—-

Due to the fact Dr. Riley silently performed this action, Kieran wasn’t too sure as to what she meant. After all, it could be perceived in a couple of different ways. For example, Dr. Riley’s action could imply that she wanted Kieran to consume 10 X-hancers. Or, it could mean that she wanted to make a brazen step and increase the concentration of X-hancers Kieran ingested from 5% to 10%.

Of course, a decision like the latter scenario mentioned also presented some extreme risks. The comparatively dense concentration of the X-hancers could cause irreparable damage to Kieran’s body if his system couldn’t handle the sudden introduction of energy more potent than what he consumed previously.

As mentioned before, one’s journey to increasing the concentration of X-hancers consumed should be done steadily. Drastic increases caused a break in the chain of energy consumption and posed an incredible risk.

In fact, there were even a few cases of people losing limbs or having their hearts explode from energy ruptures. The surge of energy was too violent for their bodies to absorb, causing the X-hancers to tear their muscles and even shatter their bones from oversaturation.

Because Kieran wasn’t too sure about Dr. Riley’s meaning, he gave her a complex look while shifting his gaze from her hand to her face. “What exactly does that mean? Are we doing something with the number ten?”

In response, Dr. Riley smiled like a child given a brand new toy that remained on their wishlist for months or even years. “I wish to. I just want to know if you’re brave enough.”

“I’ll decide that after hearing what you want to say. No matter how much my pride tingles, I’m not foolish enough to make a brash decision because of someone’s mild taunts,” Kieran said with a slight smirk.

“Very well,” Dr. Riley nodded. “I thought about giving you X-hancers during the time of your spasm; however, I decided against doing so because it was far too dangerous. But, now that your awake with your body devoid of energy, it’s the right time to experiment.”

In terms of the so-called experimenting, Dr. Riley hoped to use this opportunity granted by Kieran’s exhausted body to understand the limits of human energy consumption. While researchers recorded the hazards of impulsive X-hancer usage, the exact quantity and quality varied between people.

Moreover, there was a lack of information regarding how much energy a depleted body could tolerate. The studies only indicated value related to ordinary people. What about anomalies and people with bodies surpassing the average healthy standard?

Because fitness exams conducted by medical facilities were stored for governmental powers and the military to access, humans fell into a few categories in terms of how these organizations viewed them.

These categories are Substandard, Unfit, Fit, Elite, and Prime. Most widespread tests were conducted on Fit individuals because people with Elite health were rare, appearing 1 in every 1,000. Likewise, Prime candidates were even rarer. Only 1 in every 100,000 possessed this level of fitness.

After all, achieving the Prime standard required every facet of the examinee’s comprehensive physical test to be in prime condition. Even Kieran didn’t accomplish that. The only aspect he possessed that reached this Prime condition was his reaction speed produced by his powerful mental acuity.

“I want to approach one of these two options: I want you to ingest ten 5% X-hancers and record the effects, or I want you to consume a 10% X-hancer and allow me to note its effects,” Dr. Riley said while lowering her hand. Both of her requests were outlandish in the eyes of ordinary people. Who in their right mind would agree to either of these choices?

Whether it was ten elixirs at once or a 10% concentration at once, the energy abundance would be unmistakably high.

“Hmm,” Kieran murmured, gliding his fingers against his chin in thought. Despite understanding the hazards of what Dr. Riley asked of him, Kieran would be lying if he said he didn’t want to know what would happen with his unique case of H-COS. Generally, the people afflicted by this sickness would have their minds consume energy in a 5.5 to 4.5 ratio, with the mind taking up the majority.

In Kieran’s case, the consumption ratio was far more drastic, reaching a mind-boggling 8 to 2 proportion. While this heavily unbalanced ratio sounded like Kieran’s body was malnourished, that wasn’t the case. Kieran’s body was still very much healthy; it’s just that he required excess energy for his body to achieve any desirable effects.

After considering it for a few seconds to a minute, Kieran ultimately decided with the help of his prior experiences. ‘I mean, I took the pain of the Ancient Volcanic Ichor; what’s a little X-hancer? We might as well understand the effects now to plan for the future.’

“Let’s go with the latter. I want to know the effects of this X-hancer as well,” Kieran said.

“Great! And because we are doing it this way, it’ll be free of charge. The cost of curiosity isn’t cheap. I know I’m potentially exposing you to harm, so it wouldn’t be right to take your money,” Dr. Riley said after clapping happily.

“Exactly,” Kieran replied with a smug smile. The smile made Dr. Riley narrow her eyes.

“Tch,” Dr. Riley clicked her tongue before walking to the chilled cabinet. Compared to her stash of lower concentration X-hancers, the shelf that contained the 10% X-hancers was bereft of high quantities. It seemed like Dr. Riley possessed 20 or so vials at the most.

Dr. Riley approached Kieran with the vial in hand. However, before allowing him to consume it, she prepared all of her machinery to record the events occurring both inside the facility and in Kieran’s body. Only after she adjusted the electrodes attached to Kieran’s body did she allow him to continue with their experiment.

With a deep exhale, Kieran threw his head back and consumed the X-hancer in one go. At first, the effects were mild and negligible, but after a few seconds, it was as if a raging fire ignited in Kieran’s stomach. Large veins surfaced on Keiran’s neck, forehead, and temples, and he clutched the doctor’s bed until someone of the fabric seemed to tear.

Coupled with Kieran’s stifled groans, the noises coming from Kieran’s gripping the bed were the only sounds taking place inside the room. Even the medical devices remained silent while recording the events.

Dr. Riley nervously tapped a pen against her lips as she bounced her right leg in nervousness and anticipation. The energy readings present on display above indicated a steady rise in Kieran’s energy level. Furthermore, his heart rate and breathing were similarly increasing until they reached a level comparable to an Olympic sprinter running a 400-meter dash.

“Amazing,” Dr. Riley muttered in awe while calling out the information depicted on the screen. “Blood oxygen levels; high. Heart rate is elevated but not dangerously high. Muscle enzymes; rising quickly. Bone density increasing… Muscle fiber saturation deepening.”

The records of Kieran’s current condition remained on a gradual upward trend as Dr. Riley paced around Kieran, who no longer held his breath in pain. Instead, he breathed, alternating between deep and shallow breaths. This breathing pattern caused his stomach to appear like a constantly inflating and deflating balloon.

Finally, after sitting through this process for five plus minutes, Kieran’s heart rate and other bodily functions began normalizing while Kieran’s frantic breathing calmed down.

Thirty seconds later, Kieran could talk again, albeit with bated breaths. “That’s… insane!” Even now, Kieran could still feel the remnant energy at work, cleansing his body and reinvigorating some of the neglected or more inactive parts of his body.”

As Kieran calmed down, Dr. Riley walked closer and examined Kieran thoroughly. She cased his body, touching his chest, followed by the sides of his torso and finally his abdomen. Afterward, she lifted his head and inspected his neck, going down to his shoulder and also back.

Having his body inspected so closely brought Kieran back to when the Golden Brigade recruited him. Their examiner conducted a similar test to see how healthy he was and if he was fit to enter equipment like Virtual Pods.

Unlike the helmet, pods would be made for long-term use. But, the user needed a body healthy enough to withstand the pod’s more taxing technologies to achieve that.

“Vascularity and muscle mass have improved significantly. The machine also detects zero signs of energy wastage… Wow… this didn’t turn out as I expected, not one bit. Just what type of abnormal body do you have? You should also note that the energy contained in the vial you just drank triumphs over the collective energy present in those ten vials I mentioned earlier,” Dr. Riley said while running her finger along Kieran’s surfacing veins.

Vascularity, in most cases, was a sign of a functioning heart and healthy cardiovascular system. Thus, Dr. Riley understood that rather than adding to Kieran’s outward appearance, the X-hancers treated Kieran’s internals, making sure to temper them.

“That’s great, and all, but I’m still starving. In fact, I’m even hungrier now than I was just minutes before,” Kieran grimaced. A growl three times louder than before sounded from his stomach. It was clear his body demanded food more intensely than before.

“Fine. Come upstairs, and your meal will be handled. But, first, please go and freshen up. You smell like musk after the profuse sweating induced by the X-hancer. The showers are beside the room you used to change.”

Although this place was unfamiliar to Kieran, he felt comfortable once he stepped into the shower. The warm shower felt amazing, and he quickly freshened up. But, just before hopping out of the shower, he switched it to ice cold water and stood underneath while controlling his breathing.

Soon enough, Kieran felt alive as his eyes slammed open with a deep exhale. To withstand a freezing shower, one undoubtedly needed ice in their veins. Kieran then took his time to sit on the bench and think to himself.

…

An entire meal had been prepared by the time Kieran arrived upstairs. The menu ranged from rice and vegetables to various protein sources—chicken, beef, and even turkey.