LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 2: THE CHANGES
The next day, Elisa wakes up early, feeling a strange sense of anticipation. Determined to understand what is happening to STOOD, she decides to go to his house. Upon arrival, she is greeted by his mother, who welcomes her with a warm smile and invites her inside. When Elisa asks about STOOD, his mother seems a bit distracted and doesn't provide a clear answer. Elisa, as polite as always, asks for permission and heads upstairs to his room.
As she opens the door, she cautiously approaches the bed. The room is softly lit, and STOOD is lying there, seemingly asleep. When Elisa touches his shoulder, he suddenly turns toward her, as if pulled from a nightmare.
— STOOD! — she exclaims, surprised. — Your eyes... they're glowing neon blue! What's happening?
He gets up, visibly confused, and walks over to the mirror. His eyes reflect an intense, almost supernatural blue. He tries to find an explanation, but nothing seems to make sense. Then, something extraordinary happens: STOOD feels a surge of mental clarity. The world around him begins to transform into a series of mathematical formulas and equations intertwined with the laws of physics and chemistry. Everything that once seemed abstract now appears logically comprehensible.
— I... I don't know what happened, but... — he begins, his voice calm but filled with awe. — It's like my mind has expanded. It's as if I can understand everything all at once, with a clarity I never imagined.
Instead of going to school, STOOD makes an impulsive decision. He feels an urgent need to return to the junkyard. Something inside him is crying out for answers. He needs to share what he has discovered with Elisa before he can fully understand what is happening.
At the junkyard, STOOD leads Elisa to a secluded corner where a large metal sheet covers a pile of rusty objects. He approaches with almost superhuman strength and easily lifts the sheet. Beneath it, a partially disassembled robot is visible, its parts scattered but still carrying an unusual energy.
— Look, Elisa, this... this is part of me — he says, his voice low, almost reverent.
What he didn't expect was for Elisa, curious, to reach out and touch one of the metal pieces. The moment her fingers make contact, a mild electric shock surges through her body, catching her off guard. The shock isn't as intense as the one STOOD experienced, but it's enough to knock her down, leaving her disoriented. STOOD rushes to her, concerned, but before he can speak, Elisa passes out. He holds her, and the robot, with its residual energy, seems to pulse faintly on the ground, as if waiting for something.
When Elisa regains consciousness, she feels a surge of energy coursing through her veins. It's not just adrenaline; it's something deeper. They lock eyes, and without a word, something indescribable happens. Their thoughts begin to intertwine, as if a mental bridge has been established between them. Communication is no longer verbal.
Are you okay? thinks STOOD, and Elisa instantly feels his concern in her mind.
Yes... but what is happening to us? she responds mentally, still feeling the shock reverberating through her body. Images and sensations flood her mind.
Both of them sense that the transformations happening within them go beyond the physical. Their capacity for learning, for understanding, seems to be amplifying. But one thing is clear: they cannot let anyone discover what they are experiencing. The risk of being manipulated or falling into the wrong hands is real.
After a long silence, they make a decision. What they are living through must remain a secret. They can't share what's happening to them. With a simple nod, they agree to part ways for a while, each reflecting on what comes next. But their communication doesn't stop. That night, as STOOD undergoes more physical modifications, he feels that the next step is clearer: they need more than just answers.
They need control. Control over their abilities, over their minds, and over the destiny now unfolding before them.
With their new abilities, they quickly become experts in navigating the internet. No longer just consumers of knowledge, but true devourers of information. Every piece of data available becomes a crucial part of a larger puzzle. But they don't stop there. With sharp intellect and skillful precision, they begin to hack into government and private networks, accessing data, plans, and systems, gathering everything they need to understand what's really going on. From there, they devise an audacious strategy to achieve what they want: money. There are no longer any limits.
Using their vast knowledge, they begin to make money almost instantly. In no time, with supernatural precision, they start buying and selling with surgical accuracy. Every move is calculated, like a chess master making their next move. The fortunes they accumulate grow rapidly, and soon they find themselves at the top of an incalculable financial empire. But their true goal goes beyond money or power.
Now, what matters is understanding the full extent of their abilities and what they are truly capable of.
And, more importantly, it's about what the future holds for them.