The room reeked of failure. Arthur stood before the cracked mirror in his cramped bathroom, staring at the dark circles beneath his eyes. Today, he had lost the last thread connecting him to a normal life after his boss, Miller, fired him in front of everyone for a crime he didn't commit.
With a trembling hand, he pulled a deep blue pill from his pocket. "Whatever happens, happens," he whispered to himself before swallowing it.
Suddenly, the world froze. The sound of rain outside vanished. His heartbeat began to appear as glowing red numbers in the air before his eyes. An electric shock surged through his nervous system, followed by a cold, mechanical voice echoing inside his skull:
[Synchronizing Psychopathic Evolution System... 100%]
[Host: Arthur Black]
[Level: 1]
[Status: Broken / Resentful]
Before he could process what was happening, his apartment door shook violently. It was Thomas, the man Arthur owed three months' rent, screaming from the hallway: "Open the door, you scum, or I'll kill you!"
A new blue screen flickered in front of Arthur's vision:
[Emergency Quest: Subdue the threat outside using the skill (Analytical Vision).]
[Reward: $500 Instant Cash.]
Arthur flashed a smile his face had never known before. Cold. Precise.
"Let the game begin."