A/N: Note that I am using AI to modify the lines. I didn't edit much. But I will do so later. For now, I don't have enough time. The plot and the conversation are all written by me. A little adjustment from AI. Nothing much. Hope you enjoy it.
When I finally edit the chapter, I will remove the 'A/N'
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"Wow! What an explosion!"
The voice was light, almost playful, carrying a mechanical undertone.
The man tensed, eyes darting around. The dust from the blast was still settling, the ground around him scorched and fractured. Yet, above it all, something hovered.
A small floating robot.
Its design was compact but expressive, with a sleek, worn metallic shell. Two bright, intelligent eyes flickered on its rectangular head, resembling a mix between an old-world AI assistant and something far more advanced. It had small mechanical arms that occasionally twitched, adjusting itself in midair with a series of quiet whirs. The way it floated, observing the world around it with keen curiosity, made it feel alive.
The man frowned. "Who are you?"
The machine tilted its head, its glowing eyes narrowing slightly. "I am you. To be exact—your other half."
A sharp pause.
"...What?"
"You do remember the accident, right?"
His brows furrowed. "Yes."
"Then listen carefully. What happened led us to a place called Primordial Space."
Something in his chest tightened at the name. The words felt heavy, as though they carried more weight than language could define.
The robot-like being continued, its voice steady. "You had something made from Primordial Stone. When you entered that space, the stone's essence merged with you. It wasn't random. You had it from birth, and your mother wore it during pregnancy. Your body and soul were already connected to it. So, when you entered that realm, you didn't just survive—you became something else."
The man's breathing slowed. His mind, still clouded from the strange experience, struggled to grasp the meaning.
"And what exactly did I become?"
"A unique existence," the robot-like being said simply. "Something neither fully mortal nor divine. Neither bound by the past nor shackled by the present. And the birth of this existence led to my birth."
"You?" His gaze hardened. "You're telling me I created you?"
"In a way, yes. When the stone fused with you, I was born. That place—Primordial Space—defies all logic. No being, no matter how powerful, can truly comprehend it. It is the birthplace of all things, and at the same time, the end of all things."
A strange pressure settled in his chest. Even though he had no direct memory of this, something deep inside knew it to be true.
"And yet, you survived."
"Because of the stone?"
"Because of what the stone made you."
The man clenched his fists. "Fine. But how do you know all this? If we were in that place together, shouldn't I remember everything too?"
The robot-like being hesitated. For the first time, it seemed almost… uncertain.
"We may have experienced the same thing," it finally said, "but it was not the same for both of us."
The air felt colder.
"You existed within the physical, struggling to remain human," the robot-like being explained. "I… I was closer to the source. I saw things. Experienced things. I gained knowledge, but most of it is… lost. I can't recall it, but I know it. It's like an instinct, just as you know how to breathe."
The man exhaled, trying to process it all. "So why now? Why are you appearing just now?"
"We were never in the right state to communicate before. But now? Now, we have the chance."
The man's gaze darkened. "And what exactly are you?"
The robot-like being chuckled, its eyes flashing with amusement. "That's a complicated question. But I know what you're feeling right now."
It hovered a little closer.
"Simply put, think of it like this: Two distinct personalities in one existence."
His eyes narrowed.
"You know that old cartoon you used to watch? The one where the guy had a second personality inside him? Same thing here."
The man let out a sharp breath, rubbing his temples. "You're saying I'm basically split in two?"
"Not split. Balanced." The robot-like being's tone was oddly reassuring. "You're still you. I'm just the part of you that was awakened because of the stone. You might not remember everything yet, but that's fine. It'll come back, piece by piece."
The man stayed silent, staring at the machine floating before him.
Then, after a long pause—
"...So, do you have a name?"
The robot-like being blinked. Then, with an almost smug hum, it spun in place. "Not yet. But I could use one."
The man sighed. "Of course."
His gaze lingered on the floating machine, its small yet expressive frame pulsing faintly with light. It was strange—something about it felt familiar, almost natural, like an extension of himself.
A name surfaced in his mind, unbidden yet fitting.
"...Ryu."
The robot-like being paused mid-spin. Its glowing eyes flickered.
"Ryu?" it repeated as if tasting the name. Then, with a satisfied nod, it hummed in approval. "Not bad. Simple. Strong. I like it."
The man shook his head. "Glad you approve."
His thoughts swirled, questions forming faster than answers. What was next? What was he? And if this thing—Ryu—was telling the truth… what did that mean for the rest of his existence?
One thing was certain.
Nothing would ever be the same.