He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and concentrating. The cold mist from his Cold Aura swirled around him, and he let it embrace him fully, pushing away the panic and fear that had gripped his human mind. He imagined himself as a penguin—a creature built to survive in the coldest, most unforgiving environments on Earth.
The cold wasn't his enemy. It was his ally. It was what he was.
Slowly, Jiang began to move again, this time more fluidly, more naturally. He waddled across the room, but it wasn't out of desperation—it was with purpose. His body was lighter, more connected to the environment around him. He flapped his flippers, and the cold mist responded, wrapping around him like a second skin.
Aylin watched, her eyes widening slightly. "You're… moving differently. What's going on?"
Jiang didn't answer immediately. Instead, he slid across the floor, letting his belly glide over the frost-covered tiles with ease. His mind was quieter now, his instincts sharper. He wasn't fighting the penguin form anymore—he was embracing it.
25 minutes remaining.
The system's cold voice echoed in his mind, but Jiang didn't let it distract him. He focused on the movements, on letting his body take over completely. His human thoughts faded into the background as the penguin instincts surged forward.
As he slid and waddled around the room, the system chimed once more.
Synchronization increased by 4%. Current Synchronization: 96%.
Jiang's heart leaped. He was almost there—just 4% more.
But then, the system gave another warning.
Penalty for non-penguin-like abilities will increase synchronization loss.
Jiang groaned, his flippers dropping to his sides. "Great. I'm being punished for thinking too human."
Aylin's voice was calm, but urgent. "Don't think about the penalty. Focus on what you're doing. You're almost there."
Jiang nodded, but his mind was racing. 96%. Just 4% more. He had to push past the human side, to stop worrying about how ridiculous this all felt. He was a penguin. That was all that mattered now.
He took a deep breath and threw himself into the motions again—sliding, waddling, flapping his flippers in sync with the Cold Aura that surrounded him. The frost spread further, covering more of the room, making it feel like the harsh environment he was meant to thrive in.
15 minutes remaining.
"Almost there…" Jiang muttered under his breath. "I just need a little more."
But no matter how hard he tried, the last 4% wouldn't budge. He flapped harder, slid faster, but it wasn't enough. The timer continued to tick down, and panic started to creep back in.
Aylin took a step closer, her eyes filled with worry. "What's wrong? You're doing great."
Jiang shook his head, frustration building. "I'm stuck. I can't break past 96%. I've done everything a penguin would do, but it's not enough!"
Aylin opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, the system chimed with a new message.
10 minutes remaining.
Jiang froze. Ten minutes left to reach full synchronization, or he was dead. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breathing grew shallow. What was he missing? What more could he do?
Aylin's voice broke through his thoughts. "Jiang, listen to me. You've already done everything right. The only thing left is to let go. Stop thinking like a human—let the penguin instincts take over completely."
Jiang honked, the panic rising again. "But I don't know how to do that!"
Aylin stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, you do. You're a penguin, Jiang. You just have to accept that fully."
Jiang looked at her, his flippers trembling. He wanted to believe her, but the fear of losing control was overwhelming. Could he really let go of his human side?
5 minutes remaining.
There was no time left to hesitate. Jiang closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to trust the instincts that had been growing inside him. He had to stop holding onto his human identity, stop fighting what the system was trying to make him into.
The cold surged through him, and for the first time, Jiang didn't push it away. He embraced it fully, letting the icy energy course through every fiber of his being. His flippers moved with purpose, his body gliding effortlessly over the frost-covered floor. The room around him faded away, and all that remained was the cold.
2 minutes remaining.
Jiang's movements became almost automatic, driven entirely by instinct. He flapped his flippers, feeling the cold respond to him like an extension of his body. The penguin inside him had fully taken over.
1 minute remaining.
Aylin watched in silence, her breath caught in her throat. She could see the change in him, see the way his body had adapted to the cold, to the form he had been given.
Jiang honked softly, his mind quiet and focused.
10 seconds remaining.
The final countdown began, and Jiang could feel the last remnants of his human thoughts fading away. He was no longer Jiang the human—he was Jiang the penguin.
5 seconds.
4.
3.
Jiang took one last breath, letting the cold consume him completely.
2.
1.
And then, the system chimed.
Synchronization: 100%. Mission Complete.
Jiang blinked, his heart pounding. He had done it. He had reached full synchronization and shouted jumping and down before the system glitched and went down to -.01
error
total 99.990
mission failed