"Come," Liam said, beckoning Layla with a sly grin. "I want to show you something interesting."
She narrowed her eyes. "What kind of interesting?"
"My body's mostly machinery now—artificial muscle, synthetic tissue. So I added a few... enhancements."
Her eyes lit up. "Let me guess. You can breathe fire like a dragon? Or maybe gills, like a megalodon? Tentacle appendages from your back? Or—oh—did you ahem enhance yourself downstairs for 'nighttime activities'? Or just cut it off and go full intersex?"
Liam choked on a laugh. "Okay—no, that would be cool, and tentacles sound useful but way too gross. As for the other thing... maybe. And no, I'm still male. Further questions later."
He opened a metal door, revealing a large room lined with weapon racks and a blast shield partition. The walls gleamed with reinforced plating, and the floor bore the marks of past experiments.
"Welcome to my testing chamber," he said, stepping to one end. "Pick any gun. Fire at me."
Bang!
"Wait—what the hell?! I said on the count of three!"
Layla shrugged, lowering the pistol. "Can't your new body handle it?"
"It can, but it still hurts like hell, okay?!"
"Sir," AISAR interjected from the overhead speaker, "such testing is not advised. Preliminary readings suggest psychic instability."
"Psychic?" Layla echoed, raising a brow.
"I'll show you," Liam said, shaking off the sting. "And AISAR, sometimes you have to throw yourself into danger to find your limits. A leap of faith."
"Sir, I am incapable of faith. I calculate all outcomes."
"I know," Liam smirked. "I programmed you that way."
He turned back to Layla. "Now, let's try this properly. One... two... three!"
Liam raised his hand, palm forward. Bang!
"STOP!"
The bullet froze in midair—three meters from his chest—suspended like it hit invisible molasses.
Then Liam staggered and collapsed to one knee, sweat dotting his brow.
Layla stared, wide-eyed. "You… just stopped a bullet. With your mind. You didn't have an innate ability before."
"I know," he panted. "This is the first time I've used it… but it worked."
A mechanical arm slid into the room, offering Liam a bottle of water. Another unfolded chairs for both of them. They sat, silence stretching for a breath before Layla spoke again.
"You remember what innate abilities are, right? They don't need mana. They're supernatural traits you're born with. A sort of... personal miracle."
Liam nodded. "I remember. Those born with them can reach the peak faster than anyone else."
"AISAR," he called, "pull up the innate ability records."
A holographic interface flared to life around them, screens circling like a glowing crown.
Names and images flicked past: Lightning Body, Phoenix Origin, Water of Life, Blessing of Green, Charm, and dozens more.
Layla scrolled with narrowed eyes. "So, what's yours called?"
"Mind," Liam replied. "Psychic-based manipulation. I can generate force, stop objects, maybe even more. It changes localized reality to create tangible phenomena."
Layla raised a skeptical brow. "So, telekinesis and force fields? Sounds like an invisible mage hand and a glorified shield spell."
"Maybe," Liam admitted, "but if the mind itself can awaken an innate ability, that's revolutionary."
Layla's eyes gleamed. "You didn't tell me you were researching that! Send me the data. Now."
"AISAR," Liam said.
"Transmitting to Miss Layla's terminal now," AISAR replied.
A chime echoed.
"Sir," AISAR said, "Knight Belore has arrived at the front door."
"Invite him in. We'll meet him in the office."
Elsewhere in the facility...
Knight Commander Belore stepped through the open door, looking like a man in his early thirties—youthful, strong, and sharp-eyed. But both Liam and Layla knew the truth. He was their contemporary, a prodigy who had become a Sword Master at twenty-five and hadn't aged a day in decades.
"Sir," AISAR greeted. "Master Liam awaits you in his office."
Belore chuckled. "You really are impressive. I wish my tower had a spirit like you. The Mage Tower's constructs don't hold a candle to your intelligence. You're something else entirely."
"Thank you for the compliment, Knight Belore," AISAR responded.
Belore entered the office and immediately paused, eyes flicking between Liam's new face and Layla's altered form.
"…Who are you two?"