Noah could hardly believe the hunger in Camilla's eyes, her gaze sweeping him over like he was an all-you-can-eat buffet.
He glanced at his hand, still smooth and elastic despite everything. "Can I really be that appetizing?" he wondered. He tilted his head thoughtfully and, to test a theory, bit into his own arm.
The taste was... surprisingly rich. Not unpleasant, just strange enough to make him squint and purse his lips in thought. Why does she get so much excitement from drinking blood? he mused.
But as he swallowed, his stomach made a gentle protest. He felt a sudden, odd fullness—not because he couldn't eat more, but because his body was signaling that he'd absorbed enough energy. Checking his arm, he noted his self-healing at work, the bite already vanishing.
"Hmm... eat myself and live forever?" he mused aloud, then shook his head at the absurdity of it all.
Beside him, Camilla watched wide-eyed. Noah shot her a smirk. "You know, I think I might make a better vampire than you. Now, less gawking, more working—we're pulling an all-nighter."
Camilla smirked back, introducing herself with a slight bow, "Kerry Camilla. But you can call me Camilla."
The next morning, Smith arrived to find the second floor of Noah's private gym cloaked in heavy curtains, not a speck of light seeping in. There, Camilla was beating Noah with a steel rod as if it was her personal morning workout.
Seeing the new addition, Smith's curiosity got the better of him. "And who's this?"
Noah raised an eyebrow. "A mutant I hired for her strength—Camilla here will oversee your training sessions."
"Oh, and did you bring what I asked for?" Noah motioned toward the box Smith carried, eyeing it with anticipation.
Smith put the box down proudly, pulling out a generator with a smile. "Here's the custom mod. You can adjust the magnetic field strength to change both voltage and current. It's got sensors too, so just attach these, turn it on, and power flows through your muscles. Goes up to 5,000 volts."
"Perfect." Noah took the sensor stickers, placing them carefully across his upper body. He gestured for Smith to crank it to 110 volts as an initial test.
The current jolted through him, forcing his muscles to contract involuntarily. A faint tingling spread across his skin, but he was already used to pushing himself past limits. He nodded approvingly, bracing himself. "Take it up to 220."
With each increase, Noah felt the intensity rise, the electricity coursing deeper, amplifying his physical control and resilience. Finally, at 500 volts, he signaled Smith to hold it steady.
A notification popped up, displaying his progress:
---
Using 500 volts of electric stimulation to damage and reinforce body cells:
Strength cap +0.1: 20 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds Constitution cap +0.1: 14 hours, 31 minutes, 45 seconds Spirit cap +0.1: 24 hours, 23 minutes, 19 seconds
---
Noah grinned, fists clenched. He wasn't only improving his inner power but training himself as a fortress of pure strength. Every iron weight he lifted, every volt of energy, every punch—every act was molding him toward his ultimate goal.
Noah gestured to Camilla, casually instructing her to wrap the steel rod in rubber for better grip. He took a deep breath. "All the equipment's here. This gym is now my sanctuary," he thought resolutely. "I won't leave until every stat hits 2.5."
And so, Noah dived into a punishing routine. No sleep, no rest, no breaks.
During the day, Camilla beat him relentlessly with the rod; at night, Peter Parker took over as a sparring partner. By the weekend, he even managed to get both of them in a dual sparring session. When he was thirsty, he drank his own blood with Camilla. When he was hungry, he ate the iron-fortified steaks he'd ordered from Smith's stash. If exhaustion caught up, he'd take a moment to cultivate his internal energy until he was ready for more.
The results were quick and tangible. By the end of the first day, Camilla watched in amazement as the weight he lifted doubled. By the fifth day, Smith marveled as Noah's internal strength crackled around him like a violet sea, turning hours of training into what would have taken others years.
On the eighth day, Peter stared slack-jawed as his steel rod snapped in half mid-swing. Noah, unfazed, simply smirked and threw himself into the next drill.
The tenth day dawned, quiet and intense.
Noah sat cross-legged, focusing on his breathing, guiding his true energy into his dantian. Above him, the violet aura was so dense it nearly dripped onto the floor. He opened his eyes slowly, savoring the new strength in his veins.
The hum of the generator, now at 5,000 volts, filled the room. The energy sparked and danced over his skin, burning his flesh slightly before his regeneration kicked in, healing him in an endless loop of destruction and repair.
Camilla approached, eyes lingering on him with a mix of admiration and frustration. "Another workout?" she asked, exasperated.
Noah paused, looking at her with a grin. "I think... I need a break."
Camilla laughed, "You've been exhausted for days, pushing beyond anyone's limits."
Noah took a breath, stretching his arms overhead, feeling every fiber alive with power. But he wasn't just physically tired. Something gnawed at him mentally—a feeling that he hadn't experienced in a long time.
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Announcement coming soon....(Could be bad news or good news...maybe both)
PLEASE GIMME SOME STONES! (.づ◡﹏◡)づ.