Chapter 69: Serum
"I do, but you're the bastard who banned me from using my powers inside the Mansion. What else am I supposed to do?" Erza shot back, pausing to point at the collar around her neck. Her glare was sharp enough to cut steel.
"What, you think I want you blowing the place up?" Zack retorted, rolling his eyes. "I said no magic inside. I never said you couldn't go outside."
Erza froze mid-punch, her expression lighting up. "Wait, I can leave the Mansion?"
"Obviously," Zack said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Without another word, Erza bolted back inside to grab her coat. "I'm going to the steel mill!" she yelled, running out the gate like an overexcited husky finally unleashed after days of confinement.
Zack opened his mouth to respond, but she was already out of sight. "Why do I even bother..." he muttered, shaking his head. Turning to Ego, he said, "Track her GPS and alert me if anything weird happens."
By the time Zack arrived, Mansion No. 13 looked nothing like it had the day before. The building now resembled a high-tech research institute. "Not bad," Zack said, stepping through the single entryway.
Inside, the renovations were clean and functional. The walls gleamed white, and the floors, though simple, had been treated with a non-slip coating. Research equipment was neatly arranged in designated zones, and overhead lighting provided ample illumination to every corner. "What about the ventilation system?" Zack asked, inspecting the enclosed structure.
"Sir, the ventilation system is designed for maximum efficiency," Ego responded. "It uses a dual-pipe layout with gate-off functionality. If abnormal gases or foreign matter are detected, the main ducts automatically close, and secondary ducts take over."