This dimensional shift wasn't accompanied by tremors or strange smells. When Tom Jacker's consciousness fully returned, he found himself standing in the middle of a busy sidewalk in a distinctly modern city. Skyscrapers soared into the clear blue sky, cars roared with impatient honks, and thousands of people scurried about, their faces buried in their own busyness or smartphone screens.
"Hmm, back to concrete civilization again," Tom mumbled, his eyes surveying his surroundings with a characteristic mix of interest and boredom. The air was filled with the scent of exhaust, fast food, and somehow, a faint hint of hope. He looked at his clothes, the practical adventurer's attire he'd worn in the Minecraft world, which looked a little out of place here. With a single thought, his "Fashion Adaptation" Quirk from his All For One library activated. In the blink of an eye, imperceptible to anyone, his clothes transformed into a modern casual outfit: jeans, a branded T-shirt, and a light leather jacket. "Much better. Blending in is important, sometimes."
He was about to decide whether to find the nearest coffee shop or perhaps "borrow" a sports car for a spin when the familiar System panel appeared before him, this time with a standard notification, not an emergency alert.
[System Panel]
-Unusual and significant concentration of magical energy detected in this area. Some traces point to ancient artifacts or entities with high-level magical potential. Recommended for observation if you're looking for new 'entertainment'.
"Magical energy? Ancient artifacts?" A thin grin began to form on Tom's face. This sounded far more promising than just observing people rushing to work. "New entertainment is always welcome."
He decided to take a stroll, letting his instincts guide him. He floated a few inches above the ground using Telekinesis (via AFO) so he wouldn't have to bother avoiding other pedestrians, a habit he found hard to break. This city, which he later discovered was Philadelphia from a large billboard, seemed ordinary on the surface. Busy people, noisy cars, all normal. Too normal for Tom's taste.
After a while of aimless "floating," his attention was drawn to a teenage boy who stood out from the crowd, not because of his extraordinary appearance, but because of the thick aura of bad luck and despair surrounding him. The boy, Billy Batson, wore a worn-out jacket that was too big, his hair was messy, and his face showed a mixture of suppressed anger and deep sadness. He had just emerged from a narrow alley, seemingly having just escaped some bullies or perhaps some other larger problem.
Tom observed him from across the street. "Well, there he is, the potential lead actor in this afternoon's drama," Tom thought with amusement. He didn't directly feel any extraordinary magical power from the boy, but there was something "interesting" that caught the System's attention, a thin but distinct "thread of destiny."
Billy walked quickly, his shoulders slumped, trying to avoid eye contact. He looked like someone accustomed to hardship. Tom, feeling a little bored, decided to follow the boy from a safe distance, using Spatial Teleportation in short, invisible leaps among the crowd or to rooftops, just to see where this drama would take him.
Billy's journey led him to the subway station. The boy hesitated for a moment before finally descending into the darkness of the station. Tom followed, still unseen. The atmosphere in the station felt different, older, and there was a strange hint of ozone mixed with the smell of rusty iron.
As Billy stood on the deserted platform, waiting for a train that seemed like it would never come, a strange, old train emerged from the darkness of the tunnel. The train had no windows, and its doors opened with a dreadful creak, as if inviting him in. Billy, with an expression between fear and curiosity, stepped inside.
"Now this is interesting," Tom whispered. He wouldn't miss this opportunity. Just before the train doors closed, Tom teleported inside, appearing silently in a dimly lit, empty corner of the carriage, apart from Billy who sat alone anxiously.
The train sped at an unnatural speed, passing stations Tom had never seen on any city map. The tunnel walls outside seemed to transform into ancient stone carvings. The air inside the carriage grew colder, and the faint scent of magic intensified.
"Looks like I'm getting more than just a cup of coffee today," Tom thought, his grin widening.
The mysterious subway train stopped with a soft creak at a vast cave station. Its walls were made of faintly shimmering black stone, and in the center of the chamber, seven monstrous giant stone statues, representing the Seven Deadly Sins, seemed to glare at the newcomer. The air felt heavy with age and ancient magic. This was the Rock of Eternity.
Billy Batson stepped out of the train hesitantly, his eyes wide with wonder and a hint of fear. Tom Jacker, still invisible thanks to one of his AFO library Quirks, followed behind him, observing every detail with the interest of a tourist in a very strange museum. "The decor is a bit gloomy for my taste," Tom thought. "But at least there's effort."
From the end of the cave, a robed figure with a long white beard and an ancient wooden staff emerged. It was the Wizard Shazam, the last of his kind. His wise eyes gazed at Billy with a mixture of hope and sadness.
"Welcome, Billy Batson," the Wizard said in a deep, echoing voice. "I have been searching for you for a long time."
The Wizard then began to explain. He spoke of the evil threatening the world, of how he had guarded ancient magical power for thousands of years, and how he was now too old and weak to continue his duty. He needed a new champion, someone pure of heart, to inherit his power and fight evil.
Tom, now casually (still invisible) seated atop one of the Deadly Sins statues (he chose Greed as it looked the most comfortable), listened with half-amusement. "Pure of heart? This kid? He just ran away from some thugs or something. His selection criteria are a bit loose, Gramps."
The Wizard showed Billy how the Seven Deadly Sins had destroyed the world in the past and how they could do so again if no one stopped them. He explained the power of six ancient gods and heroes that would be bestowed upon him: the Wisdom of Solomon, the Strength of Hercules, the Stamina of Atlas, the Power of Zeus, the Courage of Achilles, and the Speed of Mercury.
"By speaking my name," the Wizard said, his voice full of power, "you will summon the holy magical lightning that will transform you into the Champion of Good, humanity's protector. Speak my name, boy!"
Billy seemed hesitant, a little overwhelmed by all the information and responsibility suddenly thrust upon him. "Your name?" he asked, confused.
"Yes!" the Wizard said impatiently. "Say 'SHAZAM'!"
That's when Tom Jacker saw his opportunity. He could feel an incredibly large surge of raw energy, ready to be unleashed. This wasn't just a Quirk or ordinary magic; this was something fundamental, something divine. And it looked incredibly... fun.
Just as Billy Batson took a deep breath, gathering the courage to utter the magic word, Tom decided it was time for a little improvisation. With invisible Spatial Teleportation speed, he appeared directly in front of Billy.
"Excuse me, kid," Tom said with his most charming yet most annoying smile. "Let me try first, okay? I'm curious what happens."
Before the Wizard Shazam or Billy could even process the sudden appearance of this stranger, Tom Jacker took a deep breath and in a loud voice that echoed throughout the Rock of Eternity, he shouted:
"SHAZAM!"
Instantly, a giant golden magical lightning bolt struck from the cave ceiling, hitting Tom Jacker with full force instead of Billy. The explosion of light and energy momentarily blinded Billy and the Wizard.
Tom felt a sensation he had never felt before. This wasn't just power copied into a slot; this was something that fused with his very essence, with his immortal "Tom Template." He felt thousands of years of wisdom flood his mind, giving him instant understanding of things he'd never even considered. His muscles felt like they were expanding with the strength of Hercules, making him feel like he could lift mountains. The stamina of Atlas made him feel like he could run around the world without breaking a sweat. The power of Zeus pulsed at his fingertips, tiny lightning sparks dancing there. The courage of Achilles made him want to laugh at even the most terrifying dragons. And the speed of Mercury made him feel like the wind itself.
When the light subsided, in Tom Jacker's place stood a tall, muscular adult man, clad in a tight red costume with a large golden lightning bolt emblem on his chest and a white cape fluttering behind him. His face was still Tom's, but more mature, sharper, and his characteristic grin now had an annoying touch of divine power. "Shazam Tom's Template" had been born.
The Wizard Shazam stared with his mouth agape, his staff nearly falling from his grasp. His eyes radiated a mixture of shock, disbelief, and a growing, smoldering anger.
Billy Batson, thrown backward by the energy wave, could only stare in confusion at the costumed man who now stood where he was supposed to be. "Who... who are you?" he whispered.
Shazam Tom looked at his hands, which now emitted faint crackles of lightning energy, then grinned at the Wizard and Billy. "Well," he said, his voice now deeper and more authoritative, but his playful tone remained. "Looks like there's been a slight change in the program."