Ash stood at the edge of the forest, staring toward the distant city.
A cold wind swept across the plain, tugging at his vest.
Far beyond the fields, the massive tower rose into the sky like a pillar piercing the clouds. Near its base, a cluster of buildings surrounded it.
And high above those buildings—
A clock.
Barely visible.
The guide spoke.
To unlock Enhanced Perception, your visual processing must evolve beyond your current limits.
Ash squinted at the distant structure.
"And how exactly do I do that?"
The guide responded calmly.
Focus on something beyond the range of your current vision.
A marker appeared on the screen.
Do you see the tower clock in the city?
Ash narrowed his eyes.
"…Yeah. Barely."
Good.
The guide continued.
I want you to tell me what time it shows.
Ash blinked.
"What?"
He looked again toward the distant tower.
"I can't read that. It's way too far."
Correct.
Ash frowned.
"That's the point, isn't it?"
Yes.
The guide continued.
We will remain here until your eyes adapt enough for you to read it.
Ash sighed.
"That could take forever."
The guide paused.
Not necessarily.
Ash raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
The screen flickered slightly.
The chip implanted in your brain allows controlled neural stimulation.
Ash frowned.
"Stimulation?"
If you grant authorization, we can begin a stimulus trial.
Ash crossed his arms.
"And what does that involve?"
The guide answered in the same neutral tone.
Every ten seconds that you fail to read the time on the clock…
The screen dimmed slightly.
The chip will deliver a neural stimulus to your brain.
Ash stared at the screen.
"You mean a shock."
Correct.
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
"How bad are we talking?"
The stimulus is not designed to cause direct pain. However, it will produce nausea, dizziness, disorientation, and temporary loss of focus.
Ash blinked slowly.
"So basically it makes concentrating harder and harder."
Correct.
Ash let out a small laugh.
"And how will that help?"
The guide continued.
The purpose is to force your brain to adapt under stress. With consistent exposure, your perception should evolve within approximately two to three weeks.
Ash's head snapped toward the screen.
"Two to three weeks?"
Yes.
Ash groaned.
"That long?"
Biological adaptation requires time. Your body must adjust to your crow-based genetic potential.
Ash looked back toward the distant clock.
He exhaled slowly.
"Alright."
The wind moved through the trees behind him.
"I'll do it."
The guide responded immediately.
Authorization required to begin the stimulus trial.
Ash closed his eyes for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Yeah."
He looked back toward the clock.
"Let's start."
The screen flickered.
Stimulus Trial Initiated.
Ash focused his eyes on the distant tower.
The tiny clock remained nothing more than a blur.
Ten seconds remaining.
Ash squinted harder.
Nothing.
Five seconds remaining.
Ash leaned forward slightly.
Still nothing.
Then—
A sudden wave of dizziness slammed into his head.
Ash staggered.
His vision blurred at the edges.
"Ugh—!"
The world spun for a moment before stabilizing.
The guide spoke calmly.
Neural stimulus delivered.
Ash wiped his mouth.
"…Great."
He looked at the distant clock again.
"This is going to be a long few weeks."
© 2025 Moku. All rights reserved. The Tower of the Animal Kingdom is an original work by Moku. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.