The ink on the Ignis Core blueprint was still settling into the fibres of the parchment when the rhythmic thud of a knuckle against wood echoed through room 555. Kale Ardentis did not look up immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the complex gene-splicing sequences he had mapped out for the Crystal Slime base, his mind calculating the thermal absorption variables required to prevent cellular liquefaction during the bonding process.
The room was heavy with the scent of dried herbs and the lingering ozone of the Gene Lab's holographic displays.
Neo was coiled on the corner of the table, its three heads tucked into its wings as it mimicked the deep, recovery breathing of a hibernating predator.
The second knock was louder, more insistent. Kale finally sighed and rolled the parchment, sliding it into a protective tube before standing up to adjust his white coat.
