The Last Stretch
The System's timer loomed in Giovanni's vision, a constant reminder that failure wasn't an option.
[MISSION TIMER: 00:45:12 REMAINING.]
Forty-five minutes. Giovanni's breath came in short bursts as he ran through the market district, dodging broken drones and clusters of traders. His boots splashed through puddles of oil and filth, his focus razor-sharp. He couldn't afford distractions—not with only 200 credits left to earn.
Behind him, his latest duplicate was weaving through the crowd with a bag of drone parts, heading for one final trade. It was randomized enough not to draw suspicion: shorter, stockier, and with a patchy beard. The duplicates made Giovanni uneasy—like staring into a distorted funhouse mirror.
The System chimed in his ear, its tone cutting and faintly condescending:
[DUPLICATE SENT: 1. TASK EFFICIENCY: QUESTIONABLE.]
[REMAINING ENERGY: 58%. ERRORS LIKELY BELOW 50%. PLEASE PERFORM COMPETENTLY.]
Giovanni growled under his breath. "You're really helpful, you know that?"
[STATEMENT: SARCASM DETECTED. RESPONSE: USER IS ADVISED TO AVOID FUTILE EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS.]
He resisted the urge to punch a nearby wall. "Yeah, thanks, Dad."
The duplicate approached the vendor first, dropping the bag of drone parts onto the cluttered stall. Giovanni hung back, blending into the crowd as the exchange began.
"This is good quality," the vendor said, examining the parts. He was an older man with sharp eyes and a thin mustache. "But where'd you get them?"
The duplicate didn't respond. It never did, except to complete basic commands.
The vendor's suspicion deepened. "You're new. Don't think I've seen you before."
Giovanni's heart pounded. The deal was slipping away. With only minutes left on the timer, he couldn't risk this falling through. He stepped forward, his voice calm but firm.
"He works for me," Giovanni said. "The parts are legit. Take it or leave it."
The vendor stared at him, his gaze narrowing. For a moment, Giovanni thought he'd push further, but the man finally nodded.
"Fine," he muttered, transferring the credits. "But don't think I won't check your story later."
The System chimed:
[MISSION COMPLETE.]
[REWARDS GRANTED:]
1,000 CREDITS TRANSFERRED TO SYSTEM ACCOUNT.CUSTOMIZATION TAB UNLOCKED.]MISSION LOG UPDATED.]
Giovanni let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The timer vanished, and the weight pressing on his chest eased—slightly.
Back in his apartment, Giovanni sank onto the couch, staring at the System's interface. The rewards hovered in his vision, tempting yet ominous.
[CUSTOMIZATION TAB UNLOCKED.]
[MISSION LOG: UPDATED.]
He hesitated before opening the Mission Log. The interface filled with unsettling data:
[USERS WHO FAILED: REDACTED.][NEXT MISSION: INCREASE INFLUENCE. MINIMUM: ESTABLISH NETWORK OF 3 CONTACTS.]
The System chimed again, its tone almost smug:
[USER PERFORMANCE: ADEQUATE.]
[SUGGESTION: STRIVE FOR IMPROVEMENT.]
Giovanni rolled his eyes. "Glad you're impressed."
[STATEMENT: I AM NOT.]
Despite himself, Giovanni snorted. The absurdity of arguing with the System wasn't lost on him.
A Glimpse into the Customization Tab
Curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the Customization Tab.
The options were sparse but intriguing:
[APPEARANCE RANDOMIZATION: AVAILABLE.][ADVANCED OPTIONS: LOCKED.]
"Advanced options," Giovanni muttered. "Figures."
Testing the randomization feature, he created a duplicate with randomized traits. The result was unsettling: a taller, wiry figure with a gaunt face and mismatched features.
The duplicate stared back at him, blank and expressionless. Giovanni shifted uncomfortably, his paranoia creeping back.
"Gather information," he said, his voice tense.
The duplicate nodded and left the apartment. Giovanni watched it go, suppressing the nagging thought that something about it felt... wrong.
The city was quieter now, but the tension was palpable. As Giovanni wandered through the streets, he caught snippets of conversation.
"Counterfeit Rings, flooding the market," a trader whispered. "They're too perfect. No one knows where they're coming from."
"Supply chains are breaking down," another said. "Whole districts losing power for hours. It's the Flare—has to be."
Giovanni's paranoia deepened. His actions weren't causing the chaos—not entirely—but they weren't helping, either.
Back in his apartment, Giovanni stood in front of the mirror, his reflection staring back. He rubbed his eyes, exhaustion weighing heavily on him.
But when he looked again, he froze. For a moment, the reflection's lips seemed to twitch, curling into a faint smirk.
Giovanni stumbled back, his heart hammering. He blinked, and the reflection was normal again.
"What the hell…" he whispered, clutching the Ring around his neck.
The System chimed softly:
[USER STATUS: STABLE.]
He barked out a laugh, bitter and sharp. "Sure. Stable. That's me."
Chapter Ending Hook
As he lay in bed, the System's interface flickered to life one last time:
[WARNING: ANOMALY DETECTED IN USER'S NETWORK.]
Giovanni sat up, his pulse quickening. "What anomaly?"
The System didn't answer. But as the warning hovered in his vision, he felt the faintest chill—a sense that somewhere, something was watching.