Kellan's finger was still pointed at the microscopic flaw in Lady Lyra's necklace. The air in the penthouse sectioned off by the diamond's brilliance and the shock of the onlookers.
"Inherent energy?" Lyra repeated, her voice a low, dangerous whisper. "Are you talking about the crystal's lattice structure or some philosophical nonsense?"
"Neither," Kellan said, pulling his hand back. "It's a quantifiable variable. This diamond isn't just carbon; it's an energy filter. And right now, the setting is creating a sub-optimal convergence point, shedding $0.03\%$ of its potential. A waste."
He focused his Level 2 Insight, and the System provided a surgical blueprint.
[Target: Lyra Volkov's Diamond. Optimal Solution: Realign three atoms in the bezel setting (Requires 1 Unit of Optimization Energy).]
I have to prove it, right here, right now. It's the only way to bypass years of climbing the ladder.
Kellan moved his hand over the diamond again, pretending to inspect it closely. He subtly channeled the small, almost imperceptible Unit of Optimization Energy the System indicated.
A silent, internal process occurred. The flawed atoms, guided by the Apex algorithm, snapped into their perfect, optimal positions.
Lyra gasped. The diamond, which was already dazzling, suddenly pulsed with a brief, blinding flare of white light—the light of reclaimed potential. It didn't just look better; it felt colder, purer.
"My God," a man nearby whispered. "It's brighter."
Lyra stared at Kellan, not at the jewel. The disdain was gone, replaced by a terrifying, rapacious hunger.
[Processing Achievement: Flawless Material Optimization.]
[Experience Threshold Reached! Optimal Insight Level Up!]
[Optimal Insight (Level 2) Unlocked! New Function: Targeted Biological Optimization (Can apply a small, temporary buff to biological targets).]
[Current Optimization Energy: 10/100 (Recharge required).]
Biological Optimization? This changes everything. Kellan felt the system's power surge through his veins, not just as insight, but as latent energy he could now wield.
Lyra led him to a quiet private terrace. "What are you?" she demanded, skipping formalities. "A meta-human? A technopath?"
"I'm Kellan Thorne," he said calmly. "And I see the optimal path in everything."
"Seraphina Vane deals in money and data. I deal in power and rare assets," Lyra stated, her grey eyes burning. "I am a broker for items and abilities that exist outside the mainstream. I need you to optimize my inventory. I have assets that are almost perfect—weapons, crystals, even certain biological samples. I want them brought to their Apex."
"My price is information," Kellan countered. "Specifically, the kind of sub-optimal research that led to the system I used."
Lyra leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial level. "There's a rumor. Your former mentor, Alistair Finch. He was obsessed with something called the 'Omega Filter'—a way to duplicate the optimal energy flow of the universe, but his version was highly unstable and... sub-optimal. It's possible your current ability is a perfect counter-reaction to his flawed technology."
She smiled, a truly dangerous woman now allied. "Work for me, Kellan. I give you resources, protection, and the path to Finch's deepest secrets. We'll start tomorrow."