Chapter 131:Neeluxa
Now Ank was awake, yet even after opening his eyes his body refused to relax and his mind remained restless, because no matter how much he tried he could not fall back asleep.
So he simply lay there quietly while staring at the countdown that had been running in front of him for the past thirty minutes, watching every second pass with increasing focus as if the numbers hold his life , because he knew that once the timer reached zero the system would return and everything might change from that moment onward.
He was once again starting his journey to restore his power.
So he had been waiting patiently and silently without moving.
Because the system was not just a tool for him, it was the only thing that connected him to his power, the only thing that could guide him forward in a world where he was currently weaker than most beings around him, and that thought alone was enough to keep his eyes fixed on the countdown without distraction.
Now there was only one minute left.
Ank slightly shifted his body, his instincts telling him to get up and move outside so he could check everything properly without interruption, because if something unexpected happened he would need space to react freely, but the moment he tried to move he immediately realized that he was not alone.
Maya was still holding his right hand.
Freya was holding his left.
Celestia was resting on his chest.
Even in their sleep they did not let him go, as if their bodies had memorized the fear of losing him once and now refused to risk it again.
Ank stopped moving.
He did not want to wake them.
So instead he remained still.
And returned his focus to the countdown.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
For a brief moment there was complete silence, as if even the world itself had paused, and then instead of the familiar blue screen appearing as it always did, a voice echoed inside his mind, clear and sharp, completely different from before.
"SYSTEM UPDATE SUCCESSFULLY."
Ank's eyes narrowed slightly as he listened carefully, because this was already different from the system he knew.
"Now introducing AI 2.0."
The voice continued, calm and mechanical yet carrying a strange sense of presence that made it feel less like a machine and more like something that he cannot put in words.
"Select the mode."
At that moment a golden screen appeared in front of him, floating silently in the air, and on that screen there were two options displayed, simple yet carrying an unknown weight.
Easy.
Hard.
Ank stared at the options, confusion slowly forming in his mind because this was something completely new, something that had never appeared before, and unlike the previous system there was no explanation provided, no guidance, no additional information.
"What does this mean? " he thought, immediately trying to ask the system for clarification, but no matter how many times he tried, no response came back, as if the system had deliberately chosen to remain silent regarding this decision.
He asked again.
And again.
But there was still nothing.
No voice.
No text.
No hint.
Ank's expression became serious, because he did not like this, he did not like being forced to make a decision without understanding the consequences, especially when his life was involved.
So instead of asking again, he stopped.
And began to think.
Carefully and logically.
"Easy likely easy quests and I had to less suffer"
"Hard likely hard quests and I had to suffer more as what I am suffering."
That was the most reasonable conclusion he could reach, and considering his current state, his sealed power, his fragile condition, and the unknown dangers ahead, he understood that choosing recklessly would only lead to unnecessary risk.
But at the same time, choosing the safer option might slow his progress, and time was something he did not want.
For a few seconds, he remained silent, weighing the decision.
Then
"Easy."
He made his choice.
Because survival came first.
The moment he selected it, the golden screen disappeared instantly as if it had never existed, and immediately after that a female voice echoed inside his mind, softer than before but still clear and beautiful.
"The system was removed and Ai is going to deploy, user confirmation required, please say yes to start the system."
Ank did not hesitate.
"Yes."
The moment he spoke, he was transferred to another place .Now he was inside his mind and a faint blue light appeared in front of him, slowly gathering into a single point before expanding outward, forming a shape .
Finally the blue light changed into a girl.
Her entire body glowing with a soft blue hue, her long blue hair flowing gently as if moved by an unseen force, her blue eyes shining faintly, and her presence felt different from anything he had experienced before,Her body was transparent.
Ank stared at her.
Surprised.
Because this was not something he had expected.
"AI has been successfully established."
She spoke, her voice calm and smooth, almost human.
"Welcome to Neeluxa."
"I am your personal assistant."
"You may call me Lu or Ne whatever you like.."
She smiled slightly as she continued, "I am an advanced AI designed to assist you in every way possible."
Her gaze remained fixed on him.
"So Ank, what is your first command?"
Ank did not answer immediately, because his mind was still processing what he was seeing, because this was no longer just a system interface, this was something else entirely, something that could speak, interact, and exist alongside him.
The first thought that came to his mind was not excitement.
But confusion.
"What happened to the status "
He asked, his voice low but clear.
"Why are all the windows gone? why is there no screen"
Everything he was familiar with had disappeared.
No panels.
No system windows.
No floating information.
Only her.
He already checked everything when blue light was forming and even then she started talking that there were not any panels.
Lu tilted her head slightly, as if the answer was obvious.
"That is because the previous system has been removed and I have been installed in its place."
She replied calmly.
"I will provide you with new quests and manage your previous quests, I will display your status whenever required, and I will also manage all system functions that the system did before me for you."
Her tone remained steady.
"I will do anything you need."
Ank remained silent, his eyes fixed on her as he absorbed her words, because what she had just said meant that everything had changed, the system he relied on was no longer just a tool, it had become something else, something with presence, something that could think and respond.
And for the first time since waking up, Ank felt something new rising inside his body.
Not confusion.
Not frustration.
But fear.
Because this new system was no longer just something he used.
It was something that would stay with him.
And he did not yet know whether that would make his path easier.
Or far more dangerous.
Because he knew he cannot trust Destruction at any cost.
Destruction does everything to harm him.