Arel's eyelids fluttered open to the sharp bite of Ankara's morning frost. The gray light leaking through the cracked curtain bathed his room in a pale blue hue. He lingered under the warmth of the blanket, caught in a silent negotiation with the icy reality outside… until his phone buzzed:
"08:47 – Wednesday. System Initializing..."
Arel frowned.
"What system?"
He sat up in bed, glanced at the screen—just a normal phone display. Groggy and disoriented, he assumed he was dreaming. Shutting off the alarm, he got up, threw on his old gray sweatpants, and glanced at himself in the mirror: hair a mess, eyes crusty, the classic "late-for-class" look.
But something was off.
A mechanical voice echoed in his head.
[Analysis System Activated.]
User: Arel Yılmaz
Level: Zero
Authorization: Passive Observation
Support: Memory Enhancement, Data Classification, Motor Coordination Boost
Arel rubbed his eyes.
"I must've... overstudied or something."
He had prepped nonstop for exams last week—7 hours of physics, 5 hours of math daily.
"Seeing things is probably normal at this point."
He went to the bathroom. As he began brushing his teeth, the system chimed in again:
[Whitening Efficiency: 3%. Brushing technique incorrect.]
[Recommended: Circular motion. Reduce pressure near upper gumline.]
Arel dropped the toothbrush.
"What the hell...?"
He checked his phone. Still the same wallpaper. Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp, YouTube—everything seemed normal. He searched online: "Hearing system voice hallucination?" First result: "Signs of burnout syndrome."
He was heading to university. Got dressed, threw on his black coat, wrapped a scarf around his neck. As he walked downhill, the Ankara cold slapped him straight across the face. And then… the system was back.
[Walking Speed: Average. Left knee outer ligaments bearing 6% excess load.]
[Shoe sole worn: 18%. Slip risk: 2.7%]
Arel muttered, breath clouding the air:
"Great, I've turned into my own personal Jarvis. Or maybe I've just snapped."
When he reached campus, his friend group was in their usual spot. Outside the cafeteria—chips, soda, banter.
Tolga:
"You look like a zombie again, Arel. Dude, it's not even finals week."
Arel smirked:
"Didn't sleep. Also… I have a system in my head."
Serra:
"You have what?"
Arel:
"Forget it. Just kidding."
Tolga hooked an arm through his.
"You definitely stayed up watching kung-fu movies all night. Probably followed it up with a Matrix recap. Now you're in one of those 'what is reality?' phases."
Arel chuckled inwardly. But then, the system spoke again:
[Tolga's speech: 84% probability of joking. Tone analyzed.]
[Stress Level: Normal. Friendly Intent Detected.]
Arel instinctively stepped back.
"This voice… it's real, isn't it?"
The voice inside his head was getting clearer. And now he could feel it—it wasn't a dream. This system… was real.
Then the system added a new line:
[New content detected... Educational Material: Physics I – Waves and Optics]
[Scanning... Beginning data analysis.]
As Arel stepped into the classroom, it hit him:
Maybe this wasn't just another ordinary morning.
And this system… wasn't just going to help him cheat on exams.
The first thing Arel noticed upon entering the lecture hall was the row of laptops in the front seats. The students appeared to be furiously taking notes, but the open game tabs on their screens betrayed them.
Arel slid into a seat near the back. He hung his coat over the chair and pulled a notebook from his bag. The subject: Physics I – Waves and Optics.
The instructor: Dr. Hülya Gündüz.
Her style: the very embodiment of seriousness.
Before Arel even walked in, she had already struck fear into the class with the equation written on the board:
n₁sin(θ₁) = n₂sin(θ₂)
Arel sighed.
"Snell's Law, my favorite…"
As the chalk squeaked across the board, the system jumped into action:
[Topic: Light Refraction]
[Content: Geometric Optics]
[Processing Data… Visualizing… Storing in Memory…]
[Virtual Model: Ready.]
Arel blinked. The diagram on the board transformed into a three-dimensional simulation in his mind. The way light bent as it passed through different mediums was now being rendered in real time by the system.
And the strangest part?
He understood everything being taught.
No memorizing. No struggling.
Mid-lecture, Arel leaned back and whispered to his friend:
"Tolga... I can feel physics, bro."
Tolga turned, giving him a mocking look.
"Feel what? You getting electrocuted or something?"
"No, seriously. You know how she's explaining Snell's Law? I can see it. The light bending… right in front of me."
"Man, you've been watching way too much Rick and Morty."
But Arel was dead serious. It felt like there was a screen in his head. Optical refraction wasn't just a topic anymore—it was a visual spectacle. Learning wasn't a chore; it was turning into an addiction.
The system sent a new notification:
[Data Repository Updated.]
[New Passive Skill Acquired: Quick Comprehension Lv.1]
Arel squinted, thinking.
"Wait… does this mean I'll understand every class this easily?"
The system answered:
[Dependent on user's cognitive capacity. Learning rate increased by 213%.]
By the time class ended, Arel was among the last to leave. As he put on his coat, he watched the data update animation playing in his mind.
Outside the campus gates, Serra caught up to him.
"You were different today. You didn't take notes, but it looked like you were absorbing everything."
"Yeah… because I was."
"You're not joking, are you?"
"No. Serra… something woke up in my head today. A system. And it's teaching me… everything. From Snell's Law to the Matrix."
Serra laughed at first.
Then she noticed the strange seriousness in his eyes.
"Alright then, share your magic with me. Maybe we'll crush the finals together."
Arel smiled involuntarily. But deep down, he was unsettled.
Because this system wasn't just touching his studies anymore—
it was starting to interfere with his life.
That night, back at home, he sat at his computer. He typed "Taekwondo techniques" into YouTube. On-screen, a man performed a high kick.
The system intervened:
[Analyzing video…]
[Movement analysis initiated.]
[Calculating muscle group activation.]
[Motor reflex mapping in progress…]
Arel instinctively bent his leg slightly in his chair.
His muscles… were beginning to understand how that kick worked.
And just past midnight, the system issued another alert:
[Hidden Mission: Body–Mind Synchronization]
[Mission Progress: 7% Complete.]
[Reward: Reflex Enhancement Lv.1]
Arel tightened his grip on his water bottle.
This wasn't just a study aid anymore.
This… was the beginning of an entirely new reality.
By the time Arel lay down in bed, it was 2:14 AM. Ankara's dry frost crept through the slightly open window, spreading quietly through the room. Buried beneath his blanket, hands locked under his head, he stared blankly at the ceiling. The system's silence felt louder than ever.
[Daily analysis complete.]
[Total data processed: 3 hours 12 minutes]
[New Gains: Quick Comprehension Lv.1, Reflex Enhancement Lv.1]
"Daily analysis, huh…"
Arel mumbled to himself.
"So that's how it works. Watch movies, learn to fight. Listen to class, ace the test. But where's the limit?"
The system didn't respond.
Maybe in its current version, it lacked the consciousness to handle such philosophical queries. But Arel could feel it—
This was just the beginning.
The next morning, the path to campus looked strangely different. Same trees, same bus stop, same simit vendor… but Arel's mind was now filtered through a new lens of reality. He began analyzing people's walking styles, trying to read their emotional states from their body language.
[Spinal curve: 12% – Sign of fatigue]
[Tense shoulder muscles – Slight stress detected]
[Avoiding eye contact – 67% probability of social anxiety]
These micro-analyses from the system gave Arel a strange satisfaction. It was as if the people around him weren't just "people" anymore—they were complex equations waiting to be solved.
When he stepped into the campus cafeteria, Serra and Tolga were at their usual corner.
Serra: "I paid for tea again today. One day, you'll say 'my treat' too, right?"
Arel grinned and pulled out his wallet: "Alright, add it to my tab."
Tolga chimed in: "What tab, man? You've got a system running in your head and you're still acting like a broke student."
Arel narrowed his eyes.
"So… you heard the system too?"
Tolga: "Nah, bro. I think what you heard was your own inner monologue. The other day you were scratching your arm and muttering 'muscle mass down 3%.'"
Arel burst out laughing.
No one else could hear the system.
This was something unique to him.
But at that moment, the system focused on a new data source:
[Subject: Tolga – 2nd Year Computer Engineering]
[GPA: 2.81]
[Potential Useful Content: Coding / Artificial Intelligence / Processing Algorithms]
[Suggestion: Long-term observation and interaction]
Arel's eyebrows rose slightly.
The system was now labeling the people around him as "potential knowledge sources." That meant… even his social circle had become part of his growth strategy.
He sat quietly, tea in hand, system in mind, humanity across the table...
The rest of the day's classes were dull—until P.E.
He had enrolled in "Basic Self-Defense Techniques" as a throwaway elective. Something fun. But today… it was the perfect opportunity to test the system.
As he walked into the gym, the system pinged:
[New content detected: Combat technique observation]
[Scanning initiated…]
[Basic Judo move: Kuzushi – Balance Disruption]
[Muscle and joint response calculations in progress…]
After warm-ups, the instructor demonstrated a few simple moves. Arel followed along like the others, but under the system's guidance, his reflexes moved like they'd been rehearsed in advance.
His sparring partner looked surprised:
"Have you done this before?"
Arel shook his head.
"No. First time."
But his body… was telling a different story.
That evening, he sat down at his computer again. He was physically tired, but mentally alert. This time, he didn't search for combat videos. Instead, he opened a documentary about Einstein. He wanted to see if the system could digest theoretical content too.
[Topic: General Relativity]
[Insufficient foundational knowledge. Data processing inefficient.]
[Recommendation: Review Newtonian Physics and Special Relativity first.]
"Damn... this thing's turning into a whole library."
A thought crossed his mind.
Could this system really allow him to learn everything in the world?
But the system wasn't slowing down.
And Arel knew: this wasn't just about lessons or combat anymore—
This was evolving into something far, far bigger.
That night, Arel sat silently under the glow of his phone screen. A cup of coffee in hand, a shadow of fatigue in his eyes—yet his mind had never been more alive. It felt like a door had opened. A map he'd never seen, a plan he'd never known, had begun unfolding.
He clicked on a completely different video on YouTube this time.
Title: "The Psychology of Surviving Street Fights."
Normally, he would've dismissed it as clickbait.
But now, even these were on the system's radar.
[Content Detected: Social Threats and Risk Management]
[Subconscious Triggers Detected… Threat Detection Protocol Activated.]
Arel rolled his eyes.
"Come on… are you syncing with my survival instincts now?"
But the system said nothing.
It was simply processing—
With a cold, impartial, godlike focus.
Then, a small tab appeared at the corner of the screen, catching his attention:
"System Development Path – Version 1.0: Knowledge-Based Adaptation System."
He clicked it. A brief info panel opened:
🔹 System Version: 1.0
🔸 Ability Type: Knowledge Analysis & Assimilation
🔸 Limitations:
– Only real-world observable data can be processed.
– Theoretical range: Education, physics, sports, social behavior.
– For unlimited growth, "evolution update" is required.
🔸 Passive Abilities:
✓ Quick Comprehension
✓ Reflex Enhancement
✓ Knowledge Visualization
🔸 Locked Paths:
🔒 Chemical Compound Analysis
🔒 Genetic & Biological Modeling
🔒 Elemental Behavior Study
🔒 Parareal Perception
🔒 Neural Interaction Protocols
Arel paused at the term "Parareal."
"What the hell is that? Parallel reality? Are we going full sci-fi now?"
But then he laughed to himself.
The system was still in its earliest version. It was limited to knowledge. No laser eyes, no fireball hands like in movies.
Just a machine-like intelligence embedded in his brain.
Yet a thought crept into the deepest part of his mind:
> "But what if one day... this system removes all its limits?"
"What if it begins analyzing reality itself?"
The next morning, he headed to campus like usual.
Ankara's dry cold bit into his bones as he walked the streets.
But now, every passerby was a data point.
Every step, every glance—raw material for analysis.
Then, something unexpected happened.
Across the street, a young child suddenly dashed into traffic.
People froze. In moments like that, time seems to slow—
but no one ever moves.
Except Arel did.
Reflexively, he stepped forward.
[Danger Detected – Active]
[Target Identified: Child – 100% Risk]
[Adjusting Muscle Response Time…]
[Advanced Reflex Override – Active]
Arel grabbed the child by the collar and yanked him back.
A car screeched past, missing them by mere inches.
Tires screeched. Curses flew. A wave of gasps rolled through the crowd.
But in Arel's ears, only one sound echoed:
[Mini Mission Complete]
[Instinctive Intervention – 100% Success]
[New Passive Acquired: Danger Sense Lv.1]
People stared at him.
Some called him a hero.
Others said it was just luck.
But in that moment, Arel understood something profound:
> This was no longer just about passing classes or learning physics.
This system… was keeping him alive.
And the system...
was still only at Version 1.0.