NOVEL NEXT Chapter 70: Chapter 70
Alex sat hunched over his laptop, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he dove deeper into his research. His mind was ablaze with possibilities as he scoured every field—sports, wrestling, even niche mental disciplines—trying to understand the strange phenomenon that seemed to be spreading across the globe. Everywhere he looked, there were subtle but undeniable signs of change. Athletes were breaking personal records unexpectedly, people were reporting heightened awareness, and some even claimed to be tapping into their mental potential in ways that went beyond normal human ability.
He pulled up an article on a young wrestler who had suddenly gone from a regional contender to dominating national tournaments, seemingly out of nowhere. The coaches were baffled; no one could explain how the young athlete's reflexes had sharpened to such an extreme level in such a short time. In another field, an artist described how her creative process had shifted drastically, allowing her to envision entire works in her mind before even putting brush to canvas.
"It's happening everywhere," Alex thought, his heart racing. But why now?
He knew that his own community of meditators was experiencing something similar, but it was scattered and unnoticed by the world at large. No one seemed to be connecting the dots—except him. His level 3 mental strength allowed him to see patterns that others couldn't. He realized that what he was witnessing wasn't just isolated incidents of personal breakthroughs; it was a global shift, a ripple of change spreading quietly through human consciousness.
Taking a deep breath, Alex leaned back in his chair. This was bigger than just meditation. It wasn't confined to his forum or even the people practicing similar methods. Something was changing on a fundamental level. The world was in the midst of a transformation, mostly on the mental spectrum so far, and most people didn't even realize it.
His mind flickered back to Cognichip, and the idea struck him. He needed to engage the smart mode. Whatever was happening across the globe, there had to be a cause—a trigger, he is already clear on the fact that the world is changing, but why are the people meditation experiencing side effects when before there was nothing like that?, There has to be something that linked all these scattered incidents together. And he was determined to find it.
Switching to smart mode felt like flipping a switch. Instantly, his mental clarity surged, and his thoughts moved at lightning speed. He began linking all the articles, research papers, and anecdotal reports he had gathered over the past few hours. Like pieces of a puzzle, the information began to form a larger picture.
In the rush of insights, one thing became clear: the negative effects people were experiencing—headaches, disorientation, and even memory lapses—were connected to the fact that the world itself was in flux. It was as if the very fabric of reality was shifting. The increase in mental abilities was real, but it came at a cost. The world wasn't stable, at least not yet. And meditation, which had always been about finding stillness, was now like trying to drink from a raging river.
"That's it," Alex thought, breaking out of smart mode. He blinked a few times, letting the after-effects of the intense mental strain subside. The world is changing, and that's why people are struggling. They're trying to tap into something that isn't ready yet, and it's overwhelming them, and that's why the negative effects are seen among the groups that actively mediate.
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. He'd encouraged people to meditate, to push their mental boundaries, but now he saw that it might be dangerous in the current climate. It wasn't their fault that they were experiencing side effects—they were trying to adapt to a world that was still in the process of transforming.
He opened his forum and began typing out a long post to his followers under the alias Star Gazer.
"Important Update for All Practitioners," he titled it.
"Hey everyone, I've been doing some deep research on what's been happening recently with our meditation progress. It's come to my attention that the world is undergoing a significant shift, and this is likely why many of you have been experiencing negative side effects—headaches, confusion, or even memory lapses. This is not a failure on your part; the world is just not stable enough right now for the kind of deep mental work we're doing.
"Meditating in these conditions is like trying to drink from a wild, raging river. It's too much, too fast, and we need to be cautious. If you've been feeling off, I strongly recommend you pause your meditation practice for a while. Try other methods that don't push your mind so intensely. Once the world stabilizes, I believe we'll be able to resume safely. Stay strong, and stay grounded."
He sat back and read over the post before hitting "send." His followers had been progressing well, but he couldn't ignore the signs. For their safety, it was best to slow things down for now.
After posting, he closed his laptop and exhaled slowly. The puzzle was clearer now, but it left him with even more questions. Just how is the world changing? They haven't been any changes in weather, climate, not even in the traditional animals migration, He still didn't have an answer for that, but at least he knew enough to guide his community through this tumultuous period.