We sat in the room, gazing at the impressive collection of circular, surprisingly large pills before us. Considering our modest circumstances, they appeared downright gigantic.
"And how are we supposed to swallow these things?" Mark asked, skepticism in his eyes as he looked at the pills. "Should I fetch some water, perhaps?"
"That might actually be a good idea," I agreed, contemplating how we could best manage to swallow these giant pills.
Mark returned with a jug of water and poured us each a cup. With slight hesitation, I took one of the nearly fist-sized Foundation Pills into my hand. Before popping it into my mouth, I examined it more closely. It looked so potent, and I could already anticipate that its taste would be a challenge.
"Well then, here goes nothing," I said, sliding the pill into my mouth. But as I started to chew, a sense of disgust overwhelmed me, and I regretted my decision. Hastily, I reached for the glass of water and gulped it down as quickly as possible, suppressing the urge to gag.
Mark watched me intently, and I could see in his eyes that he regarded me as his guinea pig. A amused grin played on his face as he waited for my reaction.
"So, how is it?" he asked, curiosity evident.
A piercing pain suddenly shot through my body, causing me to flinch. Instinctively, I grabbed at my chest, where the pain seemed to concentrate. My breath caught, and I felt my muscles tense up.
"What the hell is happening here?" I exclaimed, writhing in pain. Mark rushed to my side, concerned, attempting to help me.
"Try to stay calm, Tim," he said with a worried voice. "It might be a reaction to the pills. Perhaps it's a sign that they're unleashing their transformative effects."
The pain in my body grew more intense, nearly driving me to the brink of madness. It felt as if my body were engulfed in flames, and I desperately fought against it. It was a painful and terrifying sensation that pushed me to my limits.
[Analyzing the pain]
[Pain detection completed.] [Cause of pain attributed to the effects of the pills. The pain indicates an intense transformative reaction in the body. There is a possibility to limit the pain in order to allow for a more appropriate adjustment to the transformative power. Shall I optimize the pain threshold for better pill tolerance?]
"Yes, Nori! Do something! The pain... it's unbearable!" I screamed in agony.
[Understood. Pain threshold will be adjusted.] Nori responded immediately, attempting to reduce the pain to a bearable level. The pain subsided, and I felt some relief, although it still lingered. We now had to navigate a delicate balance between pain and transformation.
"Okay, you see, we've learned something," Mark laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "We'll deactivate the pain beforehand, and we won't chew anymore."
His words brought a smile to my face, even though the pain continued to pulse through my body, albeit in a bearable manner. I felt Nori's intervention reducing the pain to a manageable level, and it was a relief not to be in unbearable agony anymore.
Mark looked at me determinedly as he took one of the pills into his hand. He seemed unafraid of the pain and decided to completely deactivate it beforehand.
[Warning]. [Full deactivation of pain is not recommended. This may lead to severe psychological or health trauma. Please consider the potential risks and side effects. Confirm deactivation.]
"Confirmed," Mark replied resolutely, defying the warnings and consuming the pill. To our surprise, he seemed to feel no pain whatsoever. A triumphant smile adorned his face as he savored the moment.
Although I was impressed by Mark's courage and determination, I couldn't help but have an uneasy feeling. Nori's warnings were not unfounded, and I earnestly hoped that Mark's decision wouldn't have severe consequences. It was a lesson that reminded us that every action had consequences and that sometimes it was better to embrace the pain to allow for natural development.