Chapter 24: The Hunt
The dropship trembled as it broke through the upper atmosphere, the hull shuddering under the sudden shift in pressure.
A slow breath left Orion's lips, but the air felt heavier than it should.
It had been happening more frequently—this hypersensitivity to his environment, the way his perception stretched beyond what it once was.
Across from him, Varun sat strapped in, arms crossed, watching him without speaking. His usual nonchalance was absent, replaced by a quiet intensity.
Outside, the clouds peeled apart, revealing the dark forests stretching beneath endlessly under the glow of the descending suns.
A sense of familiarity stirred within him.
Orion's mind drifted back—two days ago. The screens lining the walls, displaying readouts of his genetic profile. A digital screening of his body rotated in place, overlaid with fluctuating data streams.
Varun's expression was unreadable. He tapped a few commands, and a series of numbers highlighted themselves on the screen.
Muscle Density: 415% above baseline.
Bone Reinforcement Index: 313% above baseline.
Orion inhaled sharply.