“Concentrate harder. The energy is still not flowing smoothly enough,” she says.

  Adrien snaps out of his meditation, groaning. “Uh, can we take a break? It’s been twelve straight hours.”

  “Fine,” the girl says with an annoyed sigh.

  Adrien collapses onto his back, mentally fatigued. Though exhausted, his mind begins to wander, contemplating all that’s happened and how drastically his life has changed from the carefree boy he used to be.

  “You know, you should be impressed with yourself. The things you’re able to do are basically unheard of for someone with your level of experience,” she says suddenly, breaking the silence.

  Adrien props himself up slightly. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, your improvement over these past few months has been rapid—too rapid, I would say,” she replies, a slight edge to her tone.

  “Haha, is that a bad thing?” Adrien asks, his voice carrying an awkward chuckle.

  “No, of course not. It means you’ll be a greater asset in battle,” she responds plainly.

  “Oh… Yeah,” Adrien mutters, but there’s an unmistakable note of uncertainty in his tone.

  “Don’t get the wrong idea,” she warns sharply. “I’m not giving you permission to get overconfident and pull something reckless. You still have a lot to learn. Speaking of which, that’s a long enough break. Let’s get back to work.”

  Although tired, Adrien reluctantly sits back up and resumes his meditation.

  “You know the drill—no more breaks. Six more hours, and then we’re done,” she says firmly.

  Adrien sighs but closes his eyes, focusing once again. This time, the energy flows smoother than before. For the next six hours, he diligently maintains his meditation.

  “Okay, that’s it. We’re done,” she announces.

  “Ahh, finally!” Adrien flops to the ground in exhaustion, his breathing heavy.

  The girl gets up and begins walking away, her presence fading into the distance. Adrien remains lying on the ground, trying to collect himself. Even though this routine has become normal for him, he can’t help but think about his old life whenever he’s left alone.

  “Working hard, aren’t we?” Kamano enters, grinning.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “No, we’re not. It’s just me,” Adrien replies flatly.

  “Haha, you’ve got jokes now,” Kamano shoots back with a smirk.

  “Jokes?” Adrien raises an eyebrow.

  “Come on, don’t be like that. The work is paying off, isn’t it? Your Mind Skill is insane. I don’t know why you hate it so much,” Kamano says.

  “You mean Cogniform. Yeah, it’s useful, but it’s so boring,” Adrien admits with a shrug.

  “What? Telekinesis, clairvoyance, telepathy, and compulsion—that’s boring?!” Kamano exclaims, his voice rising in disbelief.

  “Calm down. All I do during missions is sit on the sidelines and tell you guys the enemy status. Maybe I take out a few enemies here and there, but that’s it. I mean, it’s useful in battle, but still, man,” Adrien explains, his frustration evident.

  “Wow. I’m so sorry you’re not risking your life in every mission. It must be so hard,” Kamano says sarcastically.

  “Stop. You know what I mean,” Adrien snaps. “Girl has the ability to gain instant mastery over any weapon she touches, including hand-to-hand combat. Guy can control anything and everything around him. And your ability is literally having no limits! With that combo, the only lives at risk are the lives of regular people—and even they’re safe as long as you guys are around.”

  Kamano’s grin fades as Adrien’s voice grows more heated. “Dude, relax. I get it. Maybe you’re a little frustrated, but remember—you’re part of the team, and you’re a great asset. And besides, it’s not easy for the rest of us either. My ‘Physically Limitless’ ability is only useful if I keep working every single day. Sure, I might be able to train until I can lift a planet, but I have to train until I can lift a planet. It’s not fun, especially when people’s lives are on the line. And it’s not just me. Everyone on the team has their own struggles.”

  Adrien sighs, the tension draining from his shoulders. “Yeah, I get it. Let’s just head back.”

  The two head back to the base, where they rest and train as usual until their next mission.

  “Everyone, get up!” Girl’s sharp voice cuts through the silence.

  “What the hell? It’s the middle of the night!” Kamano groans.

  “Don’t tell me…” Guy mutters, already piecing it together.

  “There’s a demon attack in the Juko area. Type 1, magnitude 4. Get ready and move out!”

  Adrien and the others quickly gear up and head to the Juko area. A large crowd of demons awaits them, their grotesque forms writhing in the moonlight. Without hesitation, the team launches into action.

  “Adrien, come to the front line,” Girl commands.

  “What?!” Adrien stammers, his voice filled with panic.

  “Although they have large numbers, the enemies are fairly weak. Lead toward the east. Guy will cover your rear and help if there’s any challenge. Use your telekinesis, and if that fails, do it the old-fashioned way—with a blade in hand,” Girl says firmly.

  “O-O-Okay,” Adrien stutters nervously.

  Despite his initial fear, Adrien takes a deep breath and charges toward the east. With a combination of telekinesis and sheer determination, he dispatches every demon in his path with relative ease. By the end of the battle, the large horde has been reduced to a pile of withering corpses.

  After the victory, the team regroups.

  “Good work. We were able to take them all down with no injuries to ourselves and only two civilian casualties. Now that the job is done, let’s head back to base,” Girl says.

  They return to the base to resume their rest. But as always, Adrien struggles to sleep, his mind racing.

  “Conversion mode back online,” a familiar voice suddenly announces, startling Adrien. “All abilities unlocked and applied. Skills modified. Spiritual skill level now at max. Spiritual skill level has reached level 2… Physical abilities unlocked. Greater physical attributes now applied. Physical skill has reached level 2… Update now 100% completed.”

  Adrien lies in stunned silence, his mind spinning. Though unsure of what just happened, he realizes his body has somehow changed again—just as it had once before.

  The next morning, training resumes as usual. However, Adrien quickly notices significant changes in himself. Opponents’ attacks seem slower, though he knows they’re moving at the same speed as always. His meditation is smoother, his energy flows effortlessly, and his Cogniform abilities—telekinesis, telepathy, compulsion, and clairvoyance—are more precise and powerful.

  The rest of the team notices his progress over the next few days but chooses not to comment, allowing training to proceed as usual.

  “Attention!” Girl announces. “I’ll be leaving in two days for a meeting with the Union. There’s been an increase in demon activity targeting the three major cities, and we need to figure out what’s going on.”

  “What? There’s a union?” Adrien asks, surprised.

  “Hmm. I suppose it makes sense you wouldn’t know. SA is a union of saviors. We work together to protect people and eradicate demons,” Girl explains.

  “Oh. I guess it makes sense there would be other saviors out there. I never thought about it,” Adrien admits.

  “I’ll be gone for three days. Guy, you’ll be in charge while I’m away. I trust everything will be in order when I return,” Girl says.

  “Hmm, okay then. I’ll hold down the fort and ensure training and missions are handled as usual,” Guy responds.

  Satisfied, Girl heads off to pack. Two days later, the team sees her off as she departs for the SA meeting.