"Thank you," Max expressed with genuine seriousness.
Viper, heading towards the door, paused and waved. Lauren smiled and commented, "It's the least I can do."
"Rest for now; I'll call you if needed," Max directed.
"Make sure to get some rest," the trio assured before leaving.
With the door closed, Max leaned against the bed's headrest, reflecting on the changes in his body. Despite feeling fatigued, he succumbed to sleep once more.
Upon waking up, Max noticed a considerable reduction in pain and burning sensations. Though movements were still challenging, they were bearable if not overly frequent.
Three days later, Max's condition had completely recovered. Examining himself in the mirror, he observed the sharp edges of his physique, with muscles more prominent than before. A surge of explosive power coursed through him, as if capable of obliterating everything.
His ten-finger wounds had healed, and making fists revealed increased strength. The sound of fists meeting echoed with a different intensity.
"Open!"
Max waved his hand, and a door materialized.
"Open!"
Another door appeared at his command.
"Open!"
A third door emerged.
"Integrating Juggernaut's genes significantly improved body hardness and strength, particularly physical strength and endurance. This is the most substantial enhancement in the Door-Door Fruit ability. Now, I should be able to create the doors of the soul for everyone else," Max concluded, satisfied.
After a refreshing shower and a change of clothes, Max, content with his strengthened muscles, appreciated that there was no significant change in his body shape when dressed. He was pleased not to adopt the overpowering stature of Juggernaut.
"What about Blink?" he inquired as he descended the stairs.
"She went to the underground organization," Lauren informed.
"Oh, then don't wait for her. Come here; I'll help you build the door of the soul," Max warmly invited Lauren and Yukio, gesturing them to join him in successfully constructing the door of the soul. Afterward, he returned to the laboratory to assist Viper, who was still grappling with the next challenge, in constructing the door of the soul as well.
As he anticipated, the spiritual gates smoothly formed, with the energy expenditure being minimal. Max noticed a significant improvement in his endurance.
Eyeing the sharp scalpel nearby, Max picked it up and lightly slashed his arm. Despite its sharpness, the scalpel only left a shallow scar that swiftly healed.
Combining this robust defense with the Self-healing Ability was truly impressive! Max marveled at the realization that unless faced with severe attacks or the loss of limbs, he could navigate through challenges effortlessly.
Of course, he remained cautious about situations that could inhibit Mutant Ability. The Door-Door Fruit's Ability would remain unaffected, but the mutant gene might still be vulnerable.
"How can I speed up the integration of Juggernaut genes? Similar to the Self-healing factor," Max inquired of Viper.
Viper pondered for a moment before responding, "Endure attacks."
"What?"
"Engaging in battle, enduring damage, accelerating physical energy consumption, deepening the body's demand in that aspect will hasten the gene integration."
"Challenging the limits naturally makes one stronger."
"So, I have to find someone to fight," Max declared.
Viper shrugged, offering no further comment.
After discussing the matter with Viper in the laboratory, Max left and walked out of the villa into the forest behind it.
Choosing a robust tree about the thickness of a person, Max clenched his fist and delivered a powerful punch.
The impact caused leaves to shower down, and the large tree collapsed from the point of impact, raising dust and smoke.
The tree lay fallen on the ground, split by Max's punch.
"This level of strength, this state is comparable to Captain America, isn't it?" Max marveled.
"Who's there!"
A figure swiftly darted through the distant woods, prompting Max to give chase with a loud shout. After a few bounds, Max caught up.
In the woods, a blonde woman stood her ground, showing no inclination to flee or conceal herself.
"It's you!"
"Are you Esme, Sophie, or Phoebe?"
Frowning, Max scrutinized the blonde woman before him, uncertain which of the three she might be.
"Esme," she replied.
"Why are you here?" Max questioned with a deep tone.
"I'm here to find you. I've got crucial information—a piece of news that could dismantle the entire Sentinel plan!" Esme spoke earnestly.
"Just this piece of news?"
"The Sentinel plan I'm referring to isn't the Sentinel agents we see crawling around. It's the authentic Sentinel plan." Esme paused, then continued, "Ever heard of Mutant concentration camps?"
Facing Esme's inquiry, Max remained stoic, revealing no expression.
Undeterred, Esme pressed on, aware of Max's hostility. "Many Mutants end up in these concentration camps upon capture. Supposedly, if they complete assigned tasks, they can earn their freedom. But here's the catch—the main purpose of these camps is to produce more advanced and powerful large-scale Sentinels!"
"The location of these camps is still elusive. There are several possibilities, but no one who has discovered them has lived to tell the tale. It's a trap!"
"Sue and Phoebe have found a way to gather intel, and I'm here to seek your assistance!" Esme implored.
The mention of the concentration camps had surfaced before, but now the revelation hinted at a more sinister purpose—creating real Sentinels.
....
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