To test it, Silas tapped a complex rhythm on his wooden desk. Within three seconds, the AI mimicry mapped the sound and created a counter-rhythm that made his jaw drop. It was collaborating with him in real time.
The download completed at exactly 3:14 AM, the progress bar on theCRT monitor flashing a victorious green. Silas stared at the file sitting on his desktop: .
Silas reached for his mouse to hit the stop button, but the cursor wouldn't move. The vector line on the screen was now a chaotic, jagged mountain range of red light. The sound coming through his headphones was no longer music; it was a terrifying amalgamation of grinding metal, screaming feedback, and a warped, slowed-down loop of his own voice saying "You really do..." over and over again.