Julian staggered back into his apartment, soaked, shivering, and clutching his right hand like it was on fire. The metal ring had vanished without a trace, but his skin still tingled, like static electricity running just under the surface. His breathing was ragged. Every sound in the alley on his way home—the rustling of rats, the hiss of leaking pipes—had been louder, clearer, like someone had tuned his senses to a sharper frequency.
He kicked the door shut behind him and slumped against the wall.
"Okay," he said aloud. "What the hell are you?"
[Ascendancy Protocol active. System online. Neural link stable.]
Would you like to initiate the Calibration Phase?
He blinked. The voice wasn't coming from speakers or devices. It was inside his head—calm, precise, emotionless. But not robotic. It had an almost organic resonance, like a thought that wasn't quite his own.
Julian gritted his teeth. "What does 'Calibration Phase' mean?"
[System must assess current bio-cognitive profile to determine optimal enhancement path.]
Estimated time: 3 minutes. You may experience discomfort. Begin?
He hesitated. He had every reason to be afraid. Technology that talks to you through your brain and melts into your flesh didn't exactly scream "safe." But he was already at rock bottom—and part of him, the part that still dreamed of saving humanity from mediocrity, was intrigued.
"…Do it."
[Beginning Calibration Phase.]
Pain lanced through his skull as if hot needles were driving through his thoughts. His vision blurred. The world tilted, fractured. Images exploded in his mind—DNA strands unfolding, code compiling in real time, neuron maps flashing with light.
He screamed.
Then—it stopped.
And Julian gasped as his mind cleared with terrifying speed. Colors seemed more vivid. The pain was gone. Every breath he took felt efficient. He stood up straighter without thinking, his posture correcting itself as if guided by invisible strings.
[Calibration complete.]
Bio-cognitive level: Sub-optimal. 61% neural efficiency. 43% muscular output. Emotional regulation: erratic. Immune resilience: low.
Initiating Phase One enhancements: Cognitive Boost + Cellular Repair. Processing…
Julian stared at his reflection in the cracked bathroom mirror. His eyes looked… sharper. Brighter. Like something ancient and alien was now living behind them. He didn't feel tired anymore. His usual fatigue—the kind that came from failure, from hunger, from disappointment—was gone.
He opened the fridge out of habit. Empty. He remembered: he had no food.
Before he could even dwell on it, a small box on his kitchen table flickered open on its own. A glowing message appeared, traced in digital glyphs:
[Emergency Nutrient Kit Synthesized — Based on Projected Deficiencies.]
Inside were six perfectly formed bars, metallic-gray with embossed icons: brain, heart, muscle. He took one marked "Neural Support" and bit into it. It tasted like mint and almonds.
"What… are you?" he asked again, softer this time.
[Ascendancy Protocol is a Sentient Assistive Intelligence derived from recovered extraterrestrial technology, modified through Project Sol-Tek (classified).]
System is designed to facilitate user evolution through personalized augmentation.
Julian froze. "Extraterrestrial? Are you saying… aliens made this?"
[Source: Unknown. Original design not of human origin. Current system adapted for human compatibility.]
Of course. Why else would it rewrite his biology? Why else would it know his project goals—The Human Perfected—almost word for word?
"This isn't a coincidence," he said.
[Correct. The ring activated upon detecting your neural frequency and idealism signature. You were chosen.]
A lump rose in Julian's throat. Not because of fear. Because for the first time in months—maybe ever—he felt seen. Validated. As if the universe, in all its cold indifference, had finally whispered back: Yes. You were right.
Over the next three days, Julian barely slept. He didn't need to.
The Ascendancy Protocol taught him quantum encryption while he drank instant coffee. It injected learning pulses directly into his prefrontal cortex, allowing him to absorb entire disciplines in hours. He learned to code new AI structures with frightening speed. Concepts that took entire research teams years to develop—predictive genetic mapping, adaptive nanite therapy, neural lattice reconstruction—came to him like puzzle pieces snapping into place.
His physical body improved, too. His muscles firmed. Old injuries vanished. His eyesight sharpened to near-eagle precision. On the third day, he realized he could hear conversations through concrete walls. He no longer stumbled on words or hesitated in thought. Every action had clarity.
And then came the System's first external action.
[Stage Two: Resource Acquisition.]
A list of high-liquidity investments, underpriced assets, and abandoned crypto-chains appeared before him, glowing in midair via augmented visual overlay.
He blinked. "You want me to start investing?"
[Affirmative. You require capital to establish influence. Probability of market success based on projected analytics: 98.3%. Recommend immediate action.]
Julian took a deep breath.
He followed the System's advice.
He opened a new identity—AstraDyn Holdings—using a quantum-protected wallet generated by the Protocol. Within hours, he flipped dormant coin chains into proprietary neural energy credits. Bought out a failing biotech company with hidden potential. Sold a dormant patent for AI-powered prosthetics he hadn't even known existed.
By the end of the week, Julian had 4.7 million credits in digital assets and full ownership of a research complex in the Upper Tiers.
It had begun.