The cramped internet café smelled faintly of instant noodles, cigarette smoke, and cheap air freshener. A dozen kids yelled at each other over online games, while Rafael sat quietly in the farthest corner, his eyes locked on the screen.
He had borrowed just enough cash from his cousin to load his trading account. A measly ₱5,000 pesos—barely a week's worth of groceries. But to Rafael, it was a test. A gamble not just with money, but with destiny.
The Codex panel hovered faintly before his eyes, unseen by anyone else. The AI trading bot he had coded last night was active, feeding on the real-time streams of data pouring across the screen.
[Simulation engaged. Predictive cycle: 0.02 seconds.][Risk Level: Low. Predicted Profit Margin: +9.3% within 24 hours.]
Rafael's throat was dry. "Alright… do it."
The moment he clicked Activate, the bot began executing trades—dozens, then hundreds, tiny movements across different currencies and cryptos. To a normal trader, it looked like noise. But to the Codex, it was a symphony. Every shift, every fluctuation, was anticipated a breath before it happened.
At first, nothing seemed to change. Then, slowly, the red numbers on his account turned green.
₱5,000 → ₱5,600 → ₱6,200 → ₱6,800…
By the second hour, Rafael's jaw had gone slack. His screen showed what most traders dreamed of but never achieved: consistent, compounding growth.
He clenched his fists under the table. "It works… it really works!"
The Codex whispered in his mind:
"First foundation achieved. Host now has means to acquire capital. Recommendation: Diversify into discreet physical optimizations to avoid suspicion."
"Right. Too much profit too fast will get me flagged." Rafael glanced around. No one cared about him—just another broke twenty-something in a sea of noise. And yet, he felt like he was carrying a treasure chest in plain sight.
By the time the café attendant tapped his shoulder and muttered, "Boss, time's up," Rafael had more than doubled his seed money.
He logged out, heart racing, and walked out into the humid Manila night. The neon lights flickered, jeepneys roared past, and the stench of fried street food clung to the air.
For everyone else, this city was the same unforgiving maze. But to Rafael… it was beginning to look different.
The Codex wasn't just a cheat. It was a key—a master key to wealth, knowledge, power.
He stopped at a sari-sari store, paid off Aling Rosa's debt with crisp bills, and even added a little extra to quiet her scolding tongue. Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Rafa… where'd you get money all of a sudden?"
Rafael only smiled faintly, hiding the storm inside.
That night, back in his room, the Codex displayed a new message:
Data Pool: 0.09% (Primitive → Early Stage)New Function Unlocked: Material Synthesis (Basic).
Rafael blinked. "Material synthesis…?"
The interface showed possibilities—merging common substances into superior composites. Even with cheap junk from a hardware store, he could produce alloys and materials that normal industries couldn't touch.
His hands trembled. "This… this isn't just money anymore. It's invention."
He realized then that what he held wasn't a shortcut. It was an engine of civilization.
And he, Rafael Dela Cruz, a forgotten nobody, was the only one who could wield it.