Becoming a Mad Scientist (End part)
The first two weeks of Ryosuke's new routine were nothing short of intense. Every morning, long before the sun hit its peak, he would leave the house and make his way to the town library. His shoulder bag weighed heavy with notebooks and borrowed books, but he didn't mind. He had crafted a strict, no-nonsense study plan—a real roadmap that took him from classical physics to more obscure subjects like spirituality and the occult sciences.
His mornings were mostly devoted to scientific disciplines. Physics had become a priority, as he saw it as the key to understanding the fundamental forces that governed his powers. He dove into books on Newton's laws, solid mechanics, and even the basics of quantum physics. The latter, though complex, fascinated him more than anything else. He didn't fully grasp all the nuances of quarks and subatomic particles, but he felt that somewhere in those enigmatic equations lay the answers to his questions.
After hours of intense reading and meticulous note-taking, he'd take a break—not to rest, but to switch gears to other equally intriguing subjects. His afternoons were dedicated to exploring a more esoteric world. Ryosuke, who had never believed in legends or myths, now found himself reading ancient texts on occult sciences, trying to figure out how these age-old secrets could complement his newfound abilities.
But that wasn't all. In his quest for knowledge, Ryosuke hadn't overlooked one critical field: chemistry. Once again, he didn't settle for the basics he learned in high school. He had begun to explore complex chemical reactions, those that govern the transformation of matter on an atomic level. To him, chemistry was another facet of manipulating the forces of nature—a science he needed to master to perfect his control over the elements. Whether it was the fusion of metals or the vaporization of liquids, everything had potential use for refining his powers. He was particularly fascinated by his readings on exothermic and endothermic reactions: if he could influence the temperature or heat around him, he could enhance his combat and defense techniques.
And so, every day followed a similar pattern: mornings dedicated to physics, afternoons immersed in the occult and chemistry, and evenings spent reviewing his notes, sometimes until exhaustion finally took over.
Time seemed to fly by at an incredible pace. Ryosuke no longer noticed the hours slipping away, swept up in this whirlwind of discoveries. He filled notebook after notebook with diagrams, equations, and theories, connecting ideas that would have once seemed completely incompatible. Yet he felt himself progressing, slowly but surely.
One afternoon, as he was buried in a thick manual on fluid mechanics, Ryosuke felt his eyelids grow heavy. He had spent the morning solving complex quantum physics problems, and his mind was overwhelmed. Though he tried to fight the fatigue, it eventually won. He slumped forward, his head resting on the open book, arms crossed beneath him like a makeshift pillow.
Sayuri, his little sister, who had no idea what was going on, quietly entered his room. She needed his clothes for laundry. As she stepped through the door, she was greeted by a scene she never would have imagined: Ryosuke, usually so energetic and uninterested in studying, was slumped over his desk, surrounded by books of all kinds. Some were open to pages filled with mathematical formulas, others delved into spiritual phenomena and the energy of the elements. It all seemed bizarre to her, almost unreal.
She approached quietly, her eyes flicking between the books and her brother. He was fast asleep, his steady breathing betraying the exhaustion caused by days of intense effort.
Sayuri smiled slightly. Gently, she took a folded blanket from the foot of his bed and draped it over his shoulders. She then gathered some of his clothes for laundry, making no noise, and left the room, softly closing the door behind her.
As she headed downstairs, Sayuri found their mother in the kitchen. She paused for a moment, watching her mom prepare dinner, before deciding to speak up about what she had just seen.
"Mom, have you noticed Ryosuke lately? He's gotten really weird... He spends all his time reading these incomprehensible things. I found him asleep on his books earlier. Do you think he's okay?"
Her mom gave a tender smile. "I think he's finally found what he's been missing: a passion. He's always been searching for something, and now he's found it. Leave him be; he needs this. Don't disturb him."
Sayuri shrugged with a mock disinterested air. "Pff, as long as Yuri's around, he can do whatever he wants," she said with a smile, gently stroking the kitten curled up beside her.
She left the kitchen and returned to the living room, leaving her mom shaking her head in amusement.
Meanwhile, Ryosuke continued down his new path. His days and nights were now driven by this thirst for knowledge, this insatiable curiosity that pushed him to constantly expand the boundaries of his understanding. For the first time in his life, he felt truly invested in something far greater than himself.
TO BE CONTINUED!
Next Chapter: Aunt Yuki