Orion's enhanced brain stuttered on that last line.
Unknown gas. Qi. The stuff from cultivation novels.
"You're telling me cultivation is real?"
No response. Of course not.
He walked forward. The shelves stayed the same distance away no matter how far he moved. Space didn't work normally here.
Orion stopped. Focused his thoughts. Nuclear fusion.
Books flew off the shelves.
Hundreds of them materialized in floating rows. Each spine labeled:
Plasma Confinement TheoryTokamak Design PrinciplesStellarator Geometry OptimizationInertial Confinement FusionMagnetic Field Dynamics for Plasma ContainmentHigh-Temperature Superconducting MaterialsRoom Temperature Superconductor TheoryThermoelectric Materials - 90% Conversion EfficiencyPlasma AI-Assisted Control SystemsSuperconductor Magnetic Coil Placement OptimizationNeutron Shielding Materials ScienceFirst Wall Engineering and Heat Management
The list continued. Each book representing knowledge that didn't exist in current public research.
Orion grabbed Plasma Confinement Theory. The moment he touched it, the book dissolved into light and flooded into his mind.
Information poured in. Not a blueprint—he couldn't just build a plasma containment system from this. Instead, he understood the underlying physics. The equations governing plasma behavior. The theoretical principles that would let him design his own containment system.
He'd still have to do the engineering work. But now he understood the science at a level that would take normal researchers decades to achieve.
"This is insane," Orion whispered. "This is completely insane."
He grabbed another book. Room Temperature Superconductor Theory. Light flooded his mind again.
The knowledge was dense. Complex. But his enhanced brain processed it smoothly, filing it into organized mental structures. He could see the connections between different concepts, how various theories linked together.
More books. Thermoelectric Materials. AI-Assisted Plasma Control. Magnetic Coil Optimization.
Each one added layers to his understanding. He wasn't getting blueprints—he was getting the knowledge to create his own designs. To understand why certain configurations worked and others didn't. To innovate beyond what anyone else had achieved.
Time felt weird here. He might have been studying for minutes or hours. His enhanced brain absorbed information like a sponge, organizing it perfectly.
Finally, the screen reappeared.
ENHANCEMENT COMPLETE
BRAIN CAPACITY ENHANCED BY 200%PHYSICAL CAPABILITY ENHANCED BY 100%BREATHING TECHNIQUE UPLOADED
YOU WILL NOW WAKE UP
"Wait, I need to—"
The library vanished.
NEW EDEN MEDICAL CENTER
Orion's eyes opened.
Bright lights. Sterile smell. Heart monitor beeping steadily.
Hospital.
Cassia was sitting beside the bed, head in her hands. Nyla was in the corner, arms wrapped around herself.
"Mom?" Orion's voice came out rough.
Cassia's head snapped up. "Orion!" She was on him immediately, checking his face, his arms. "Oh thank god. You collapsed in the street. Someone called emergency services. The doctors—"
"I'm okay."
"You're not okay. You had a seizure or something. They ran every test—"
The door opened. Dr. Patel walked in with a tablet. "Mr. Starr, you're awake. Good."
"What happened?" Cassia asked. "The scans you showed me—"
"Are highly unusual," Dr. Patel said. She pulled up data on her tablet. "Mr. Starr's brain activity is extremely elevated. Not dangerously so, but significantly above normal baseline. His neural connectivity patterns suggest enhanced synaptic efficiency."
"What does that mean?" Nyla asked quietly.
"It means his brain is functioning at an exceptionally high level. Additionally, his physical examination shows remarkable muscle density and cardiovascular efficiency. Much higher than his medical records indicated from previous visits."
Dr. Patel looked at Orion. "Have you been taking any supplements? Performance enhancers? Nootropics?"
"No. Nothing like that."
"Hmm." She made notes. "Based on your presentation and results, my assessment is that you experienced acute neural fatigue. Your brain activity spiked dramatically, likely causing the collapse. The headache and loss of consciousness were your body's protective response."
"Is he okay now?" Cassia asked.
"All his vitals are stable. Brain function is normal—albeit at the higher end of normal. Physically, he's in excellent condition. I don't see any signs of lasting damage." Dr. Patel closed her tablet. "My recommendation is rest and monitoring. If you experience any more episodes, come back immediately. But for now, I'm comfortable discharging you."
She ran a few more tests—had him follow her finger, answer basic questions, check his reflexes. Everything came back perfect. Better than perfect, actually.
"You can go home," Dr. Patel said. "But take it easy for a few days. Let your body recover."
HOME - RESIDENTIAL SECTOR 7
The apartment felt different when they got back.
Orion could see every detail now. The slight wear pattern on the floor tiles. The microscopic dust particles floating in the air. The faint electrical hum from the wall panels. His enhanced senses picked up everything.
He could hear Cassia in the kitchen, the water running, her breathing pattern. Could hear the neighbor's television three apartments down. Could distinguish individual sounds with perfect clarity while his brain processed all of it effortlessly.
"I'm making tea," Cassia called out. "Then you're going straight to bed."
"Mom, I'm fine—"
"Bed. Now. Doctor's orders."
Orion headed to his room. Nyla followed him, closing the door behind her.
For a moment, they just stood there. Then she crossed the distance and wrapped her arms around him.
"When I heard you had a seizure..." Her voice cracked. She buried her face in his chest. "It felt like my whole world turned upside down. I couldn't breathe, Orion. The entire ride to the hospital, all I could think was 'what if he doesn't wake up?' What if I never got to tell you..."
She pulled back, tears streaming down her face. "We've been dancing around this for so long. I kept telling myself it was wrong, that we're family, that I shouldn't feel this way. But today, when I thought I might lose you, I realized I don't care anymore. I don't care if it's complicated or messy or wrong. I just—"
She looked up at him, eyes red. "I can't lose you without you knowing. I have to say it now because I might not get another chance."
Then she kissed him.
Abrupt. Desperate. Her hands gripping his shirt like he might disappear.
Orion didn't push back.
He'd felt the same way for years. The guilt, the confusion, the constant internal battle between what he felt and what he thought he should feel. But right now, with Nyla in his arms, none of that mattered.
He kissed her back.
They separated after a moment, both breathing hard. Nyla's face was bright red. She started to step away, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"
Orion caught her wrist. Pulled her back close.
"I love you too," he said.
Then he kissed her. Properly this time. No hesitation. No guilt.
Nyla melted into him, her hands sliding up to his shoulders. The kiss deepened. Everything else fell away—
Orion's enhanced hearing caught footsteps on the stairs.
Cassia. Coming up. Ten seconds away.
He pulled back quickly. "Mom's coming."
"What?" Nyla's eyes widened. She jumped away from him, smoothing her shirt. Her face was still bright red.
The door opened just as Nyla rushed past, practically fleeing into the hallway. She nearly collided with Cassia on the stairs.
"Nyla? Are you—" Cassia stopped, taking in Nyla's flushed face and flustered expression.
"I'm fine! Just—bathroom!" Nyla practically ran.
Cassia watched her go. Then turned to look at Orion, who was still standing in his doorway with his own face red.
She walked up to him slowly. Studied his face for a long moment.
Then she smiled slightly. "Take care of her."
That was all she said. She turned and headed back downstairs.
Orion stood there, stunned.
"Mothers are always sharp," he muttered.
LATER THAT NIGHT
Orion lay in bed, testing his enhanced body.
He could lift his entire desk with one hand now. Easily. It weighed maybe sixty kilograms. Before, he would've struggled. Now it felt like lifting a bag of groceries.
His enhanced senses were even more impressive. He could see the individual threads in his bedsheets. Could count the rivets in the ceiling panels. His hearing picked up conversations from five apartments away. His brain processed it all without effort, filtering relevant sounds from background noise.
The breathing technique uploaded to his mind. He pulled up the information—a systematic method for controlling respiration and circulation to optimize cellular function.
Orion tried it. Breathed in slowly following the pattern. Held. Breathed out.
His cells responded immediately. He could feel it—a tiny strengthening effect with each breath. His body using oxygen more efficiently, his muscles absorbing energy better. Each breath cycle made him fractionally stronger.
It wasn't dramatic. No glowing lights or mystical energy. Just pure biological optimization.
But it was constant. Each breath improving him. Making him more.
He kept breathing. The pattern became natural. His heart rate slowed to an efficient rhythm. His mind cleared even further.
Hours passed. He should have been tired. Should have fallen asleep.
But he wasn't tired at all.
His enhanced body didn't need sleep the same way anymore. The breathing technique was circulating energy through his cells, keeping them optimized and refreshed.
Orion sat up. Checked the time. 2 AM.
He couldn't sleep. Didn't need to.
His enhanced brain was still processing everything—the fusion knowledge from the library, the implications of the task, the three-year deadline.
And underneath it all, one thought kept cycling: I need money.
To build a fusion reactor, he'd need resources. Equipment. Lab space. Materials. Even with revolutionary knowledge, he couldn't just conjure a reactor from nothing.
Money was the constraint.
And the fastest way to make money with his current capabilities was software.
Orion closed his eyes and re-entered the system library space.
The infinite shelves appeared around him. This time, he knew what he wanted.
"Show me software development. Advanced algorithms. AI architecture. Data compression. Cryptography."
Books flew toward him. Thousands of them.
Time to start planning.
He had three years to change the world.
Might as well start now.