I am a genius

The engineering tech lab hummed softly with the deep resonance of energy crystals embedded into the sleek black walls. Transparent panels flickered with pale blue data streams, while hovering assistant drones moved between tables, ready to hand over tools or collect samples at command. Each workstation shimmered with sterilized surfaces, fitted with integrated scanners and micro-lasers for crystal manipulation.

Drae Eltin stood at his assigned table, sliding on a pair of advanced crystal-handling gloves that glowed faintly at the fingertips. Today, they were learning to refine a low-tier energy crystal, enhancing its purity and boosting its conduction capacity a process crucial to power hover vehicles, weapons like the Arclance Gauntlets, and other daily tech on Vorn.

Students had been grouped in threes, and much to Drae's mild irritation, his two friends Yven Tarrek and Rhydan weren't assigned with him this time. Instead, Drae's group consisted of a quiet, sharp-eyed male named Jalen ,the son of a wealthy transport magnate and a confident girl named Myra, who came from one of Aserin's elite medical families. Both rich, both undeniably intelligent, but usually wary of "outsiders" like Drae.

Yet Drae's steady patience and natural teaching instinct quickly dissolved the tension. He carefully explained each subtle step: how to align the crystal lattice, how to inject the micro-energy waves at the correct intervals, and how to avoid heat fractures that could compromise the entire structure. Myra was surprisingly precise, and Jalen's firm hands were excellent at stabilizing the oscillating field.

Within an hour, their crystal sat on the scanner platform, glowing with a near-perfect blue hue completed first, to Drae's quiet satisfaction.

Across the room, Hylon glared daggers at them from his station. His group, though competent, had lagged just behind. Hylon clenched his jaw, his fingers digging into the edge of the lab table as he turned toward his teammates, muttering darkly under his breath.

"Useless," Hyron hissed, barely loud enough to be heard. "Dragging me down with your incompetence..." His teammates shifted uncomfortably but said nothing.

Meanwhile, Drae's group got a nod of approval from the professor an older man named Prof. Sarn, with a steel-gray beard and a voice that echoed deep authority.

"Excellent work, Drae. And Jalen, Myra , strong teamwork. This is what we need: clarity and finesse. The rest of you," he continued, scanning the room, "learn from this. If you can't coordinate, no amount of individual brilliance will save you."

A murmur of grudging respect spread through the lab.

Further back, Yven's group finished not too long after, followed closely by Rhydan's. Both made it into the top ten, a solid accomplishment. Yven gave Drae a dramatic thumbs-up when he saw his friend's finished product, then dramatically wiped imaginary sweat from his brow, drawing a small laugh from Rhydan.

Once all groups finished, Prof. Sarn reactivated the front hologram. Detailed diagrams of crystalline structures flickered to life, illustrating theoretical principles behind the enhancement process. As he spoke, the diagrams rotated and split, showing the atomic lattice, energy flow paths, and possible fracture points in multiple dimensions.

"You must master this in theory as well," Prof. Sarn intoned. "It will be essential for your practical tests and final assessments. If you cannot understand the crystal's nature at its core, you cannot wield it responsibly."

A low tone rang out in the lab the gentle signal for the end of their three-hour session. The hologram faded, leaving only soft ambient lighting.

As students began to leave, Yven and Rhydan practically jogged over to Drae. Rhydan immediately clasped his shoulder with a wide grin.

"Look at you! First to finish again. Another professor in your pocket, huh?" Rhydan teased.

"I mean I have always been the best, haven't I?" Drae casually responded back teasing

Yven joined in, eyes twinkling mischievously. "I swear, did you get swapped with a new prototype droid overnight? Bragging now? What happened to the humble Drae I knew?"

Drae rolled his eyes and snorted lightly. "I simply decided to show you two what excellence looks like. Consider it a live demonstration."

The two friends froze for a split second, processing his rare boast. Then Rhydan burst into loud laughter, almost doubling over. Yven, looking utterly betrayed, held his chin, squinting at Drae suspiciously.

"Who are you, and what did you do with Drae Eltin?" Yven demanded, earning a playful slap across the side of his head from Drae.

Yven yelped dramatically, rubbing his head with exaggerated offense. "Ow! Violence now too? You're definitely a new model!"

Rhydan, tears almost in his eyes from laughing, leaned against a nearby table. "By the twin moons... I needed this. And did you see Hylon's face? Fuming as if someone stole his crown."

Yven snickered, glancing over his shoulder as they began moving toward the exit. "I thought he was gonna explode. He probably blames his team for 'holding back his genius' again."

They pushed through the doorway, still caught up in playful jabs and head shakes.