Ethan leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping the edge of the sleek metal table. The AI's screen flickered with lines of code, processing the latest advancements in Necronite.
"AI," he said, his voice calm but focused. "I want to take this further. I want Necronite to become **part of me**."
The AI responded instantly. **"Understood. The integration process requires large-scale refinement of Necronite into nanoscale units. Estimated time: four to five days."**
Ethan nodded. That was expected. **Perfecting human-compatible nanotechnology wasn't a task for a single night.**
As he analyzed the AI's calculations, lost in thought, his phone **buzzed on the desk**.
A call.
His gaze shifted. Only one person ever called him.
Ryan.
He hesitated, then picked up.
Before he could speak, Ryan's familiar voice came through, laced with amusement. **"Ethan, don't tell me you're still locked up in your lab."**
Ethan sighed. "You already know the answer."
Ryan chuckled. **"Man, you need a break. Let's go out—get some food, maybe a few drinks. Live a little."**
For a moment, Ethan considered declining. But then he glanced at the AI screen. **The process was already set in motion.** There was nothing more he could do for now.
"…Alright. I'll meet you in the morning."
Ryan's exaggerated gasp made him roll his eyes. **"Did Ethan Vale just agree to socialize? I need to mark this day on the calendar."**
Ethan smirked. "Shut up. See you tomorrow."
The next morning, Ethan stood outside Ryan's house, the crisp air carrying the faint scent of fresh rain. He pressed the **doorbell**, and after a few seconds, the door swung open.
Ryan's mother greeted him with a warm smile. **"Ethan! It's been so long. How have you been, dear?"**
Ethan gave a polite nod. "I've been… busy."
She chuckled. "Still buried in your work, I see. Well, don't let Ryan drag you into too much trouble."
Ethan smirked. "No promises."
Ryan appeared behind her, grinning. **"Finally, the great Ethan Vale steps outside. Let's go."**
They walked to a nearby restaurant, the streets buzzing with life. The contrast between the real world and Ethan's high-tech underground lab was **stark**—here, people laughed, chatted, lived without thinking about futuristic AI or nanotechnology.
As they sat at a table, Ryan took a sip of his drink and leaned forward. **"Listen, man. You're making insane amounts of money now. Why not enjoy some of it?"**
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "I am. I'm investing it into my work."
Ryan groaned. **"That's exactly my point! You need to spend on yourself too."**
Ethan sighed. Maybe Ryan had a point. He had been so focused on his projects that he had barely **lived**.
Ryan smirked. **"Alright, here's the deal. You're buying a new car today. No arguments."**
Ethan chuckled. "Fine."
That evening, they walked into a luxury car showroom, the air thick with the scent of polished leather and fresh paint. Ethan ran his fingers over the hood of a **sleek, black sports car**, its smooth surface reflecting the dim showroom lights.
Ryan grinned. **"Now that's a car worthy of a genius."**
Ethan nodded, amused at how easily Ryan had pulled him into this. He finalized the purchase, and as the night went on, they indulged in **expensive shopping**, buying things Ethan normally wouldn't bother with.
For the first time in a long while, he let himself **relax**.
Days passed in a blur of **normalcy**. For once, Ethan wasn't buried in his lab—he enjoyed the outside world, the luxury of time spent without calculations and code.
But on the **fourth night**, as he lay in bed, his phone buzzed with a **single notification**.
He glanced at the screen.
**[AI System: Task Completed – Necronite Nanobot Integration Ready.]**
His fingers hovered over the phone for a moment, his mind already racing. A slow, **excited smile** played at his lips.
It was time.
The next phase of his evolution was here.