Shiro sits at his desk, the dim light of his office reflecting off the sleek, modern surfaces around him. A message flashes across his screen—confirmation of the successful mission. The Phantom X serum has been retrieved without issue. Shiro leans back in his chair, pleased.
---
2 Days Later:
The camera pans through a pristine, futuristic training facility, with white walls illuminated by soft amber lighting. The room is massive, filled with holographic projectors capable of creating hyper-realistic combat scenarios. On one side of the room are advanced training robots, each designed to push even the strongest conjurers to their limits.
In the middle of the room stands Shiro, dressed casually but exuding his usual calm confidence. Across from him is Reana, dressed in light combat gear, her posture relaxed yet ready.
Shiro glances around the room, the amber light casting shadows on his sharp features. He turns to Reana.
Shiro: "This is one of Arcadia's most advanced training rooms. It should be more than enough to test your abilities."
Reana nods, her eyes scanning the room before meeting Shiro's. She knows this isn't just a casual meeting—Shiro wants to see what she's capable of. He's testing her, measuring her worth.
Shiro tilts his head, his curiosity piqued.
Shiro: "I've heard about your conjure, but I want to hear it from you. What exactly can you do?"
Reana shifts her stance slightly, her confidence showing as she explains.
Reana: "My conjure allows me to multiply my physical abilities. I can increase my speed, strength, and reflexes by a factor of two to ten, depending on how much energy I channel."
Shiro raises an eyebrow, intrigued by the potential.
Shiro: "Interesting. I don't come across conjures like that often. How much control do you have over it?"
Reana smiles faintly, her hands clenching into fists as she begins to focus her energy.
Reana: "Complete control. I can decide how much power to use, and for how long. But… it's not without its costs."
Shiro nods, understanding the trade-offs that come with most powerful conjures.
Shiro: "There's always a price." He walks over to a nearby console and presses a button, activating one of the combat robots. The robot hums to life, its eyes glowing blue as it steps forward into the training room.
Shiro steps back, folding his arms across his chest as he watches the scene unfold.
Shiro: "Show me."
Reana takes a deep breath, centering herself. The air around her seems to shift, almost vibrating with energy. Her muscles tense as she focuses her conjure, multiplying her strength by a factor of two.
The robot lunges at her with surprising speed, throwing a punch aimed directly at her head. But Reana is faster. She sidesteps the attack with ease and counters with a powerful kick to the robot's torso, sending it stumbling backward.
Shiro watches closely, his eyes sharp as he analyzes her movements.
Shiro: "Not bad. But I want to see more. Push it further."
Reana doesn't hesitate. She channels more energy, increasing her physical abilities by a factor of four. Her movements become a blur as she charges at the robot, delivering a flurry of rapid punches and kicks. The robot tries to block, but it's no match for her enhanced speed and strength.
The robot swings at her again, but this time, she catches its arm mid-swing and flips it over her shoulder, slamming it into the ground with a thunderous crash.
Shiro's eyes gleam with interest.
Shiro: "Impressive. But I want to see your limit. Can you handle ten times your strength?"
Reana breathes heavily, knowing that multiplying her abilities by ten is risky—it pushes her body to the brink of exhaustion. But she doesn't back down. With a fierce determination in her eyes, she nods and focuses again, pushing her conjure to its maximum.
The air around her crackles with raw power as her physical abilities skyrocket. Her muscles tense, veins pulsing with energy. The robot, now fully aware of the threat, launches a full-scale assault, its attacks faster and stronger than before.
But Reana is faster. Much faster.
She dodges every strike with ease, her movements almost too quick to track. In one fluid motion, she leaps into the air, spins, and delivers a devastating kick to the robot's head, shattering it into pieces. The robot collapses to the ground, defeated.
Reana lands gracefully, breathing heavily, but triumphant.
Shiro, still standing with his arms folded, smirks slightly.
Shiro: "Well done. You're stronger than I expected. But remember—using that much power comes at a cost. Don't push yourself too far, or you might break."
Reana nods, catching her breath. She knows he's right. But deep down, she's proud of what she just accomplished.
Shiro walks over to her, his expression unreadable.
Shiro: "We'll continue this training another time. For now, you've shown me enough."
He turns and heads toward the exit, with Reana following closely behind. As they leave the training room, Shiro can't help but think about the potential she holds—and how he might use that potential to further his own plans.