The weight of my own body was the first thing I noticed. It felt like every muscle had turned to stone, every joint welded shut. My eyelids fluttered, but the effort to open them was too great. Somewhere in the distance, muffled voices murmured, their words indistinct, floating in and out of my awareness.
Then the system spoke, calm but cold, resonating directly in my mind.
[**System Update Complete. Stabilizing Core Functions. User Disconnected During Process.**]
Disconnected? What did that even mean? I tried to piece together my memories, but they were fragmented, as if someone had taken a hammer to my thoughts and scattered the shards.
"She's waking up," a voice said, clearer now. It was low and unfamiliar, tinged with irritation.
"Finally," Damian. His tone was sharp, impatient. "It's been three days. She's either incredibly resilient or incredibly stupid."
