I didn't move.
My eyes stayed fixed on the screen.
System initializing…
The words didn't flicker.
Didn't change.
They just… stayed there.
For a moment, nothing happened.
"…That's it?"
I frowned slightly.
After everything—
That was all?
No light.
No sound.
No dramatic effect.
Just—
A line of text.
"…Seriously?"
I leaned back a little.
Maybe this was just—
A sudden pressure hit my head.
"—!"
Sharp.
Not unbearable—
But sudden enough to make me flinch.
My hand moved to my temple instantly.
"…What was that…"
The pain didn't stay in one place.
It spread.
Slowly at first—
Then faster.
From the sides of my head…
To the back…
Then forward—
Like something was pressing in from all directions.
"Ah—"
I clenched my teeth.
This wasn't normal.
This wasn't something you could ignore.
It wasn't just pain—
It felt like…
Something was being forced into place.
"…No…"
I stood up too quickly.
The room spun slightly.
My balance shifted—
But I stayed on my feet.
"…Think."
Panic wouldn't help.
I forced myself to focus.
The screen.
The message.
The timing.
"…Initialization."
That word again.
"…So this is part of it."
The pain increased.
Sharper now.
More focused.
Not random.
Precise.
Like it was targeting something specific.
My mind.
"…Installing?"
The thought came naturally.
Like connecting two obvious points.
If this was a system—
Then this—
Was the setup.
"—!"
A sudden surge hit.
Stronger than before.
My vision blurred for a second.
Fragments—
No.
Not images.
Data.
Information.
Not something I could see—
But something I could feel passing through my mind.
Fast.
Too fast to process.
"…What is—"
I couldn't finish the sentence.
Another wave hit.
This time—
Deeper.
It wasn't just pain anymore.
It was pressure.
Like my thoughts were being pushed aside.
Rearranged.
Organized.
"…No, that's not it…"
I gripped the edge of the table tightly.
This wasn't random.
It wasn't chaotic.
It had structure.
A pattern.
"…It's building something."
That realization steadied me.
Just slightly.
Enough to stay conscious.
Enough to observe.
If I passed out—
I'd lose control completely.
And I didn't want that.
So I focused.
On the sensation.
On the process.
The pain wasn't constant.
It came in waves.
Each one carrying something new.
Something unfamiliar.
But also—
Not entirely foreign.
"…It's adapting."
Or maybe—
Integrating.
"—!"
Another surge.
Stronger.
I dropped to one knee.
My grip tightened.
Breathing uneven now.
"…Almost…"
I didn't know why I said that.
But it felt right.
Like the process was reaching some kind of end.
The waves slowed.
Not gone—
But weaker.
More controlled.
My vision cleared.
The room came back into focus.
The pressure in my head—
Started to fade.
"…It's stopping…"
I stayed still.
Waiting.
Just in case—
But nothing else came.
No new surge.
No new pain.
Just—
Silence.
My breathing gradually returned to normal.
The tension in my body eased.
"…Done?"
I stood up slowly.
Careful this time.
No dizziness.
No instability.
Everything felt…
Fine.
Too fine.
"…That's it?"
After all that—
Nothing?
I looked back at the screen.
The text had changed.
I stepped closer.
Reading it clearly.
[System Activated Successfully]
I stared at the words.
"…So it worked."
No explosion.
No transformation.
Just—
A confirmation.
Simple.
Clean.
Final.
"…System."
I said it again.
This time—
It felt different.
Not unfamiliar anymore.
Not impossible either.
Just—
Real.
I exhaled slowly.
"…Alright."
If this was real—
Then everything from here—
Had to be approached properly.
No rushing.
No assumptions.
Just—
Understanding.
Because whatever this was—
It wasn't something I could afford to misunderstand.
And then—
A voice.
Calm.
Clear.
Emotionless.
It didn't come from outside.
It didn't echo in the room.
It was—
Inside.
Direct.
Precise.
[System Activated Successfully]
I froze again.
"…You just said that."
No response.
But this time—
It felt different.
The words weren't just displayed.
They were—
Acknowledged.
"…So you can—what… communicate now?"
Silence.
For a second—
I thought that was it.
Then—
A new line appeared.
Slowly.
Like it was being processed.
Prepared.
Delivered.
[Initializing Basic Status…]
I didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just watched.
This time—
There was no pain.
No pressure.
No discomfort.
Just—
A steady sense of awareness.
Like something had settled into place.
Something that hadn't been there before.
"…So this is the real start."
The screen remained in front of me.
Stable.
Clear.
And for the first time—
I wasn't questioning if it was real.
Because at this point—
There was no doubt left.
Whatever had just happened—
It wasn't normal.
And neither was I anymore.
Chapter 3 End
Author's Note:If you enjoyed, don't forget to vote with Power Stones 💎
If you enjoy and add to library at the end, don't forget to vote with Power Stones 💎