Pre-Procedure Preparations

He detested variables despite being one himself; encountering one didn't mean he had to enjoy it. However, he was curious about how they had survived and progressed this far, defying the probabilistic outcomes he had foreseen. Still, something was thwarting his powers and eluding his grasp on time.

"To approach or not to approach," Naka muttered to himself.

Approaching risked a confrontation where he couldn't rely on his powers, while not approaching meant waiting indefinitely to uncover the unpredictable variable.

Gradually, his interest in what he deemed a failure — his former abode that was once his backyard— intensified as he pondered.

As Naka mulled over his choices, time seemed to quicken, with hours vanishing like moments, days melting into hours, and entire weeks compressing into a single day. He became so engrossed that he forgot to take breaks, breathe, and simply be.

Until, at last, he reached a decision.