REM0TE

Dr. Taylor looked at Kai with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "How do you know me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kai hesitated for a moment before responding, "I found your ID card here. I contacted you with it.

Dr. Taylor's eyes widened in surprise as she processed the information. "So that means I was really here while the experiment was taking place, but it seems I don't remember anything," she said, her voice laced with a mix of fear and uncertainty.

Just as they were trying to make sense of the situation, they heard a strange noise coming from the distance. It started as a low rumble, but quickly grew louder and more intense. Dr. Taylor and Kai exchanged a nervous glance, and then they saw them - a group of random monsters emerging from the shadows, their eyes fixed on the two humans.

Without hesitation, Dr. Taylor and Kai took off in a sprint, desperate to escape the clutches of the monstrous creatures. They ran as fast as they could, their footsteps echoing off the walls as they desperately tried to put some distance between themselves and their pursuers.

As they ran, Kai suddenly stopped and pulled Dr. Taylor behind a nearby stone. "Wait," he whispered, his eyes scanning the area. "I think I've seen these monsters before... in some other dimensions."

Dr. Taylor's eyes widened in surprise, but before she could respond, the monsters closed in, their snarling and growling growing louder. Dr. Taylor and Kai held their breath, hoping that they could remain hidden and avoid the creatures' deadly attention.

Dr. Taylor looked at Kai with a curious expression. "Kai, the things you said earlier, were they true? Were you ever... tried using the menu button?"

Kai shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I've never really thought about it before."

Dr. Taylor's eyes sparkled with interest. "Well, try it now. See what happens."

Kai raised an eyebrow, but he decided to humor Dr. Taylor. He reached out and hit the menu button, and to his surprise, a blank space appeared in front of him. It was like a virtual canvas, waiting for him to make his mark.

As Kai touched the blank space, a menu appeared, filled with options and settings that he had never seen before. He scrolled through the menu, marveling at the sheer number of choices available to him.

But then, he stumbled upon something that caught his eye. A section labeled "Appearance" seemed to be calling to him, and he couldn't resist the urge to explore it further.

As he delved deeper into the Appearance menu, Kai discovered that he could edit his appearance in any way he wanted. He could change his hair color, his eye color, his skin tone, and even his entire body shape. The possibilities were endless, and Kai felt a thrill of excitement at the prospect of being able to reinvent himself.

Dr. Taylor watched in amazement as Kai began to experiment with his appearance. She had never seen anything like this before, and she couldn't help but wonder what other secrets the menu button held.

As Kai continued to play with his appearance, Dr. Taylor couldn't help but ask, "Kai, what does this mean? What kind of technology is this?"

Kai just shrugged, too caught up in the excitement of discovering his new abilities. "I don't know, but I think it's connected to the Emi Stone somehow. Maybe it's a way for us to... I don't know, adapt to different situations or something."

Dr. Taylor's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with the implications. "I think you might be onto something, Kai. This could be a game-changer. But we need to be careful. We don't know what kind of consequences this technology could have."

As the monsters closed in, Kai's eyes darted back to the menu, his mind racing with the possibilities. He knew he had to act fast, or they would be overwhelmed. He quickly navigated to the Power option on the Appearance menu, and a new list of options appeared before him.

The list was extensive, with options like Fire, Water, Steel, and many others. Each option seemed to offer a unique ability, but as Kai scanned the list, he noticed that each option also came with a debuff to himself. For example, the Fire option would give him the ability to shoot flames from his hands, but it would also reduce his speed and agility. The Water option would allow him to heal himself and others, but it would also make him vulnerable to electrical attacks.

Kai's eyes widened as he realized the trade-offs. He could only choose one option at a time, and each one would come with a significant cost. He looked up at Dr. Taylor, who was watching him with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

"What is it, Kai?" she asked, her voice low and urgent. "What do you see?"

Kai hesitated, unsure of what to do. The monsters were getting closer, and he knew he had to make a decision fast. He looked back at the menu, his eyes scanning the options once more.

"I see a list of powers," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But each one has a debuff. I'm not sure what to choose."

Dr. Taylor's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with the implications. "What kind of debuffs?" she asked, her voice sharp with interest.

Kai hesitated, then began to read out the options. "Fire reduces my speed and agility. Water makes me vulnerable to electrical attacks. Steel increases my strength, but reduces my mobility..."

Dr. Taylor's eyes widened as she listened, her face set in a determined expression. "Choose one, Kai," she said, her voice firm. "We need to do something, and fast."

Kai took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew he had to make a decision, and fast. He looked at the menu, his eyes scanning the options once more.

Which one would he choose?

To be continued