Adam and Max walked down the hall towards the elevator, with Max in the lead. The air felt thick with anticipation; Adam was eager to see what Max's brother, Lucas, could do with the demon ores and help him build the perfect gear. Max's quick explanation about his family dynamics was a little rough, but Adam could understand the tension.
"Umm, Max, where are we going?" Adam asked as they reached the elevator.
Max hit the button, and the doors slid open with a soft ding. "The VIP Dorms," he said, stepping inside.
Adam followed him, his curiosity growing. "Why the VIP Dorms? Aren't we just making gear? Is that where your brother lives?"
"Yeah," Max said with a small shrug. "He lives here because he's part of a big family."
Adam raised an eyebrow. "But what about you?"
"My family's not exactly thrilled with me," Max explained, eyes slightly downcast. "I can't learn their ability, so I'm kind of on the outs. The only one who really cares for me is Lucas. He's the one who looks out for me, and yeah... he's the only one who thinks I'm worth something."
Adam frowned. "That's messed up. I'm sorry, man. But what about his ability? You said he can do something with demon ores?"
Max's expression lightened a little. "Yeah, he's got Robotic Creation. He can make anything he thinks of, and with demon ores, he can make it stronger, better. It's pretty wild. It's exactly what you need, right?"
Adam's eyes lit up. "That's exactly what I need."
Max smiled, then led Adam to a large, sleek door at the end of the hallway. He knocked once before opening it, revealing the dimly lit but modern interior.
"Lucas?" Adam called, stepping inside. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the figure inside.
"Adam?" Lucas looked up from a workbench cluttered with blueprints and strange mechanical parts. He had fluffy black hair, jet-black eyes, and a white button-up shirt that was casually half-tucked into black pants. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at Military Base 4."
Adam couldn't hide his grin. "I thought so too... but here I am, looking a bit different, huh?"
"You definitely do," Lucas said with a chuckle, standing up and walking over to Adam. "It's been a while. It's good to see you. But if you're here, I'm guessing Max told you I could help with some gear?"
"Exactly," Adam said. "I need your help, Lucas. I've got a bunch of demon ores and—"
Lucas raised an eyebrow as Adam threw the bag onto the table with a loud thud. The ores inside clinked against each other, glinting in the light.
"Whoa," Lucas said, his eyes wide. "You really did that well? Advanced to ruler-tier ores? How did you get these?"
Adam smirked, scratching the back of his neck. "Guess I'm stronger than you thought."
"Well, it's good to see you're doing better," Lucas said, nodding. "What exactly do you need from me?"
Adam straightened up. "I need a suit—something that can be put on and taken off easily. I don't want to waste time when I'm in a fight, and I need it to be strong."
Lucas looked thoughtful for a moment. "Alright, I can work with that. I just need to see your ability and some of your blood to get the specifics."
Adam didn't hesitate. He focused and activated his Fox Cloak, letting the familiar flames rise around him. Three tails swayed behind him, and his fox ears appeared. His hair, which had already been a striking shade of blue, now flickered with a fiery glow.
"Wow, that's impressive," Lucas said, his eyes glowing with interest. "I've seen some of the abilities here, but that's... different."
Adam smiled. "It's new, but I've learned how to control it."
Lucas moved closer, pulling out a needle. "Alright, I'll need to take some of your blood to really get the gear to sync up with you."
Adam nodded, and Lucas quickly and efficiently drew some blood. As soon as it was done, Lucas set to work. He held out his hand, and the demon ores in the bag levitated, glowing faintly. His fingers twisted in the air, manipulating the ores and Adam's blood, creating rings of blue and gold that floated around them.
Adam watched, wide-eyed, as the rings began to shape and form, the ores glowing brighter, and his blood swirling into the mix. Lucas hovered above the ground, glowing with the energy he was pulling from the ores.
"Umm, not to sound rude, but what am I supposed to do with all this?" Adam asked, still unsure of what was happening.
Lucas glanced over his shoulder with a grin. "This is your suit. You wanted it easy to take off, right? Just think about it—think about the suit you want, and it'll form."
Adam hesitated for a moment, then focused. He thought of a suit of blue and gold armor, sleek and lightweight yet strong. A glow suddenly enveloped him, and he could feel the suit forming around his body, like it was being painted onto him.
[Plus 50% to all stats]
The blue aura rose off the rings, wrapping around his limbs, forming the suit piece by piece until it was complete. Adam looked down at himself, feeling the power it gave him. The suit shimmered in the light, with glowing lines of blue and gold radiating from the edges. His stats had definitely been boosted. It felt right. It felt powerful.
"Thanks," Adam said, giving Lucas a nod. "This is exactly what I needed."
"Of course," Lucas said, walking over to where the ores had settled back into the bag. "But you'll need to test it out. This isn't just about looking cool—it's about performance."
Adam grinned, feeling the power surging through him. "I'll test it. But I've got to get back to class now. Thanks again, Lucas."
As Adam headed toward the door, Max fell in step beside him. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah," Adam said, his voice calm but excited. "Let's see what this gear can really do."
Adam made his way back to the classroom with Max, feeling the new suit settle around him. The blue and gold armor pulsed with energy, its weight barely noticeable. His stats had increased, and he could feel the power within him as he walked. The suit was more than just a visual upgrade; it was a perfect blend of form and function. Every step he took seemed lighter, quicker, like his movements had been enhanced.
As they walked through the hallways and toward the classroom, Adam's thoughts raced. He had no idea what Drake had planned for them today, but he was more than ready to test out his new gear and see if it could really handle a real fight.
When Adam and Max entered the classroom, it was bustling with students, all wearing their various forms of gear. Some looked nervous, some looked determined, but all had an air of anticipation about them. It was clear that they were all ready for whatever challenge was about to come their way.
Drake, their instructor, was already at the front of the room, looking at a holographic display. When he saw Adam enter, he smirked and made a motion for him to come forward.
"So," Drake said, his voice carrying over the chatter of the class. "It seems like you've made your gear. Took you a while, huh?"
"Yeah, it was worth it," Adam replied, his voice confident. He stood tall in his new suit, the armor glinting under the classroom lights.
Drake raised an eyebrow. "Well, let's see if it lives up to the hype." He stepped forward, a gleam of challenge in his eyes. "How about you show us what that suit can do? You and me—now."
The students around them fell silent, eyes widening in disbelief. Fighting Drake wasn't something most of them could even imagine. He was known for being a powerhouse, an instructor with insane combat skills. The fact that Adam was even willing to step into the sparring circle with him was already a huge move.
Adam didn't hesitate. He walked into the center of the room, his footsteps light but firm. The other students stepped back, forming a wide circle around them. Even Max and Elizabeth watched with wide eyes.
Drake cracked his knuckles, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You sure about this, kid? I'll go easy on you, but don't expect me to pull any punches."
Adam grinned, his confidence swelling. "We'll see who's going easy on who."
Drake lunged first, his body blurring as he moved with explosive speed. His fists were charged with raw energy, crackling with power as they swung towards Adam's face.
Adam's reflexes kicked in immediately. With a quick sidestep, he dodged Drake's punch and, before the instructor could react, Adam retaliated with a blast of flame from his gloves. The fire shot out, bright and fast, but Drake nimbly dodged, leaping backward.
"Impressive," Drake called out, his tone playful but sharp. "But let's see how your armor holds up."
Drake surged forward again, this time throwing a wide punch aimed at Adam's chest. The blow connected with a sickening thud, but Adam barely flinched. The blue and gold armor absorbed the impact, glowing brighter as it did. He could feel the suit taking the brunt of the blow, redirecting the force and amplifying his own strength.
Adam smirked, his eyes flashing with determination. "Is that all you've got?"
Drake, slightly surprised by the durability of the suit, smirked back. "Guess I'll have to turn it up."
With that, he charged again, this time faster than before, his body surrounded by a surge of energy. Adam's eyes sharpened, and he quickly activated his Fox Cloak, summoning flames that burst from his lower back, forming into three swishing tails. His fox ears sprouted from his head, and his hair ignited with a fierce blue glow.
Drake's eyes widened at the transformation, clearly impressed. "Alright, now we're talking," he said, his voice tinged with excitement.
Adam didn't waste any time. He pushed forward, his speed increasing drastically. The room seemed to blur as he ran, faster than he had ever moved before. With his flame blades ignited, he slashed through the air, the fire slicing like a knife.
Drake barely managed to block the first strike, but the heat from the blades was intense, forcing him to stagger back. Adam pressed the attack, spinning and unleashing a series of rapid slashes, his flames burning with raw power.
The students watched in awe, some of them gasping as they saw the intensity of the fight. It was clear that Adam had leveled up since the last time they had seen him fight.
Drake, though on the defensive, was clearly enjoying himself. "Not bad, kid. Not bad at all."
But Adam wasn't done yet. He summoned a barrage of flame arrows, each one crackling with lightning, making them faster and more powerful. He fired them all at once, aiming for Drake's chest.
Drake barely had time to react. He raised his arms, trying to deflect the arrows, but the speed and power were too much. The arrows struck, sending him flying backward and crashing into a nearby wall. The impact cracked the floor beneath him.
The room fell silent.
Adam stood, panting hard, his arms trembling from the strain of the battle. His newly formed suit was scorched in places, and a few sparks still flared around the blue and gold armor as if to remind him of the limits of its power.
Drake stood over him, breathing just as evenly, his body bruised but clearly stronger. "You've got spirit, kid. But it's not enough," he said, his voice low but not unkind. "You're not ready for a fight with me. But you've got potential. Keep training, and maybe next time we'll see a different outcome."
Adam clenched his fists, his pride stinging. He'd given it everything, but it wasn't enough. The realization hit him hard: his new gear had boosted his abilities, but there were still limits to what he could do. He wasn't invincible.
Drake reached down and helped Adam to his feet. "Meet me here in two days," he said, a firm but encouraging tone in his voice. "I'll help you get better, but you'll have to put in the work. Got it?"
"Yeah," Adam muttered, rubbing his sore arms. He wasn't about to argue. He knew he had a lot more to learn.