Kian stood at the edge of the clearing, his gaze fixed on the jagged mountain peaks ahead. The afternoon sun painted the skies gold, casting long shadows across the trees, but his focus was inward on the energy he could now feel pulsing faintly in the air.
It was subtle, like static clinging to his skin. Faint notes of power shimmered through the wind, hidden to the untrained eye but now becoming visible, like dust dancing in sunlight.
He took a deep breath and placed his hand against his chest.
No core. No reservoir. Just veins.
Chandler's words echoed in his mind.
"Your veins are everything. Not just conduits for your power they're living channels. They don't hold energy they pull it in, refine it, and evolve. The stronger the absorption, the closer you move to the next tier."
Kian slowly sat cross-legged on the earth, closing his eyes. He reached out with his senses, like Chandler had taught him, and tried to feel the flow around him. It wasn't about control it was about trust. About connection.
At first, there was nothing.
Then… a flicker.
Tiny threads of energy drifted toward him, drawn like smoke into his body. They slithered through his arms, sank into his veins, and for a brief moment, he felt his body hum.
But it was slow. Strained.
He grit his teeth. "This is harder than it looks…"
Just then, footsteps approached. Kian opened his eyes.
Nia knelt beside him, a small smile on her lips. "I felt it," she said quietly. "You started absorbing."
"Barely," Kian muttered, frustrated. "It's like trying to drink mist."
She reached out and gently pressed her forehead to his.
"Don't rush it. You always overthink. Just breathe, and let it come to you."
He blinked surprised by the closeness but nodded.
Nia pulled back, resting her arms on her knees beside him.
He watched her for a moment, then looked back out at the horizon. A purpose had been growing inside him ever since the fight. Ever since he saw her shield him. Ever since Chandler took him in. But now, it crystallized.
"I know what I want," he said.
She turned to him, curious.
"I want to protect you," he said simply. "You and Chandler. That's my goal. That's what I'll become stronger for."
Nia stared at him, caught off guard. Her lips parted slightly and a blush crept up her cheeks. "You… idiot," she mumbled, turning her head quickly, though a smile tugged at her lips.
Kian stood, rolling his shoulders and offering his hand to her.
"I need to talk to Chandler."
She took his hand, still a little flustered, and followed him back into the cabin clearing.
Later, near the training platform…
Kian stood shirtless again, facing Chandler, who was sipping tea with his usual unreadable expression.
"I'm ready," Kian said. "I want to level up."
Chandler raised an eyebrow. "You've only just begun absorbing. It takes patience"
"I know," Kian interrupted. "But I'm not asking to leap forward overnight. I want to understand what comes next. I want to prepare for it."
There was a pause. Then Chandler nodded slowly, setting his cup down.
"Good," he said. "Then we begin again tomorrow not just training the body, but tempering the spirit. Because when you rank up… it's not just your power that changes. It's you."
He stepped forward and placed a hand over Kian's shoulder, green lightning still faintly crackling beneath the boy's skin.
"I'll push you further than you've ever gone," Chandler said. "So when the time comes… you won't just defend. You'll win."
Kian nodded.
Far away in the darkened halls of an underground fortress a Tier 2 enhanced being stepped into the light, muscles swollen, eyes glowing, body twisted by the drug's demonic side effect. It's target: the mountain.
And its orders were simple.
"Find the boy and bring him pain."