The small living room was cluttered with scraps of metal, wires, and half-finished gadgets. The kitchen table was buried under stacks of books—biomechanics, AI development, mana theory—all dog-eared and covered in notes. The walls were lined with sketches and diagrams, some scribbled in haste, others meticulously detailed. It looked like the workspace of a mad scientist, but to Andy, it was home.
He sat at his desk, hunched over a circuit board, a soldering iron in one hand and a magnifying glass in the other. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, but he didn't care.
He was close. So close.
The first prototype of EIL—Enhanced Intelligence Link—was almost complete. It was crude, a jumble of wires and circuits held together by duct tape and sheer willpower, but it was his first big project. He spent years working on it, teaching himself everything he needed to know. He scoured the internet for tutorials, ordered parts from shady online vendors, and even hacked into a few university databases to access restricted research papers. It was not easy, but he'd done it.
He leaned back in his chair, wiping the sweat from his forehead. The prototype was finished. Now came the hard part—testing it.
He picked up the device, turning it over in his hands. It was small, about the size of a matchbox, with a single mana stone embedded in the center. The stone glowed faintly, pulsing with energy. He'd spent weeks figuring out how to extract and stabilize the mana, and even longer designing the circuitry to channel it. If this worked, it would be a game-changer.
But if it didn't…
He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. He couldn't afford to think about failure. Not now.
He stood up and walked over to the mirror on the wall. His reflection stared back at him—pale, tired, and gaunt. He looked like a ghost, but he didn't care. Appearances didn't matter. Only results.
He placed the device against the side of his head, where he'd shaved a small patch of hair. The surface was cold against his skin, and he felt a slight tingle as the mana stone activated. He took a deep breath and flipped the switch.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a sharp pain shot through his skull, and he stumbled back, clutching his head. The pain was intense, like a thousand needles stabbing into his brain, but he forced himself to stay upright. He couldn't afford to pass out now.
The pain subsided, replaced by a strange sensation—a buzzing in his mind, like static on a radio. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation. Slowly, the static began to clear, and he felt… something. A presence. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
"Hello?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
There was no response, but he felt the presence grow stronger. It was like a shadow in the corner of his mind, watching, waiting. He reached out to it, tentatively, and felt a surge of energy. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he saw… something. A flash of light, a swirl of colors, a glimpse of something vast and incomprehensible.
Then it was gone.
He opened his eyes, breathing heavily. The device was still active, the mana stone glowing steadily. He could still feel the presence in his mind, faint but unmistakable. It was working. It was actually working.
He smiled, a tired but triumphant smile. He'd done it.
He created EIL.
---
Over the next few weeks, he continued to refine the device. It was still unstable, prone to sudden surges of energy that left him with blinding headaches, but it was functional. He spent hours every day testing it, pushing its limits, and learning how to control it.
The presence in his mind grew stronger with each test. It wasn't sentient, not exactly, but it was… aware. It responded to his thoughts, providing information, analyzing data, and even offering suggestions. It was like having a second brain—one that was infinitely more powerful than his own.
He named it EIL, short for Enhanced Intelligence Link of course. It wasn't the most creative name, but it fit. EIL was his partner, his assistant, his first successful creation. And it was the key to everything.
---
As the weeks turned into months, Andy's apartment became even more cluttered. He spent every waking moment working on EIL, improving its design, and expanding its capabilities. He ordered more parts online, using fake identities and encrypted channels to avoid detection. He even hacked into a few corporate databases to steal blueprints and schematics. It was risky, but he didn't care. He needed those resources.
He also started experimenting with other gadgets, using EIL to design and build them. He created a pair of gloves that could amplify his strength, a visor that enhanced his vision, and even a small drone that could scout ahead for him. Each project was more ambitious than the last, and each one brought him closer to his goal.
But the work took its toll. He barely slept, surviving on coffee and energy drinks. His health deteriorated, and he lost weight, but he didn't care. He was consumed by his work, driven by a single-minded determination to succeed.
But nothing in life is ever that easy.
---
Andy sat at his desk, staring at the latest iteration of EIL. This version was sleeker, more refined, with a larger mana stone and a more complex network of circuits. He spent weeks perfecting it, tweaking every detail until it was just right. But now, as he held it in his hands, he felt a flicker of doubt.
"This has to work," he muttered to himself, more out of habit than conviction. He said the same thing before every test, but this time felt different. The weight of all those sleepless nights, all those failures, pressed down on him. He couldn't afford another setback.
He placed the device against his temple, the cold metal sending a shiver down his spine. The mana stone pulsed faintly, casting a soft blue glow across the room. He took a deep breath, his finger hovering over the switch.
"Here goes nothing," he said, flipping it.
For a moment, everything was still. Then, the buzzing started—low at first, like a distant hum, but growing louder with each passing second. His vision blurred, and he felt the familiar presence in his mind, stronger than ever before. It was working. It was actually working.
But then, something went wrong.
The buzzing turned into a deafening roar, and the presence in his mind surged, overwhelming him. His thoughts scrambled, his senses overloaded. He tried to pull the device away, but his body wouldn't obey. He was trapped, a prisoner in his own mind.
"EIL!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the noise. "Shut it down! Shut it down now!"
But there was no response. The presence was no longer a shadow in the corner of his mind—it was everywhere, consuming him. He felt it probing his thoughts, digging into his memories, tearing through his consciousness like a wildfire.
And then, the pain started.
It was unlike anything he'd ever felt before—sharp, searing, and unrelenting. It felt like his brain was being ripped apart, piece by piece. He screamed, clutching his head, but there was no relief. The pain only grew worse, spreading through his body like a virus.
"Stop!" he begged, his voice hoarse. "Please, stop!"
But it didn't stop. The device was out of control, the mana stone glowing brighter and brighter until it was blinding. He could feel the energy building, like a pressure cooker about to explode.
And then, it did.
The explosion was small, but it was enough to send him flying across the room. He hit the wall with a sickening thud, the air knocked out of his lungs. The device shattered, pieces of metal and circuitry scattering across the floor. The mana stone, now cracked and lifeless, rolled to a stop at his feet.
For a long moment, he just lay there, dazed and disoriented. His ears were ringing, his vision blurred, and his body felt like it had been run over by a truck. But he was alive. Somehow, he was alive.
He groaned, pushing himself up onto his elbows. His head was pounding, and his hands were shaking, but he managed to crawl over to the remains of the device. He picked up the broken pieces, his heart sinking as he realized the extent of the damage.
"Damn it," he muttered, tossing the fragments aside. "Damn it all."
He leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. The pain was still there, a dull ache in his skull, but it was nothing compared to the frustration burning in his chest. He'd been so close. So damn close.
But now, it was all gone.
He sat there for what felt like hours, his mind racing. He thought about all the time and effort he'd put into the project, all the sacrifices he'd made. And for what? A pile of broken parts and a splitting headache?
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He couldn't give up. Not now. Not ever.
"I'll fix it," he said, his voice low but determined. "I'll make it better. Stronger. I'll make it work-"
[Hello user.]
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