章 19: Strength...
~Ezra's Pov, half an hour later than the last chapter~
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"So, here's how this is gonna go... You're gonna tell me all about what you know, or... I'll let you experience pain no human could even come close to handling." I said, deadly serious. I looked down at the man.
Now bound to a chair in a dimly lit warehouse I purchased for this very thing. The drone had delivered him here with nothing spotting it, and now it was time to get some needed answers...
The leader glared at me, defiance still flickering in his eyes. "You think you can scare me, Enigma? I've faced worse."
I leaned in closer, and took off my mask, letting a small, menacing smile cross my lips. "Oh, I think you'll find I'm quite different from what you're used to."
He shifted uncomfortably, the ropes biting into his wrists. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything, I'll need all of it," I specified, ensuring my tone left no room for dumb negotiations. "First... Start with the serum. Who's making it? Why? And where are they planning to distribute it?"
The man hesitated, then spat on the ground. "You think I'm just gonna roll over and tell you everything? You're wasting your time."
I sighed, straightening up. "I was hoping you'd say that. Makes things more interesting." I reached into my coat and pulled out a small, sleek device. A simple touch activated its blue glow, "This little gadget here can induce pain at a molecular level. Untraceable, unimaginable pain, designed it myself. And it can go on for hours without causing permanent damage. Fancy, huh?"
He stared at the device, sweat starting to bead on his forehead. "You... You're bluffing."
"Try me." I pressed a button, and he screamed as the device sent a jolt of pain through his body. It was just a taste, a preview of what could come. His defiance crumbled almost instantly. I liked that. The ones that think they're too tough a shit to talk.
"Alright! Alright!" he gasped. "I-I-I'll talk!"
I turned off the device and leaned in again. "Good choice. Now, start talking."
He took a shaky breath. "The s-serum... It's being made by a group called Black Lotus. T-they're experimenting on people, trying to create an army of super-soldiers with powers. The new version is supposed to be more stable, and stronger. They're planning to release it soon, start with small gangs, then expand."
"Interesting... And, where's their base of operations?" I asked, my mind racing with the implications of what he was saying.
"It's... It's in an abandoned factory on the east side of the city. They have labs there, lots of security. You'll never get in."
I nodded, processing the information. "We'll see about that. Anything else I should know?"
"They have... they have a leader. A nasty piece of work. He goes by the name of Specter. Nobody knows much about him, but he's dangerous. Fucking ruthless even... If you're going after him, you're gonna need more than just that fancy device."
I filed away the name in my mind, "Specter, huh? I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip."
I moved back, turning off the device completely. "You're coming with me. I have more questions for you, and you're not out of the woods yet."
As I prepared to leave, I knew this was just the beginning. Black Lotus, Specter, the new serum—They were all pieces of a much larger puzzle. And it was probably up to me to put it all together... The night was far from over too, and my mission had only just begun.
But, before I forgot, I grabbed the syringe, and he looked at me. "Wh-what are you doing?" He sounded afraid.
"I'm not going to kill you... Just stay still... It'll hurt me more than it'll hurt you anyway." I smiled, injecting him and taking his blood. I needed the upped physicals before I tried to go after the bigger fish in this universe.
I might look impressive on paper, but there are beings out there that can demolish me with just a thought, or a flick of their wrists. A perfect example would be Superman. I wasn't sure how powerful he was at the moment.
Nor was I sure about the other heroes I'd never seen here before. Like Omni-man for another example... He wasn't part of the DC universe at all, it took me a while to remember who he really was. Which meant that I wasn't just in the DC universe. I was also in the Invincible universe.
I didn't that much about it. It's been a while since I read any of their comics. But I have some basic knowledge of the verse. However, now that they've both been combined, I'm likely practically back to square one about both universes... Things might have changed drastically for high tiers since both work much differently than the other...
After filling up the syringe, I went on my merry way, for now at least. The little leader here could probably tell me a thing or two more before he's outlived his usefulness. He wouldn't live once I've acquired information that I deemed necessary, since he's seen my face.
"Tomorrow, I'll be back for more information in the evening... Stay put, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite." I knocked him out cold and waved him off, leaving for my home...
________________________________________________________________________________________________
~Omniscient Pov~
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Reaching his bunker, he quickly secured the door behind him. He quickly set the syringe down on a metal table and began preparing for the extraction process. He quickly took off his suit and set it aside...
"Alright, ECHO... Do your thing." Ezra quickly sat down and took up back the placed syringe. He then injected himself, slowly.
[Affirmative... Studying the blood sample: Recalibrating...] Her voice said.
After a few moments, she began once again. [You've collected a very interesting DNA sample master. This person has abilities that could benefit you immensely, I will start the fusion process in 3... 2... 1...]
Before Ezra could say anything, he felt his consciousness slipping from him in mere moments. As he fell unconscious. His body immediately began convulsing on the spot. His veins bulged and thickened at a visible pace.
After what felt like an eternity, the shaking stopped. His body returned to its normal state, and the room fell silent. Another hour passed, during which Ezra lay completely motionless, his body resting and recovering from the process...
Finally, his eyes slowly opened. He blinked a few times, his vision clearing as he adjusted to the light of the bunker. His entire body felt different; Active in a weird sense, more powerful, yet somehow lighter...
He took a deep breath, feeling the newfound strength coursing through his veins...
He sat up slowly, every movement precise and oddly controlled. His senses were heightened once again but not as much as last time, and he could hear the once faint hum of the machinery around him and the distant sounds of the city above even more now.
[Welcome back, master. The fusion process was successful. Your new abilities are now fully integrated, would you like to see the changes?] ECHO's voice broke the silence, her tone calm and reassuring.
"Uh... S-sure..." Ezra still rubbed his head a bit, while getting rid of the pool of black substance that was around him.
[Very well;
Physical Age: 16 years / 481.55 years --> 682.33 Years
Height: 5'9" / 6'6" --> 6'9.5"
Weight: 176.1 kg --> 201.35 kg (Effectively 85.53kg)
Physical Strength: 223.44 Tonnes / 223.44 Tonnes --> 39.2 Kilotons
Physicality: 74.22 / 185.3 --> 311.1
Perception/Reaction speeds: Mach 632.3 / Mach 1,334.1 --> Mach 24,551.
Movement-Speed: Mach 10.34 / Mach 12.33 --> Mach 341.2
Intelligence: Low Genius / Mid Genius
Proficiencies;
Tachypsychia: You can dilate your perception by approximately 355.32% for 35 seconds, per 2.4 seconds.
Knife Proficiency: Easily high master level.
Hand-to-hand proficiency: You are a high master in the ways of hand-to-hand combat.
6th Sense: Via intuition and experience, you can make out danger extremely well before it heads your way.
Muscle-Reading: You can predict where someone will attack based on their muscle movements easily.
Enhanced Stamina+: Your stamina amount and recovery have sextupled.
Electricity Sense: Allows you to sense anything that has electricity powering or utilizing it.
Electrokinesis: Allows you to manipulate electricity, with decent standards.
Super Enhanced Regeneration+: Your natural recovery from injury has increased by 1321.39%.
Shock Immune: Immunity to conventional electricity.
Ultra Enhanced senses+: Your sense of smell, and hearing have been augmented by 42.23 times greater than normal.
Enhanced Tastebuds: Your tastebuds can identify and distinguish between flavors with greater ease, as well as being 2.32 times more potent.
Enhanced eyesight: Your eyes are 7.44 times more powerful.
Increased bone Density+: Your bone density has increased by 73.57%.
Nocturnal vision: You can see in the night without any issues.
Denser-Skin+: Your skin density is 5.75 times higher.
Denser-Musculature: Your muscle density has increased by 22.32%.
Heightened Neuromuscular system: Increases the control of your muscles by 56.33%.
Resistant Telomere cells: Allows you to remain younger and active for far longer than normal.
Enhanced Muscle Memory: Your muscle memory is 224.22% more efficient...
Transformations;
Beast-form: Increases your strength by 4 times, your speed and perception by 8 times and your regeneration speed has increased by 3 times...]
Ezra perused through his new statistics, as well as some abilities getting more powerful than before, and even new ones being added as well... All his potential went through a pretty big change, minus his intellect which wasn't unexpected.
She added a transformations section which was good to note. As well as some minor tweaks for it to look more appealing... However, something else caught his eye he needed to address...
"Uh, my... My height... Why did it change from 6'6", to 6'9"?" Ezra asked.
[Well, the DNA sample contained genetic markers for enhanced height growth, master.] ECHO explained. [In fact, your body's cellular structure has been optimized for greater physical capabilities, which include increased muscle mass relative to your physique... Take a look in the mirror if you wish to see the changes.]
Ezra heeded her words, and looked at his reflection in the mirror, noticing the subtle changes in his physique... He was slightly broader and more muscular while fuller than before. Even his frame was more imposing, yet aesthetic. The increase in mass made him even more intimidating...
Not just that, he was slightly more vascular as well, his veins looked even thicker too...
"Well, that's Uhh... Unexpected...?" he said, flexing his fingers and testing his range of motion. "I guess I'll just have to get used to this." He earned a few creaks and twitches from both his muscles and bones
[It is a significant change, Master.] ECHO added. [But it will enhance your combat effectiveness and overall physical performance.]
He believed her, and not just that, he even felt more flexible compared to before, and his body moved even more perfectly compared to before. It was like the ECHO was actively micro-managing his physiology toward perfection. Still, he feels as if his height is blowing out of proportion...
"I'll keep that in mind..."
Grumble~
Ezra's Stomach roared.
'I'll need food to eat first'... After that, Ezra ate around 23 to 24 servings worth of food to satiate his current hunger and lack of sustenance at the moment. Finishing it all up in record time. His enhanced metabolism working overtime...
Feeling satisfied, he stood up, ready to see what else had changed in himself.
"Alright, that guy likely had an ability, right? Did you identify what it was?" Ezra asked, slightly unsure. Since the man he fought didn't show anything flashy. However, there was an instance when he was attacking, and he got incredibly vascular through the rest of the match...
[Yes, there was... But, it is an unconventional ability. It is purely physical... Studying the data I had, he likely could use 100% of the human body's true potential. Allowing him to get much stronger.]
Ezra's eyes widened in realization. "So, you're saying he can tap into the full potential of his physical capabilities? That... Sounds, familiar..." Ezra thought for a moment, thinking about why it was, and after a minute of thinking, he finally remembered.
"Now I remember! This sounds just like that one ability from that fighting manga I read before, Kengan Ashura, if I remember right... It was extremely powerful too, willingly allowing a human to tap into their physical reserves."
He slowly looked down at his fists, clenching them, 'So, how do I even use it?' He wondered about that part. He could easily use his beast form with ease. As well as his electricity, but he was at a loss for this part.
[Maybe I can help you, master.] ECHO interjected. [I can remove the physical fail-safe your body has on you.]
Ezra paused, considering the implications, "Remove the fail-safe? You mean the natural limiters that prevent humans from using their full strength?"
[Precisely. The brain naturally restricts its muscle output to prevent self-harm. By removing these limiters, you could access the full potential of your physical abilities. However, it would likely come with significant risks.]
Ezra nodded slowly, "Don't worry, I understand the risks... From the manga, overexertion could lead to severe injuries, but if I can control it like that guy could... It would be a game-changer."
[Affirmative; I can initiate a controlled process to gradually increase your muscle output. This will allow you to adapt to the new levels of strength and minimize the risk of injury... However, hypothetically speaking; you shouldn't have many problems when it comes to risks, both your physique and brain should be more than capable enough to handle it...]
Ezra took a deep breath, steeling himself for the challenge, "Alright, ECHO. Let's do it. Start the process."
[Understood, Master. Initiating the removal of physical limiters. Brace yourself...]
Ezra quickly felt a tingling sensation spread through his mind and body as ECHO began the process... Soon, his muscles began to tighten incredibly, and he felt a surge of power coursing through his body. It was both exhilarating and almost overwhelming... He felt much more powerful than he would be, at least compared to his beast state.
Still holding onto his consciousness he felt slightly more agitated than he felt comfortable with, but it wasn't anything he couldn't control, at least not yet; When he turned towards his mirror once again; He could see the changes happening in real-time; his veins had gotten even thicker and abundant whilst pulsing visibly, and even his skin now held a violent shade of red and purple, and his muscle mass even increased too...
However, the metamorphosis was far from done... His eyes, specifically his scleras slowly began turning pitch-black, keeping his blue eyes. Seemingly finished, looked back at himself once again, seeing his new form, now truly complete.
"Fuuuh~" He exhaled slowly...
"So, this... This is me...?" Ezra thought to himself. He legitimately looked like a monster in human visage... Each breath he took let out actual steam, showing the sheer amount of heat his body was naturally producing to bolster itself like this. Yet, he didn't feel much of anything...
[It seems that I was correct, your body is holding this form incredibly well... Still, the process will take some time to get used to. You will need to train and adapt to these new levels of strength gradually.]
He simply nodded, "Just how much more powerful am I right now, ECHO?" He asked, clenching and unclenching his fists... On the contrary, he felt much freer than he usually would be. Even compared with the beast form. He felt as if his body was genuinely being utilized to its fullest potential...
[This is, fascinating... All of your physical except regenerative capabilities have been increased by 17.53 times compared to normal.]
"It sure feels like it. I'm around 18 times stronger... I feel fucking invincible!" Ezra could feel the strength literally coursing through his veins.
With a curious expression, he thought to himself, 'What if I used my other form with this one?' The idea was crazy, but it's worth a shot since he felt no strain with this. So, it should be possible.
"ECHO... I'm gonna do something insane... Don't hold it against me..." Ezra then smiled. almost psychotically. And given his current appearance, he looked like an absolute demon...
In moments he closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling throughout his body. Soon, he felt the form taking place. On the outside, his skin had gotten even darker than before... While his fur still kept its appearance, his shoulders broadened even more, and his body had gotten slightly leaner.
"This... This feels fucking amazing!!!" He shouted, letting out a shockwave. He felt no weakness at all, only strength. He felt as if he could level a large town in an instant! He looked back into the mirror. Even he was slightly afraid of what he had or could become.
[I am reading abnormal mental alterations... Please calm down master...] ECHO chided. Ezra then smiled.
"That sucks..." He said, before calming himself down. Soon the fur receded, while his body slowly returned to normal as well...
Ezra stared at his reflection in the mirror, breathing heavily as he watched the last traces of his transformation fade away. His heart raced with the adrenaline of experiencing that much power... In fact, he almost didn't want to stop it.
"T-that was... intense." he muttered to himself, his voice still carrying a trace of amazement.
ECHO's voice chimed in, breaking his reverie. [Master, you must be cautious with such a power. It can easily overwhelm you.]
"Yeah, I know," Ezra replied, running a hand through his hair as he tried to steady himself. "But imagine what I could do if I learn to control it fully?" Loving the idea. He could tell that combining both led to his mind becoming a bit more unhinged...
[Indeed, but mastering this ability will require discipline and focus... So, more training ahead, specifically mental training.] ECHO added.
Ezra nodded, acknowledging her advice, "I'll work on it." he said firmly, looking back at his normal self in the mirror. "For now, though..." He looked at his clock, "I need to get to work."
Now, his only problem was trying to figure out how to explain the muscle gain...
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END
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