[[[ Four A.M. ]]]
[[[ Katie's Family Restaurant ]]]
As it got late, Grandpa and Grandma didn't allow the youngsters to head back. Katie had already prepared two rooms on the second floor—one for the guys, and one for the girls.
At this late hour, while everyone was asleep, Zeus was sweating heavily in his sleep.
He was having a strange dream unlike any he'd ever had before… a dream that felt as though he was living in another place and time without realizing he was dreaming. Strangely enough, he could feel every detail vividly.
It felt very real—so real that he could feel pain and everything else just like in real life, or even more real.
He saw himself leaving Katie's grandparents' restaurant after saying goodbye to the group in the morning. While walking on a backroad through the woods—a shortcut toward his family's mountain without going through the city…
Before he'd gone far, it happened… something exploded in front of him. Before Zeus could react, the blast hurled him dozens of meters, leaving him a burned, disfigured body on the brink of death.
In a moment of partial consciousness, Zeus's vision was blurred by the blood pouring from his head. In front of him was a torn piece of his shirt, and on that piece—which originally covered his back—he noticed the word (Fool) written.
Suddenly, his vision blacked out, and Zeus realized something had struck his head.
He jolted awake, screaming loudly and waking everyone.
(Sam): !!... Damn! What the hell's going on!?
Surai leapt up instantly, deploying his suit over his body, disappearing mid-jump to relocate and scan the environment.
Surai's reflexes were automatic—on another level compared to the rest.
Except for Beatrix, whose reaction wasn't far off—she deployed her suit instantly with sensors, regaining mental clarity extremely fast after waking up.
Zeus was panting heavily, clutching his head, still feeling intense pain at the spot of the fatal injury from his dream.
He also felt a burning sensation. The energy runes on his body were active, as if something had triggered them.
"Something's wrong," Zeus thought, and with a trembling hand, he fearfully took off his shirt. When he saw the word "Fool" actually written on it, he was struck with horror and shock.
"What is this dream!!?… I didn't even know this was written on my back… the runes are reacting!… This isn't normal… Did I see the future!?… If that's true… damn it!"
Zeus threw the shirt away instantly and turned to Sam, upset:
_ Did you seriously scream like that for this prank!!? … Dude, anyone hearing you would think a snake bit your !$@$! you bastard!!
Surai reverted his suit into ring form and walked out, annoyed. As soon as he opened the door, he found the girls outside—except Katie, who was still asleep.
(Surai): There's nothing. Go back to sleep.
He left right after saying that, and Hanabi also walked away.
Beatrix, however, stood still with a strange feeling as she looked at Zeus, who was still stunned with a blank expression.
Something was different… For the first time, she felt like Zeus's expression of shock was real—not an act like usual… He seemed genuinely worried, even terrified.
Still, she didn't feel brave enough to talk to him, so she left quietly, lost in thought.
---
"Should I change my path?… No… now I know where my enemy is. Next time, I might really die without realizing anything… Should I tell them?… They won't believe it… No, better not get them involved… This is dangerous… Should I run to my family's lands?… They'll reach me even there. That won't work."
Zeus regained composure and calmed his breath. Upon examining his body, he realized something… His powers had evolved… The intense pain he felt came from a genetic breakthrough… He had become a level-three Gene Fighter.
He could now place more runes on his body and also gained knowledge of a new rune, bringing his total usable runes to three:
---
● [Energy Storage Rune]
(Description): Stores, transfers, and produces energy
(Production): 3.3 units of blue energy per minute
(Capacity): 100 blue energy units
(Load): 2 endurance points
● [Kinetic Energy Rune]
(Description): Produces continuous, intermittent, or full-burst kinetic energy
(Properties): [Continuous Movement] [Intermittent Movement] [Full Instant Discharge]
(Consumption): Varies by function; no maximum consumption
(Load): 1 endurance point
● [Explosive Energy Rune]
(Description): Converts energy into explosions—either as an energy blast or detonating the material it's inscribed on
(Properties): [Explosive Blast] [Self-Detonation]
(Consumption): Varies by function; no maximum consumption
(Load): 5 endurance points
---
The Energy Storage Rune had slightly evolved, now able to produce some energy in addition to the gene-based energy production in Zeus's body.
So with 10 runes, 500 units of energy were produced every 15 minutes, and Zeus's body alone produced 500 units in the same time.
Since Zeus's body could handle 10 runes, he could fill his max energy reserve of 1,000 units in 15 minutes—assuming all endurance points were used for storage/production runes without any kinetic or other types.
Zeus left his room and went to the bathroom. Inside, he inscribed the Explosive Energy Rune onto his right palm with the "Explosive Blast" property, then added Energy Storage Runes to fill his body's max capacity.
One slot remained for a final movement rune, which he added to his right hand to work alongside the explosive rune, allowing Zeus to aim faster and more precisely.
The rune's property was "Intermittent Movement."
---
■ [[[Body Runes]]]
● [Capacity: 20 Endurance Points]
• (Explosive Energy Rune / Load: 5)
Count: 1 – On right palm, with "Explosive Blast" property
• (Kinetic Energy Rune / Load: 7)
Count: 7 – Three on each leg, with all three movement properties combined, and one on right hand with "Intermittent Movement" property
• (Energy Storage Runes on chest / Load: 8)
Count: 4 – Located around the heart, storing up to 400 units of blue gene energy
---
■ [[[Weapons]]]
● [Dagger-Carrier Shield]
• Composed of two sections:
{Rotating Disk}: 9 Endurance Points
3x: Energy Runes / Total Load: 6
3x: Kinetic Runes with three different properties / Total Load: 3
● [20 Dual-Edged Throwing Knives]: 5 endurance points per knife
1x: Energy Storage Rune / Load: 2
3x: Kinetic Runes with three different properties / Load: 3
● [30 Small Explosive Disks]: 2 endurance points per disk
1x: Energy Storage Rune – increases explosive power drastically
---
■ [[[Combat Gear]]]
● [Combat Suit] (Incomplete)
● [War Mecha] (Located at the military base)
Zeus's personal war mecha was in the workshop at Base 293, and his combat suit was with him, though it was incomplete—only having a cloaking ability in addition to basic protection.
This was a level-two Gene Fighter's suit, but now Zeus could handle a level-three suit since he'd just become one.
Zeus left the bathroom and headed straight outside, where he found Surai leaning on the wooden railing, lighting a cigarette in the cold, pitch-black night.
(Zeus): Give me your suit.
Surai stayed silent for a moment, then asked:
_ Where are you sneaking off to?
Zeus didn't answer right away, but when he noticed Beatrix watching from afar, he replied quickly:
_ There's something important I need to do… I have to reach her house before she does. I want to leave her a gift… My friend, it's really important—just give me the suit, I'm in a hurry.
Surai sighed in resignation, took off his ring, and handed it to Zeus, who took off his own ring and gave it to Surai temporarily in exchange for the suit.
The bracelet on Zeus's wrist transformed into a motorcycle, which he mounted and sped off at full throttle.
Beatrix walked up to Surai and asked:
_ Is Zeus in some kind of trouble?
_ No… no trouble… I think.