That night, after April returned from school, Jax and the others gathered in the training hall of their underground base.
Jax stood in front of her, arms crossed.
"Alright, Ultima. Now that you've gotten past your second barrier—unlocking your Gear's name—it's time to talk about the third."
April raised an eyebrow. "Third?"
Saya nodded. "The first was your sigil. The second was learning your Gear's true name.
The third?" She smirked. "Martial arts."
April narrowed her eyes. "I know martial arts."
Dante leaned against the wall. "You know techniques. But you haven't trained in a style that fits your nature."
April crossed her arms. "And what does that mean?"
Jax stepped forward. "Your instincts—the animalistic nature of your Gear—need a martial art that matches it. Something that can merge with your movements, enhance your combat ability naturally."
April frowned. "So, what? I just pick one?"
Kai chuckled. "More like, one picks you."
April exhaled. She had a feeling she already knew which one that was.
Jax continued. "After martial arts, the fourth barrier is weapon mastery. Once you master a weapon that complements your style, you'll break through again."
April processed this. "So, once I complete all these barriers, I'll be at your level?"
Jax smirked. "You're already getting there."
He glanced at the rest of the team. "Right now, you're strong enough to take on ten Ragnörak squad commanders and their full squads alone."
April blinked. "...That strong?"
Jax nodded. "Vance—the Cobra Gear user you defeated—was Executioner Level. That means you already surpass most of Ragnarök's elites."
Saya leaned forward. "The rest of us, except for Jax and the Leader, are Pillar Level."
April tilted her head. "And Jax?"
Dante grinned. "Jax and the Leader? Supreme Leader Level."
April whistled. "That's... concerning."
Jax smirked. "Our Organization's goal is to gather more Gear users, train them to reach Pillar Level, and eventually challenge Ragnarök's Supreme Leader."
April crossed her arms. "Big plan."
Jax shrugged. "Big war."
April exhaled. "Alright. Got it."
Now, all April had to do was figure out how to break through her next barrier.
"Wait," she said suddenly, "won't it take me a long time to learn martial arts and master a weapon?"
Saya grinned. "That would be true—if you were a normal human."
April raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
Kai jumped in with a playful smirk. "Ultima, have you forgotten? A Gear is built with advanced nanotech. Everything you learn—future martial arts, weapons, even knowledge—is automatically registered into your neural network. Think about it. How does a girl who never even went to high school understand complex equations and advanced material so easily?"
April's confusion melted away, slowly replaced by disbelief.
Jax took over the explanation. "All you need to do is find a martial art and weapon style that suits you. Once you've gained enough experience with them, that data is absorbed and stored by your Gear—permanently."
The team fell silent as they watched April.
Her earlier disbelief faded completely, replaced by a look of realization. For a long second, they simply stared—synchronized in their awe—as April's expression shifted into one of clear and total understanding.