Chapter-2 Nano Machine

The forest was alive with the splendor of nature, a vibrant tapestry woven from the threads of life. Towering trees, their trunks wide and gnarled with the marks of age, stretched skyward, forming a majestic canopy that filtered the sunlight into a warm, golden hue. Shafts of light pierced through the rich green foliage, casting a shifting mosaic of light and shadow upon the forest floor, where a carpet of soft ferns swayed gently in the breeze.

The air was thick with the earthy scent of damp soil and the sweet aroma of blooming wildflowers, creating an intoxicating atmosphere that buzzed with the sounds of nature. Birds flitted between the branches, their melodies punctuating the symphony of rustling leaves and distant animal calls. Sunlight glimmered on the dew-soaked grass, each droplet sparkling like a tiny jewel, while vines twisted gracefully around the trunks of trees, weaving a natural tapestry of greens and browns.

"Hmm?"

A young boy, seemingly in his late teens, stirred from a deep slumber, his senses assaulted by the unfamiliar surroundings. The first thing that registered was the immensity of the towering trees, their heights seemingly stretching over 100 meters.

"When did the trees grow so much?" he murmured, his voice echoing softly in the serene environment.

There was no response to his vigilant inquiry—not that he had truly expected one amidst the eerily quiet majesty of the woods.

"Grr..."

"Eh? Why am I so hungry? Weren't they providing enough nourishment for my body?" he exclaimed, surprised by the sudden rumble in his stomach that broke the serene silence.

[All the energy was used up in healing your grievous wounds, therefore you need to consume nourishments to make up the deficiency of energy]

The reply was a chilling, mechanical voice that reverberated within the recesses of his mind, causing him to jump in shock. Panic set in as he glanced around frantically, taking in the endless rows of trees that stretched into an indiscernible distance.

"What the...? Who was that? Am I dreaming?" he stammered, his mind racing as confusion clouded his thoughts. He felt vulnerable and disoriented, the weight of uncertainty pressing heavily on his chest.

"What happened to my voice? And where the hell am I?" he demanded, his youthful features contorting with disbelief and a bit of fear.

Arrol, as he came to remember his name, was overwhelmed by the abrupt shift in his reality. The last recollection he held was of being trapped in a stark laboratory, willingly submitting to experiments that felt more like a nightmare than a choice. In an instant, he had gone from the sterile confinement of metal and machinery to this wild.

[You are not dreaming but wide awake and fully conscious]

Again, the disembodied voice broke through his mental haze, and an array of feelings erupted within him—fear, confusion, and a flicker of curiosity. He pushed himself upright, gritting his teeth against the pain that lanced through his limbs like electric shocks. It felt as if he'd been trampled by something colossal, leaving every muscle and joint screaming for relief.

As he surveyed his surroundings, the reality that he had never seen this forest before settled over him like a heavy cloak. The trees loomed like silent guardians of an ancient realm, and a sense of unease began to stir within him, despite his mind being clearer than before.

With a mix of trepidation and growing determination, Arrol took a step forward, pushing through the underbrush. He needed to discover the answers to the questions flooding his mind, starting with the mystery of his own existence in this bewildering new place and the echo that was inside his head giving him a creepy feeling like he was possessed by something. Who was that? he wondered.

[I'm the NPIH-NM-00. NPIH—Nano Particles Inside Human Body—NM—Nano Machine, model 001, designed in the year 2104 by the Nano Technology Experts research team, led by Albert Asford. The first experiment was conducted under his supervision]

"It really worked? I can't believe this is happening. So, I'm healed?'', Just as he was wondering, "Where did that come from?" Arrol asked, staring at his hands. They were stained with red, resembling dried blood, and the slight tremor in his fingers suggested he had been lying here—wherever here was—for far too long.

His hands looked different—strangely more youthful. It was as if a layer of time had peeled away, hinting that the experiment had not only healed the wounds he had sustained but perhaps even reversed his age. In fact, he felt lighter, almost buoyant, which made him question a grimmer reality: Was he actually younger now?

''Hello. Are you there?'', he asked to the voice inside his head.

[NPIH-Model 001 is always in active mode. I'm always present inside your body and mind. You can connect to me directly using your thoughts, without speaking aloud]

Arrol took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. "I see. That makes sense. So, what exactly can you do? I mean, tell me more about your functions." The hum of uncertainty nagged at him as he cautiously moved forward, scanning the dimly lit environment, searching for a way out of this eerie, unfamiliar place, while focusing his half mind to the voice inside his head.

There was a strange vibe in the air, heavy with an unshakeable feeling of dread that prickled his skin. I need to figure out where I am and why I wasn't in the laboratory.

[Nano Machine is an advanced scientific microscopic device consisting of hundreds of billions of particles flowing throughout your body, working at the cellular level. It can enhance your physical abilities, accelerate healing processes, and provide various functions useful for daily life. Would you like to receive data regarding the system's functions directly into your mind?]

''I see. Yes please do''

A surge of information entered inside his mind, as he processed this information, a flicker of hope ignited within him. "I can imagine the demand for this technology in the future from information. I wonder if they'll let me keep this machine inside my body or if they'll extract it."

The thought sent a chill down his spine. The Nano Machine was perfect for him, a potential lifeline. Yet, as he recalled the eccentric doctor who had orchestrated this grim experiment, a sense of dread settled over him. He was just a guinea pig—an expendable subject in their grand experiment. The moment he encountered that scientist again, would he be subject to more testing, perhaps even extraction of the very thing that could give him a second chance?

Just as the weight of the reality pressed down on him, the Nano Machine responded to his mounting confusion.

[Your concerns are justified. The potential of the Nano Machine for enhancing human capabilities is profound, but so is the ethical dilemma surrounding its use. Once in activated form, its functions can significantly improve your life]

Arrol nodded internally, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. His heart raced, not just from fear but from the thrill of possibility. Perhaps his journey was only beginning. The landscape in front of him remained shrouded in shadows, but he would navigate through the unseen dangers though he couldn't possibly see any danger except that he was in the middle of nowhere and other that was his escape from those scientists.

With the Nano Machine at his side, he might not just survive; he might discover a new path forward, one that could change everything. There was no way he was going back to them once again, he felt lucky to even survive. He had lost all hope before but now his desire to stay alive was stronger than ever. He wasn't going to let the Nano Machine be taken out from his body. People might call me selfish but so what? I was also in the front row as a pig to be slaughtered by those mad scientists' hands.

[Nano Machine can be removed before it integrates into every cell of your body. After the full integration process, it cannot be removed, even after the host's death. All the functions will be lost, and the cells will be destroyed]

"Wow. Seriously?" Arrol's voice trembled, the sheer horror of the thought sending a shudder down his spine. "Will they experiment on me while I'm still alive?" The memory of the previous experiment clawed at the edges of his consciousness—a relentless reminder of the pain he had endured. He could still feel the terrible pressure, the numbing agony that had stretched his limits, making him wish for the sweet release of unconsciousness.

"Wait a minute. How much of the integration process has been completed so far?"

[The integration process has been fully completed, and all functions are available for use]

"I don't know if that's good news or bad news," he muttered to himself, anxiety churning in his stomach. Perhaps he should be relieved, but something about the eerie silence of the vast forest surrounding him only deepened his sense of unease. He glanced at the trees enveloping him, their trunks as wide as houses and their canopies obscuring the sun, casting ominous shadows on the soft, grassy ground.

What struck him most was the dazzling beauty of this unknown world—a world so vibrantly alive, yet so hauntingly still. The tranquility felt almost suffocating, amplifying his discomfort. Every step he took, each footfall muted by the soft earth, felt like a step into unknown peril. His clothes, oddly reminiscent of something out of a medieval tale, were stained with red, a detail that disturbed him more than he cared to admit.

"I can't walk fast in this condition..." Arrol thought, frustration bubbling within him. "Even if Nano assured me that my body is fully healed, it seems to have drained me of every ounce of energy. That glass container must have had something to do with it—what was it again? Nourishment?"

A nagging thought poked at his mind—was that odd sensation of danger a remnant of whatever machine had brought him here? He felt trapped in a web of uncertainty.

Shaking his head, he forced himself to focus. "Do you know what this place is? How I got here? And why can't I remember anything after falling unconscious?"

[All the brain memory has been stored in the files. Would you like to access it?]

"That's nice…" Arrol breathed, a flicker of hope igniting in his chest. Nano had mentioned something about memory storage in the function-information, and now it seemed it might actually prove useful.

"Show me the files first."

[Memory of body 1 

Memory of body 2]

"Wow." The words escaped him in an awed whisper as he stared at the floating text. His mind swirled with a blend of excitement. To have a glimpse into his past, his identity—yet he also felt a shiver of fear. "What does it mean by body 1 and body 2?" he asked aloud, his confusion growing.

[There are two memories stored in the storage files. Which one would you like to view first?]

Taking a deep breath, Arrol cast one last glance around the unsettling forest before making his decision. "I suppose I'll start with the first one."

"Ugh…" He sank to his knees as a flood of memories crashed into him with a violent force. Images, sounds, and emotions crashed together like a tide, sweeping him back through the tapestry of his life spanning nearly 45 years. Joys and sorrows coalesced into a whirlwind that left him gasping, each recollection painfully vivid, yet jarringly distant. A storm of feelings ravaged his mind, leaving him reeling. The weight of it all felt insurmountable, and as his head throbbed, he struggled to find his bearings.

[Memory of body 1 transfer finished. It is recommended that you wait before accepting the second memory transfer. As this is your first memory transfer, the load of information has caused a slight headache and dizziness.]

"'Slight headache'?" He let out a sharp laugh that quickly turned into a groan. "I feel like I've been split in two! I must have dodged a bullet to keep my stomach from throwing up. So, that was my entire life? The memory faded out just when I lost consciousness…" His thoughts trailed off, lingering on the gaping hole in his recollection. How had he wound up in this strange forest? What had happened before this moment?

Panting heavily, Arrol knew he needed a moment to recover. Taking a deep breath, he focused on calming the storm brewing in his chest. "I think I'm ready… on to the next one."

[Affirmative.]

As he confirmed, a new wave of information surged through him. This memory struck him like a bolt of lightning, starkly different from the first. His breath caught in his throat; fear knotted in his stomach as unknown images and recollections began to filter into his mind.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" he gasped, horror etched across his face as beads of sweat trickled down his brow. His heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through him. He realized that understanding the full breadth of his memories was not just a necessity—it was essential for survival.