Rui took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Vulnerability was not something he was accustomed to, but as he lay on the sleek, metallic surface of the rotating platform, the sensation was impossible to ignore. The faint chill of polished steel seeped into his back, contrasting against the sterile hum of machinery echoing through the lab. The space was pristine—polished chrome surfaces, softly glowing mana crystals embedded into the ceiling, and rows of floating interfaces displaying streams of data in intricate, glowing runes.
He had come here to improve, to grow stronger, but this was no ordinary procedure. Kovar wasn't simply enhancing Rui's strength or speed; he was reconstructing him from the inside out.
The hunger clawed at him—a deep, relentless urge for growth. It was not a physical hunger but something deeper, woven into the core of his being. His body yearned to grow, to expand, to become. Every muscle fiber, every nerve ending, seemed alive with the faint hum of anticipation. Rui had always been driven, but this felt… different.
Kovar's voice broke through the stillness, sharp and direct. "Your vitals are stable, Rui. We're proceeding shortly. Remember, this is not refinement—it's restructuring. Your body will become something entirely different after this. Are you ready?"
Rui's silver eyes locked onto Kovar's sharp, calculating gaze.
"I'm ready."
Kovar nodded once before moving with mechanical precision. His brain dome flickered with streams of glowing symbols as his hands glided across floating holographic panels. Instruments hummed to life, their crystalline surfaces glowing faintly as mana pulsed through them.
"Good. I've disabled your pain receptors for the duration of the procedure. You won't feel pain—but the sensations themselves might overwhelm your mind. If they do, let it happen. Don't resist it. Surrender to the process."
Rui inhaled deeply, letting his chest rise and fall slowly as Kovar began attaching thin, glowing electrodes across his chest, limbs, and forehead. Each electrode pulsed faintly with mana, sending a cool, tingling sensation across his skin.
The room dimmed slightly as Kovar activated the crystalline helmet suspended above Rui. The intricate runes engraved across its surface flared to life, bathing the lab in a soft blue glow.
"Stage One: Muscular and Tendon Enhancement. Beginning now."
The first pulse of energy struck Rui's body like a distant drumbeat. It wasn't painful, nor was it entirely pleasant—it was pressure. A deep, visceral sensation that resonated through his muscles and tendons like invisible threads being pulled taut.
The hum of the machinery deepened, and Rui felt it begin—a slow, deliberate tightening. His muscles seemed to coil, fibers pulling together with an impossible precision. It felt as though every strand of sinew was being carefully unraveled and rewoven, reinforced with a sturdiness he had never felt before.
His tendons, thin lines of strength connecting his muscles and bones, felt anchored. They became denser, tauter, like steel cables stretched to their absolute limit but refusing to snap.
"Muscle density increasing. Tendon flexibility stabilized. Proceeding with cellular regeneration matrix." Kovar's voice filtered into Rui's awareness, distant and cold.
Each pulse of energy felt like molten gold threading itself through Rui's body. His arms, his chest, his legs—all of them felt heavier, more compact. And yet, despite the weight, there was flexibility. Rui clenched his fists slightly, feeling the tensile strength radiating from his tendons down to his fingertips.
It wasn't just power—it was control.
"Muscle enhancements stabilized. Tendon durability reinforced by 250%. Proceeding to Stage Two: Mana Pathway Refinement."
If the first stage had been about weight and structure, the second was about flow.
Rui felt it immediately—a flicker of mana deep within his core, like a single spark in a pitch-black cavern. And then, it moved. Mana began to flow outward, threading through his body along invisible lines he could not see but could feel.
It was erratic at first, chaotic, like water rushing through cracked and broken channels. But slowly, methodically, the chaos began to fade. The energy pathways within him—the circuits through which his mana flowed—were being rewoven, realigned, and carved anew.
"Your mana pathways are being restructured, Rui. They were scattered, inefficient. Now, they will become streamlined, refined—capable of carrying immense power without rupturing."
The flow became smooth. The chaotic torrent had become a river, flowing effortlessly through newly reinforced pathways. Rui could feel it coursing through his spine, his limbs, his fingertips—it was alive, breathing, synchronized with his body.
His aura, which had once flared unpredictably around him like flickering fire, now felt calm, steady—a soft, silvery glow that hummed faintly across his skin before fading away.
Rui's breath hitched as the sensation settled deep within him. His body, his mana, and his aura felt connected in a way they had never been before.
"Pathway efficiency increased by 350%. Mana flow stabilized. Proceeding to Stage Three: Internal Organ Optimization."
A deep warmth bloomed in Rui's chest, spreading outward in waves. It wasn't heat—it was stability. His heart, the drum beating in his chest, grew steady and strong. Each beat felt deliberate, powerful, sending surges of oxygen-rich blood through his veins with impossible precision.
His lungs expanded effortlessly, pulling in air and expelling it with mechanical efficiency. Every breath felt clean, each inhale carrying with it a clarity that sharpened his focus.
Deep within his stomach, Rui felt his body working with perfect harmony. Nutrients, energy—every resource was being absorbed, processed, and distributed with a precision he couldn't comprehend.
"Cardiopulmonary systems stabilized. Digestive efficiency increased by 200%. Internal strain minimized. Integration complete."
The hum of the machinery began to fade, the glowing electrodes dimming one by one as Kovar deactivated the systems. Rui's body, though still bound to the operating platform, felt different.
It wasn't just strength—it was stability. His heart, his lungs, his mana pathways—they all felt like they were operating on a level he could barely process.
When Rui's silver eyes fluttered open, the world felt sharp. The glow of the mana crystals overhead reflected in his gaze, casting faint glimmers across the steel ceiling.
Kovar stood nearby, his sharp eyes scanning the floating projections as final diagnostic results scrolled across them.
"You're awake," Kovar said, his voice measured but tinged with faint satisfaction. "Your body has accepted the changes without resistance. Everything is stable—your foundation is set."
Rui sat up slowly, testing his limbs. His movements were smooth, deliberate, controlled. He flexed his hands, feeling the faint hum of mana threading through his fingertips.
"How do you feel?" Kovar asked.
Rui exhaled, his silver eyes glinting in the ambient light.
"Different. Balanced."
Kovar's lips twitched slightly, perhaps the closest he would ever come to a smile.
"Good. This is only the beginning, Rui. Your body is now capable of growth beyond natural limitations. But there's much more to be done."
Rui nodded, his resolve as sharp as ever.
"Then let's not waste any time."
As Rui stepped down from the platform, his every motion carried a new weight—a sense of purpose etched into his very bones.
The hunger was still there, deep and relentless, but for the first time, it felt focused.
The path ahead was long, but Rui was ready.