[Good morning! It is 6:30 AM! Optimal waking time achieved!]
[Body Status: Well-rested! +15% to all attributes for the next hour!]
[Daily Quest Available: Brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes!]
I slammed my hand onto my alarm clock, though I didn't need it anymore. The System always woke me precisely at 6:30 AM with its cheery blue text floating in my vision. I'd tried sleeping masks, earplugs, even sleeping pills. Nothing mattered. The System was hardwired directly into my brain.
"Just five more minutes," I groaned into my pillow.
[Request denied! Champions rise early!]
[Warning: Continued bed-lounging will reduce your Productivity stat!]
"Fine!" I threw off my covers and sat up. "I'm moving! Happy now?"
[Movement detected! +1 Determination!]
[Talking to System directly: -3 Sanity points!]
That was the problem with the System. It gamified everything in my life, but it also had a snarky sense of humor that made me question if it was truly just software or something more sentient. Either way, it had been my constant companion for twenty-three days, ever since the lightning strike during that thunderstorm.
"Alex Watson, IT guy by day, reluctant protagonist by... also day," I muttered to myself as I shuffled to the bathroom.
[Quest Started: Basic Hygiene!]
[Toothbrushing progress: 0/120 seconds]
I squinted at my reflection. Same messy brown hair, same tired hazel eyes. No visible changes despite my supposedly increasing stats. The only difference was the constant UI overlay only I could see, displaying my basic attributes:
[ALEX WATSON - Level 4 Human]
[Health: 23/23]
[Stamina: 17/20]
[Intelligence: 16]
[Strength: 8]
[Dexterity: 11]
[Charisma: 7]
[Luck: ???]
My toothbrush timer counted up as I scrubbed, and I couldn't help but feel a small rush of satisfaction when it reached completion.
[Quest Complete! +5 XP, Breath Freshness increased!]
[Special bonus: Gum Health improved!]
"Woo," I deadpanned. "Living the dream."
My phone buzzed as I spat into the sink. A text from my boss: "Server crash. Need you in ASAP."
[Side Quest Alert: Work Emergency!]
[Difficulty: Medium]
[Rewards: $$$, Professional Reputation +5, Potential Promotion Progress]
[Accept? Y/N]
I didn't actually have a choice about accepting work, but the System pretended I did. That was another annoying quirk.
"Y," I muttered, knowing it would register my intention.
[Quest accepted! Time limit: 2 hours before serious consequences!]
[Recommended action: Skip breakfast (-3 Nutrition, +15 Time)]
"Override," I said firmly. "Quick breakfast is essential."
[Player override accepted! Making choices against System recommendations shows growth! +1 Wisdom!]
See what I mean? Insufferable.
As I hurriedly made toast, I heard my roommate Jake stumbling out of his room. He paused, leaning against the doorframe in his pajamas.
"Dude, talking to yourself again?" he asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "That's the third time this week."
[Social Interaction Initiated!]
[Choose Response:]
[1. Lie convincingly (Requires Deception Lvl 3)]
[2. Tell partial truth (Requires Charm Lvl 2)]
[3. Change subject (Basic option)]
[4. Tell complete truth (Not recommended, may result in mental health evaluation)]
I ignored the floating options. "Just rehearsing for a... thing. Work presentation."
[Partial Truth selected! Mediocre delivery! Jake's Suspicion: +2]
Jake raised an eyebrow but shrugged. "Whatever helps you code, man. You've been weird since that lightning thing."
"Yeah, almost dying will do that," I replied, forcing a laugh. "Gotta run, server emergency."
As I grabbed my keys and rushed out the door, the System chimed in again:
[Daily Quest Update: You have encountered another person who was struck by lightning last month!]
[Hint: The new transfer student is not what she appears to be!]
I froze with my hand on the doorknob. "Wait, what? Who?"
[Information locked! Complete today's Work Emergency quest to unlock more details!]
Great. Now it was withholding information. Just what I needed—more mysteries on top of the whole "why do I have a video game interface in my head" situation.
Little did I know that the server crash was no accident, and the transfer student with the glowing eyes would be waiting for me when I arrived at work.