Chapter 175 Supreme Being
Two days had passed since Elbert's dramatic takeover of FutureTech. The corporate world buzzed with speculation, his audacious move spreading like wildfire through the financial districts of the world. However, Elbert remained oblivious to the turmoil he had unleashed, his focus fixed on a far more personal challenge.
High above the sprawling cityscape, atop the imposing structure known as the Lab Graveyard, he stood precariously balanced on a single finger. Sweat from his brow dripped down his temple to disappear beneath his shirt collar. For the past three hours, he had maintained this seemingly impossible position, his body swaying slightly in the gentle breeze.
"Your progress is… remarkable, Elbert," a calm, measured voice echoed in his ear. It was Robert, his ever-present AI companion; his voice tinged with a hint of awe. "You continue to exceed my projections, forcing me to re-evaluate my understanding of human potential."
Elbert chuckled, his voice strained but steady. "I told you, Robert, even the most advanced AI can't fully comprehend the complexities of the human spirit."
"Perhaps," Robert conceded. "However, there are still depths to your own abilities that you have yet found. Your combat awareness, while impressive, is still far from its peak."
As if on cue, a high-pitched buzzing sound filled the air. Elbert, his senses on high alert, watched as a swarm of small drones emerged from the hazy distance, their sleek forms growing larger with each passing second.
These were no ordinary drones. Each one had been modified, fitted with a compact air compression cannon capable of firing rubber bullets with enough force to knock out an adult at close range.
"Fifty drones," Robert's said with slight warning. "Each one armed and ready to fire. Your task, Elbert, is to neutralize the threat."
Elbert felt adrenaline course through his veins. He knew he had been training relentlessly, pushing his body and mind to their limits, but this… this was something else entirely.
"Combat awareness is about more than just brute strength, Elbert," Robert instructed. "It's about heightened senses and lightning-fast reflexes; the ability to anticipate your opponent's every move before they even make it."
"Let's see what you've learned."
The drones fanned out, surrounding Elbert in a deadly ballet of whirring rotors and gleaming metal. Some soared high above, their shadows dancing across the rooftop. Others darted between ventilation shafts and protruding pipes, their movements erratic and unpredictable.
Elbert closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and focusing his mind. He could feel danger on his skin, a tingling sensation that seemed to originate from every direction at once.
"What do you sense, Elbert?" Robert's voice was a calm presence amidst the growing tension.
"A heightened awareness," Elbert replied, his voice barely a whisper. "A sense of… anticipation. However, I can't pinpoint the threats. Not yet."
"Patience, Elbert," Robert advised. "The moment of truth is upon us."
Elbert heard a sharp click, barely audible above the drone of the rotors. It was followed by a sudden chill, a prickling sensation at the base of his skull.
Instinct took over. He whirled around, his arm shooting up just as a rubber bullet shot from the shadows, aiming directly at his head. The impact hurt his arm, but he barely registered it.
"Good," Robert's voice was laced with approval. "You're beginning to tap into your primal instincts, the survival mechanisms hardwired into your very DNA."
More clicks followed, and a broken rhythm set Elbert's teeth on edge. He spun, ducked, and weaved; his movements becoming more fluid and instinctive with each passing second. Rubber bullets whizzed past his head, leaving trails of heat.
"The liberation of combat awareness is not about mastering combat, Elbert," Robert's voice boomed, echoing across the rooftop. "It's about becoming combat itself. It's about transcending the limitations of conscious thought, letting your body react without hesitation and fear."
The assault intensified. Dozens of drones swarmed the rooftop, their air cannons firing in unison. Elbert fought back with a ferocity he never knew he possessed, his body a blur of motion.
But even as he deflected and dodged, he could feel his strength waning. Robert's hellish little armor, for all its advanced technology, had its limits.
Just as he felt himself faltering, the barrage ceased. The drones, as if obeying an unseen command, retreated to a safe distance.
Elbert's chest was heaving as he slumped against a nearby ventilation shaft, trembling with exertion.
"Impressive, Elbert," Robert's voice, once again calm and measured, filled the sudden silence. "But you have only scratched the surface of your true potential. To fully unlock the power of combat awareness, you will need to reach the second stage of the genetic lock."
"What will that be like?" Elbert gasped, his voice raspy.
"Then your transformation will be complete," Robert replied, excitement creeping into his tone. "Your strength will know no bounds. You will become… something truly extraordinary."
Elbert closed his eyes, letting Robert's words wash over him. He had come so far and endured so much.
He couldn't help but ask himself: Was this his destiny, to become something more than human?
As he caught his breath, a strange sensation washed over him. It was fleeting and barely perceptible; like a half-remembered dream. He saw a blinding light, feeling an overwhelming sense of power and possibility.
"What was that?" he asked, barely whispering.
"What did you see, Elbert?" Robert's voice was strangely subdued, as if he already knew the answer.
"A light," Elbert murmured, his brow furrowed in concentration. "And something else. Something… vast. Powerful."
Robert said slowly, "Perhaps you have glimpsed the future, Elbert. A future where humanity transcends its current limitations, where technology and biology merge to create something new."
Elbert shivered, a cold sensation spreading through his limbs despite the sun's warmth on his skin. Was Robert right? Did he see the future?
"What about cyborgs?" Elbert asked, barely whispering. "Are they the future?"
"Cyborgs are but a crude imitation, a pale reflection of what is possible," Robert replied disdainfully. "They are bound by the limitations of their mechanical parts, forever tethered to the technology that created them."
"You, Elbert, are different. You are the next step in human evolution, the culmination of centuries of genetic potential. You are… unique."
Elbert stared out at the sprawling cityscape, his mind racing.
'Am I truly one of a kind? The only one of my kind?' he thought.
"Are there others like me?" he asked, his voice barely audible above the gentle hum of the city.
"No, Elbert," Robert replied, his voice soft but firm. "You are the only one; the first and only new human."
"According to historical secrets, only one will be born around the year 2000!"
"Just like the initiator of the matriarchal clan in primitive times."
"The 19th Pharaoh who brought Egypt to its peak."
"The true inventor of the steam engine; the ancient Greek mathematician Hero."
"The discoverer of the New World, Glenn."
"The Mongol Emperor who unified the Northern Hemisphere."
"Their births all had their missions; either to change systems, create civilizations, or innovate industries."
"And you're just like them, Elbert. All to develop human progress!"
A strange mix of emotions washed over Elbert; wonder, fear, and strong isolation. He was alone; a single spark in the vast darkness.
"Why me?" he whispered emotionally.
"Why indeed?" Robert echoed, his voice filled with an uncharacteristic note of uncertainty. "Perhaps it is your destiny, Elbert. Perhaps you are meant to usher in a new era for humanity. Only time will tell."
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