System initializing…

Two weeks later.

[Golden Eye System initializing…]

Lucian lay half-awake on the hospital bed, his vision blurred and his senses dulled when he saw shimmering words appear before his eyes, accompanied by a monotone female voice in his head.

[Host has met the requirements…]

[Commencing integration process…]

He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling his blood surge through his veins with overwhelming intensity. A sudden, excruciating headache gripped him, as if his skull was about to split open. Clutching his head, his breaths came in heavy, labored gasps.

The machines around him began to react to his distress—monitors beeped frantically, the rhythmic hum of the heart monitor escalating into a rapid, piercing alarm.

The mechanical ventilator, which had been helping regulate his breathing, emitted a sharp, continuous whine, signaling a disruption.

The alarms and beeps was enough to catch the immediate attention of the doctors and nurses nearby, and they rushed into the room.

[Linking to host interface…]

[Establishing neural connection…]

“Argh!” he groaned, writhing in pain as the nurses rushed to pin him down. He struggled against their hold, his mind in a frenzy.

One nurse quickly checked his vitals, while the doctor adjusted the settings on the machines, trying to stabilize him. Another nurse prepared a syringe with a sedative, ready to inject it to help alleviate his pain.

Then, as abruptly as it had begun, the pain subsided. He gasped loudly, his body going still. His eyes fluttered open, and he saw the words once more.

[System integration complete]

His golden irises flared brightly for a brief second, startling the nurse — the one holding the syringe — who caught a glimpse of it.

[Golden Eye System fully operational]

Lucian blinked, disoriented and alarmed, as he took in his surroundings. The hospital room seemed foreign, the beeping machines and concerned faces of the medical staff only adding to his confusion.

“Sedate him. What are you waiting for?” The doctor yelled at the nurse.

The nurse, still shocked, was about to sedate Lucian, but he immediately yanked his hand away. “Don’t do that. I'm fine.”

The doctor looked at Lucian. He sighed and said, “You need to rest, Mr. Stone. It’s a miracle you survived. You've been unconscious for two weeks and you're not fine.”

Lucian glared at the doctor, his voice although weak but commanding. “I said I'm fine. Leave me alone.”

His breaths were still heavy as he tried to make sense of what was happening. The strange, disembodied voice in his head, the glowing words…

What is this? Am I… is this even real?

[This is the Golden Eye System, now fully activated]

Golden Eye? Like, my eyes?

[Incident Record: Twenty years prior, a solar anomaly caused a temporal eclipse of the moon for precisely 0.90 seconds. During this event, host was submerged and drowning in a river when a ray of sunlight intersected his location.]

[Status Update: This intervention disrupted the host’s human DNA, leading to a latent genetic modification identified as “Golden Eyes.” Activation sequence scheduled to initiate upon host reaching age 25.]

Huh? What the hell is going on here? Am I losing my sanity or what?

[Name: Draco Winchester]

No. That can’t be right. Draco Winchester? Certainly not me.

[Identity Confirmation: You are Draco Winchester, a name assigned by your biological family.]

[Current status: memory loss detected.]

[Would you like to initiate memory retrieval?]

[Options:

1. [Yes]

2. [No]

Things were beginning to make sense to him as he began to piece together the fragments of his past. He knew something happened to him that night of the Solarnight.

Could this be the truth? Can it explain my strength?

[Ability Status: Your strength is an inherent part of your protective abilities. Current status: not fully optimized. Enhancement requires further experience accumulation.]

Experience? Okay, I need to fully understand what’s going on? I’m conversing with a mechanical voice in my head—something I’ve only encountered in fictional books. This isn’t supposed to be real.

Alright, let me see my stats.

[Name: Draco Winchester.]

[Rank: Novice.]

[Level: 1]

[EXP: [0/100]]

[Attributes: [Dark Vision] [Lunarchild]

[Aspect: Golden Eyes]

[Aspect Abilities: Strength, Shadow sight, Gloom detection.]

[Aspect Description: Your Golden Eyes offer an extraordinary level of vision beyond that of ordinary individuals. This enhanced sight will be crucial in your struggle against malevolent forces.]

Malevolent forces? What are these malevolent forces?

[Entities or threats from this world that pose a danger to the human species.]

Before he could ask any more questions, the door to his hospital room burst open. He looked up to see Drake and Dana entering, their faces reflecting a mixture of relief and concern.

“Oh, my God, Lucian! I’m so relieved you’re safe!” Dana exclaimed as she rushed to his bedside.

Drake, Lucian’s long-time friend, looked somber as he approached. “At least you survived,” he said, his voice heavy with sorrow. “Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the Godfather.”

Lucian turned to Drake, confusion written all over his face.