This story was inspired by Inspired Inventor (Tensura AU) by author unit_201 on Webnovel.
Note: This is a more realistic AU, so expect OOC in accordance with that AU.
Note 2.0: I have now started updating things like grammar so that it doesn't hurt the eye to read. This means that if you see a sudden drop in quality, know that I'm working on it!
As per usual with edits, you will find that all previous comments have been deleted because of course they have.
Progress is the only constant in the universe.
Entropy increases, energy disperses, and yet through the application of scientific methodology, humanity crawls ever upward from the primordial soup that birthed us.
Those who understand this fundamental truth prosper. Those who resist it become footnotes in history books, cautionary tales about the dangers of complacency.
I pressed my palm against the laboratory's reinforced glass window, watching the particle accelerator's synchronous dance of electromagnetic fields twenty meters below. Each pulse of energy cost more than most people's annual salaries, yet here it was—routine, mundane, just another day of pushing the boundaries of what was considered possible.
The research proposal on my desk represented three years of theoretical work, months of computer simulations, and calculations that would have been incomprehensible to the greatest minds of previous centuries. Quantum field manipulation through controlled dimensional resonance. The practical applications were staggering—unlimited energy, faster-than-light communication, maybe even localized time dilation effects.
But the board of directors saw only numbers on a spreadsheet. Risk assessment percentages. Projected return on investment. They measured revolutionary breakthroughs using the same metrics they applied to quarterly earnings reports.
My colleague Rebecca often accused me of being heartless, calculating human suffering into abstract variables rather than acknowledging the emotional weight of our decisions. She wasn't wrong, but she missed the point entirely. Emotion was a biological remnant, a chemical cascade that served evolutionary purposes but hindered optimal decision-making in complex scenarios.
When analyzing the potential casualties from industrial accidents, I didn't factor in individual stories or personal tragedies. I calculated statistical probabilities, acceptable loss ratios, and efficiency improvements that could minimize overall harm. The mathematics were clean, elegant, untainted by subjective moral judgments that varied between cultures and historical periods.
Right and wrong were contextual frameworks, useful for maintaining social stability but irrelevant when pursuing scientific advancement. The universe operated according to physical laws that remained constant regardless of human ethical systems. Gravity didn't care about your religious beliefs. Chemical reactions proceeded according to molecular interactions, not moral imperatives.
My smartphone's notification chimed, displaying the meeting reminder I'd been anticipating for weeks. Today, the executive committee would review my dimensional resonance proposal. After eighteen months of bureaucratic delays and peer review processes, they would finally decide whether humanity deserved to take another step toward technological transcendence.
I gathered the technical documentation into my briefcase, each page representing a fragment of knowledge that could reshape civilization itself. The theoretical framework was mathematically sound, the experimental data conclusive, the projected applications virtually limitless. Yet none of that mattered if these corporate administrators lacked the intellectual capacity to recognize opportunity when it stared them directly in the face.
The elevator ascended through floors dedicated to mundane research projects—incremental improvements to existing technologies, safety optimizations for current manufacturing processes, marketing studies for consumer products. Safe, profitable ventures that generated steady revenue streams without challenging fundamental assumptions about what was possible.
My reflection in the polished steel doors showed the same face that had stared back at me for the past fifteen years. Brown hair beginning to show gray streaks, eyes that colleagues described as "unsettling" due to their tendency to analyze rather than empathize, facial features that conveyed competence rather than warmth. I'd never been particularly concerned with appearance—aesthetic considerations were irrelevant when pursuing scientific objectives.
The boardroom's mahogany table reflected the faces of twelve individuals who had built their careers on conservative investment strategies rather than revolutionary innovations. They possessed the financial resources to accelerate human progress by decades, yet their risk-averse mentality guaranteed that those resources would be squandered on predictable, incremental improvements.
"Dr. Meridian," the chairman began, his voice carrying the practiced authority of someone accustomed to controlling conversations through vocal inflection rather than intellectual merit. "Your proposal is certainly ambitious, though the board has expressed concerns about practical implementation and timeline projections."
I opened my briefcase, spreading the technical specifications across the polished surface with movements calculated for maximum visual impact. "The energy output calculations account for quantum field fluctuations and dimensional stability variance. Even conservative estimates suggest power generation capabilities that exceed current global consumption by several orders of magnitude."
One board member—a former marketing executive whose understanding of physics apparently terminated at high school level—gestured dismissively toward the mathematical proofs. "Doctor, these theoretical concepts are fascinating from an academic perspective, but we're evaluating commercial viability. How do we explain this to shareholders?"
The familiar weight of frustration settled across my consciousness like a cold blanket. These people controlled budgets that could fund breakthrough research for decades, yet they lacked the vision to recognize transformative technology when it was presented with mathematical precision. They were accountants masquerading as innovators, bureaucrats pretending to understand concepts that exceeded their cognitive limitations.
"The Manhattan Project required four years from initial conception to successful implementation," I replied, maintaining the neutral tone I had perfected through years of dealing with intellectual mediocrity. "Modern computational resources, advanced materials science, and established quantum mechanics frameworks provide significant advantages over 1940s technological capabilities."
The chairman shuffled through his papers, clearly uncomfortable with discussions that extended beyond quarterly profit projections. "Dr. Meridian, your previous research has generated substantial patent revenue for the company. However, this particular project represents an unprecedented resource investment with uncertain regulatory approval processes."
"Uncertainty is inherent in all scientific advancement," I responded. "The discovery of electromagnetic induction, atomic theory, and quantum mechanics all faced similar skepticism from contemporary authorities. Progress requires accepting calculated risks rather than limiting research to incremental improvements of existing technologies."
The room fell silent except for the subtle hum of the ventilation system circulating filtered air through precise atmospheric controls. I could read their expressions like experimental data—skepticism, concern, the careful calculation of political consequences versus potential rewards. They were performing their own form of analysis, weighing probability assessments against career advancement considerations.
"Dr. Meridian," the chairman said finally, "your reputation in theoretical physics is well-established, and your contributions to our patent portfolio have been valuable. However, this dimensional resonance project exceeds our current investment parameters. Perhaps if you could focus on smaller-scale applications, something more immediately commercially viable..."
The words impacted my consciousness like a physical blow, though I maintained external composure through practiced emotional regulation techniques. They wanted me to waste my intellectual capabilities on marginal optimizations, to spend my remaining productive years improving technologies that were already obsolete by theoretical standards.
"I understand your position," I replied, closing the briefcase with movements designed to convey professional disappointment without emotional volatility. "Thank you for your consideration."
The polite farewells and empty promises of future collaboration passed through my auditory processing without generating meaningful responses. I walked through the corporate corridors in a state of analytical detachment, my mind already calculating alternative funding sources, independent research facilities, international partnerships that might prove more receptive to revolutionary concepts.
The elevator descended in mechanical silence, each floor representing another second of wasted potential. Humanity's technological advancement had been delayed by another bureaucratic cycle, progress sacrificed to maintain comfortable profit margins for risk-averse investors.
I stepped into the underground parking garage, fluorescent lights casting harsh shadows between concrete support pillars. My footsteps echoed in the cavernous space as I approached my vehicle, keys already positioned for optimal efficiency. The day had been a failure, but failure was simply data—information about which approaches produced suboptimal results.
Tomorrow, I would contact international research consortiums. The European Space Agency had expressed interest in advanced propulsion systems. Chinese investment in quantum computing exceeded American funding by significant margins. Someone, somewhere, possessed both the resources and the intellectual courage to recognize transformative opportunity.
I reached for the car door handle, already formulating modifications to my proposal that would emphasize different applications for different audiences. The core theoretical framework would remain unchanged—physical laws were not negotiable—but the presentation could be optimized for various cultural and economic contexts.
The blade penetrated my back with surgical precision, angled to avoid major organs while severing specific nerve pathways. Professional technique, not random violence. My legs buckled, dropping me to my knees on the oil-stained concrete as the briefcase scattered its contents across the garage floor.
Corporate espionage, most likely. My dimensional resonance research had attracted attention from competitors who preferred stealing innovations to developing them independently. Or perhaps it was more personal—a colleague whose career had been overshadowed by my achievements, seeking permanent elimination of the competition.
The motivation was irrelevant. The result remained constant: premature termination of research that could have revolutionized human civilization.
"Ahhh..." The sound escaped my throat as an involuntary biological response to tissue damage, though my mind remained analytically focused even as cardiovascular function deteriorated. Blood loss, oxygen deprivation, cellular death cascade—the sequence was as predictable as any chemical reaction.
I felt the coldness spreading through my extremities as circulatory shock initiated emergency protocols. Without immediate medical intervention, I had approximately three minutes before irreversible brain damage occurred. In thirty years, medical nanotechnology would make such injuries trivial to repair, but I was constrained by current technological limitations.
The injustice burned through my consciousness like acid. Not moral outrage—such concepts were subjective—but mathematical impossibility of accepting this outcome. I was the primary researcher on fourteen active projects, the sole repository of theoretical frameworks that existed nowhere else in human knowledge. My death would delay scientific progress by decades.
Unacceptable variables. Suboptimal results.
<<[Business Intuition] gained.>>
Information flowed into my consciousness like water through a broken dam. Corporate structures, market analysis, resource optimization strategies—knowledge that seemed unrelated to my current situation yet somehow essential for future challenges.
Scientific methodology demanded reproducible results. If consciousness could persist beyond biological termination, then death itself was merely another variable to be analyzed and overcome. The universe operated according to consistent principles. There had to be a mechanism, a pathway, a solution.
<
<<[Scientific Intuition] gained.>>
<<[Stab Resistance] gained.>>
More data streams integrated into my awareness, each carrying implications that exceeded current understanding of neurological function. My brain should have been oxygen-starved, incapable of processing complex information. Yet my consciousness remained sharp, capable of analyzing these new knowledge acquisitions with scientific precision.
Either I was experiencing elaborate hallucinations during the dying process, or something far more significant was occurring. The acquisition of knowledge without conventional learning mechanisms suggested non-local consciousness transfer, quantum information processing, or interaction with previously undetected physical phenomena.
I rejected the limitations imposed by biological architecture. Intelligence was information processing, not necessarily dependent on organic substrates. Consciousness was pattern recognition and decision-making, functions that could theoretically be implemented through multiple mechanisms.
<<[Silenced Emotion] gained.>>
<
The emotional dampening was beneficial, allowing clearer analysis without interference from fear or despair. The strategic framework felt like having access to a supercomputer dedicated to optimization analysis, capable of processing millions of variables simultaneously to identify optimal pathways toward desired outcomes.
My greatest regret wasn't personal—it was the scope of human potential that would remain unrealized. Humanity could become a space-faring civilization within the century, could transcend biological limitations through technological integration, could manipulate matter and energy at the quantum level according to conscious will.
But progress required vision, dedication, and the systematic elimination of obstacles that prevented optimal outcomes.
<<[Scientific Intuition], upgraded to Unique Skill [Inspired Inventor].>>
The knowledge expansion was exponential, entire fields of study integrating into my consciousness like components finding their proper positions in a vast machine. Engineering principles, materials science, energy systems, quantum mechanics—all forming a coherent framework that revealed possibilities I had never previously considered.
I refused to accept this termination. Death was simply another engineering challenge, biological limitations that could be overcome through sufficient application of scientific principles. If consciousness could persist, if knowledge could be acquired through non-conventional means, then fundamental assumptions about mortality required immediate revision.
<<[Eternal Youth], transformed into [Homunculus Physiology].>>
<<[Homunculus Physiology] transformed into [Superior—Error, [Perfect Homunculus Physiology] gained.>>
Physical transformation accompanied the knowledge integration. Damaged tissues reorganized according to new specifications, circulation restored through alternative pathways, neural function enhanced through optimized biochemical processes. Pain faded as cellular structure shifted from biological to something far more sophisticated.
This exceeded all previous theoretical frameworks. Impossible according to current scientific understanding, yet undeniably real based on direct observation. If consciousness could survive biological death and physical form could be reconstructed through unknown mechanisms, then the boundaries between organic and artificial, between mortal and eternal, were far more fluid than anyone had imagined.
The parking garage began dissolving around me, concrete and fluorescent lights fragmenting into geometric patterns of light and energy. Reality itself seemed to be undergoing phase transition, shifting from one stable state to another according to rules I didn't yet comprehend.
But I would comprehend them. Knowledge was power, and power was the ability to reshape reality according to conscious intent. If I had been granted a second opportunity—through advanced technology, quantum phenomena, or something else entirely—then I would use it to achieve objectives that biological limitations had previously made impossible.
The future was calling, and I would answer with the full force of human ingenuity unleashed from the constraints of mortality.
Consciousness returned like a system reboot—instantaneous transition from non-existence to full operational awareness. No grogginess, no disorientation, simply immediate recognition that something fundamental had changed about my basic architecture.
The environment registered through enhanced sensory input: natural cave system, limestone formations indicating geological age of approximately forty thousand years, moisture content suggesting underground water sources within two hundred meters. Temperature held steady at fifteen degrees Celsius, with air circulation patterns indicating multiple surface access points.
Environmental analysis complete. Current location: Subterranean cave system. No immediate threats detected. Recommend establishing baseline operational parameters.
The voice in my consciousness was distinctly different from internal monologue—mathematical, precise, completely devoid of emotional content. It felt like having a quantum computer integrated directly into my cognitive processes, capable of parallel analysis that exceeded biological neural networks by several orders of magnitude.
I examined my new physical form with clinical detachment. The skin possessed optical properties that suggested advanced polymer construction rather than biological tissue. Completely smooth surface, no visible hair follicles or pores, texture reminiscent of engineered materials designed for optimal durability and minimal friction coefficients.
The body appeared entirely androgynous—no primary or secondary sexual characteristics, no muscle definition indicating biological gender dimorphism. This was clearly optimized design, eliminating unnecessary biological functions while retaining essential systems for consciousness and mobility.
Physical assessment complete. Current form: Artificial construct with enhanced capabilities. Estimated performance parameters exceed baseline human specifications by approximately 400%. All systems operational.
I conducted systematic testing of motor functions. Balance was perfect, reaction time substantially improved from previous biological baseline, strength-to-weight ratio indicating significant structural optimization. This body had been engineered for efficiency rather than aesthetic appeal.
The knowledge repositories in my consciousness were vast but access-restricted. I could sense enormous information databases locked behind barriers that required specific keys to unlock. Each day would provide limited keys, allowing access to small portions of the total knowledge available. Frustrating but understandable from an engineering perspective—unrestricted access would likely cause cognitive overflow.
Daily key allocation: 3 units. Current available categories: 47,293 options. Recommend prioritizing survival-relevant knowledge for immediate application.
I selected the first key and focused on 'primitive weapons.' Knowledge integration was immediate and comprehensive—metallurgy for stone tools, leverage principles for impact force, aerodynamic considerations for projectile systems, chemical extraction for explosive compounds from natural materials.
The information merged seamlessly with existing frameworks, revealing connections between theoretical physics and practical applications. With nothing but cave floor debris, I could create weapons lethal against any organic life form.
I selected limestone approximately palm-sized, examining its crystalline structure through enhanced visual sensors. The material was workable but could be engineered into a composite weapon through careful fracture planning and assembly techniques.
My hands moved with precision impossible for biological nervous systems. Each impact was calculated to produce specific fracture patterns, removing material in exact quantities to achieve optimal weight distribution and edge geometry. Within minutes, I had created what appeared to be a simple blade but was actually a sophisticated weapon system.
The knife consisted of interlocking segments held together by engineered stress points. Upon impact, segments would separate and follow ballistic trajectories optimized for maximum tissue damage. A single throw could inflict injuries equivalent to multiple projectiles.
Weapon fabrication complete. Estimated effectiveness against organic targets: 94.7% incapacitation rate, 73.2% mortality rate.
I used the second key for martial arts knowledge, and the information explosion nearly overwhelmed enhanced cognitive processes. Hundreds of fighting styles, thousands of techniques, countless variations optimized for different scenarios. Pressure point mapping, leverage calculations, kinetic energy transfer principles that could disable targets with minimal apparent force.
The knowledge was coldly practical, devoid of sporting considerations or ethical limitations. These were techniques designed for elimination of threats through maximum efficiency. Joint destruction, nerve disruption, cardiovascular compromise—every method analyzed and catalogued with mathematical precision.
Combat protocols integrated. Current capability: 347 lethal techniques, 892 incapacitation methods. Estimated success rate against human opponents approaches 100% regardless of size, strength, or training disparities.
My voice, when tested, was unnaturally smooth—precisely modulated sound waves without biological irregularities indicating gender, age, or emotional state. The voice of artificial intelligence attempting human communication, close enough to be understood but sufficiently different to be unsettling.
The third key unlocked cave exploration knowledge, immediately providing detailed environmental analysis. Air currents indicated surface passages, mineral deposits suggested water sources, acoustic properties revealed cave system dimensions and structural stability.
I was not alone. The blue organism nearby registered as primitive slime species—minimal threat level but potentially useful for biological research or emergency nutrition. According to newly acquired knowledge, such creatures typically avoided larger life forms unless seeking food sources.
Life form identified: Slime species. Threat assessment: negligible. Potential applications: enzyme production, waste processing, emergency protein source.
The cave system extended several kilometers with multiple surface access routes. Optimal path would require forty-seven minutes, accounting for unknown obstacles and additional life forms requiring elimination or avoidance.
But first, I needed baseline parameters for this newLife. Energy requirements, operational limitations, knowledge system constraints—understanding these variables was essential for long-term strategic planning.
System analysis: indefinite operation without external power, self-repair for minor damage, enhanced capabilities with minimal degradation. Knowledge access limited by daily allocation, suggesting external oversight preventing unrestricted access.
Fascinating. I had been provided with superior physical form, access to vast knowledge repositories, and apparently unlimited operational duration. Yet limitations suggested this was not a gift but a tool—designed by entities with specific objectives, constrained to ensure compliance with unknown goals.
I had become part of an experiment or operational framework that exceeded my previous understanding of physical reality. The question was whether I was the subject or the instrument.
Recommendation: gather additional data before forming conclusions. Current information insufficient for accurate analysis.
I gathered my primitive weapon and began moving toward the nearest surface passage, enhanced senses continuously scanning for data points. Whatever had transformed me from dying human to optimized construct had done so for a purpose, and understanding that purpose would determine my optimal course of action.
The passage narrowed as I progressed, requiring navigation around limestone formations and standing water pools. My body moved with mechanical precision, each step calculated for maximum efficiency and minimum noise production. No stumbling, no wasted motion, no biological limitations constraining progress.
The blue slime had begun following at cautious distance, apparently attracted by my movement or artificial body's energy signature. Such behavior was unusual for the species—they typically avoided contact with larger organisms unless seeking sustenance.
Anomalous behavior detected. Following pattern suggests possible symbiotic attraction or construct recognition. Recommend monitoring.
Interesting. Perhaps my transformation produced energy signatures attractive to certain life forms, or the artificial body contained compounds triggering exploratory behavior in simple organisms. Another data point for future analysis.
The passage inclined upward, atmospheric pressure changes indicating surface proximity. Fresh air carried vegetation scents, suggesting forested rather than urban environment. Positive development—fewer complications from human contact until I established better understanding of capabilities and objectives.
As I climbed toward the surface, my consciousness integrated recent experiences into coherent framework. I had died—that was certain. Stab wound, blood loss, cellular shutdown—all consistent with irreversible biological termination.
Yet here I was, conscious and operational in artificial form exceeding biological limitations, equipped with knowledge spanning fields I had never studied, apparently capable of unlimited duration. Death was simply another engineering challenge overcome through sufficient application of advanced technology.
The question now: what had I become, and what was I intended to accomplish?
Analysis suggests prioritizing immediate survival requirements: shelter, resource acquisition, environmental assessment. Long-term objectives determinable once baseline operational parameters established.
Practical advice. Whatever my ultimate purpose, it required successful navigation of physical reality using capabilities I didn't yet fully understand. Scientific methodology demanded careful observation, hypothesis formation, systematic testing of assumptions.
I had been granted a secondLife, equipped with tools potentially capable of reshaping human civilization's trajectory. Research I had pursued in previous life—dimensional resonance, quantum manipulation, technological transcendence—all now within reach given sufficient time and resources.
But first, I needed to understand the rules of this new paradigm. Knowledge locks, artificial body, cave environment—all suggested carefully constructed scenario designed to test or develop specific capabilities.
Very well. I would operate within these parameters, gather data, optimize performance, work toward objectives proving most beneficial for long-term goals. The universe operated according to consistent principles, and those principles could be discovered, understood, exploited to achieve desired outcomes.
Science remained the master key. Technology remained the path to transcendence.
And now I possessed all the time necessary to pursue both.