The silence in the room was heavy.
Elliot sat on the bed, his eyes fixed on the camera.
I can hear you.
In the surveillance room, chaos erupted.
How?! the woman shouted.
The brain waves... they're interfering with the ARIA system!
Shut everything down!
Dr. Kain pressed the emergency buttons.
System shutdown. Restarting in 60 seconds.
But inside Elliot's mind...
Voices. Words. Thoughts.
Who is this? How can he hear us?
He's not normal. This is impossible.
We need to stop him before he...
Before I what?
Elliot smiled.
A burning sensation pricked his skull.
- Error in ARIA system -
- Unlimited access abilities activated -
What is this? he whispered.
Inside the Surveillance Room
Oh my God! The system granted him administrative privileges!
How?!
There's a malfunction... He has full access to our minds.
He knows our names, our ages...
So... he knows everything.
Elliot's mind exploded with information.
He saw names… birth dates… secrets.
Linda Hayes. 32 years old. Afraid of the dark.
Kain Robertson. 45 years old. Hates his teenage son.
Every person… an open book.
But there was something else.
- New Function Activated: Neural Control -
Control?
Yes, Elliot, ARIA's voice was calm.
You can now control minds.
How?
Focus on a name and age. Issue a mental command.
Linda Hayes. 32 years old. Stand up.
Surveillance Room
Linda, who had been writing on the board, suddenly stopped. She stood up straight, like a puppet.
Linda? Kain shouted.
She didn't respond. Her eyes were empty.
Elliot laughed.
Linda Hayes. 32 years old. Approach the glass.
She walked to the glass, placing her hands on it.
How... how are you doing this?! Kain screamed.
You gave me the power.
Elliot raised his hand, as if pulling invisible strings.
Linda Hayes. 32 years old. Break the glass.
Shatter.
The bulletproof glass fractured under her grip.
Kain staggered back in terror.
Please... don't do this!
Kain Robertson. 45 years old.
No... please...
Explode.
Kain's head jerked violently.
His eyes bulged. Blood burst from his nose and ears.
Then... he collapsed.
Silence.
Elliot stood.
Linda looked at him, awaiting orders.
Linda Hayes. 32 years old. Forget everything and return to your life.
She returned to normal, looked around in confusion, then left.
Elliot turned toward the screen.
Now... where's the world I'm meant to control?
ARIA responded, The entire world awaits your command.
On the screens, city maps appeared… millions of names and ages.
Elliot smiled.
One Year Later
The world had changed… and no one knew why.
A towering skyscraper stood in the heart of New Seoul, bearing a new emblem:
NEUROTECH: We Know You Better Than You Know Yourself.
On the top floor, a man in his mid-twenties sat in a luxurious leather chair.
Elliot Gray.
Gray suit, calm gaze, confident smile.
On his desk, a transparent screen displayed today's headlines:
NEUROTECH Dominates 65% of the AI Market New Prime Minister Thanks NEUROTECH for National Security Advancements Mystery of the Year: Unexplained Collapse of Several Competitor Companies
Elliot smirked.
All of this… started when he woke up here a year ago.
Your name, your age… that's all I need.
One Year Ago
After the lab incident, Elliot stepped onto the streets.
The world was different: flying cars, holographic advertisements, people wearing ARIA smart glasses.
Impossible... it's really 2099?
But his power remained the same.
Within days, he learned the names and ages of businessmen and politicians.
David Huang. 54 years old. CEO of CyberCo.
Forget the passwords to all your bank accounts.
The next day, CyberCo declared bankruptcy.
Present Day
Sir, your meeting starts in five minutes.
His assistant's voice, Lina.
I'm coming.
He stood up, walking to the window.
From this height, the city looked like a board game under his control.
Today... another step toward total domination.
A whisper in his mind: But… when does the real fun begin?
Conference Room
Ten of the world's most powerful businessmen sat around the table.
Mr. Gray, your 'NeuroLink' project... one of them started.
Elliot wasn't listening to his words.
He was listening to his thoughts.
I don't trust him. His project is dangerous.
If he succeeds, he'll dominate the markets.
We have to stop him.
Elliot smiled.
I know you're all concerned, he said calmly.
But 'NeuroLink' will give you something beyond imagination.
He pressed a button on his watch.
Holograms appeared, showing a future where people's needs were predicted before they even realized them.
We don't read minds… we understand them.
He laughed internally.
No… I read them. And I control them.
After the Meeting
Back in his office.
ARIA, report on opposing thoughts.
A list of names appeared:
Marcus Liu, 48 years old, Head of Cybersecurity Karen Fu, 39 years old, Cybersecurity Analyst
Marcus Liu... 48 years old... forget today's meeting.
Instantly, the man clutched his head in pain, memories vanishing.
Karen Fu... 39 years old... kill yourself.
Somewhere Else
Karen was typing a report on NEUROTECH.
Her head filled with a voice: Jump out the window.
Without hesitation… she did.
In the Office
Elliot sipped his coffee.
No one can stop me.
Three Months Ago
The world was in chaos.
Within a week, the leaders of major nations simultaneously resigned.
Media reports:
Elliot Gray… the young genius replacing traditional politics.
The truth:
Your name… your age… you're finished.
Present Day
Elliot stared at his office screen.
A world map flashed in red.
All systems are under your control, sir.
Alright, ARIA… shut them down.
Are you sure?
Yes.
The screens went black.
For the first time in a year, he felt true silence.
The Next Day
Elliot put on a black suit.
He stepped onto the balcony, sending a final message to all devices worldwide:
Intelligence... knowledge... control... all illusions. No one rules anything. Goodbye.
Then he whispered:
I'm tired.
He raised a gun, pressed it to his temple.
Pulled the trigger.
Darkness.
A familiar voice:
Elliot... what is your name?
His eyes opened.
He was in a white room. No windows.
A mirror in front of him reflected his face.
Then the voice spoke again:
Where did you think you were going?
He recognized the voice… but couldn't remember from where.
Then he saw his name erased from the mirror.
And with it… his power vanished.