Chapter 90 : System

"System."

The word slipped past Alex's lips like a quiet command—even if it had never once yielded a response aside from a status window.

Until now.

A brief pause hung in the air.

Then—

[ Yes, Host. ]

Alex blinked.

He sat up in bed so fast, he nearly yanked the IV out of his arm.

"...What?"

That voice—clear, calm, emotionless—rang directly inside his mind. Not a prompt. Not a static screen.

Actual speech.

"You… can talk?" Alex said slowly, suspiciously, like he was talking to a ghost that had finally replied after years of haunting him.

[Affirmative. This feature was added during the most recent update.]

Alex stared blankly at the wall for a second.

"Update? What update? Since the moment I got into this world, you've been completely useless!"