Aaryan woke up before his alarm, eyes opening to a soft glow hovering above his sight.
> [System Sync Complete. Debugger Chip Configuration Analyzed.]
> [Next Optimization Phase Available – Neural Sync Calibration]
He blinked the remaining sleep from his eyes, the transparent panel automatically adjusting its brightness. It had become a quiet morning friend, always ready with new discoveries.
"Initiate Calibration," he whispered.
A gentle throb coursed through his skull, more pressure than pain. His fingers spasmed involuntarily. Then a peculiar keenness—his sensitivity to touch heightened, and thoughts felt purer, nearly weightless.
> \\[Neural Calibration Phase I: Complete]
> Reflex response speed improved by 6%]
He sat up, stretched, and cracked his knuckles. Something was different—like the thrum of a well-tuned machine rather than the torpor of sleep.
As he grabbed for his water bottle, a new panel cycled into place.
> [Daily Check-In: Successful]
> Reward: Multi-Spectral Vision Enhancement (Temporary: 24 hrs)]
He breathed in shock. A moment later, the enhancement took effect. His eyes glimmered palely before readjusting.
He glanced toward his prototype smartwatch on the desk. Now, he could see its inner structure: a lattice of conductive veins, processor cores, and sensor nodes radiating in gradient heat maps.
"Now this," he breathed, "is progress."
He took a soldering pen, making minute adjustments to a few badly connected joints he hadn't seen before. Within fifteen minutes, the clarity of the signal on the device increased by 20%.
---
By mid-morning, the lab was in full swing. Aaryan worked silently, lost in his project. Whispers, however, were spreading.
"That's the kid who did the smartwatch thing, isn't it?"
"He made it himself? I heard it auto-detects stress levels."
"Isn't he just a freshman?"
The whispers reached **Rohit**, **Nisha**, and **Veer**—the expected top three. Rohit grinned from afar, resting against a lab bench.
"Overhyped," he grumbled. "Attach a few sensors to a band and label it innovation."
Veer didn't chuckle. He scowled, observing Aaryan soldering another node.
"He coded that diagnostic response module himself," Veer whispered. "That's not freshman work."
Professor Raghavan arrived a few minutes later, carrying a digital clipboard.
"Assessment week in 72 hours," he declared. "Composite Skill Index what we will be going through: application of logic, technical competence, theoretical correctness."
Some groans were heard.
"If you wish to distinguish yourself," he added, gazing at Aaryan half-a-second longer than required, "ensure your outcomes are as polished as your drive."
Aaryan didn't bat an eyelid, but his system reacted instantaneously.
> \\[Assessment Countdown: 72 Hours]
> Current Preparedness Level: 68%]
> Weakness Detected: Logic Applications Module]
> \\[Recommended Action: Custom Review Session - Duration: 4 hours]
He scheduled a reminder to start the review that night.
---
Later in the day, after lunch, he went back to the laboratory. Accessing the system's hidden inventory, he tapped into it from within his backpack—a ploy to escape suspicion.
The smartwatch throbbed softly as he tested the emergency ping function.
Reproducing irregular heart rhythms and elevated blood pressure, the machine reacted: soft vibration signal and alert to stress. Then, a repeat simulation ping was issued to an empty server mimicking a hospital system.
"Ping received. Coordinates traced. Patient status: Elevated risk."
It functioned.
Across the room, **Ritika** observed. Her curiosity overcame her customary restraint.
"That a health-monitoring prototype?"
"Beta stage," he replied without looking up.
"It performed a live diagnostic. You can sell that to bio-engineering clubs, even the med-tech department."
He stopped, shook his head. "Not yet. Requires tuning."
---
Late that night, strolling along campus lamp posts, he carried the burden of expectation anew. Memories flared: his mother counting coins to cover electricity bills, his father vanishing into work assignments, the embarrassment of being laughed at for recycling a frayed bag.
> [System Note: Emotional Turbulence Detected. Suggest initiating Calm Protocol.]
He disregarded it. Instead, he opened a voice note and started speaking through a custom logic lesson out loud.
Educating himself, to educate the AI.
Four hours passed, and his review was complete. Preparedness level updated to 81%.
---
He fell into bed, drained. The instant his head rested on the pillow, the system flashed again.
> [Special Notice: Hidden Pathways Detected in Debugger Chip Architecture]
> Unlock Condition: Complete Smartwatch Tier II or Rank 1 in Upcoming Assessment
His eyes flickered open. So that chip. had more potential?
He stared at the ceiling, pulse slowing.
"Rank one," he whispered.
His fists clenched. "I'm not stopping now."