He stopped two meters from the boy at the center of the room.
Fabrizio—slim and serious—glanced back briefly. Before him, a transparent holographic tablet displayed data dancing in blue light. A faint smile crossed his face before he returned to his work.
"Why are my friends fully armed now?" Kaivan asked flatly, his voice tight, like a rope about to snap.
Fabrizio did not answer right away. He scrolled through the data, letting the silence linger, before finally meeting Kaivan's eyes.
"Ah… those are records about your friends. Everything was arranged based on their training scores and abilities."
Kaivan stepped forward, his shoulders tense.
"Complete data? They trained like I did too?"
The holographic tablet vanished as Fabrizio closed it. He leaned against the worktable and crossed his arms.
"No. They only trained in simulation rooms," he said calmly. Then his voice lowered.
"But maybe… they've fought before. Against Yajuj and Majuj."
Silence followed. The machines hummed softly, as if holding their breath.
"Ever since you lost your hand, your leg, and your eye, they changed," Fabrizio continued quietly. "They want to protect you, not be protected. They trained in secret… because they felt guilty."
Kaivan menunduk. Tangannya mengepal di sisi tubuh. Ia tak pernah meminta mereka menanggung luka bersamanya, tapi rupanya penderitaannya telah menular.
"They want to stand beside you, Kai. Not behind you."
Kaivan took a long breath. Emotions crowded his chest—anger, gratitude, and sorrow blending into a silent storm.
Fabrizio turned away, opened a drawer beneath the desk, and lifted a heavy metallic object that shimmered under the blue light.
"By the way," he said, trying to lighten the mood, "this is your vambrace. I've upgraded it."
Kaivan received the arm guard with both hands. The design was still the same—dark metal with delicate engravings—but there was now a large hollow on the right side.
"What's different?" Kaivan asked. "It looks the same… except for this hole."
Fabrizio stepped closer. His fingertip brushed the part Kaivan was pointing at.
"First, it can automatically inject adrenaline and painkillers in emergency situations," he explained. "Second, this hollow—" He bent his fingers into a circle and gestured to the other side of the vambrace. "Your dagger can be stored here, integrated with a steel chain. With one motion, you can draw it out. Even in the middle of battle."
His voice was full of enthusiasm.
But Kaivan stared at him flatly.
"So… you really do want to turn me into a living weapon?"
Fabrizio fell silent. His breathing grew heavy.
"That's not it," he said quietly. "I just want you to survive. All of this is meant to protect you. Not to change who you are."
Those words lingered in the air.
Kaivan looked down at the vambrace in his hands, feeling the cold metal seep into his skin. Around him, weapons and machines seemed to stare back at him, silently judging his existence.
He walked along the underground laboratory corridor. Neon lights on the ceiling reflected off the steel floor, casting long shadows with every step. The low hum of machinery echoed like the heartbeat of the place.
"Is all of this really necessary… for me, or for my friends?" he murmured, gazing at the Tome of Omnicent in his hand.
Several seconds passed in silence.
Then, the black ink on the page began to move on its own, forming sharp, decisive words:
"This is necessary. Your future enemies will be far stronger than Vella. I only want you to stay alive, so your wish can be fulfilled."
Kaivan read the message in silence.
Then, a blue glow at the far end of the room caught his attention.
A glass capsule filled with faintly glowing liquid stood firmly in place, reflecting light onto his face.
Inside it—was a woman.
He approached slowly.
The body was tall, around 195 centimeters. Her skin was a warm shade of brown. Long hair drifted gently in the liquid. Her proportions were nearly perfect—beautiful, yet strangely distant. Her eyes were closed, peaceful, like a statue locked in eternal sleep.
"Who is she…?" Kaivan whispered, his breath freezing in the cold air. "Why is she here?"