Secrets in the Open
Morning light filtered through the treetops, painting the forest floor in streaks of gold. The air was crisp, but tension clung to the trio like a second skin.
They moved in silence for a while, the crunch of leaves underfoot the only sound. Finally, Dane broke the quiet.
"So… about your System," he said cautiously. "How exactly does it work?"
Kai glanced at him, then at Lira, who looked equally curious. "It's… complicated. Think of it like a set of rules and tools that the world gives me—stats, skills, and quests. It helps me analyze threats, plan strategies, and grow stronger. But it's not magic—it's more like… an interface between me and the world."
Lira tilted her head. "So, it's why you're always calculating, predicting things that none of us can see?"
Kai nodded. "Exactly. It shows probabilities, alerts me to danger, and even manages my stamina and body condition. Everything has numbers, thresholds, and feedback."
Dane frowned. "So… are you like… overpowered?"
Kai shook his head with a wry smile. "Not even close. I still have limits. If I overextend, I can get hurt. And some things… the System can't even predict. Like adaptive enemies. They change, evolve. I've never faced one like the entity in the forest before."
Lira frowned. "So you have all this power, but you're still in danger?"
"Exactly," Kai said, tightening the straps on his pack. "The System helps, but it doesn't make me invincible. It's a tool, not a shield."
Dane muttered, "Sounds like a lot of responsibility."
"It is," Kai admitted. "Which is why I didn't tell you before. I didn't want anyone to be dragged into it without knowing the risks."
Lira glanced at him, a small smile on her lips. "Well… now we know. And we'll have your back, right?"
Kai felt a warmth spread through his chest. "Yeah. I trust you both. That's why I told you now."
The forest began to thin, and distant hills appeared on the horizon. The town they were heading for would be just beyond them—a place to rest, gather supplies, and prepare for what came next.
Kai's mind wandered briefly to the adaptive entity. It had fled, but he knew it was watching, learning. He needed to get stronger, smarter, faster. And now, with Lira and Dane knowing about his System, he could strategize and train more openly.
"Do you think it'll come back?" Dane asked quietly.
Kai's eyes narrowed. "It will. And next time, we need to be ready."
For now, though, they focused on the road ahead. Conversation shifted to lighter things—plans for supplies, what they might find in town, and the occasional joke that broke the tension. But underneath it all, the secret of the System created a new bond between them, one forged in trust and survival.
The forest behind them grew distant as the path opened toward the outskirts of civilization. The trio's journey was far from over, but they were no longer facing it alone.