Airi wakes to a soft chime she's never heard before.
It hovers above her pillow: a glowing blue notification pulsing like a heartbeat.
Morning Quest Complete: Wake Up On Time Reward: +1 Discipline
"I didn't… even do anything," she mutters.
The System answers by awarding itself a smug-sounding sparkle.
She drags herself through her morning routine, half-expecting the interface to vanish in the steam of the shower. It doesn't. It floats behind her in the mirror, politely ignoring that she hasn't brushed her hair yet. When she finally steps outside, the crisp neon dawn of the city seems sharper than usual, like someone boosted the saturation.
On the train, more windows appear.
Optional Quest: Observe three details about your surroundings. Reward: +1 Perception
Airi glances around. Salarymen dozing. A girl scrolling through her holo-screen. A toddler pressing his palms against the glass, leaving smudges.
Detail 1: The girl's reflection flickers—her display's battery is dying. Detail 2: The man in the corner is pretending to sleep but keeps checking the time. Detail 3: The rails outside are glowing with maintenance heat.
Three dings. Airi sits up straighter.
Class begins with the same monotone lecture she's heard for months. But now, the System projects faint UI over every page of her textbook, little tooltips that hint at what she should pay attention to. She bites her lip. This is cheating, right? But no one else can see it.
Daily Quest: Ask one question in class. Reward: +1 Academics
Her chest tightens. Talking in class means eyes on her. Still, the quest window hovers, casting a patient glow.
Her hand rises before she knows why.
"Yes, Kisaragi?" the teacher says, surprised enough to look fully awake.
Airi asks something simple about the formula they're reviewing. Her voice trembles, but the teacher nods approvingly. A sparkle of light flares at the corner of her vision.
Quest Complete. Reward Applied.
After school, Mina corners her at the shoe lockers.
"You good? You asked a question. A whole question. Who are you?" Mina squints suspiciously but smiles.
Airi laughs weakly. She can't tell her. Not yet.
On her way home, the world shifts.
A soft red ripple flickers across her vision.
Warning: Hostile Intent Detected Radius: 20 meters
Airi freezes. The sidewalk looks normal. People pass by, oblivious. But her UI echoes with quiet alarm.
A man steps from an alley—young, sharp-eyed, carrying a bag of tools. He isn't looking at her. He just walks past.
The red warning dims.
Airi exhales shakily.
"Was… was that a test?" she whispers.
The System does not answer.
At home, she sits at her desk. Her textbooks are open, but she can't focus. Her mind keeps replaying that red flicker, the cold pulse of something watching over her.
Another notification forms.
New Skill Unlocked: Situational Awareness (Lv. 1)
And beneath it, a smaller line, almost hidden.
Patch Note Applied: User progression exceeds projected baseline.
Airi's stomach tightens. That wording… suggests someone—or something—is adjusting her.
She reaches out and taps the notification. It dissolves.
"Fine," she murmurs to the empty room. "If you're watching me… then I'm watching you too."
Outside her window, the city glows like a motherboard—alive, intricate, waiting
The System hums softly.
And Airi begins to understand: she's already stepped into a world she can't step back out of.