One evening, as the external pressure continued to mount, the System intervened. During a quiet moment of reflection, a new notification appeared in his vision.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
External Psychological Pressure Detected: Critical Levels
Stressors: Media Scrutiny, Public Expectation, Loss of Anonymity, Social Isolation
New Sub-Routine Available: MENTAL FORTITUDE (Passive)
Description: A cognitive filtering protocol designed to compartmentalize external pressures, enhance focus on core tasks (Athletics, Academics), and mitigate emotional response to non-essential stimuli.
He activated it without hesitation. The change wasn't a sudden, dramatic shift, but a subtle, gradual recalibration. The background noise of the world seemed to fade, not into silence, but into a manageable hum.
