Caleb's eyes opened slowly.
"Fuck…"
His head throbbed like someone had used it to hit a home run.
He sat up, groaning—then suddenly:
[Ding!]
[Congratulations. You have obtained the Common Sense Hijack System.]
A bluish panel floated in front of him.
[New Title Granted.]
Title: Common Sense Hijacker
"What the…"
He reached toward the glowing panel, fingers hesitating in midair.
"Is this real, or… am I schizophrenic right now?"
[Incorrect.]
[Host's mental health is only in a state of severe stress.]
"Wait, what?"
He blinked. The panel had responded.
"Shit… I guess my mental state really is that bad…"
But the panel didn't disappear. It pulsed brighter.
[Ding!]
[Host is too self-aware. Loading: Picky Filter...]
"Picky… filter? What the hell is that?"
This thing's mocking me now...
[Activating system...]
[Adjusting to Host's core personality.]
[Detected Traits:]
‣ Chooses who to be kind to.
‣ Frequently thinks: "They don't deserve my kindness."
‣ Quiet, but harbors chronic grudges.
‣ Too logical to be good, too lazy to be evil.
"Wait—did you just insult me?"
[Full Personality Diagnosis:]
‣ Picky Beater: A type of human who only moves when the situation is annoying AND the person deserves a social beating.]
Caleb went quiet for a moment.
He couldn't even argue.
That was disturbingly accurate.
"Maybe I'm still hallucinating from that smack…"
[Ding!]
[Correct and incorrect.]
"…Huh?"
[The Traveler has granted the Common Sense Hijack System after completing a transaction.]
"The Traveler? That old woman?"
[The Traveler has no true form.]
[The Traveler is a universal entity that grants powers through transactions.]
The panel flickered—then displayed a strange scene.
High-resolution, clearer than any movie.
A white sphere floated in space.
It slowly transformed—into an asteroid, then into an ape-like creature.
The creature landed on a planet, met other apes… and got pelted with a banana.
Its eyes glowed.
So did the other apes.
Their fur disappeared.
Their bodies straightened.
In seconds, they evolved into regal, elegant beings.
Clip—
The vision ended.
[That is one example of The Traveler.]
"So… I made a deal, huh?"
He leaned back on the bench, eyes drifting to the sky—now burning orange with the late sun.
"Whether I'm crazy or not doesn't matter anymore.
Nobody's gonna care either way…"
Then—
[Ding!]
[First Quest Activated.]
[Objective:]
Use the Common Sense Hijack System on one individual for 10 minutes.
[Hint:]
Use Single Target Hijack
(Cost: 1 Hijack Point / 10 minutes)
Say "Open Menu" to access the system interface.
[Reward:]
+10 EXP
+10 Hijack Points
[Duration:]
00:15:00
[Penalty if Failed:]
‣ Prefrontal Cortex will temporarily shut down
‣ Host will lose rational control
‣ Spontaneous thoughts (e.g., stripping naked) will be executed without filter
[Starter Bonus: +1 Hijack Point Granted]
"Threatened with insanity by a system that's already insane.
Sounds… fun."
He stood up, brushing dirt off his pants.
"No money. No future. Not even dignity left."
He took a deep breath.
"Alright then…"
"Open Menu."