Lust Meter System: Conquering Beauties

Damien took a step forward. His eyes still locked on Shay’s face. On his eyes. "Your eyes are glowing, man."

Shay blinked. "What? That’s bullshit."

Liam pulled his phone out of his pocket. Opened the camera. Switched it to selfie mode. Held it up. Snapped a picture. Then turned the screen toward Shay.

Shay leaned in. Stared at the image. His glowing yellow eyes staring back at him from the screen. Bright. Unnatural. Like headlights in the dark.

"Wow," he breathed. His voice quiet. Awed.

Liam lowered the phone slightly. "It seems that whatever Damien did kick-started your power."

Shay was still looking at the picture. His eyes glued to the screen. The phone still in Liam’s hand.

Damien straightened up. Puffed his chest out slightly. Pride all over his face. "See? I told you my way was the best."

Shay’s head lifted slowly. His eyes moving from the phone to Damien. A smile spreading across his face. Slow. Deliberate. "Oh. That reminds me. I haven’t thanked you for that yet."

He handed the phone back to Liam. Took it from his hand. Placed it carefully in Liam’s palm.

Then he started walking toward Damien.

Slow steps. Deliberate. His boots hitting the concrete with steady thuds.

Damien’s smile faltered. His hands came up. Palms out. Waving. "Hey. Shay. Can you calm down first? We don’t know what you’re capable of yet."

Shay kept walking. His hands came up. Started cracking his knuckles. One by one. The sound sharp in the quiet warehouse. A grin spreading across his face. Wide. Dangerous.

"Don’t worry," Shay said. His voice calm. Too calm. "I’m just going to give you a slight knock on the head. So don’t move. If you know what’s good for you."

Liam started laughing. Couldn’t help it. The sound bursting out of him. "You’re too much of a pussy for that."

Damien’s head snapped toward Liam. "What did you say, you bastard?"

Shay kept moving. Closing the distance. "Hey. I’m talking." His hands came together. Knuckles cracking again. "Just a little knock. That’s all."

Then something happened.

A burst of light.

Yellow. Bright. Exploding from Shay’s right fist. Wrapping around it like a glove. Crackling. Pulsing. Energy dancing across his knuckles.

Shay’s fist shot forward. Fast. His arm extending. The glowing hand making contact with Damien’s forehead.

The sound was loud. Sharp. Like a bat hitting a baseball.

Damien’s head snapped back. Hard. His whole body following. His feet leaving the ground. Then he fell. Straight down. His head hitting the concrete first. Then his face. The impact making a sickening thud.

Liam’s eyes squeezed shut. Involuntary. A wince crossing his face. Shock written all over his expression.

Shay stood there. Frozen. His fist still extended. Still glowing. Staring down at Damien’s body on the floor. Not moving. Just staring.

Liam opened his eyes. Looked at Shay. "What was that? I thought you were just going to take it easy on him."

Shay’s voice came out shaky. Uncertain. "I did. I wasn’t planning on hitting him that hard at all."

"Then what happened?"

Shay’s hand dropped. The glow fading. Disappearing. "I don’t know. It just happened."

Liam stepped closer. Studied Shay’s face. His eyes. "Your eyes are normal now."

Shay blinked. Touched his face. Near his eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah." Liam crossed his arms. Thinking. Processing. "Something happened to trigger it. And it’s clear that was when you hit Damien."

Shay nodded slowly. Then looked down at Damien again. Still on the floor. Not moving. "Maybe. But let’s check if he’s still okay first."

"Okay. Let’s do that."

They both moved. Knelt down beside Damien. Liam grabbed his shoulder. Shay grabbed his arm. They rolled him over. Onto his back.

Damien groaned. Low. Pained. His face scrunched up.

Shay leaned in. "You okay, man? I didn’t mean to hit you that hard."

Damien’s eyes opened. Just slits. Barely. "I’m good. Just... let me lay here for a while."

Shay nodded. Stood up. Stepped back.

Liam stood too. Looked at Shay. "We need to find out what just happened."

Shay turned to face him. "Okay. So how do we do that?"

"We replicate what Damien did."

Shay’s eyes widened. He took a step back. "Hell no. I can’t take any hit from you."

Liam raised an eyebrow. His mind working. ’As expected. He’s scared of being punched by me now.’

He kept his expression neutral. "There’s absolutely no need for you to worry. I’ll take it easy."

Shay hesitated. His jaw working. Thinking. Then he nodded. Slow. "Okay. If you’re going to take it easy, then I’m cool with it."

Liam gestured toward the open space. "Stand over there."

Shay walked over. Positioned himself. Feet shoulder-width apart. Arms at his sides.

Liam followed. Stopped in front of him. "Brace yourself. Tense up."

Shay nodded. His whole body tightening. His muscles visibly contracting. His jaw clenching.

Liam pulled his fist back. Not far. Just enough. Then threw the punch. Controlled. Measured. His fist connecting with Shay’s stomach.

The impact was solid. Shay’s breath whooshed out. His body folding slightly. His knees buckling. He dropped. Caught himself on one knee. Breathing hard.

Liam stepped back. "Look at me."

Shay lifted his head. Slow. His eyes meeting Liam’s.

Yellow.

Glowing. Bright. Just like before.

Liam nodded. "It’s back. Just like we suspected."

Shay stood up. Straightened. His breathing still heavy. "Okay. Fine. So what now?"

Liam pointed toward the stacked crates they’d arranged earlier. "Try something. Use your finger on those."

Shay looked at him. His expression confused. "What?"

"Just do it. I promise. I think I have a theory of what this might be."

Shay nodded. Walked over to the crates. Stood in front of them. Raised his right hand. Extended his index finger. Then flicked it. Hard. Fast.

The moment his finger made contact with the wooden crate, his hand glowed. Yellow light exploding from the point of impact. Bright. Intense.

The crate flew backward. Shot across the warehouse like it had been hit by a car. Slammed into the far wall. Shattered. Pieces of wood exploding outward. Splinters raining down onto the concrete.

Shay stumbled back. Stared at his hand. "Oh shit. I have super strength."

Liam walked over. Stood beside him. "Seems like it. Also, your eyes are not glowing anymore. But that’s what I wanted because i want you to do it again right now without it."

Shay looked at him. "Alright."

He turned back to the remaining crates. Raised his hand again. Flicked his finger at another one.

This time, the contact felt different. His finger bent back. Pain shot through it. Sharp. Immediate.

"Ah! Fuck!" Shay yanked his hand back. Waved it in the air. Shaking it out. His face scrunched up. "That hurt!"

Liam nodded. "Alright. Now I’m sure."

Shay stopped waving his hand. Looked at Liam. Waiting.

"You can absorb impact," Liam said. His voice even. Confident. "And also dish it out just as much. Even with the slightest contact."

Shay blinked. Processing. "Oh. I see. That’s why when I hit Damien..."

Liam nodded. "Exactly."

Shay looked down at his hand. Turned it over. Examining it. "So what now?"

"Now, before the power wears off, we need to find out how much damage you can take."

Shay’s head snapped up. "Hell no. That last one still kind of hurt."

Liam kept his expression calm. Reassuring. "I’ll start easy. Work my way up."

Shay hesitated. His jaw working. Then he sighed. "Fine. But I’m definitely hitting you back though if this does not kill me."

Liam smiled. Small. "Deal."

He stepped back. Creating distance. His mind working. Calculating.

Then he activated it.

**[Bound Might: ACTIVATED]**

Power flooded through him. His muscles tightening. Strengthening. Energy coursing through every fiber. He felt it. The surge. The enhancement.

He looked at Shay. "Stand up straight."

Shay stood. Squared his shoulders. His whole body tensing. Preparing.

Liam pulled his fist back. Slow. Deliberate. "Don’t die on me."

Shay’s eyes narrowed. "If I do, I’m going to haunt you."

Liam thrust forward.

Fast.

All of his enhanced strength driving into the punch. His fist cutting through the air. A whoosh. Then impact.

His knuckles connected with Shay’s chest. Dead center. Right over his sternum.

The sound was massive. Loud. Like thunder. The shockwave rippling outward. Visible. Distorting the air.

Shay’s body flew backward. Launched. His feet leaving the ground completely. He sailed through the air. Twenty feet. Thirty. Forty.

Then he hit the wall. Hard. His back slamming into the concrete. The impact creating a crater. Cracks spiderwebbing outward from the point of contact. Chunks of concrete falling. Dust exploding into the air.

Shay dropped. Fell. Hit the ground in a heap. His body going limp.

He didn’t move.

Liam stood there. His fist still extended. Breathing steady. Watching.

"Shay?" he called out. His voice echoing through the warehouse. "You alright?"

No response.

Shay’s body lay there. Motionless. Face down on the concrete.

Then something started happening.

Yellow electricity.

Crackling. Sparking. Dancing across Shay’s body. Starting at his chest. Where Liam’s punch had landed. Then spreading. Moving outward. Across his arms. His legs. His back. His neck. Covering him completely.

The electricity pulsed. Bright. Intense. The sound of it filling the warehouse. A constant crackling. Buzzing. Like a live wire.

Liam took a step forward. Then another. Cautious. "Shay?"

Still no response.

The electricity kept moving. Kept pulsing. Brighter now. More intense. The yellow light casting shadows across the warehouse. Flickering. Dancing.

Liam stopped. A few feet away. Watching. Waiting.

The electricity built. The sound getting louder. The light getting brighter. The air around Shay’s body starting to shimmer. Heat radiating outward.

’What the fuck?.’