A few days after his unexpected breakthrough to level 3, Alex stood in front of his phone, rescheduling the next session with the firearm instructor. His body was still adjusting to the new level of mental clarity, and he needed some time to understand how best to use it. Training with firearms while his mind was in transition didn't seem like the best idea—especially with his heightened focus, there was too much to juggle.
"Hey, Mark, I need to reschedule my next session. Something came up on my end. Can we move it to next week?" he typed out quickly before hitting send.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it yet, but level 3 wasn't just about mental power—it felt more integrated, like Cognichip had upgraded itself in the background, enhancing all the small details he usually ignored. His mind had always been sharp, but now everything from memory recall to problem-solving felt… smoother. Almost mechanical in its precision.
Alex spent the next few days pushing the limits of his new abilities. Whether it was reading through dense material, practicing his martial arts, or even playing strategic games online, it all felt easier. But there was a lingering unease gnawing at him.
Is this it? he thought to himself, sitting alone in his living room one quiet evening.
For a moment, he felt a twinge of dissatisfaction. He had always viewed Cognichip as a powerful tool—something that could help him stay ahead, process information faster, and give him the edge in any situation. But now, at level 3, it dawned on him that Cognichip wasn't just enhancing his memory or intelligence. It was shaping his mind to function like a machine.
Everything's becoming more... systemized, he realized.
He couldn't shake the thought. The higher his mental strength, the more his cognition seemed to resemble the very nature of Cognichip. Calculating. Precise. Efficient. It wasn't that these were bad things, but he started to wonder—was this what he really wanted?
A part of him had always imagined what it would be like to have a cooler ability. Something like time manipulation, or bending space, or controlling elements. Those powers seemed dynamic, full of raw potential. They had presence. Cognichip was low-key, something hidden and subtle. But now, he questioned whether he had limited himself by choosing a system instead.
What if I had chosen something like time manipulation? Or space control? I could've shaped reality itself, maybe even broken free of limits in ways I can't with Cognichip.
The thought stayed with him as he considered his progression. He hadn't even reached level 4 yet, and he already had the feeling that each new level would just expand on the same framework—more processing power, more mental clarity, more analysis. Even when he reached level 5, it might just feel like an improved version of the smart mode he was already familiar with.
He sat back, a wave of doubt washing over him. Sure, Cognichip gave him an incredible advantage, but was it enough? Would he always be confined to this mental battlefield, never able to manipulate the physical world around him like those with more direct abilities in novels?
The mental strain of pushing his limits reminded him that Cognichip was not without its own set of challenges. Using smart mode still drained him, and though the time he could sustain it had increased, there was always a limit. His mind, no matter how enhanced, was still just a human mind. Could that ever be enough?
His fingers drummed restlessly on the armrest of his chair. The deeper he explored his newfound mental capabilities, the more questions arose. He glanced at the calendar on his phone—the firearm training session was only a few days away. He'd go back soon, fully ready to test his enhanced focus in a real-world setting, but right now, he needed to understand what Cognichip's true potential was.
Sighing, he leaned back, eyes scanning the ceiling as if it held the answers to his questions.
"I chose Cognichip for a reason," he murmured, trying to convince himself, he was neck and head into bookkeeping back then, and in his panic, he choose the only cool ability he thought he needed. "But what if I had chosen something else…?"
The doubt lingered, and despite the undeniable advantages Cognichip brought, Alex couldn't help but wonder if he had made the right choice. Would level 5 be just another extension of his mental processing? Was he destined to stay in the realm of thought while others bent the rules of time and space?
Only time would tell.
But for now, he resolved to explore the limits of his new abilities as much as possible. If there was more to Cognichip than just increasing levels of mental clarity, he would find it. And if not—well, he'd have to make peace with his choice.
For now, the next step was clear: firearms training. And with his new mental strength, he was determined to excel.