Ordinary Life before the storm

The neon lights of the bustling streets outside the small apartment flickered through the window, casting a dull glow across the worn-out furniture. The air was thick with the hum of hover cars above and the distant chatter of the city's population. It was an average evening, nothing extraordinary. Aryan Rajpoot, sitting at his cramped desk in front of an outdated computer screen, was lost in the monotony of his life.

Aryan was 22, a young man of average build, with unremarkable features that often made him fade into the background. His black hair was cut short, his brown eyes perpetually tired from long hours of study, and his skin had the slightly darker tone typical of his North Indian heritage. He didn't stand out in a crowd, and in a society obsessed with genetic superiority, that was his biggest flaw.

He was no different from the millions of others trapped in this new world order, a world where the powerful ruled not only through wealth but through genetic superiority. To be born with a superior genetic code, with enhancements unlocked at birth, was the highest privilege. And Aryan? He was just another average citizen, barely scraping by.

It had all started like any other Monday. The day began with the loud screech of an alarm. Aryan rolled out of bed reluctantly, his body heavy from the restless sleep of someone who had been living with too many worries. He dragged himself to the small bathroom, his reflection in the cracked mirror reminding him of his insignificant position in this hyper-evolved world.

After a quick shower, he dressed in a cheap suit—his work uniform for his job at the Genetics Research Facility, a place where he had been employed for the past two years. It wasn't the worst job, but it certainly wasn't his dream. He worked as an assistant, analyzing genetic data and helping scientists develop new enhancements for the upper class.

As he walked to the elevator of his rundown apartment building, he felt the familiar weight of self-doubt. He'd always felt like he was meant for more, but in this world, opportunities for those without genetic enhancements were few and far between. His mind drifted to his mother, who worked two jobs just to support them, and his sister, Neelam, who had bigger dreams of her own—dreams that Aryan knew would likely never come true, not unless he could change the cards he had been dealt.

Tuesday came and went without much incident. But there was something different about the day. As Aryan sat at his usual desk, staring at the endless rows of genetic data, something caught his eye on the screen—a strange anomaly in the genetic code. It was faint, barely noticeable, but it tugged at him. He couldn't explain it, but the sequence felt... familiar, as though it was calling out to him.

He spent hours that afternoon researching it, ignoring his supervisor's calls and emails. As his fingers typed through lines of data, the anomaly began to take shape, slowly revealing itself to be part of a long-forgotten project, one tied to ancient Indian legends, involving a genetic artifact that could unlock unimaginable power.

His curiosity consumed him. He didn't have access to the classified files, but his persistence led him to a secret archive hidden in the deep corners of the facility's servers. It was here, amid encrypted files and forgotten records, that he uncovered the Gene Evolution System—a complex genetic program that had been lost to time. The data suggested that if activated, it could enhance a person's genetic code, granting them abilities beyond human comprehension.

The sensation in his gut was unmistakable—this was no mere glitch. Aryan was looking at something that could change his life forever.

The next day, Aryan couldn't stop thinking about the discovery. He was distracted, barely able to focus on his work. When he returned home that evening, his thoughts were consumed by the ancient artifact and the system it was tied to. In the quiet of his room, he took a deep breath and made a decision—he would continue digging into the data, no matter the risk.

The air in his apartment seemed to grow heavier as he pulled up the file again. He clicked the button to activate the genetic program, unsure of what would happen. For a moment, nothing happened. But then, a sudden surge of energy coursed through his body—like a bolt of lightning that rushed through his veins.

Aryan gripped the edge of his desk as a wave of dizziness struck him. His vision blurred, and his heart raced. The pain in his chest felt unbearable, as if his body was being torn apart and remade. And then, just as suddenly as it came, the sensation stopped. His breath came in ragged gasps, but his body felt different—stronger, more alive.

When he stood and looked into the mirror, he saw it. His body had changed. His once frail muscles were now defined, his skin glowing with an unfamiliar vitality. His eyes—the dull brown of a lifetime of exhaustion—were sharper, more focused. It was as though the Gene Evolution System had already started transforming him, and he wasn't sure if he should be terrified or exhilarated.

The next morning, Aryan woke up to find that his physical changes hadn't been a dream. His muscles were more defined, his senses heightened. He could hear things from miles away, see intricate details that had once escaped his attention. He even found himself feeling stronger, faster, as though his very DNA had been rewritten.

The world seemed different now. As Aryan walked through the crowded streets to work, the ordinary became extraordinary. The hum of the hover cars felt amplified in his ears. The colors around him were sharper, more vivid. The noises of the market, the voices of people passing by, seemed clearer. He was no longer just a bystander in the world—he was becoming something more.

By the time he reached the Genetics Research Facility, Aryan's newfound abilities were impossible to ignore. His eyes scanned the room with a level of precision he'd never known. He could see the genetic patterns in the data just by glancing at them. He could hear the faint murmurs of conversations from across the room. It was as if his senses had been fine-tuned beyond human capacity.

By Friday, Aryan's transformation was undeniable. His body had fully adapted to the changes. He no longer felt the weaknesses of his past self, the doubts that had once crippled him. He was stronger, faster, and more confident than he had ever been. But with this power came a new weight—one that he couldn't ignore.

He had stumbled upon something that could reshape his future, but it was clear that the path ahead would not be easy. There were dark forces that would stop at nothing to control or destroy what he had uncovered. Aryan could feel it—he had unleashed something dangerous, and now, there would be no going back.

His family was still unaware of the changes, and his mother and sister Neelam still viewed him as the same son and brother. But that was about to change.

Aryan stared out the window, his gaze hardening. He could hear the city's hum beneath the chaos of his thoughts. His life was no longer just about surviving—it was about conquering, and his journey had just begun.

End of Chapter 1