The next day, Enzo sat at his desk, staring at the glowing screen of his laptop. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as he searched for beginner-level biology resources. Despite the weight of exhaustion still clinging to him from the previous night, his mind was restless with curiosity.

  O.I.A.’s words echoed in his thoughts: "Without a solid understanding of biology, physics, and chemistry, your abilities will remain uncontrollable."

  “Alright,” he muttered, cracking his knuckles. “Let’s start simple.”

  He began by skimming through articles on microorganisms, their structures, and their functions. Bacteria, fungi, protists—entire unseen worlds thriving in every environment. The sheer scale of it was overwhelming. He sighed, rubbing his temples. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the material—his technical science textbooks had plenty of crossover knowledge—but applying it in a practical sense was another challenge entirely.

  After an hour of reading, he grabbed an empty plastic bottle from his desk and cut it in half. Then, with a small spoon, he scraped a bit of dirt from a potted plant near the window, mixing it with some water to create a makeshift microbial habitat. If he wanted to manipulate microorganisms, he needed to see what he was working with.

  O.I.A. chimed in. **“Your first exercise should be growth manipulation. Observe and attempt to accelerate bacterial reproduction within your container.”**

  Enzo exhaled, focusing. He extended his hand over the murky mixture and closed his eyes. A strange sensation washed over him as the **MicroSynapse Set** connected to the living organisms. It was faint—like feeling grains of sand slipping through his fingers—but he could sense, see, and feel the presence of something tiny, moving, shifting, alive like stepping into an ocean filled with life.

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  *Contain them. Grow them.*

  He willed the bacteria to multiply, picturing a surge of life within the liquid. But as he pushed the thought further, he realized something was off. The bacteria dispersed too easily, scattering beyond his reach. It was like trying to scoop up water with open hands—impossible to control both the expansion and containment at once.

  His concentration broke, and he groaned in frustration, slamming his hand on the desk. “Damn it. Why isn’t this working?”

  **“Your mind is attempting to process two commands simultaneously without a structured approach,”** O.I.A. explained. **“You must train your perception. First, focus on containment. Once stable, then apply growth.”**

  Enzo huffed. *Easier said than done.* He tried again, this time focusing only on keeping the bacteria within the confines of the bottle. He pictured a barrier, like invisible walls surrounding them. It worked—sort of. He could feel the microbes resisting, pressing against the unseen force but not dispersing.

  Then, he switched to growth. Slowly, cautiously, he nudged them forward. He imagined division, replication, an explosion of microscopic life. The bacteria responded—but with each attempt, his focus slipped, and they scattered once more.

  Minutes passed. Then hours. His back ached from leaning over the desk, his hands clenched into tight fists. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t maintain both control and expansion simultaneously.

  “This is impossible,” he muttered, rubbing his tired eyes.

  **“Your approach is incorrect.”** O.I.A.’s tone remained patient. **“Rather than forcefully directing each process, allow the electrical field to handle the task. Think, and the field will respond.”**

  Enzo frowned. *Just think?*

  He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Instead of forcing two actions at once, he relaxed, letting his thoughts flow naturally. He pictured the bacteria—contained, stable—then imagined them multiplying like a chain reaction setting off on its own.

  A shift. A spark. The field responded.

  He opened his eyes. The murky water in the container had grown cloudier, denser. He couldn’t see the individual bacteria, but something had changed. He could *feel* it.

  A slow grin crept onto his face. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.

  O.I.A.’s voice hummed in approval. **“Progress detected.”**

  Enzo leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head. He had barely scratched the surface of what was possible, but for the first time, he truly understood—this wasn’t just about power.

  It was about learning the language of life itself.