Michael ignored sizzling sounds and was about to mix the two solutions, when his brows furrowed. "Something is off."
His mind spun then he realized what the problem was was.
The sound of metal corroding had faded a little too quickly, it was as though the entire block of metal had been burned through, but Michael knew the solution should take at least a thirty seconds to eat through an ordinary metal.
Despite knowing this, he refused to split his concentration and processed to concocting the NeoCell-Cure agent he had come up with in his mind.
Without hesitation, he emptied the entire vial of purplish liquid into the slimy yet translucent heating flask, which had once contained luminescent greenish liquid. His gaze remained fixed on the swirling concoction as the two substances intermingled.
A vigorous chemical reaction erupted, marked by bubbling and fizzing, accompanied by a faint hissing that resonated throughout the chamber.
As the reaction progressed, the solution began to change color, starting from a pale yellow and gradually deepening into a rich amber. Michael observed the reaction closely, noting any changes in texture or consistency, and adjusting the blazing burner as needed to achieve the desired result.
As the minutes passed, the solution continued to bubble and churn, and the young man could feel the excitement building within him. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the culmination of all his hard work and research.
Without hesitation, he opened a tightly sealed flask containing a wriggling piece of flesh inside. Not daring to touch the black, rotten piece of moving flesh, he immediately dumped it inside the mixture.
Finally, the reaction began to slow, and the solution settled into a steady, viscous consistency. The young illegal Mixer carefully extracted the liquid from the flask, using a syringe installed with a sucker.
The genetic material had been successfully incorporated into the chemical mixture, creating a potent and highly reactive substance.
Even with his composure, he couldn't help but feel excited and anxious.
With trembling fingers, Michael tentatively extended his hand towards the healing stim. His heart raced, a blend of anticipation and trepidation coursing through his veins. The most definitive test subject was himself, and he had taken solace in the thorough interface tests that had suggested the safety of human experimentation.
While his interactive Neuro implant was merely above a commercial one and not an advance one, it could still perform simple tasks.
With his bandaged fingers trembling slightly, Michael extended his right arm towards the vial of genetically modified healing serum, its luminescent green hue pulsating with a vibrant energy.
His meaty heart pounding rapidly in his chest, infused with both exhilaration and apprehension, Michael knew that the most efficient way to test the efficacy of the untested compound was by testing it on himself.
The experimental formula, composed of chemical compounds, promised fast cell regeneration, offering the potential to heal severe injuries and even battle cancer.
Using his neuro system interface chemic-mod calculations, he had scanned the formula for mistakes, removed unnecessary chemical structure and after adjust the formula to a new one that he was pretty sure wouldn't lead to his death.
And yet, the unknown risks associated with the serum left Michael's mind racing with anxiety.
The lines at the edge of his face flashed as his neural implants fired at a feverish pace. Even after the assurance, he still tested once more for the possible consequences of injecting the untested substance into his bloodstream.
If it works, he could create more and sell for quite a price opening limitless opportunities door himself but if it doesn't, he could only accept his fate.
Nonetheless, with a deep breath, Michael steeled himself for the unknown, holding the syringe at his bandages wrist.
Just as he was about to inject the serum, Michael's cybernetic implant pulsed with urgency.
The tiny LED implanted at the edge of his sidebrows to his cheekbones flickered to life, casting an eerie glow over his stained face.
Without warning, a jarring notification blared through his cybernetic neuro implant, startling him.
Frustration surged as he tried to disregard the interruption and proceed with the injection. However, an imposing virtual screen materialized within the depths of his pupils, the notification looming prominently, seizing nearly half of his visual field.
[Alert: Unknown Modifier Detected]
[Nanobots Resource Name:??? ]
[Generation Type :??? ]
[Resource Mass: 50kg]
[Nanites Features: ???]
[Warning!!! This Mod appears to be of an Old Model/Generation and is not found in any registered database. It could potentially contain a highly dangerous cybervus. Remove restrictions to search through Cybernet for more information and report to the authorities]
In that critical moment, Michael's mind went utterly blank, like a wiped slate. A sudden, involuntary constriction gripped his pupils, rendering them as pinpricks amidst the darkness of his widened gaze.
He stood in an eerie stillness, his unblinking eyes fixated upon the uneven block of metal that should have been dissolved into an amorphous puddle on the ground.
The uneven block of pure metal, once believed to have melted into oblivion, had transformed into a pulsating, sentient mass of nanites!
"How could this be?" Michael muttered, his voice a trembling whisper, his disbelief palpable in the air.
The last time he had checked it, he was certain that the acidic drop he had accidentally spilled should have reduced the block to nothingness or at least created a hike through it.
Yet, there it stood, defiantly intact, and instead displaying itself to be a true Modifier.
That wasn't the only thing that perplexed him.
His visual recognition system displayed the weight of the nanite pack as 50 kilograms, which was simply impossible! The heaviest nanobot pack ever recorded was only 9.9 kilograms!
And that, was already pushing the limits of current technology as well as the human body!
Michael almost couldn't believe his eyes. His mind raced with questions and possibilities about how this was even possible.
How was it that he wasn't able to identify the Modifier even after searing through the surface in case of a programmable electrode cover.
The only explanation was that there was an even stronger layer of electrode foil, effectively concealing the Gene-Modifier from detection.
If that drop of solution which contained intense concentration of acid hadn't dropped on the uneven block of metal then he wouldn't have known he was treating a freaking Gene-Modifier as paper weigh!
And if the solution hadn't been strong enough to penetrate the strong electrode foil cover, the Modifier would still be hidden and he would remain ignorant!
As he stood there in shock, he could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, making his fingers tingle with anticipation.
The buzzing sounds in his mind became louder and more insistent, drowning out all other thoughts including the thought of testing out his newly made solution.
Although this Modifier appears to be one of an incredibly ancient generation even a tad bit lower than a 1st-gen Mod, it was better than nothing!
Without even thinking, his body moved on its own, reaching out to grab the unevenly-shaped block of cubic metal.
As his fingers closed in around the cool metal, he could feel a tiny spark generate through his finger tips like an electric shock, then it pulsed heavily like that of an heartbeat.
"Thump!"