Chapter 4: The Sudden Weight of Unexpected New Reality (2)

Hearing that question, Marcus's eyes glinted with a mix of pride and sombre reflection. "It was thanks to the combined effort of many guilds that took actions at the scene whose leaders at the scene, I'll admit, are very adaptable and flexible."

"The main turning point of this event is thanks to the effort of Techno guild's specialists who lead all the tech support during the event and worked tirelessly to pinpoint the gate's boss and the leaders that have been leading the monsters, while the rest of us held the line against the onslaught," Marcus said.

"It came down to a precise sequence of dealing every type of monster with their weakness, and when the moment presented itself, some of us who had the opportunity quickly dived into the gate and sealed it by defeating the final boos and destroying the core, preventing further incursions."

Olivia leaned back, impressed. "Incredible. Now, Captain Turner, there's been speculation about the aftermath of such operations. Can you shed some light on the impact and the measures taken to ensure the safety of the affected area?"

Marcus nodded, his expression grave. "After closing a few of the gates, our White Tiger guild's priority was securing the area and providing immediate aid to those affected. We worked with local authorities and relief organisations to minimize the impact on the community. The aftermath is a challenging phase, requiring ongoing support to rebuild and recover."

Olivia leaned forward, her tone serious. "Captain Turner, you and your team are being hailed as heroes tonight. Any final thoughts or messages you'd like to share with our viewers?"

Marcus smiled, a hint of humility in his eyes. "I appreciate the recognition, but the real heroes are the ones who endure the aftermath. To the affected communities out there, please stay strong and stay safe. We're here for you, and together, we can overcome anything."

The audience erupted in thunderous applause, acknowledging the sheer bravery of Captain Marcus and his team as they had to face disaster head-on. Olivia, visibly moved by their tale, expressed gratitude to him and even bowed down as her mother was also one of the survivors of that disaster.

As the show headed into a brief break, Victor let out a heavy sigh, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. Frustration etched itself onto his brow as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Fucking hell," he muttered, his voice a low growl. A wry smile soon crept across his lips as he glanced down at his bandaged body. 

"Well, at least that explains all this," he said, tracing the white cloth that wrapped his arm and torso. "So, you're probably a survivor from that disaster, huh?"

Suddenly, a translucent, shimmering screen, like something ripped from a sci-fi comic book, materialized right in front of his face out of nowhere, leaving him bewildered by the unexpected sight. 

It was a vibrant, almost electric blue, the edges hazy and undefined. 

"What the...?" Victor rasped, flinching and even accidentally letting go of the plastic button from his hand. 

Out of curiosity and confusion, Victor instinctively reached up to swat at the apparition.

His fingers passed harmlessly through the screen, the cool, shimmering surface seeming to distort his own reflection back at him.

The screen itself flickered, the blue light pulsing erratically. Text began to appear, pixelated and distorted, scrolling rapidly down the translucent pane.

[Initializing Zeroth System]

[Identifying User's database]

Then, a jarring halt. The scrolling text froze and the color of the screen suddenly went from electric blue to bright red.

[ERROR]

[ERROR]

[Warning: Critical Error Detected]

[Foreign Entity was detected within the user's database]

"Huh?" Victor blurted out, his eyes widening at the unexpected turn of events. Before he could fully comprehend the controls, the already ominous reddish screen soon took another sudden turn.

[Commencing analysis for further asses-@#&$%@%&#]

[ERROR]

[ERROR]

[Warning: System No.00120104 Integrity Compromised]

[Commencing Emergency Repair Sequence]

[ERROR]

[ERROR]

[Emergency Repair Sequence Failing] 

Victor's jaw dropped. What was this? Foreign entity? Emergency repair? What in the world was going on?

He blinked rapidly, squeezing his eyes shut and then reopening them. The screen was still there, pulsating a sickly red, the text flickering ominously before another unexpected took a turn.

[Warning: Unidentified Interference Detected]

[Initiating Emergency Protocol]

[Commencing Elimination Prot-@$#%&^%^$%#$]

[ERROR]

[ERROR]

[Emergency Protocol…Unsuccessful]

[Elimination Protocol…Unsuccessful]

[Initiating Contact with System Administration for Assistance]

[...]

[Connection Failed]

[Initiating Contact with System Administration for Assistance]

[...]

[Connection Failed]

[Initiating Contact with System Administration for Assistance]

[...]

[Connection Failed]

[...]

[Commencing Temporary System Reboot Protocol]

[Warning: Reboot May Cause Unforeseen Consequence]

"Wait, what!? Temporary reboot protoc-?" Victor uttered as his confusion intensified, only to be cut off abruptly as the room blurred from focusin his eyes

As his body fell back on the bed, he squeezed his eyes shut and a low moan escaped Victor's lips that gradually intensified into anguished cries.

A jolt of searing white-hot lightning bolt soon ripped through his body, making him scream and his body arched off the bed, muscles contracting involuntarily, the sterile sheets bunching beneath him.

The sight of the surroundings dissolved into a blurry mess in his eyes as Victor's scream died in his throat as abruptly as it had begun. His body slumped back onto the bed, the sheets tangling around him like a shroud as the weight of memories that didn't belong to him, suddenly pressed upon him and flooded his mind in a torrent. 

Images flashed before his eyes like vivid snapshots as his mind gradually became a warzone, trying to contain it with each frame carrying the weight of the unknown past's history and emotions — the sight of a bustling street market near a childhood playground, the scent of spices thick in the air, a worn leather satchel bumping against his thigh, an unknown lover's gaze, moments of joy and sorrow not his own. 

As he was going through the memories, Victor gasped, a strangled sound that clawed its way out of his constricted throat. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he wrestled with the overwhelming influx of information.

"What...the hell..." he rasped, the words slurred and broken due to grappling all the existence of memories within him with all his might. 

During the chaos, the door burst open and a pair of nurses rushed into the room with their faces etched with concern. Their eyes soon widened to find Victor thrashing on the bed, his face contorted in pain.

"Whoa, whoa, easy there!" 

David, a male nurse barked, rushing to the bedside. He quickly assessed the situation – labored breathing, dilated pupils, and a wild look in Victor's eyes. "Sarah, call Dr. Rodriguez, stat! We might have post-traumatic stress reactions here."

Sarah scrambled for the phone, her voice tight as she relayed the urgency of the situation. David, meanwhile, focused on calming Victor down.

"Hey, hey, listen to my voice," he said gently, his voice soothing yet firm. "Deep breaths, slow and steady."

"It's okay now. We've got you," he said, placing a calloused hand on Victor's arm, surprisingly cool against the feverish heat radiating from his body. "You'll be fine now. We're going to take care of you."

Victor, however, was lost in his own world of pain. The memories, the shock, the sheer agony of the system reboot - it was all too much to bear. He could only whimper, his body still spasming in response to the phantom electrical storm that had ravaged him.

David wasted no time. He expertly attached an oxygen mask to Victor's face, the cool rush of air bringing a small comfort amid the chaos.

"Just a few deep breaths, buddy," he murmured, his voice a steady anchor in the chaos. "Dr. Rodriguez will be here soon."

After several minutes, the door swung open again, and Dr. Rodriguez, a wiry man with a no-nonsense demeanor, strode in. He took one look at Victor and immediately understood.

"Just like you told me, it must be post-traumatic stress, most likely," he confirmed, her voice calm and efficient. "Let's get him sedated. Sarah, prepare the IV."

Sarah immediately complied by scurrying to gather the necessary supplies including swiftly fetching the required medication with her movements brisk and efficient. David, meanwhile, continued to monitor Victor, his gaze filled with concern.

A moment later, as Sarah was preparing the sedatives, she stole a worried glance at Victor, his pale face contorted in pain. 

"Poor guy," she muttered under her breath and carefully injected the sedative into the IV line. David, meanwhile, leaned closer to Victor, his voice a low murmur. "It's alright now, buddy. The medication will kick in soon and help you calm down."

As the sedative coursed through from the IV line and into Victor's veins, the storm within him began to subside including the vice-like grip of pain began to fade. His breaths slowed, his body relaxing into the bed.

After making sure that everything was fully ok, Dr. Rodriguez turned to the two nurses. "Good work, both of you."

"And, David, Sarah," he then said, his gaze sharp and his voice clipped but professional. "Walk me through what happened earlier."

- o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o -

In the heart of an unknown place, a vast, empty room stretched out before a lone figure. The walls were lined with a complex network of screens, each glowing with a soft, otherworldly light. In the center of this technological wonder stood a woman, her dark hair flowing down her shoulders. Her expression was a mix of shock and confusion as she stared at the chaotic display of red error messages that covered the screens.

"What the...," she muttered, her voice echoing in the silent room. The system she had spent countless hours perfecting, the system that was supposed to be flawless, was now on the verge of failure.

She rushed to the main console, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she tried to find the problem. The system's A.I, a marvel of her own creation, was usually more than capable of handling any issue. But now, it seemed to be completely overwhelmed.

"Error code 4723... system integrity compromised... foreign entity detected," she read aloud, her brow furrowed in confusion. A foreign entity? How was that even possible? The system was isolated from the outside world, a self-contained universe of ones and zeros.

She dug deeper into the system's logs, searching for any clues. The more she looked, the more baffled she became. The system was behaving strangely as if something was interfering with its core functions.

"But... that's impossible," she whispered, her voice barely audible. The system was designed to be self-sufficient, and capable of adapting to any unforeseen circumstances. It was supposed to be indestructible.

As she continued to troubleshoot, a cold fear began to settle in her stomach. She had a sinking feeling that this was more than just a simple error. Something was seriously wrong.

Hours turned into days as she worked tirelessly to restore the system. She tried everything she could think of, but nothing seemed to work. The system was fighting back, resisting her attempts to fix it.

Finally, exhausted and defeated, she slumped into her chair. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing heart. What could have possibly gone wrong?

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. The system was designed to be intelligent, capable of learning and evolving. Perhaps, it had become too powerful, too independent. Maybe, it was rebelling against her control.

The idea sent a shiver down her spine. She had always been careful to maintain a balance between the system's intelligence and her authority. But now, it seemed that the balance had been tipped.

A faint hum filled the room as she pondered the situation. She looked up, her eyes wide with surprise. The screens were flickering, the red error messages slowly fading away.

The system was stabilizing. It was recovering.

A wave of relief washed over her. She had done it. She had saved the system.

But as she watched the screens return to normal, a nagging doubt remained. What had caused the system to malfunction in the first place? And why had it been so resistant to her attempts to fix it?

She knew she would have to investigate further. The truth was out there, waiting to be discovered. And she was determined to find it.

To Be Continued