Kai stared at the [Next Copy Available: Now] message. For a year, Akari Sato had been his beacon, his potential salvation. The plan was meticulously crafted, every detail honed to perfection: the research, the presentation, the carefully crafted persona of a grieving student seeking guidance. He'd even rehearsed the conversations in his head a thousand times.
But as he looked at the interface, at the raw, unfettered power at his fingertips, a cold, calculating logic took over. Akari Sato was a gamble. A high-risk, low-reward gamble. He would be exposing himself, revealing his knowledge, potentially attracting unwanted attention. He'd be relying on her goodwill, her willingness to help a stranger with a potentially dangerous secret.
And what if she couldn't help? What if the Dimensional Vault was beyond her understanding? What if Chronos Life had its own agenda?
The year of research and training had changed him. He wasn't the panicked, confused man who had stumbled into this body. He was calculating, resourceful, and acutely aware of the value of self-reliance. He had learned to trust only himself.
He glanced at the schematics displayed on the holographic screen, Kaito's quantum processor designs. They were impressive, revolutionary even. But they were also a potential trap. Using them to attract Dr. Sato would be like waving a red flag in front of a bull, drawing the attention of a powerful corporation that might see him as either an asset to exploit or a threat to eliminate.
No. He couldn't rely on Akari Sato. He needed a different approach. He needed to leverage the power he already possessed, the power of the Dimensional Vault.
He needed to understand the damn thing.
He stood up, pacing the cramped apartment. He had spent the last year avoiding the Vault, fearing its chaotic energy, its unfathomable size. But now, he realized that was a mistake. He had been treating it like a disease, something to be feared and ignored. Instead, he needed to treat it like a weapon, a tool waiting to be mastered.
He decided to go back to the start. The damaged data assistant. Millions, billions, trillions of them were packed into the ever-expanding space within the system. All broken, useless, but… identical.
An idea sparked in his mind. The system was replicating the hardware. But what about the software? What about the data contained within those devices?
He focused his attention on the interface. He had "absolute authority" over the system. He had ignored that for too long. It was time to test its limits, to push its boundaries.
He closed his eyes, visualizing the Dimensional Vault. He imagined the millions of data assistants, all lined up in perfect rows, their broken screens flickering with static. He reached out with his mind, trying to connect to the system, to exert his control.
He pictured the data within the devices, the fragmented files, the corrupted programs. He focused on the data, willing it to be extracted, to be analyzed, to be understood.
He imagined a process, a sorting algorithm, sifting through the vast sea of information, identifying patterns, extracting relevant data. It was a monumental task, but he had infinite energy, infinite storage, and absolute authority.
The interface flickered. A new line of text appeared.
[Data Extraction Initiated]
His heart leaped with excitement. It was working. He was finally gaining control.
[Processing…]
[Estimated Completion Time: Unknown]
Unknown. That was frustrating, but not unexpected. He knew that it would take time, perhaps days, weeks, even months to process the sheer volume of data.
He decided to shift his focus to a more immediate problem: money. He still needed resources, and the properties, while profitable, were too slow. He needed a quick, reliable source of income.
He thought about his previous failed attempt to copy the pen. The system had blocked him, citing the cooldown timer. But what about other objects? What about something more… valuable?
He scanned the apartment, his eyes searching for a suitable target. He needed something small, easily concealable, and highly sought after.
His gaze landed on the holographic cat, purring contentedly on the window sill. It was a sophisticated piece of technology, capable of simulating complex emotions and interactions. It was also a status symbol, a luxury item that many people would be willing to pay a premium for.
He hesitated for a moment. The cat was Kaito's companion, a symbol of his loneliness and isolation. But he couldn't afford to be sentimental. He needed to be practical.
He focused on the cat, picturing its intricate circuitry, its holographic projectors, its AI programming. He knew that copying it would be risky. The system might reject the attempt, or it might produce a flawed copy. But it was worth a try.
He extended his hand, touching the holographic cat.
[Copy Initiated]
The cat vanished from the window sill.
[Item Copied: Holographic Companion AI Construct]
[Replication Commencing…]
He stumbled back, his heart pounding. This time, the surge of energy was different, more focused, more controlled. He could feel the cat duplicating itself within the Dimensional Vault, but the chaos was muted, contained.
He watched the interface, his eyes glued to the numbers.
[Dimensional Vault Volume: Increased by 0.000001%]
The increase was negligible, almost imperceptible. But it was enough. He had a source of income. He just needed to figure out how to sell the copies.
He left the apartment, heading towards the black markets of Neo-Tokyo. He needed to find a fence, someone who could move the holographic cats without asking too many questions.
He had abandoned Akari Sato, but he had found a new path, a new direction. He was taking control of his destiny, shaping his own future.
He was no longer just Kaito Tanaka. He was something more. Something dangerous. Something powerful. And he was just getting started.