Chapter 81: Enhancement
The Ranger Association headquarters in Elria was ominously quiet, with the occasional whir of machinery and the dim, beating light of the purple power stones that filled the center of the lab. The massive crystal pulsed an unearthly energy, its light reflecting off of the smooth glass walls.
In the heart of the lab, encased in a reinforced container, lay Edward in his armored suit—wires and tubes connected to the container as the enhancement process gradually infused his armor with raw power.
"It will be different from Blue’s enhancement," Tyson murmured. "He didn’t use purple power stones, neither did he go through these extra miles"
"So you’re saying this stone will boost our power points more than Blue’s two power points?" Alex repeated. "But these are rare materials; they better work, or it will be a huge loss for us."
Seraphina and Nancy waited side by side outside the glass viewing room, watching nervously.
Seraphina’s hands clenched into fists as her eyes darted back and forth between Alex and Tyson, clad in rubber suits that hugged their bodies tightly. Alex, ever the brave one, stood with his arms crossed, oozing his characteristic confidence. But Seraphina knew him—she understood that beneath his smug smirk was a man who would throw himself into danger without hesitation. She had witnessed that recklessness before, that refusal to be left behind, and it terrified her. What if something went wrong? What if this experiment turned out to be a fatal mistake?
Nancy, beside her, felt just as helpless. She had clutched Tyson’s hand tightly moments before he entered the lab, and now, as she observed him through the glass, her heart raced uncontrollably. She had only just gotten him back and was starting to believe that, despite all odds, a future together was possible. Yet, here he was, stepping into the unknown and putting everything at risk.
She understood why he had to do this, why Edward had to take the first step, and why Alex had volunteered right afterward.
It was what they were—Rangers, fighters, upon whose shoulders the world’s weight rested. But the doubt gnawed at her. What if this was not a breakthrough, but a catastrophe?
The room vibrated with an energy that grew faster and faster as the infusion accelerated. The monitor readings climbed, and the air in the laboratory hummed with raw energy.
Seraphina gasped, pinching the glass with her fingers as she watched Alex take a step forward, his Meta-bot shining on his wrist in the artificial lighting. She hated this—not being in control—and she loathed the way her heart clenched with fear for the man she loved.