The directive appeared at the worst possible time.
Which, Asher had learned, meant it appeared at exactly the expected time.
He was halfway through closing duties, wiping down the counter while Maya counted the register. The store was quiet, the lights dimmed to that end-of-day hum that made everything feel slower and heavier.
Normal.
Finally normal.
The pressure settled behind his eyes.
Asher froze mid-wipe.
No.
Not now.
A translucent blue screen unfolded anyway.
[System Directive – Issued]
Priority: High
Condition: Time-Sensitive
Objective: Enter Personal Dungeon
Window: 42 minutes
Asher stared at it.
Then slowly looked up at the wall clock.
10:18 PM.
He looked at Maya.
She was humming quietly, tapping numbers into the register, blissfully unaware that his life had just been scheduled without consent.
"…You have got to be kidding me," he whispered.
[Clarification]
Directive issuance is not a joke.
"Fantastic," Asher muttered. "Because my boss loves it when I disappear mid-close."
He cleared his throat and tried to act normal. His hand resumed wiping the counter, though his brain had started doing math it did not enjoy.
Forty-two minutes meant:
Walk home: 15 minutes
Warp prep: immediate
Dungeon time: unpredictable
Which meant—
"…I'm late," he murmured.
Maya glanced up. "You say something?"
"Nope," Asher said quickly. "Just… thinking about dust."
She narrowed her eyes. "You've never thought about dust in your life."
The system window pulsed.
[Reminder]
Failure to comply will reduce growth efficiency.
Asher clenched his jaw.
"I am working," he hissed under his breath.
[Correction]
You are closing.
"That's—worse!"
He tried to ignore it. Focused on the rag. On the counter. On not having a glowing blue crisis float in front of him.
The system did not cooperate.
[Directive Status: Pending]
Maya finished counting and sighed. "Okay, we're good. Let's lock up."
Asher's heart leapt.
"Yes," he said too fast. "Great. Perfect. Love locking up."
She eyed him. "You're vibrating."
"I've had coffee."
"At night?"
"…Emergency coffee."
They stepped outside and pulled the door shut. Maya locked it and turned to him.
"You walking home?" she asked.
Asher opened his mouth.
Closed it.
The system pulsed again.
[Time Remaining: 31 minutes]
"…Actually," Asher said carefully, "I was thinking of taking the long way."
Maya blinked. "Why?"
"…Scenery."
She stared.
"…It's a parking lot."
"I'm very into asphalt."
She crossed her arms. "Asher."
"Yes?"
"You're doing the thing."
He sighed. "Which thing?"
"The 'I'm about to vanish for no reason and pretend it's normal' thing."
The directive pulsed harder.
[Warning]
Noncompliance detected.
Asher squeezed his eyes shut.
Please.
Just once.
"Maya," he said, choosing his words with extreme care, "have you ever felt like you needed to be somewhere right now for reasons you can't explain?"
She stared at him.
"…Are you asking me about anxiety?"
"…Kind of?"
She softened slightly. "Yeah. All the time. That doesn't mean you just leave."
Asher winced.
"…What if leaving is… important?"
Her eyes narrowed again.
"Asher," she said slowly, "important like 'I forgot my wallet,' or important like 'you're lying to me'?"
The system chimed.
[Time Remaining: 26 minutes]
Asher laughed weakly.
"…Third option?"
She sighed and rubbed her temples.
"You know what?" she said. "Fine. If you need to go, go. Just don't—"
She paused.
"—don't disappear tonight."
There it was.
The same words as before.
Only this time, they landed heavier.
Asher swallowed.
"I'll be back," he said. "I promise."
Maya studied him for a long moment.
"…You better."
He turned and walked away before he could talk himself out of it.
The directive pulsed approvingly.
[Directive Compliance – In Progress]
"Don't get smug," Asher muttered. "I hate that you're right."
He picked up the pace.
Walk turned into jog.
Jog into purposeful stride.
The city lights blurred past as the pull strengthened.
Asher reached his apartment door, unlocked it, and barely made it inside before the world twisted.
The dungeon snapped into place.
Stone corridor.
Low ceiling.
Cramped.
"…You're doing this on purpose," Asher said.
[Directive Context]
Stress-induced decision-making improves adaptive response.
"Ah," he said. "So this is my punishment for having friends."
The dungeon did not deny it.
Enemies appeared—quick, skittering things with too many legs and too little patience.
Asher fought efficiently.
His mind kept drifting.
Don't disappear tonight.
He cleared the dungeon faster than usual, movements sharp, controlled—but his heart wasn't in it.
When the final enemy fell, the rewards window appeared.
[Personal Dungeon – Cleared]
Performance: Suboptimal Focus Detected
Rewards:
• Angelic Coin x14
Asher frowned.
"…You docked me."
[Affirmation.]
"That's petty."
The warp returned him home.
Asher immediately checked the time.
11:02 PM.
He grabbed his jacket and headed back out.
When he reached the corner, he saw her.
Maya leaned against a streetlight, arms crossed, face unreadable.
Asher stopped.
"…Hi."
She raised an eyebrow. "You said you'd be back."
"I am," he said quickly. "See? Back."
She stared at him.
"…You smell like dust and adrenaline."
Asher winced.
"…Long way home."
She studied him for a moment, then sighed.
"Whatever it is," she said, "just—don't make me worry."
Asher nodded.
"…I won't."
She walked past him, heading home.
Asher stood there under the streetlight, heart pounding.
A system window flickered.
[Notice]
External variable emotional impact detected.
Directive parameters may require adjustment.
Asher stared at it.
"…Good," he said quietly. "Because I'm not choosing between her and you."
The system did not respond.
Which meant, for the first time—
It might be listening.