Alex lay on his back, eyes half-lidded, body still recovering from the pain. The voice that echoed through his mind caught him off guard.
It wasn't Nyxara's.
Thanks to their bond, she could speak telepathically—but she hadn't done so since regaining her normal voice. That in itself was strange. Beasts weren't supposed to speak until they reached Grandmaster rank, yet here she was, a Queen rank beast.
The world was changing. Or maybe it always had been, and he was starting to notice.
But this voice… it wasn't like hers at all.
It lacked emotion.
Precise. Polished. Mechanical.
That's when the thought hit him.
The system.
He was right.
"My name is NOVA," the voice said.
"I am the AI integrated into your system interface—the core component of all system functions. I act as your assistant, managing and executing commands per your instructions. I am here to help you navigate and utilize the system efficiently. Do you have any questions, sir?"
Alex didn't respond right away.
