The room was suffocating under the pressure of twenty times Earth's gravity. Knox's body trembled as he rose from a low crouch, sweat streaming down his face and soaking his training suit. Each movement was deliberate, each step a test of endurance.
A knock echoed through the gravity room, breaking his focus. Knox exhaled sharply, gritting his teeth as he reached for the control panel and powered down the gravity field. The oppressive weight lifted, and he felt the sharp contrast of normalcy flood his muscles.
"Come in," Knox said, his voice rough but steady.
The door hissed open, and Max stepped inside, his arms cradling two sleek boots and matching wristbands. "It's done," Max said, walking forward and holding them out.
Knox took the gear, inspecting the craftsmanship. The black metallic finish shimmered faintly with crimson circuits, seamlessly matching his suit's aesthetic. "Adjustable weights?"
Max nodded. "Just press the buttons on the side to increase or decrease the weight. It maxes out at 100 tons per piece."
Knox gave him a small nod of approval. "Good work."
Max grinned and turned to leave, but not before casting a glance at the cracked floor beneath Knox's feet."Try not to break the base," he joked, and the door closed behind him.
Knox turned his attention to Kaelina. "Can you integrate these into the suit?"
Her voice chimed in his mind, calm and confident. "Easily. Not only that, but I can modify the entire suit to have variable weight functionality. Place the suit's core symbol on the gear."
Knox removed the small emblem from his chest, its golden glow flickering briefly as he placed it on the boots and wristbands. They shimmered for a moment before vanishing.
Kaelina spoke again. "Integration will take ten minutes. In the meantime, why not push yourself further? Gravity levels, perhaps?"
Knox's lips curled into a smirk. "Fine." He strode to the console and increased the gravity field to 40x. The room groaned under the strain as he felt the crushing force return.
...
Across the city, the GPA's training facility was charged with tension.
Tempest stood in the center of the simulation chamber, her crimson lightning pulsing faintly around her like a living entity. Around her, TItan, Seraph, Phantom, Cryo, Inferno, Warden, Echo, and Vanguard formed a loose circle, their faces hard with determination.
"You heard me," Tempest said, her tone sharp. "No holding back. If you want to evolve, if you want to stand a chance against Knox or anyone else, you'll need more than your current strength." Her eyes narrowed. "You'll need me push you."
Vanguard stepped forward, his shield glowing faintly. "Tempest, are you sure? You're—"
"Do it," she interrupted. "All of you, at once. And you'll need your full combined power just to make me fight back."
The room erupted into motion.
Titan charged first, his enormous frame moving with surprising speed. His fist came down like a hammer, but Tempest sidestepped effortlessly, her crimson lightning sparking as she pivoted. His punch cratered the ground, but she was already gone, reappearing behind him.
A blast of celestial energy from Seraph forced her to flip backward. Mid-air, Cryo launched shards of ice, each one glinting dangerously under the fluorescent lights. Tempest spun gracefully, the shards missing her by inches as her lightning crackled in retaliation, shattering them mid-flight.
Phantom appeared next, his speed nearly blurring him out of view. His strikes came in rapid succession, but Tempest's movements were fluid, almost lazy. She parried with ease, her hand brushing his wrist before twisting him into an off-balance stumble.
"You're faster than this," Tempest muttered, her voice dripping with disappointment.
Inferno leapt into the fray, flames roaring around him. He unleashed a torrent of fire, the heat warping the air. Tempest raised a hand, her lightning forming a shield that absorbed the flames. With a flick of her wrist, the shield exploded outward, sending him skidding back.
Echo and Warden coordinated, their attacks coming in synchronized waves. Echo's sonic blast disoriented, while Warden's heavy strikes aimed to capitalize on any opening. But Tempest remained untouched. She ducked, rolled, and countered, her movements a dance of precision.
Titan roared, leaping into the air and crashing down with a seismic shockwave. Tempest crouched low, crimson lightning grounding her as the wave passed harmlessly around her. In a blink, she was behind him, her fist colliding with his side, sending him flying into a nearby wall.
Phantom reappeared, aiming for her blind spot, but she twisted just in time, grabbing his wrist and flipping him into Cryo, who was mid-charge.
Seraph soared above, her wings glowing as she unleashed a barrage of light beams. Tempest's lightning surged, forming a protective dome around her that deflected the attacks in every direction.
Tempest's power seemed limitless. The more they fought, the more she adjusted, countered, and dominated. Her crimson lightning wrapped around her like armor, her strikes precise and devastating.
"This is pointless," Titan growled, struggling to his feet. "She's not even trying."
"She doesn't have to," Vanguard admitted, sweat dripping down his face. "She's on another level."
Tempest smirked, her haze cold. "If this is all you've got, you'll never evolve."
Aetheris's voice rang in Tempest's mind, calm and slightly amused. "Host, their movements are improving, albeit slowly. Perhaps they're capable of more than they realize."
"I hope so," Tempest murmured to herself. "Because this is boring."
One by one, the heroes fell to the ground, exhausted and battered. Tempest stood in the center, untouched, her crimson lightning flickering faintly.
"Again," she ordered.
Vanguard raised a hand weakly. "Tempest... give us... a minute..."
Tempest's expression softened slightly, but she said nothing. Instead, she turned to the observation deck, where the board members watched in silence.
"This isn't enough," she said. "If this is the best they can do, they'll die in the next fight."
The lead board member nodded slowly. "Then push them harder. No one rests until every system evolves."
Tempest crimson lightning flared again, casting an ominous glow across the room. "Understood."