9 Steps to Godhood

After leaving the house, Ryan first went to the forest. He retrieved a pack of drugs that would last him a month and buried the rest. He planned to earn enough money this month to buy his own house and lab. During this time, he aimed to learn all types of chemistry and drug-related knowledge to solve the NZT drug problem. He had been experiencing frequent headaches, feeling unwell, and noticing gaps in his memory, which motivated him to find a solution.

After ensuring no one was around, he left the forest and returned home. There, he prepared a detailed schedule for the entire month.

A month passed, and Ryan's health had visibly deteriorated due to the side effects of the drugs. However, he remained confident that better days were ahead and that he could eventually eliminate the side effects and long-term impacts of NZT.

First, he informed his landlord that he would be moving out in a few days. Then, he visited a real estate agency to purchase an ideal house. He expected people to treat him differently because of his poor appearance, but to his surprise, they didn't. He mused that perhaps he wasn't the protagonist of a story, or maybe reality was simply different from movies and novels.

Ryan explained his needs to the agent, stating that he wanted to buy a villa. Although the agents seemed suspicious, as if they thought he was wasting their time, they still showed him a few properties that matched his requirements. He was particularly satisfied with a villa near a lake and surrounded by a forest. He urged them to expedite the paperwork so he could move in as soon as possible, promising a generous commission if they completed the process quickly. When they began discussing down payments and loan options, Ryan cut them off by presenting a check for the full amount. "Here's the full payment for the villa. Can you get the paperwork ready soon?" he said.

Seeing the money, the agents' lifeless expressions immediately brightened. The saleswoman who had shown him around even suggested having dinner to thank him personally, as she stood to earn a significant commission. Although Ryan was tempted by the idea of an after-dinner "exercise," his body was in no condition due to the lingering effects of the drugs. Regretfully, he declined.

After leaving the real estate agency, Ryan contacted a construction company specializing in building labs. He gave them the contract to construct a lab in his new villa, paying the full amount upfront and offering an additional sum to ensure the work was completed within a week. He also ordered the necessary lab equipment, which would arrive in the same timeframe.

A week later, the lab was ready, and the machines and materials were in place. Ryan got to work immediately, despite his poor physical condition. He spent his days conducting experiments and acquiring knowledge in various fields: science, mathematics, medicine, espionage, criminal law, behavioral patterns, brainwashing, business, history, culture, arts, and warfare. He believed that knowledge was power and that this information might prove useful in the future.

After two weeks of relentless effort, Ryan finally perfected the drug. It unlocked his brain's potential without any side effects.

In addition to his experiments, Ryan continued to earn money on the side, knowing it would be useful since he wasn't planning to leave this world anytime soon. He also stayed in touch with Eddie, whose life seemed to fluctuate between highs and lows. Observing Eddie's struggles, Ryan sometimes doubted whether he was truly the protagonist of his own story. He speculated that his "protagonist aura" would only manifest once he returned to the other world.

Seeing Eddie's hardships, Ryan offered him the perfected drug. He reasoned that Eddie would eventually obtain it on his own in the future, and by giving it to him now, Ryan was fulfilling a karmic debt. After all, it was because of Eddie that Ryan had these opportunities in the first place.

Once Ryan started taking the perfected drug, his life transformed. His days began with exercise, as he had hired a retired Navy SEAL and specialists to design a full-body workout routine. He followed this with a healthy breakfast and then dedicated time to learning various martial arts: kung fu, boxing, karate, jujutsu, Muay Thai, and the use of swords, knives, and other cold weapons. He also trained with firearms, aiming to become a fully-fledged warrior. His training included techniques for enduring torture, resisting brainwashing, detecting lies, and mastering spy skills. In the afternoons, he immersed himself in reading about diverse subjects, and in the evenings, he attended lavish parties and enjoyed the company of women.

Two years later, Ryan had completed his morning exercise. His body glistened with sweat, and he looked like a Greek god, with perfectly sculpted muscles, abs, back, and legs. Every part of his body was a weapon, and he had become a master of hand-to-hand combat, cold weapons, and firearms. He could read human expressions with ease and was well-trained in espionage, combat, medicine, and more.

Alongside his physical transformation, Ryan never stopped acquiring knowledge. He had become proficient in science, mathematics, commerce, medicine, business, culture, and the arts. He was also a skilled actor, capable of convincingly portraying any emotion. His mastery of music and the arts further rounded out his abilities.

Ryan had built a fulfilling life, but he knew it was time to return to the other world. As he prepared to face future challenges, he felt a connection to the smallest stars. Suddenly, he was pulled through a kaleidoscope-like tunnel of colors. When he emerged, he found himself being beaten, with only two strikes left before he would pass out. He realized that during time travel, only his consciousness moved through time, while his body remained in place. His body was badly beaten, and time seemed to pass instantaneously during the journey. He also noticed that his memories of knowledge were obscured, as if covered by a black cloth, and he would need to slowly uncover them.

As he pondered this, the final strike landed, and he lost consciousness. "At least I'm alive," he thought. "I'll have my revenge on everyone." These were his last thoughts before everything went dark.