Vicky sat cross-legged on the hostel floor, the curtains drawn, the door bolted.The small NanoLink Uplink Beacon—the real game item he had pulled yesterday—was sitting on the table like a smug alien paperweight.
"Okay… today we open you up," he whispered.
He had bought a cheap screwdriver set from SRM's corner shop.Not ideal, but it would do.
He unscrewed the first bolt.
Khat… khat… click.
The top shell loosened.
Inside?A maze of thin, metallic threads, glowing faint blue.Liquid circuitry.Way beyond SRM curriculum.Way beyond anything.
Vicky licked his lips."Careful… careful…"
The door suddenly shook.
BANG BANG BANG!
"BRO, OPEN THE DOOR! EMERGENCY!"Kiran's voice.
Vicky jumped so hard he almost stabbed the beacon with the screwdriver.
"DA! NOT NOW!"He whispered harshly.
"OPEN THE DOOR OR WE'RE DEAD!"
"What happened?!"
"MAGGI!"
"…What?"
"MAGGI EXPLODED, DA!"
Vicky unlocked the door.
Smoke rolled into the room like a villain's entry in a Tamil movie.
Kiran staggered in, waving his T-shirt like a fireman with no training.
"Bro the induction stove—MAGGI WENT SUPER SAIYAN!"
Vicky stared at the source of chaos:
The hostel induction cooker was sparking.A steel vessel bubbled over, noodles plastered to the sides like burnt wallpaper.
A small fire flickered beneath it.
"KIRAN, WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
"I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE PUT THE MASALA FIRST AND WATER LATER!"Kiran yelled.
"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"
"It felt scientific!"
At that moment, the hostel fire alarm shrieked.
WHOOOOP! WHOOOOP!
Lights flashed.Boys from other rooms poked their heads out.
"Machaaa! Who cooked nuclear Maggi?""Room 216 is smoking like a T-Rex nostril!""Someone bring a blanket before the warden comes!"
Vicky grabbed his bucket, filled it with water, and dumped it on the stove.
HISSSSS—SPARK—POOF.
Silence.
Smoke slowly dissipated.
Kiran coughed."I think… I created fried Maggi version 7.0."
Vicky pointed at him."If the warden asks, YOU DID IT."
"I didn't do anything!" Kiran protested.
"You tried to cook like Einstein," Vicky shot back.
They didn't have time to argue.The warden stomped down the hallway.
"WHO SET OFF THE ALARM?! WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?!"
Vicky shoved Kiran forward."He is."
Kiran glared at him."Betrayal. Pure betrayal."
After the interrogation
Somehow, through charm, lies, and promising to clean the common kitchen for a week, Kiran escaped suspension.
Back in the room, he flopped on the bed dramatically.
"Bro, today I saw death," he declared.
"You saw Maggi," Vicky replied.
"Same thing."
Vicky looked at the table — and his heart stopped.
The Uplink Beacon was glowing.The shell he had opened slightly was now pulsing with a brighter, deeper blue.
"Kiran… don't move."
"Why?"
"Because this thing… is doing something."
Kiran froze."Bro… I don't want superpowers. I only want Maggi powers."
But after a moment, the glow faded.
Whatever it was… it stabilized.
Vicky exhaled slowly.
He picked up the device.
"Okay… you're alive. And you don't like being disturbed."
Kiran peeked over his shoulder."Bro… is that… legal?"
"Nope."
"Dangerous?"
"Probably."
"You gonna stop?"
Vicky smirked.
"No."