I took out the cloth of my mouth and finally breathe normally.
I didn't wait to put my new knowledge into practice and the time flow around me changed. I didn't use Time bubble. Instead, I speed up my brain. The effect was similar to when I used Time Bubble but when I tried to move my speed was about half the normal. Outside I could see a bird flying at about half the normal speed too.
The feeling was like moving underwater there was a resistance that didn't let me move as I wanted even if I knew what was happening. After what should have been about 20 seconds my head started to hurt, and I stopped using it… well, it was probably 10 second for the rest of the world, but in my mind, it was 20 seconds.
Rose was studying my face.
"And?"
"It feels weird… it's like moving underwater, everything around myself included is moving slower but I have the awareness at a normal speed."
"You were breathing faster too." She said.
"Really?"
I didn't notice, but if I was breathing faster, it meant that since my brain was working more quickly, the oxygen supply had to be accelerated too. It was good to know and understand all the drawbacks and effect that this power had right now.
"You want to try the other ability on me?"
I knew that she wanted to help but there was no way I was going to use this on her, so I kept using just the first ability, which I named accelerated senses. As for slow I prefer to use G as a guinea pig, he had a physical enhance, so I prefer to try it on him with fewer possibilities of something unexpected happening.
I rested and got used to my new ability most of the morning, even if Rose was a little mad at me for not trying my new skill on her, after a couple of kisses and thanks to empathy she finally let it go.
Understanding the time flow was difficult. I tried to apply some of my physics knowledge to understand what I was doing, but it was worthless. I tried it on time bubble and accelerated sense, but I could get nothing out of it, either my mastery and understanding over time distortion was too low, or my physics knowledge was also lacking. To find a way to link what I was doing with the theory, I created a plan on my mind to get to that point, but there was always the possibility that the laws changed after the meteor shower or that some of the theories I knew were false.
Another thing that I noticed was that the time change of Chronokinetic Combat when compared to Time Bubble, was better, in slow motion the slow down was about a 30%, or from the others point of view it was like if I was moving a 50% faster.
With enhanced senses, the speed around me was reduced to half. This was probably related that when I use Time Bubble, I affect a larger zone than just my brain, so it's easier to be more efficient in the time manipulation.
After this, I tried to look at the next on my mental agenda.
When I asked the system about Soul Resistance, it merely said that my soul takes reduced damage from soul attacks. So it was similar to damage resistance but to my soul.
From the description of Detoxification I know that there are also mind poisons, so I have to assume that mind attacks also exist and not just the controlling types or the annoying types, but something that could really break someone, and there is also a resistance for it. Probably mind shield works like this, if the mind is as fragile as the soul, then an attack without protection could be as deadly as a soul attack.
My soul resonance with Dante became I higher priority but we both were putting all our self in helping our group, so I hadn't a reliable method to achieve it.
Unlike before now, I know that the attacks can have up to three components, with physical as the most common of them but from now on I can't say that if I got hit or attack it will only affect my body.
Now that I think of it haven't seen Dante…
'Dante?'
'Sorry ~, I'm busy~. Talk you later~…'
And he shut down the connection… it was completely unexpected from him, but he will be fine. I was curious about what was he doing, but if he was too busy to even talk to me, it meant that it was important he will tell me about it later or ask for help if he needs it.
I looked at my remaining 4 missions.
[Mission: Achieve Soul Resonance with the Dante
Type: Normal
Rewards: INT/WIS +2, Mind Shield (Shared)
Time left: 7d 10h 21m 14s]
[Mission: Discover the secret behind the sudden disappearances
Type: Main
Reward: 50 System points, Int/Wis+3
Time Limit: 1d 10h 21m 14s]
[Mission: Survive the whole Collapse
Type: Main
Reward: 500 system points, ???
Time to complete: 8d 10h 21m 14s]
[Mission: Get a D rank power or higher
Type: Main
Reward: Upgrade to ESPER system standard edition.
Time limit: Unlimited]
Less than two days to complete the main mission of the sudden disappearances, I already know that they were kidnaps and that the NDR was probably behind it, but I got the feeling that there was something else.
Also, the milestone of surviving 4 weeks was getting near. I shouldn't be in bed with my girlfriend if I already was fine, I should be out there, either training or working…
I continue to practice my time-based abilities while Rose looked for ways to improve my recovery speed. Isabella appeared to check up on me before going to pick up Dana.
"Isabella, I feel good now do you think we I can leave? You can keep an eye on me at home if you want…"
She was surprised with my request, probably thought that I was the type of people that didn't like hospitals or stay still.
"I would have to talk with the doctor first, but there was no poison left on your last blood sample. If this time the sample came out clean again I might be able to convince Dr. Rehn. Let me see what I can do."
"Thank you."
She took my pulse and made the same routine check that Dr. Rehn made before, after taking another blood sample she left.
"Rose do you know what happened with my weapons?"
Rose looked at me with suspicion.
"Your team took them when you passed out, Hope left them at home."
I nodded while planning on my head what to do. Technically if everything went fine on the scouting mission, I should be able to get some good news and the information by tomorrow.
"Please don't… at least wait to fully recover, by tomorrow morning you should be able to move around normally."
It was obvious what I was thinking. Should I trust this mission to someone else? If they fail, I will be out of time for my own mission.
I can wait for Dante to finish… whatever he is doing with him on my side I will be able to move faster, and Rose Probably will feel better if I go.
Anyway, I still don't have Isabella's confirmation. I stayed on the room until a little knock sounded on the door.
Without waiting for our answer, the door opened, and a little girl came into the room.
"Spencer~!!!"
Dana came next to the bed and looked at me. Isabella came in after her apologizing.
"Sorry I had to pick her up, I still don't have the results on your blood sample. Can she stay here for a little while I check them?"
"Of course, you are staying longer to help me, and now Dana is going to tell me everything about school right Dana?"
"Yeah~~."
It was cute to listen to her trying to copy Dante's way of talking.
Isabella smiled and went to check in the lab if the results were ready.
In the meantime, Dana told us how boring the class was and that she wanted Dante as a professor again.
It reminded me when Dante said almost crying to me that he hated it when he tried to do it the first time, and his paws almost "got played with" as he said.
Dana told us another story mainly about her classmates. While she was talking the door opened once more time and Isabella came again, this time with the doctor.
Dana moved to her mother's side, and the doctor came to the side of the bed again.
"You want to be discharged?"
"Yes, I feel better already and the only remaining part of the treatment I need I can take it in the home. Also, Isabella is there to check up on me from time to time."
The doctor nodded.
"Ok since Isabella is going to be there I will allow it if you feel any discomfort come back right away and be sure to ask Isabella to change the bandages of the wound on your leg tonight. Are we clear?"
He asked looking at Isabella and me, we both nodded.
The doctor smiled and left the room.
I changed into a fresh set of clothes that Hope brought yesterday and left the school/hospital with the girls.