LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 9: Chapter 9
The following day passed in its usual rhythm—work, lunch breaks, and casual banter with his colleagues. Yet, in the back of Alex's mind, an idea had taken root, something that sparked from his last few simulations. He had noticed something peculiar about his "smart mode." Every time he used it, he would feel a subtle change afterward, like his mind had become sharper. It wasn't just the fatigue he was accustomed to; there was something more, something beneath the surface.
As he sat at his desk that afternoon, going over the latest accounts, his thoughts wandered back to the previous night. He had pushed his smart mode longer than usual, processing a mountain of information, breaking down problems, and reconstructing them in the blink of an eye. It was thrilling, but the exhaustion afterward was overwhelming. Still, the feeling of growth was undeniable. His focus had improved, and his thinking felt faster—more agile.
Could it be? Could pushing the limits actually strengthen my mind? he wondered.
The idea was tempting. If true, it meant that he could train his mental strength like a muscle. But was it worth the risk? Overuse of the smart mode drained him to the point of collapse, and if he pushed too far, he didn't know what the consequences might be.
As the day ended and Alex headed home, he found himself itching to test the theory. He had to know if his suspicions were right. That evening, after a quick dinner and some casual conversations with his family, Alex retreated to his room. The quiet hum of his computer greeted him as he sat down, staring at the interface before him.
"Let's give it a shot," he muttered, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety.
He activated the system and entered smart mode, instantly feeling the rush of heightened awareness. The world around him seemed to slow as his mind kicked into overdrive, processing information at lightning speed. It was exhilarating.
Alex dove into a simulation, pushing himself harder than before. He set up complex puzzles and scenarios, each more challenging than the last. His brain worked overtime, analyzing, calculating, and strategizing. Minutes turned into hours, and the fatigue began to creep in, but he resisted the urge to stop.
Come on, just a bit more, he thought, gritting his teeth as the strain on his mind grew heavier. He could feel the pressure building, like a dam about to burst, but something else was happening too. Beneath the exhaustion, there was a sense of growth—a deepening of his mental capacity.
Then, it appeared.
A small, transparent bar flickered into existence at the corner of his interface, labeled "Mental Strength Progress." It was faint, barely noticeable, but it was there. And it was moving—slowly but surely. The bar inched forward with every second that passed in smart mode, confirming his theory.
"It's real," Alex whispered, his eyes wide with realization. "I can actually strengthen my mind by pushing the limits."
But just as the excitement hit, so did the exhaustion. His vision blurred, and his head throbbed with a painful intensity. He had overdone it. With a gasp, he deactivated smart mode and collapsed back into his chair, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
The room spun around him, and for a moment, he thought he might black out. But slowly, the dizziness faded, and his heartbeat steadied. He was drained—completely spent—but the progress bar had moved. He had made a tangible step toward strengthening his mind.
He stared at the empty air in front of him, a mix of satisfaction and dread swirling in his chest. There was power in what he had discovered, but it came with a cost. Was it worth pushing himself like this? The temptation to grow stronger was undeniable, but so was the danger of pushing too far.
As he lay back in his bed, his body heavy with exhaustion, his mind buzzed with thoughts of what this discovery could mean for his future. The path to mental strength had revealed itself, but it wasn't going to be easy.
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The next day, Alex felt the weight of his overuse. His head throbbed, and his thoughts were sluggish, but beneath the fatigue, there was a subtle sharpness that hadn't been there before. He felt it when he talked to his colleagues, noticing details in their conversations that he might have missed before. It was there when he worked, his calculations coming more naturally despite his tired state.
At lunch, Sarah noticed his unusual quietness. "You okay? You look kind of out of it today."
"Yeah, just didn't sleep too well," Alex said, brushing it off. "Stayed up too late gaming."
"Ha, classic. You've gotta learn to pace yourself," she said with a grin. "But hey, I heard you're organizing the next game night. You're gonna crush us, aren't you?"
Alex chuckled, though his thoughts were still lingering on the progress bar. He could feel it there, almost like a weight in the back of his mind, reminding him of the limits he had pushed.
"Maybe, but I'll try to take it easy on you guys," he replied with a smirk.
As the day went on, Alex found himself contemplating when he would push his limits again. He knew he couldn't do it too often—not without risking burnout—but the idea of growing stronger was irresistible. He'd have to be careful, though. Balancing his daily life, his relationships, and his abilities was becoming more important than ever.
For now, he decided to take it slow, just like before. He would test his mental strength again, but only when the time was right. The world around him continued to move, with friends and colleagues filling his days with normalcy. But behind it all, Alex knew he was changing—growing—and he couldn't help but wonder how far he could go.
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As the weeks passed, Alex began to fall into a rhythm. He learned to use his smart mode sparingly, only pushing the limits when absolutely necessary. Each time, he would watch the progress bar move just a little further, knowing that he was slowly but surely strengthening his mind.
But with every step forward came the temptation to push harder, to see just how much he could handle. And with each small victory, Alex grew more confident in his abilities. He could feel the pull of something greater, something just out of reach, waiting for him to discover it.
For now, though, he was content to keep a low profile, navigating his life and relationships while quietly growing stronger in the background. But he knew that one day, he would be ready to push the limits again—and when that time came, he would be prepared to face whatever lay ahead.