Aurel woke slowly, the world around him coming into focus as the fog of sleep cleared. For a moment, he lay still, his body relaxed, his senses gradually sharpening. Something felt different. The ache, the exhaustion that he had expected, wasn't there. In its place was something else—something powerful, vibrant, a sense of energy that thrummed through him like a heartbeat.
He opened his eyes, blinking in the soft morning light that filtered through the window. He pushed himself up, his hands pressing against the floor, and paused. The room looked smaller—like it had somehow shrunk overnight. Aurel blinked, confusion flashing through his mind. He got to his feet, his body moving with a fluidity that felt almost unnatural, and realized that the ceiling was closer, the walls narrower. Everything felt different.
Excitement rushed through him, his pulse quickening as he turned and ran toward the mirror, his bare feet skimming across the floor. He stopped in front of the glass, his heart pounding, and stared at his reflection.
He almost didn't recognize himself.
He had grown. His body, which had always been on the shorter side, had stretched, elongated. He was taller now, significantly taller—his previous height of 5'7" replaced by a solid 6'0". It was as if his body had taken all the potential, all the power that had been hidden within him, and transformed it into something entirely new.
His skin was no longer the pale, washed-out tone he was used to seeing. It was tan now, a healthy, sun-kissed color that spoke of vitality, of strength. His muscles were different, too—thicker, more defined. His entire body was carved with lean, powerful muscle, each line, each curve visible beneath his skin. He looked like a top-tier natural bodybuilder, and yet, Aurel could feel that these muscles weren't just for show. They were dense, powerful, the kind of strength that went beyond appearance, something functional, something real.
But what caught his attention the most were his eyes.
They had been red since he received the vaccine, but now they were somehow different—something deeper, more complex. The irises seemed to shimmer, layers of crimson shifting beneath the surface, giving them an intensity that was almost hypnotic. They were the kind of eyes that demanded attention, that made it impossible to look away.
And then, there was his face.
Aurel stared at his reflection, a sense of disbelief washing over him. His face had always been average—nothing remarkable, nothing that would turn heads. But now, it was different. Sharper, more defined, his features perfectly balanced, his jawline strong, his cheekbones high. He looked like a model—a face that was stunning, striking, the kind of beauty that seemed almost unreal.
Aurel let out a breath, his gaze sweeping over his reflection, a smile slowly spreading across his face. This was him. The result of everything he had been through, the pain, the struggle, the risk he had taken to push himself beyond his limits. He had broken through, and this was the reward—a body, a power that was beyond anything he had ever imagined.
But it wasn't just the physical changes. He could feel the difference deep within him, the way his mana flowed, the way his senses had sharpened. He felt more alive than ever before, as if every part of him had been awakened, every cell humming with energy.
He tore his gaze away from the mirror, his heart still pounding, and raised his wrist, the watch lighting up, the screen flickering to life. His stats flashed before his eyes.
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Endurance: 10
Perception: 10
Mana: 10
Genetic Locks Actualised: 2
Aurel frowned for a moment, confusion flashing through his mind before he realized what had happened. His stats had reset, but the difference was clear. One stat point in his current state was equivalent to ten stat points before. This was the true power of a second genetic lock—an exponential leap forward, a new level of strength.
But as he scrolled down, his eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat.
New Ability Unlocked: Limit Break (Rank: Mythic)
Description: Grants the user the ability to increase the rank of any ability or trait by one for 100 mana per minute. Current mana pool: 1000.
Aurel stared at the screen, his mind racing, his heart pounding in his chest. Limit Break. The power to increase the rank of any ability or trait—a tool that could turn an ordinary ability into something extraordinary, that could push him even further beyond his limits. For ten minutes, he could elevate himself to a whole new level, he could take on challenges that would otherwise be impossible.
A grin spread across his face, his eyes glinting with excitement. He could feel the potential, the power that lay within him now. This was what he had been waiting for—a way to push beyond, to grow stronger, to reach the heights that he had always known were possible.
He looked around the small apartment, a laugh bubbling up in his chest, his entire body thrumming with energy. He needed to test this. He needed to see just what he was capable of now.
His school had training facilities—state-of-the-art equipment, mana testing, everything he needed to measure his power. It had been a week since he had set foot in school, but that didn't matter. In the month leading up to the exams, the students had been given the freedom to train as they saw fit, to prepare themselves for what was coming.
And Aurel was ready.
He grabbed a shirt from the back of a chair, pulling it over his head, the fabric stretching over his broad chest, his powerful shoulders. He slipped on his shoes, his movements quick, precise, every muscle responding with a fluidity that felt almost foreign.
He stepped out of his apartment, the cool morning air hitting his skin, the city alive with the distant hum of traffic, the glow of streetlights still fading with the rising sun. Aurel moved with purpose, his steps light, his senses sharp. He could feel the mana in the air, could feel the power that flowed through him, that made his body hum with energy.
He couldn't wait to see just how strong he was now.