The blueprint hovered in Rafael's mind like a divine revelation:
Enhanced Battery (Mark I)Density: 10x lithium-ion.Safety: 99.9% stability.Cost: 40% cheaper than existing production.Estimated Lifespan: 25 years.
Rafael couldn't tear his eyes from it. If this hit the market, it would crush every battery manufacturer on Earth. Phones, laptops, electric vehicles—everything would change.
But reality struck.
He had no lab. No equipment. No cleanroom. No investors. Just a small boarding room that smelled faintly of fried sardines.
He muttered bitterly, "Revolutionary tech… and I can't even afford a soldering gun."
The Codex responded coldly:
"Resource deficiency detected. Host must secure capital and facilities. Suggestion: Begin with prototype using improvised tools."
"Improvised?" Rafael stared at the glowing schematic. "You want me to build a miracle battery… with junk?"
The Codex was silent, but the blueprint adjusted itself. Certain parts flickered, replaced with simplified versions—makeshift circuits, alternative compounds, scrap-level components.
It was crude, ugly even, but possible.
Rafael exhaled slowly. "Alright. If this works, even a small prototype could change everything."
That afternoon, he scoured junk shops and electronics stalls in Quiapo, haggling fiercely. He bought old power banks, cracked lithium packs, cheap circuit boards. The vendors laughed at him—another broke tinkerer chasing pipe dreams.
Back in his room, Rafael laid the parts out like sacred offerings.
[Initiating assembly simulation…]Estimated success probability: 63%.
"Not great," he muttered, wiping sweat from his palms. "But I'll take it."
Guided by the Codex's projections, his hands moved with surprising steadiness. He dismantled cells, rewired circuits, merged carbon and alloy scraps synthesized earlier. Hours blurred. Sweat dripped down his forehead, staining the blueprint sketches he had scribbled on scratch paper.
Finally—click. The crude, palm-sized battery hummed softly.
Rafael froze. The indicator light glowed faintly blue.
He connected it to his old laptop. Normally, the thing wheezed and drained power within thirty minutes. But now… the screen flared to life, brighter than he had ever seen it. The battery read 100%, and after an hour of heavy use, hadn't dropped at all.
Rafael leaned back, chest heaving. His lips trembled into a grin.
"It works… It actually works."
The Codex chimed:
[First Prototype Complete.]Data Pool: 0.22% (Early Stage → Mid-Early Stage)New Function Unlocked: Market Simulation (Basic).
A new interface unfolded, showing predictive models of introducing the Enhanced Battery to the world—stock charts, corporate collapses, political upheaval.
The Codex's voice was calm, almost mocking:
"Host now holds disruptive technology. Choices will determine path: Wealth, Power, or Secrecy."
Rafael's eyes narrowed. He saw it clearly: flood the market, and he'd drown in money… but also attract governments, corporations, and assassins.
He clenched his fist around the crude battery.
"No," he whispered. "I won't be their pawn. I'll build my empire quietly. Step by step."
The first foundation of his future lay in his hand—an ugly, crude prototype. But to Rafael, it was a crown jewel.
And the world would never see it coming.