcus, standing beside Elena, gave Kian a smug smile before taking Elena’s hand.

“The System isn’t always right,” Marcus said, addressing the crowd. “Sometimes, love chooses its own path.”

The room erupted into applause, but Kian barely heard it. He turned and pushed his way through the crowd, his chest tight with humiliation and heartbreak. He didn’t stop until he was outside, the cool night air doing little to soothe the ache in his heart.

As he leaned against the wall, trying to steady his breathing, a voice called out to him.

“Kian, wait!”

He turned to see Elena hurrying toward him, her gown shimmering in the moonlight. For a moment, his heart leapt, but then he saw the pity in her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. But Marcus… he’s my future. I hope you can understand.”

Kian stared at her, his throat too tight to speak. How could he explain that he had saved her life that day? That he had loved her for as long as he could remember? That the System had chosen them for a reason?

Before he could find the words, Marcus appeared, wrapping an arm around Elena’s waist.

“Come on, Elena,” he said, his tone dismissive. “We have a celebration to attend.”

Elena hesitated, her eyes lingering on Kian for a moment longer before she turned and walked away. Kian watched them go, his heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

As he stood there, alone in the shadows, a notification buzzed on his System implant. He glanced down, his breath catching as he read the message:

System Override Activated. Power Level Upgrade Imminent.

Kian’s eyes widened as a surge of energy coursed through him, his implant glowing brighter than ever before. For the first time in his life, he felt a flicker of hope