"Is this my chance?"
His fingers twitched. He took a deep breath and clicked [Accept.]
The screen flashed.
And then, everything went dark.
[System Initialization Complete. Welcome, User.]
Dev's heart skipped a beat.
"This fuck is really real. I am gonna be a rich bastard! Hahaha!" he laughed evilly.
The possibilities were endless. But before he could dive deeper into the fantasy, another line of text popped up:
[Available: Beginner Package.]
His eyebrows furrowed. "Beginner package? No sexy hovering woman calling me 'Master' or something?"
"Anyway, open it."
[Reward 1: Boosted Comprehension – Processing speed increased. Adaptive learning. Master concepts faster. Improve your understanding of complex subjects.]
"It's good. I already had high comprehension, but it's okay."
[System detects User is an egoist bastard and doesn't need these. Disconnecting.]
[1%]
[20%]
[50%]
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, sorry! I was just joking to calm myself and ease my mood."
[It's okay. I'm joking around. Our fates are already interconnected. Otherwise, based on your nature... tsk, tsk, tsk.]
"Did I get a tsundere and sarcastic system?" he thought.
He took a deep breath and got into a serious mood. "The words made sense, though. I believe in my learning ability, but a system is still a system. I'll check it later. Let's see the next two rewards."
He had always prided himself on being smart, but he knew deep down that his inability to focus had always been his biggest enemy. If this could help him focus—really focus—maybe he'd finally get his act together.
[Reward 2: Adaptive Physique – Body will improve based on training and stress. Adapt to physical challenges. Increase strength, endurance, and agility.]
Dev's gaze shifted to his reflection in the dark window, where he saw his slumped shoulders and the slight bulge of his stomach. He wasn't exactly out of shape, but he certainly wasn't someone to be feared.
"Though I appear fit outwardly, I know the damage my healthy habit does to my physique."{ikyk}
[Reward 3: Special Forces Job Letter – Invitation to India's most dangerous and elite special forces group. Limited offer.]
Now, this was unexpected.
"The fuck?"
Dev blinked and read the line again. Special Forces? He had always been fascinated by them—the Para Special Forces, the toughest of the tough. But a job offer? An invitation to a top-secret force that few even knew existed?
It's not that he never tried, but his locked knees had always been a problem in entering any army service. And here they were talking about Para SF.
Dev leaned back against his bed, his mind spinning. His overanalyzing gears started turning.
[Dev POV]
There it is—my chance. To reach the top of this human cycle. I wasn't expecting this, but life is like that—nothing expected happens most of the time.
I don't smoke, but I still sometimes feel the urge to exhale a puff. It helps me think better.
I think I'll start by conquering the world. And the first step is conquering myself. Joining Para SF will give me the discipline and knowledge required to survive anywhere, under any circumstances.
[Dev POV Ends]
But then, the screen flickered. The text blinked out of existence for a moment, only to return with one last line.
[System will now disappear. User must decide—sink or swim.]
Dev froze, his pulse pounding in his ears. Disappear?
The screen flickered again, and a new message appeared:
[Don't worry. We will meet again.]
Dev's eyes widened. "What the hell?" he exclaimed.
The system was leaving him. He wasn't alone, but the path ahead was his to walk.
His fingers drummed against the bed as he weighed his options.
[Dev POV] (Still serious over thinking and over planning mode)
"I wasn't expecting that, once again," he chuckled.
Now, options:
Q1. What to do? — Go to Para SF.
Q2. How? — Should I tell my parents? Nah, they won't believe me, or it would be too hectic to explain. "Think, Dev, think," I muttered. Run away? Yeah, that's it.
Q3. When? — Today is not possible. It's almost 4 AM, and Dad has a weak sleep. He'll wake up. The best option is tomorrow when no one will be at home since they'll be at my cousin's birthday.
Great.
Q4. Issues? — Money to travel and ticket? My account has 45,000 rupees. Enough to travel to camp.
Q5. Leaving no traces? — I need to make sure I don't leave any clues. No phone, no digital footprints. I'll withdraw cash early in the morning in different amounts from different ATMs. I won't use my phone after leaving. I'll delete my search history, break my SIM card, and toss it far away. No one should be able to track me.
i just want to disappear from word com back like those in face slapping novels truthfully who doesn't want
[Dev POV Ends]
Dev lay around, planning his trip over and over, ensuring that when he left, there would be no turning back and no one following his trail.