Jay stared at the glowing blue screen hovering in the air.
The usual calming system UI had flickered and warped. Letters appeared one at a time, unnaturally slow, like they were being typed by something... alive.
"Okay. Either I’m dreaming, or the System just got a stalker."
He blinked again. The screen changed.
> [Connection Intercepted. Origin: UNKNOWN SYSTEM - "OBSERVER PROTOCOL."]
[Warning: External Entity attempting access to Host Data.]
Jay sat up in bed, all sleepiness gone. "Wait—OTHER systems exist?"
The HUD glitched once more—then turned black. A red icon pulsed at the center.
> [Message from: ???]
"You’ve broken the rules, Jay Arkwell. The 999x System was never meant for you. The Council wants it back." f\r(e)ewe.b no\vel.com
Jay frowned. "Council? What, like... Student Council Deluxe Edition?"
Outside – A Dark Rooftop Nearby
A cloaked figure stood with glowing lenses over their eyes, watching Jay’s dorm through a floating spell screen.
"Target confirmed. System is active. Efficiency rating—off the charts."
Beside them, another figure—taller, with a mechanical arm—grunted. "Orders?"
"Observe for now. If he unlocks Tier 2... we act."
Jay’s system rebooted—briefly.
> [Emergency Mode Online.]
[New Skill Granted: "Anti-Tracking Fog (Lv.1)"]
[Area Effect: Anyone trying to spy on you will instead see a 12-hour loop of you sleeping and eating noodles.]
"I mean... that is my day."
Still, the message rattled him.
Other Systems? Council? "Not meant for you"?
He flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"First the Student President traps me in a magic exam. Now I’ve got a cosmic IT department sending me threat letters."
Meanwhile – Alicia Renvale’s Private Office
Alicia flipped through student records.
"No birth record before age 9. No verified mana profile. His stats reset daily... That’s not even theoretically possible."
She rubbed her temple. "Just what are you, Jay Arkwell?"
Suddenly, her enchanted mirror shimmered.
An encrypted message played:
> "You’re not the only one watching him, Renvale. He’s triggered more than your school’s attention. Stay out of this."
The mirror cracked slightly before going dark.
Alicia’s hands clenched. "Like hell I will."
Jay’s Dream That Night
He was walking through a black void.
Just a giant System screen floating in the air.
> [WARNING: LOCKED MEMORY FILE DETECTED.]
A distorted voice echoed:
"The Lazy One shall be the final variable."
"He who sleeps may awaken the truth."
"Prepare, Host. Tier 2 Initiation... Approaching."
His entire wall glowing with red system marks.
"Okay," Jay muttered. "What part of ’nap-friendly’ does this world not understand?"