LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 2: chapter 2
Alex sat up in bed, his heart still pounding from the dreamlike experience. His head swam with the remnants of the strange vision—the void, the shard, the system interface. He pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to make sense of it all. It felt real, far too real to be a dream.
But what did it all mean? Was this system real? Was any of it?
He hesitated for a moment before thinking the words that had flashed before him: System initialized.
To his surprise, a familiar window blinked into view in front of him, faintly glowing in the dark room.
[System Initialized]
Alex blinked, staring at the floating interface. His hands moved to touch it, but they passed through the projection like mist. It was surreal—there was no tactile feedback, just a visual presence.
He expected some kind of overwhelming power—maybe something out of the stories he'd read online, where characters would suddenly gain near-limitless abilities. But instead, the system's window remained minimalistic, devoid of any grandiose functions.
A sinking realization hit him. Maybe he didn't describe the nature of the system he wanted very well. What he had received was a watered-down version of what could have been—a generic system, not some godly ability.
what he didn't know was that his soul wasn't strong enough to absorb the shard's full potential. The being's cosmic power was far beyond anything he could handle, and most of it had simply returned to ether, beyond his reach
"Great," Alex muttered sarcastically. "I don't get the full package."
The system window shifted, displaying a simple set of functions:
Memory Processing: Allows enhanced mental organization and instant recall.
Infinite Knowledge Storage: Stores information without limit, retrievable at will.
Alex stared at the list for a long moment, his heart sinking further. No super strength, no elemental magic, no world-altering powers—just a glorified note-taking machine. In a way, it was almost funny. He had been given something that, while extraordinary, wasn't exactly life-changing right away.
He let out a long breath. "Well, it's better than nothing."
The memory processing function intrigued him, though. He tried focusing on a book he had read a few weeks ago—a science fiction novel that had been dense with information. The system responded immediately, drawing up the text and allowing him to recall it with perfect clarity. Every word, every detail was there in his mind, as though he had just read it.
That's… pretty useful, Alex thought. He could study at an insane rate, recall anything he had ever learned or seen. It wasn't flashy, but it was definitely practical.
He laid back down, staring at the ceiling, trying to wrap his mind around the reality of his situation. This was his life now. A system was fused with his soul, and while it wasn't as powerful as it could have been, it was still something beyond the norm.
Still, Alex couldn't help but wonder what might have happened if he had enough time to think up a better ability, what other kinds of abilities could he have shaped? What might he have done with such overwhelming strength? But those thoughts were fleeting. He didn't dwell on them for long.
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The next few days passed in a haze of normalcy. Alex went about his routine, working at the bookkeeping company, spending time with his family, and hanging out with friends online. He didn't mention the system to anyone—not that there was much to talk about. The whole thing was strange, but not exactly life-changing. It felt like a secret, but not an earth-shattering one.
In his spare time, he experimented with the memory processing function. It was useful, no doubt. He could pull up anything he'd ever read, heard, or seen with perfect clarity. He found himself breezing through his work tasks, recalling accounting formulas, processes, and software functions with ease. It made his job feel almost trivial, though he made sure to pace himself, keeping his abilities low-key.
Outside of work, Alex dabbled in learning new skills—programming, languages, even random trivia. He soaked up knowledge effortlessly, storing it all in his infinite memory bank. It wasn't world-altering, but it made him feel… competent. Capable.
One night, while relaxing after dinner, Alex idly wondered if the system could do more. He hadn't tried pushing its limits. The thought of "Smart Mode" crept into his mind, an idea of ramping up his brain's processing power for a short burst of activity. Hesitant but curious, he focused, imagining the system enhancing his mental capacity.
Suddenly, everything became clear. It was as if his brain had shifted gears, operating at a level he had never experienced before. Ideas flowed, patterns emerged, and Alex found himself absorbing complex information in seconds. He skimmed articles, learned new concepts, and even practiced coding in his head, all at lightning speed.
But it didn't last long. After only a few minutes, Alex felt a wave of exhaustion crash over him. His head throbbed, and the world around him seemed to blur. He quickly stopped the "Smart Mode," reverting back to his normal state.
"Okay… maybe that's something I shouldn't push too far," he muttered, rubbing his temples. His mental strength wasn't enough to handle prolonged use of that mode, but it was useful in short bursts.
For now, Alex was content with what he had. The system wasn't some godly power, but it was a tool he could use to quietly improve his life. He could stay low-key, under the radar, and continue living his ordinary life—at least for now.
What he didn't realize, however, was that while most of the shard's power had dissipated into the ether, it had also subtly begun to change the world around him. These changes were small, imperceptible at first, but they would grow in time. Alex remained blissfully unaware of the greater forces at play.
For now, his focus was on living, learning, and adjusting to this new aspect of his life.