The morning light streamed through the window of Rui's quarters, gently nudging him awake. He groggily opened his eyes, the weight of the previous night's training still fresh in his muscles, his body sore from the intensity. Every movement, every slight shift in his limbs felt like the reverberation of an unspent storm. His body hummed with energy, more alive than it had ever been, but there was a strange, insatiable hunger gnawing at him—a feeling he couldn't quite place.
Rui rose from his bed and stretched, his joints cracking as he moved. His eyes scanned the room, the soft golden glow of the sun casting long shadows across the floor. He went to the window, peering out at the city beyond. The Sovereign Capital was alive, bustling with activity even in the early hours of the morning. The sounds of commerce, the distant chatter, and the occasional horse's whinny filled the air. But inside, something deeper was stirring within him.
The hunger.
It wasn't the usual feeling of hunger he had experienced before. It was deeper—rawer—almost primal. His stomach churned, but that wasn't what troubled him. What bothered him was the gnawing sensation inside him, spreading from his core outward, demanding to be fed. He had eaten the night before, but it was as if his body was pushing him to consume more, to grow faster. Rui's hands clenched into fists at his sides, his breathing quickening as his aura began to hum with barely contained power.
The urge surged again. His body seemed to vibrate with an unquenchable need, and it wasn't hunger alone. It was like his body itself was demanding growth at any cost. His muscles ached as if they were stretched beyond their limits, straining against the growth within him. His mana pathways, now more refined, seemed to buzz with an electric energy that matched the fire inside.
He stepped away from the window, trying to center himself, but the hunger intensified. His body itched to be fed—not just by food, but by something deeper—a need to fill the void within, to nourish the core of his being.
Rui's mind flashed back to the words Kovar had spoken to him the night before. His body was unique, unlike any other warrior Kovar had encountered. His mana core, his aura, even his physical form, all screamed potential. But it was also clear that these things had limits—limits Rui had always pushed, but now felt more acute. Kovar's methods would refine his power, but the hunger inside him... that was something else entirely.
He paced the room, his stomach growling louder with each step. The thought of eating, of consuming, was becoming an obsession. It was as though his body was demanding growth at any cost.
As he wandered aimlessly, trying to quell the internal turmoil, Rui was interrupted by a knock at the door. His mind snapped back to the present, and with a quick motion, he opened the door. There, standing in the hallway, was a young servant girl with a nervous expression.
"Lord Rui," she began, bowing her head respectfully, "Dr. Kovar has requested your presence. He says he is ready to begin the process today."
Rui's mind raced for a moment. He had agreed to work with Kovar, to undergo the surgical refinements Kovar had promised, but he hadn't expected it so soon. His hunger gnawed at him, but there was no denying that this was a necessary step in his growth.
He nodded to the servant, his thoughts already drifting to the procedure ahead. "I'll be there shortly," Rui replied, his voice steady despite the storm raging within him. He turned back toward the room, taking a deep breath before pulling himself together.
Kovar's laboratory was a large, sterile space, located in the lower levels of the building where Rui had been staying. The room was filled with an array of strange instruments—glimmering surgical tools, concoctions bubbling in glass containers, and shelves lined with scrolls and books on anatomy, physiology, and magic.
Kovar himself was already there, looking even more eccentric than Rui remembered. His massive brain, encased in a glass-like dome, pulsated with an almost eerie light as he adjusted various instruments around the room. His lab coat was slightly disheveled, but his hands moved with precision, as though everything had been planned down to the smallest detail.
Rui entered the room, feeling the tension coil tighter within him. His hunger was still there, gnawing at him, but he focused on the task ahead.
"Rui!" Kovar said, looking up with a wide, eager grin. "Good to see you. We can begin as soon as you're ready." He motioned to the sterile table in the center of the room. "Don't worry, we'll start small today. The first procedure will be minimal—just refining your endurance and strengthening your body's foundation. The process will be gradual. I won't push you too far, but I need to ensure that your body can withstand the changes."
Rui felt the unease bubble up within him, but he steeled himself, nodding. "I'm ready," he said, though his voice lacked the usual certainty.
He climbed onto the table—a floating rotating platform, sleek and metallic—his body still tense from the internal storm that raged within him. The machine was state-of-the-art, crafted for precision and to minimize discomfort. Kovar moved around him with swift, purposeful motions, his large, exposed brain throbbing lightly as he adjusted a few instruments. The lab was unlike anything Rui had seen before. The sterile, yet sophisticated environment gleamed with tools that seemed far beyond the realm of ordinary medical practices. Each instrument was carefully placed, designed for precision and delicate intervention. Rui's gaze flickered across the room, taking in the advanced array of devices that would be used to modify his body.
"Relax," Kovar's voice cut through the air, calm but firm. "This will be the first of several steps, and I need you to trust me. You're a rare specimen, and that requires a rare approach."