Somewhere in the endless void of space, a tiny object raced toward Earth. It looked like a miniature rectangle, much like a modern processor, and etched on its surface was a simple code: MAS02. Despite its size, it hurtled through the void at incredible speed. In just one day, it would reach the planet humans called home.
Earth was not particularly old, but it had been shaped and dominated by its smartest species—humans. Clever, ambitious, and always seeking more, they had become the dominant force on the planet. The object made no sound, left no trail, yet its presence would soon change everything.
On Earth, the shrill call of a mother pierced the morning quiet.
"ARAAAAAAAV! You're still asleep? It's eight o'clock already!"
"Mom! I'm awake! I'll be down in ten minutes!" Arav shouted from under his blanket, half-asleep, his deep brown eyes barely opening. His thick black hair stuck up messily, proof of a restless night.
Arav was an ordinary high schooler in his final year. He hated school, believing it wasted precious time, but he could never outright refuse his mother. Throwing on his uniform without even taking a bath, he hurried downstairs. His mother, with her brownish skin, black hair, and sharp brown eyes, immediately began scolding him. In their traditional household, going to school without a morning bath was nearly unforgivable, even if he usually bathed afterward.
"Ah, Mom, can't I just take a day off? School is so boring," Arav groaned.
"Your attendance is already below seventy percent! Do you want to be thrown out?" she snapped.
Arav sighed and left. The school was a kilometer away. It would take twelve minutes to get there on foot. He left at 8:20. School started at 8:30. Being slightly late was nothing new.
He arrived at 8:33, just as the gates were about to close. Sprinting inside, he was immediately spotted by the principal. Arav muttered under his breath, running a hand through his thick hair. This old hag… has nothing better to do than bully students.
A brief scolding followed. By the time he reached class, his teacher ignored him as he was just used to this behavior at this point. Arav wasn't a bad student, just uninterested in the endless monotony of daily life. His personality didn't attract many friends, except for one—Gorang.
Gorang, a shorter boy with brown skin, black hair, and light brown eyes, plopped down beside him during interval. "Can't you come on time for once? People are starting to hate you," he said.
Arav didn't respond. He didn't care what others thought, not even Gorang, who sometimes tried to get on his nerves.
Gorang frowned. "Still ignoring me, huh? I've been trying to be your friend since the start of the year…" When Arav remained silent, Gorang left.
Alone, Arav let his thoughts wander. Why is the world so predictable? Why do people care so much about what others think? Science was the only thing that still fascinated him, the only field where exploration felt infinite. Math and computer science had always intrigued him the most.
After school, Arav returned home to his modest two-story house. He ate lunch, then collapsed onto his bed, exhausted after a sleepless night spent studying math.
Two hours later, at 4:30, a sudden sting jolted him awake. It felt like an ant bite near his abdomen, but when he looked, nothing was there. A faint buzzing seemed to hang in the air, almost imperceptible.
Then a voice echoed inside his mind, calm and commanding.
"I am the MAS02 interface. I welcome the host to the path of accession, where nothing is impossible."
Arav froze, his heart pounding. Path of accession? Nothing is impossible? What… is this?
In the corner of his vision, letters flickered. MAS. Faint overlays of digital text and numbers seemed to hover over the room. The world felt scanned, analyzed, cataloged. Deep inside him, something stirred for the first time.
This was only the beginning.