The next morning, Alex arrived at Columbia earlier than usual.Tony had already sent a message asking:
"Are you alive?""Did anyone bother you?""Do I need to buy Columbia?"
Alex muted the chat.
JARVIS quietly reported, "Sir, Mr. Stark is preparing a drone disguised as a pigeon."
"Delete that."
Inside Helen's Research Wing
The molecular biology research building was quieter than the main campus.Most students weren't allowed inside—this area was reserved for doctoral candidates and exceptional cases.
Alex was an exceptional case.
He found Helen standing beside a sterilized table, tying her hair into a ponytail, lab coat pristine. Her eyes brightened slightly when she saw him.
"You're early," she said.
"You're earlier."
Helen smirked. "Fair enough."
Gwen arrived a few minutes later, waving frantically as she caught up.
"Sorry! The elevator stopped at every floor—twice."
Helen chuckled."Don't worry. Today isn't dangerous… theoretically."
Gwen froze. "Theoretically?!"
Helen tapped a digital panel, revealing a hologram of a damaged synthetic tissue sample.
"This is an early-stage prototype of bio-synthetic regeneration. Basically, artificially-grown human tissue that can repair itself."
Alex's eyes sharpened.
The early blueprint of the Regeneration Cradle…
Helen continued, "But it's unstable. The cellular binding collapses after thirty seconds of stress."
Gwen asked, "So what do you need us to do?"
"I need observers and note-takers. And someone who can catch anomalies in real-time."Her gaze lingered on Alex.
"Think you're up for it?"
Alex nodded. "Easily."
Helen raised a brow. "Confident again."
Alex corrected: "Accurate again."
Gwen whispered, "He was born like this."
The Experiment Begins
Helen carefully placed the damaged sample under the microscope terminal.
"Okay, I'm initiating the regenerative stimuli. Watch the cell clusters for fragmentation."
The tissue began glowing faintly as nanites activated within it.
At first, everything looked normal.Then—
Crack.
Tiny micro-fractures rippled across the tissue.
Helen cursed."Not again—"
The tissue began collapsing from the inside.
Helen reached to shut it down, but Alex raised a hand.
"Wait."
He subtly flicked his fingers—an almost invisible movement.
Inside his mind:
"Room."
A soft, silent pulse expanded in a five-meter radius, too thin for eyes or sensors to detect. His Ope-Ope domain wrapped around the tissue.
"Alex?" Gwen asked cautiously.
He ignored her.
Inside the "Room," he manipulated the collapsing cells, gently separating unstable clusters and repositioning them with microscopic precision.
Maintain structure… stabilize oxygen flow… reduce molecular decay…
The tissue sample suddenly stopped collapsing.
Helen blinked, stunned.
"What… just happened?"
Alex calmly said, "Try raising the voltage by 0.2."
She did.
The tissue held stable.
Helen gasped."That should have destroyed it, not strengthened it. How did—"
Alex shrugged lightly."The collapse wasn't due to the regeneration algorithm. It was structural. You needed to isolate the damaged clusters instead of stimulating them."
Gwen stared at him like he had three heads.
"You just diagnosed nanite failure in real-time."
"And fixed it?" Helen whispered, leaning closer to the sample."The tissue is stable… actually regenerating!"
Alex dismissed the Room quietly.None of them noticed.
Helen turned to him, excitement breaking through her usually calm exterior.
"Alex… that correction wasn't something even I would have considered. How did you know?"
Alex chose the safest version of the truth.
"I see things… differently."
Helen narrowed her eyes but didn't push.
"…You're something else. Are you sure you're eleven?"
Gwen chimed in, "I'm still not convinced."
Demonstration Two
Helen wasn't satisfied.
"Let's test your theory," she said, bringing out another tissue sample—this one more unstable, practically falling apart.
Gwen gulped."Um, Helen? That one nearly exploded last time—"
"Oh, don't worry," Helen smiled calmly. "Alex is here."
Alex froze."…Why do I feel I've been upgraded from observer to shield?"
Helen didn't deny it.
"We'll start the same simulation. Alex—watch closely."
The tissue began shaking violently, already seconds away from failing.
Gwen covered her ears. "This is going to blow—"
Alex activated his domain again.
"Room."
To Helen and Gwen, nothing changed.To Alex, the sample unfolded like a blueprint.
He rearranged chemical bonds, isolated volatile segments, and reinforced the structure from inside.
The regeneration this time was perfect—clean, smooth, elegant.
Helen stepped back, hand over her mouth.
"This… this is impossible."
Gwen whispered, "Alex… what are you?"
Alex simply answered, "Efficient."
Helen's Reaction
For the first time since he met her, Helen Cho looked completely shaken.
"Alex," she said softly, "with what you just demonstrated… you could revolutionize medical science before you turn twenty."
Alex blinked. "Why twenty? I can do it earlier."
Gwen snorted. "He's not wrong."
Helen leaned in close, hands on her hips.
"I'm adding you to my lab roster."
Alex frowned."Is that allowed?"
"No. But I'm doing it anyway."
Gwen grinned."Looks like you're stuck with us."
Alex sighed dramatically."I'm surrounded by geniuses."
Gwen poked him. "You're one to talk."
Helen crossed her arms, smiling finally.
"Welcome to my lab, Alex. You just became my youngest research partner."
Alex smirked.
And they still have no idea what I truly used… perfect.