Aryan sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Ever since the girl had taken the box, he couldn't stop thinking about it.
Why did she take it? Who is she really?
The Genesis System suddenly beeped, cutting through his thoughts.
[Mission: Analyze recent anomaly | Host status: Alert]
Aryan frowned.
"I don't have the box… what anomaly?" he muttered.
The system flickered before him, a soft glow illuminating his room.
[Host, high-risk anomaly detected nearby. New ability unlocked: Genesis Perception. Use to detect hidden threats and faint visions of past events.]
"What…?" Aryan's heart raced.
He tentatively focused, willing himself to see.
Suddenly, his vision blurred.
Shadows of a familiar place twisted and burned before his eyes—buildings collapsing, screams in the air, flames swallowing the streets.
My hometown… he gasped.
Faces… familiar faces… but twisted by destruction.
He blinked and the vision vanished, leaving only a cold ache in his chest.
Aryan gripped his knees, breathing heavily.
So this is why the system sent me back…
A notification popped up:
[High Alert: Danger detected in host's past timeline | Threat: Unknown]
He sank back on his bed, thinking of his sister at the hostel, safe for now.
The system chimed again:
[Mission Reminder: Become friends with the entity holding the box]
Aryan clenched his fists, determination rising in his chest.
I'll get that box back. I'll understand it. And I'll prevent… everything that happened before.
Outside, the evening sky darkened.
A faint hum reached him from afar, almost like a warning whispered on the wind.
This isn't just a box. It's a key. And I'm not ready for what's coming.