Bernoni waved his hand grandly like it was nothing to him. 'Granted. It's no trouble to help you, my friend.'
'Thank you!' Luther bowed.
It was as if he had seen a ray of light in his darkest hour. Awakening super powers was just the first of many steps he would take to save his planet Earth!
The alien stood up. 'Follow me to the lab.'
Luther rose to his feet and walked beside Bernoni respectfully. 'So could you tell me more about super powers?'
'Ah, impatient much? Hehe, I understand. Apart from racial talents, any person can awake a super power due to energy.
Let me give you this warning while I remember; you can let people know your racial talent but not your super power, same goes for vice versa!
Just reveal your least dangerous power. Of course, if your power isn't that coveted or dangerous, you can expose it boldly but that is foolish too.'
Luther asked. 'Why do you say that?'
Bernoni shot him a look. 'There's a race called the Night Spirit race. Their racial talent relates to concealment; they made the best assassins.
Some races weren't too happy when certain prominent individuals of theirs were assassinated and blamed the Night Spirit race for it.
Now, the Night Spirit race is amongst the top 100 endangered races!'
Luther gasped in shock.
Just because of their racial talent, the race was now on the brink of extinction? How frightful!
A few seconds later, he nodded. 'I understand. I won't easily reveal my racial talent and super powers.'
Bernoni chuckled. 'Don't be so uptight. There are so many overpowered racial talents in the galaxy. Who knows if yours will cause a commotion?
Anyway where was I?
Ah yes, racial talents and super powers!
Racial talents are unique to every race but super powers are common. The stronger and purer a person's bloodline, the greater their racial talent but super powers don't depend on race but rather Esper awakening fluids or energy arts.
There are two super power branches; Esper and Pugilist.
Espers have super powers in the literal sense while Pugilists have supernatural physical abilities!'
'Hey, isn't that like mage and fighter?' Luther thought.
'To be an Esper requires the Esper awakening fluid and to become a Pugilist requires an energy art and crystal!
Oh right, we're here.'
They had already reached the lab in what seemed like a few moments to Luther. Various tubes were arranged in glassed shelves by the walls and other apparatus straight out of fantasy.
The lab was as large as the transmission area.
Bernoni turned to Luther. 'Well, so what is your choice? Do you want to be an Esper or Pugilist?
'Esper!' Luther said without hesitation.
Supernatural physique was nice and all but why would he take such an arduous path? He didn't want to be a meatbag!
'Excellent choice! Lie down on that bed while I get an Esper awakening fluid for you,' Bernoni pointed at one of the beds nearby.
Luther complied and went to lay down. Automatically, straps laced his arms and legs to the bed, preventing him from getting up.
'Is all that necessary?'
Bernoni nodded as he took a test tube filled with red liquid from the shelf. 'Very necessary. Looking at the physique of your race, you may be unable to bear the pain of awakening.
I don't want you to jump off the bed and cause problems. Oh and yes, your clothes too will have to come off but you can keep your underwear.'
Luther sighed and resigned himself to fate. As long as he could awaken super powers and save his home planet, what was a little pain?
Scissors floated around him and begun to snip off his jeans and T-shirt.
Bernoni filled a syringe with the Esper fluid, but not before wearing gloves and a face mask.
'Did I forget to add that the awakening fluid has a mortality rate of 0.3%? There's a chance you could die,' Bernoni looked at Luther.
Luther rolled his eyes. 'Why did you wait till I was strapped down before saying that?!'
Bernoni scratched his bald head sheepishly. 'My bad.'
He walked over to Luther and tapped into empty air. A silver platform with what was a holographic computer rose up.
Displayed on it was a full body scan of Luther, showing various digits and percentages.
'Hmm. No hidden problems, you're perfectly normal. We can begin.' Bernoni peered through the information and dismissed the platform.
His pale spindly fingers expertly handled the syringe as he aligned it with Luther's neck.
'This will hurt a bit,' he murmured, and pushed down on the syringe.
If not for the straps which firmly held him down, Luther would have run away. It felt as if molten lava was flowing through his body!
His head throbbed with a fierce penetrating pain, almost as if long sharp nails had been driven into his skull.
Luther gritted his teeth from the sheer immensity of it.
After what seemed like ages, all the pain vanished, giving way to a cool sensation, like a gentle breeze.
He felt immensely better and new!
'Not bad. You got through it successfully,' Bernoni nodded in appreciation.
The straps loosened and Luther sat up. 'How long did it last?'
Bernoni smiled and held up his palm. 'Five seconds.'
'It felt like an hour!' Luther's eyes bulged in shock even as the alien chuckled and disposed of the syringe.
'It's because of the pain. Come, let's see what super power you awakened.'
Luther nodded and rose up. He was very interested in finding out what his super power was. Hopefully, it was something overpowered and helpful.
'How do I awaken racial talent too?' he asked Bernoni.
From what Bernoni had told him, aliens out there had two powers; one granted by their race and the one granted by fluids and energy arts.
He didn't want to be handicapped.
'Hm? Oh, didn't I mention it earlier? Racial talents involve bloodline awakening. It can only happen once your planet reaches Level 1 and gains sentience.
Of course, certain special circumstances may make you awake your bloodline sooner,' Bernoni explained.
With a wave of his hand, a larger platform appeared.
'Touch the surface and let's see what power you've awoken.'