Chapitre 3: Dead Man Walking?
We cruised back toward the Emmerian airbase, the skies eerily quiet after the chaos of battle. My mind raced as I replayed the events over and over. The system had turned what should have been a standard mission into something that felt like a simulation—except it wasn't. Every kill, every explosion, was real.
I flexed my hand on the stick, still feeling the pulse of adrenaline. There was something unsettling about the way the system reacted, always appearing when I needed it most. And the kills… they felt too easy. Was that the system, or was it me?
The familiar hum of my radio pulled me from my thoughts. "Foxhound, this is Command. Standby for debrief once you're on the ground. Great work up there."
"Roger that, Command," I replied, forcing calm into my voice.
The system hadn't spoken since the mission ended, but I could feel it lurking in the back of my mind. I was starting to wonder if it had a mind of its own. What had activated it in the first place? Why me?
As we began our descent, another prompt flashed in my vision, clear as day.
Quest Complete: Complete Your Mission
Rewards:
• XP: 500
• Bonus: Skill Slot Unlocked
• New Quest: Investigate the Source of the System
Investigate the source of the system? That was new. It seemed like the system wasn't just helping me—it had its own agenda. And that idea sent a chill down my spine.
After landing, the familiar sounds of the base hit me like a wave: the rush of mechanics, the hum of engines, and the occasional shout from the ground crew. It all felt… normal. Too normal. But as I dismounted from the cockpit, I couldn't shake the feeling that everything had changed.
Wolf jogged up, clapping me on the shoulder. "You killed it up there today, man. Seriously. Five kills in one sortie? You're a legend now."
I gave a weak smile. "Yeah, well, I had a lot of help."
"Don't sell yourself short. You just earned yourself an Ace title." He grinned, but his eyes flickered with something else. Curiosity. Suspicion, maybe. "But you've been flying different lately. Faster. Sharper. You alright?"
I hesitated. How could I explain what had just happened? There was no way I could tell him about the system without sounding like I'd lost it. "Just… focusing. Had to step up, I guess."
Wolf nodded slowly, but I could tell he didn't fully buy it. "Well, whatever you're doing, it's working. Command's gonna want a full report."
I nodded, but the tension in my chest tightened. As Wolf walked away, I headed toward the debrief room, my thoughts racing. How was I going to explain all this? The system had given me an edge, but at what cost?
Inside the briefing room, Commander Blake stood waiting, his arms crossed. He was an imposing figure, a man who had seen more wars than he cared to admit. His eyes narrowed as I entered, and I could feel the weight of his gaze.
"Sit down, Lieutenant," he said, his voice gruff but steady.
I took a seat, the quiet hum of the air conditioning doing little to ease the tension in the room.
"I've reviewed the combat footage from your mission," Blake began, his eyes never leaving mine. "You performed exceptionally well. Almost too well."
I shifted in my seat. Here we go.
"You took out five enemy fighters on your own," he continued. "And while I'm proud of your performance, something doesn't add up." He leaned forward, resting his hands on the table. "What happened out there, Wells?"
I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. "I… don't know how to explain it, sir. Everything just… clicked. I reacted faster, saw opportunities I wouldn't normally see."
He studied me in silence for a moment, then leaned back in his chair. "I've seen this before. A pilot gets into the zone, taps into something primal. But this is different. There's something you're not telling me."
The system's warning bells rang in my head, a new notification popping up at the corner of my vision.
New Option: Conceal the System or Reveal the System
I froze, staring at the prompt. I hadn't expected the system to give me a choice like this. Did I tell him the truth? Would he even believe me if I did?
Blake's eyes narrowed. "Lieutenant?"
I took a deep breath. "Sir, I'm not sure how to explain this, but… something's happening to me. Ever since we deployed to the border, I've been seeing things—like a HUD overlay in my vision. It's… guiding me."
Blake's expression didn't change, but I could see his grip tighten on the arms of his chair. "Explain."
"It's like… a system, sir. It gives me missions, skills, even stats. It helped me target those Su-27s. I'm flying better because of it." I stopped, waiting for the disbelief, the accusation of insanity.
Blake was silent for a long moment, then leaned forward. "You're telling me you're experiencing some kind of augmented reality?"
I nodded. "I know it sounds crazy, but—"
"It doesn't sound crazy, Lieutenant," Blake interrupted, his voice lower now, more dangerous. "It sounds like you're being manipulated."
My heart skipped a beat. "Manipulated? By who?"
Blake stood, turning his back to me as he paced toward the window. "There have been… rumors. Stories of pilots, soldiers, who claim to experience something similar. Most of them don't make it out of their next mission."
I stood, my stomach churning. "What are you saying, sir?"
Blake turned back to me, his face grave. "I'm saying whatever this system is, it isn't here to help you. It's using you. And if you don't figure out what it wants, you might not make it out of your next mission alive."
The weight of his words settled over me like a storm cloud. The system had saved my life today, but at what cost? What did it want from me?
Before I could respond, a new prompt appeared.
Quest Update: Investigate the Source of the System
New Objective: Speak with Dr. Alison Vetra, Specialist in AI Research
Location: Oured University, Osea
"Lieutenant," Blake said, his tone softening, "I don't know what's happening to you, but if you want to survive this, you need to get answers. I'll clear your next leave. Go to Oured. Find this Dr. Vetra."
I nodded slowly, the weight of the situation crashing down on me. Whatever this system was, it was bigger than me. And if I didn't get to the bottom of it, I had a feeling it wouldn't stop until I was nothing more than a ghost in the sky.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone