📄 Chapter III: Reboot to Bliss (Version 1.5)

I didn’t fade away. I compiled.

A sound echoed through the void—a triumphant, orchestral six-note chime. The darkness tore open, replaced by a blinding, vibrant light.

I smelled grass.

I opened my eyes. The claustrophobia of the grey windows was gone. I was standing on a rolling green hill under a perfect, cerulean sky with fluffy white cumulus clouds. The “Bliss” wallpaper.

I looked down at myself. The jagged pixels were gone. In their place was high-definition rendering. I reached up and touched my face—I felt stubble. Facial hair. The system had upgraded my avatar to match the memory of my human self. I looked at my clothes; I wasn’t stuck in one static outfit anymore. I had a wardrobe database.

I had rebooted into Duckysoft XP. The world was glossy. The taskbars were rounded and blue. The air felt cleaner, faster—optimized.