"Whoa!"
The interface flickered, and new text began to form, trembling as if it was having difficulty settling.
```
CONFIGURATIONS
[#] MUTE
[#] COLORS: BLUE
[#] Language: ENG [OK]
[?] Restart System
[X] CLOSE
```
"Restart system..."
Would it be risky? Probably. It could make everything worse. It could break completely and even lose these basic functions. But also... it was already broken anyway, wasn't it? What did he really have to lose besides a non-functional interface?
Ah, fuck it.
First, he changed the mute function, leaving it disabled, just in case. He kept the colors and language as they were. Then, he mentally focused on the restart option.
The interface flashed red three times in quick succession, as if it were experiencing digital fragmentation. Then it disappeared completely from view.
For a second of pure panic, he thought he had erased everything for good.
Then it reappeared, showing that same initial loading screen he had seen when he woke up.
``
EVOLUTION SYSTEM ACTIVATED
LOADING...
```
The progress bar began to fill. Slowly, pixel by pixel, as if each percentage point were a battle. 10%. 20%.
Come on. It works this time. Please, it works.
30%. 40%. 50%.
At exactly 50%, it started again.
The letters trembled violently, distorting into unrecognizable shapes before returning to their place. The bar jumped to 23%, then to 87%, then froze at 50% again, as if it couldn't decide where it should be. The decorative geometric patterns on the border doubled, tripled, overlapping in chaotic layers of bright lines that hurt because they were so wrong.
```
EVOLUTION SYSTEM ACTIVATED
LOADING...
ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR
!N!T!AL!ZAT!0N F@!LURE
DATA CORRUPTION
[!] R€!N!T!ALI...
```
"No, no, no, what the hell have I done..."
Frustration came mixed with a touch of real despair. It was the only thing that seemed to have any potential use in this crazy world, and he had just broken it even more. His hands clenched involuntarily.
Several words appeared on the screen in rapid succession, resembling a to-do list that changed too quickly to read. Physical exercise. Eat something specific. Organize something. Study some concept. The speed was dizzying, hundreds of items passing by in seconds.
The interface flickered violently, the colors inverting between electric blue and blood red in a painful strobe. Then it went completely black for three eternal seconds.
When it returned, it was different.
Much simpler. Extremely minimalist.
```
LEVEL: 1
EVOLVE!
```
That's all. Literally nothing more.
The squat and running tasks were gone. There was no counter at all. No menus, no settings, absolutely nothing but the level number and a single word: Evolve.
"Evolve? EVOLVE HOW?"
He shouted at the useless interface, his voice echoing across the lagoon and bouncing off the stone walls in repetitions that slowly died away.
One of the long-necked dinosaurs slowly raised its head and looked in his direction with lazy curiosity. For a moment, William imagined reading in the creature's dark eyes something like "Is this human an idiot or something???" Then the animal went back to drinking, completely indifferent.
'Great. Simply perfect. Now I have even LESS information than before.'
He tried to open settings again. The interface didn't respond. He tried every other command he could think of: status, help, tutorial, information, options, ANYTHING.
Nothing. The interface simply remained there, the four pathetically simple lines mocking the whole situation.
Level 1. Evolve.
As if it were that easy. As if "evolving" were a useful instruction. What did this damned system consider evolution? Getting stronger? Faster? Smarter? Unlocking abilities? Turning into a total dinosaur, too?
'Damn shitty system.'
He was about to continue trying random commands when he heard something completely different.
"GYAAAAAAAH!"
A scream.
Not from a dinosaur or a wild animal. It wasn't the sound of any creature he had heard in that world so far.
Human.
Very high-pitched, definitely feminine. Full of fear, despair, and pain.
William stopped mid-movement, all his muscles tensing instantly. The sound had come from somewhere in the forest to the left, distant but clear enough to leave no doubt, cutting through the air like a knife, piercing the afternoon silence.
A scream of fear or pain. Maybe both.
He froze for a moment, his brain processing the information slowly. That scream was definitely human; no other animal could scream like that, could it?
'Other people. There are other people here.' William was suddenly happy.
The scream came again, louder this time, more desperate. It's not my problem. I can barely manage here alone. I can't help anyone. I have no idea what's happening. It could be a trap. It could be a beast hunting, and I'll get in the middle of it. It could be too late when I get there.
But his feet were already moving.
Damn it. It could be the only human in this cursed world. It could be someone who isn't the sound of some animal. It could be…
He didn't finish the thought. He was already running.
He started running in the direction from where the sound had come. Fatigue and exhaustion were already showing clear signs; his legs felt heavy, his breath came in gasps, and the muscles in his thighs burned with each step. But he didn't slow down. He ignored the body's complaints, the silent protests of every muscle fiber.
He ran through the forest as fast as he could. Not a sound or sign could guide him beyond the memory of the last time he heard the scream. Had something already eliminated this human? He would be wasting energy if that were the case, but he couldn't risk it not being so.
He jumped over thick roots, dodged fallen trunks, pushed ferns out of the way with his arms, the giant leaves whipping his body as they passed. His heart was hammering against his ribs; he couldn't tell what it was, whether it was anxiety, fear, or exertion.
'This could be dangerous. What if there's more than one beast? What if it's a pack of predators? What if I get there and it's just a body? Why the hell am I doing this? Why the hell am I running towards danger?'
But he didn't stop. He didn't even slow down.
Perhaps it was hope. The desperate desire not to be the only one of his kind. The deep, primal fear of being alone in a world not made for humans. Loneliness in such a place wasn't just sadness; it was a slow death sentence. No one to share the burden, to watch over while sleeping, to share knowledge and effort, to simply... exist together.
Or perhaps it was just instinct. Something older than thought, that said "human in danger, help them" without passing through the filter of reason; perhaps it was the kind of person who helped others. He couldn't remember.
He pushed aside a large fern and emerged into a small clearing.
And he stopped. His eyes widened.
The scene he saw before him...