Chapter 21: Back To Experimentation

It was a quiet evening. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the street outside Dhruvansh's home. The house itself was eerily silent, save for the faint hum of the AI Eye hovering near Dhruvansh as he sat at his desk, engrossed in his newest project. His academy schedule, while rigorous for any normal student, had become routine for him. With each passing day, his interactions with others grew more minimal—just the bare essentials with professors, and a carefully constructed indifference toward Diya's repeated attempts to talk. Now, in the silence of his room, Dhruvansh had found solace in the one thing that gave him true peace: his pursuit of knowledge.

On his desk was a mountain of research material—papers on botany, plant physiology, molecular biology, and genetic engineering. The idea had come to him a few weeks ago, spurred by one of his rare indulgences in classic superhero movies. The old Superman films had sparked something within him, particularly the concept of the Kryptonian physique. Superman, with his seemingly endless strength, invulnerability, and ability to harness solar energy, wasn't merely a fantasy figure to Dhruvansh. To him, Superman represented a challenge—a scientific puzzle to be solved.

Could humans be modified, not to become gods, but to transcend their physical limitations by utilizing the same mechanisms as plants? Could the human body be engineered to absorb and harness sunlight the way plants did, converting that energy into raw power, endurance, and resilience?

The key lay in chlorophyll, the green pigment responsible for photosynthesis in plants. Chlorophyll allowed plants to absorb light, convert it into chemical energy, and power their cellular processes. If Dhruvansh could replicate that process—if he could somehow alter human DNA to incorporate a similar mechanism—he could theoretically create a human being capable of incredible feats of strength, endurance, and regeneration. Maybe not quite Superman, but something close.

He had already read countless papers on plant biology, especially those that dealt with photosynthesis, and now, his focus had shifted to genetic engineering. The task ahead was monumental. But then again, Dhruvansh had never been one to shy away from the impossible.

The first stage of his experiment was theoretical. Dhruvansh knew better than to rush into practical experimentation without establishing a robust foundation. He couldn't afford any mistakes, not when human DNA was at stake. The risks were too great—genetic mutations, cellular degeneration, cancer, or worse. He needed a reliable base model before he could even think about testing his theories in the real world.

As always, his approach was meticulous. He began by studying the structure of chloroplasts, the organelles within plant cells responsible for photosynthesis. The primary focus was on chlorophyll, the molecule that made photosynthesis possible. It absorbed light, primarily in the blue and red wavelengths, and converted it into energy through a series of reactions known as the light-dependent and light-independent (Calvin cycle) phases.

But how could this mechanism be transferred to human cells?

Dhruvansh pulled up a complex 3D model of human DNA on his computer. The AI Eye projected it in front of him, rotating the helix slowly so he could examine every detail. His plan was to create a hybrid gene—one that incorporated chloroplast DNA with human DNA. Theoretically, if human cells could adopt the chlorophyll pigment and synthesize a structure similar to chloroplasts, they could begin absorbing sunlight.

"Eye, run simulations," Dhruvansh said calmly. "Introduce plant DNA into human DNA. Focus on integrating chloroplasts with the mitochondrial structure. I need to know if the cells will survive the integration or if they'll reject the foreign DNA."

The AI Eye began its task, and Dhruvansh leaned back in his chair, watching as the simulations ran before him. The digital representation of human cells began flashing as the plant DNA was introduced. At first, the integration seemed to proceed smoothly. The cells began to form rudimentary chloroplast-like structures, adapting to their new function. But then, the simulation stuttered. The cells began to break down, and within seconds, the entire structure disintegrated.

"Failure," Dhruvansh muttered under his breath.

This was expected. The challenge lay in overcoming the cellular incompatibilities between plant and human biology. Human cells weren't designed to handle the intense levels of solar radiation that chloroplasts absorbed. Without a protective mechanism in place, the cells would overload and die.

But Dhruvansh was undeterred. This was just the beginning.

For the next several days, his focus was singular. He went to the academy, spending most of his time in the library, reading up on plant biology, solar energy absorption, and advanced genetic engineering techniques. The professors noticed his increased interest in biological sciences and occasionally tested him with difficult questions, but Dhruvansh answered them all with ease, his mind constantly working on the larger problem at hand.

Diya, on the other hand, was becoming more of a distant presence. Every attempt she made to talk to him was met with polite, yet firm, indifference. He wasn't cruel, but he wasn't interested either. He had long since decided to leave the past behind, and his focus on the future was unrelenting. Even her guilt-driven apologies, though sincere, couldn't pierce the wall he had built between them. When she would approach him between classes or in the cafeteria, he would simply say things like, "It's all in the past," or "You were telling the truth," before shifting his attention elsewhere. Each time, she left more defeated, but his resolve remained unshaken.

After academy hours, his real work began. Every night, Dhruvansh returned home and resumed his simulations, trying different combinations of human and plant DNA, adjusting for potential failures, and accounting for variables that might increase cellular survivability.

"Eye, run a new simulation," Dhruvansh instructed one evening, after a particularly grueling day of reading advanced biology texts. "Modify the chloroplast structure to incorporate mitochondrial features. Let's see if that provides better energy regulation."

Once again, the AI Eye complied, and the simulation began. This time, the results were promising. The cells didn't break down immediately. Instead, they maintained their integrity for longer periods, absorbing simulated sunlight and converting it into usable energy. But as Dhruvansh watched, a new problem emerged. The cells, though functional, were becoming hyperactive, consuming far too much energy and exhausting themselves within minutes.

The simulation ended in failure again.

Dhruvansh sighed, but his frustration was minimal. Every failure brought him closer to a solution. He jotted down notes, making adjustments to his theories. The key, he realized, was in regulating the energy output. If he could find a way to control how much energy the cells produced, and how quickly they used it, the process might become stable.

Days turned into weeks, and Dhruvansh's obsession grew. Each simulation revealed new challenges—sometimes it was cellular breakdown, other times it was uncontrollable growth. But slowly, through trial and error, he was honing in on a solution.

After nearly three weeks of relentless work, Dhruvansh was close to a breakthrough. His latest simulation had shown promise—the human cells, now modified with a carefully engineered version of chlorophyll and mitochondrial structures, were able to absorb sunlight and convert it into energy without breaking down or overloading. The cells had become miniature solar batteries, capable of powering themselves indefinitely as long as they had access to sunlight.

But there were still risks. Dhruvansh had yet to run long-term simulations to see how the cells would react to prolonged exposure to solar radiation. Could they sustain themselves over weeks, months, or years? Would the genetic modifications cause unforeseen side effects, like accelerated aging or cancerous mutations?

He couldn't rush it. There was still much to learn, much to test before he could even think about practical applications.

For now, Dhruvansh would continue his research, carefully analyzing every variable. The path to creating a "Kryptonian" physique was a long one, but if anyone could crack the code, it was him.

As the simulations ran in the background, Dhruvansh sat at his desk, staring at the 3D model of human DNA. His fingers drummed against the table, his mind racing with possibilities. This was his passion—unlocking the secrets of the universe, one experiment at a time.

"I'll get it right," he muttered to himself. "Eventually, I'll get it right."