Milo eyes unfocused on his raised right arm. Staring at the ceiling of his dormitory. Was this... what anxiety felt like? The space was inviting, yet it was foreign. He couldn't hear the music of Nightingale blasting from beyond his sisters room, nor the sounds of dicing or sizzling of his mom cooking her best dinners. Nor the clink of the keys as his dad returned home from work.
Instead there was the constant buzz of AC flowing into his room from the vent above his door.
'Screw it, I'll do it.'
Milo stood up, stretching his body slightly than viewed his runes. More specifically, the runes describing his Innate Ability.
Innate Ability: [Soul Synthesis]
Ability Description: [Technology of your choosing can be synthesized into your soul. This is limited to the amount of Soul Cores you hold. A god should wisely choose his apostles.]
Milo dismissed the runes and looked down at his prosthetic. It was time to test his Innate Ability. He heard the Spell ask out.
[Are you sure you want to assimilate this technology?]
Milo didn't ponder for another moment. This would be his saving grace after all.
'Yes'
[So be it...]
Milo watched as his Soul Sea tremored. The sea of oil trembling and unsteady waves rising. The machine around his soul core began to thump, and thump. The blue lights grew brighter, and brighter. A loud whirr filled his entire Soul Sea.
Milo didn't have access to his prosthetic within his Soul Sea, and so it was a huge shock when it suddenly formed onto his arm. Then it began to change, the plates shifted. The futuristic and sleek gray was turned a muted and dark gray. Blue lights appeared along the length of his arm
The prosthetic's hand had segmented even more, giving him more control. Not only that, a translucent wire shot out from the arm. It soared through the air, aiming for the machine around his soul core.
The wire attached, and Milo watched as a bright energy traveled down the wire into his arm. The arm whirred as it took in the energy. Milo felt it
'This prosthetic... just became crazy strong.'
Milo brought each finger down and up with flexibility he thought impossible with a prosthetic.
'This... is insane.'
Milo wanted to test it out immediately, but he figured sneaking out past lights out wouldn't be the best of ideas. Right as he was about to exit his Soul Sea, he remembered something.
He walked around briskly, and amongst the near endless sea of oil, he found Triscarion. The Echo had been stuck in his Soul Sea since he last saw her. In fact, he never even bothered to check her runes.
Milo pulled up Triscarion's runes.
Echo: [Hound of House Corinne]
Echo Type: Beast
Echo Core: Awakened
Echo Attributes: [Undying Loyalty] [Armored] [Sword of Corinne]
Echo Description: [The loyal pet of the lady of House Corinne]
Milo scratched the back of his head. He hadn't expected much, but it seemed House Corinne was founded by Corinne herself, and that she became a rather famous figure later on. Founding House Corinne. She had introduced it like it was a first name rather than last. So was House Corinne not an actual noble house but rather some sort of clan or organization?
Milo then already understood the attributes. Triscarion had already shown all three already. The undying loyalty of remaining by Corinne's side even after her death, and joining her in death. The hound was also armored with reinforced and thick leather along certain vital parts. Lastly, the sword needed no explanation, that giant great sword in her jaws that she wielded with actual efficiency.
Milo patted his legs, and Triscarion trotted over. Milo pet the hound lovingly, and the dog nuzzled his hands with its two heads, the other licking his face.
"You are such a good girl, you know that."
The dog barked in response, Milo guessed it was an astounding yes.
Satisfied, Milo exited his Soul Sea and headed for the shower. He needed to wake up refreshed after all.
***
Milo watched as that girl that got first place, Nephis, approached the strength measuring machine. She punched swiftly and without set up. Milo was reminded of Helen, the same girl that had kicked his ass six ways to Sunday.
The number sixteen displayed on the counter, and a lot of students respected it. Most of them had averaged twelve or thirteen. Some even reached fifteen. None had yet reached sixteen.
Then Caster, the runner up to Nephis approached, and his fist was too fast to even comprehend. Milo simply blinked and in the next moment the numbers twenty one were displayed on the machine.
Milo then suddenly became nervous, it was his turn. All eyes would be watching him, and the only other person who hadn't gone yet was that legacy who sat at his table for some reason. Of course, that was Eva.
Milo stepped forward, and turned to Instructor Rock, hand slightly raised.
"I have a question."
Instructor Rock seemed slightly confused. "Go on"
Milo rolled back his right sleeve of his dobok, the prosthetic shown in it's full glory.
"This prosthetic is apart of my aspect, but it still is a metal arm, is that allowed?"
Everyone in the room seemed to ponder the question, and Instructor Rock himself seemed slightly stunned.
"Well... I suppose since its part of your aspect, it could be allowed."
Unbeknownst to Milo, a shadowed gaze, a blank stare, and a curious look from the three most dangerous people in the room were upon him, asking all sorts of questions. The last one was perhaps the worst, two crimson flames stared into his very soul, inspecting it with growing confusion
Milo took a deep breath. He readied his arm. Reeling it back, the machinery within whirred with effort. Milo then pushed forward with everything he had.
He hit the metal plate, the loud dong of metal against metal ringing throughout the room. Milo pulled back, and looked at the score
Twenty-eight
'So... this is the strength of a god... I thought it would be more but still. Holy shit!'
Milo looked back at Instructor Rock, absolutely dumbfounded. Instructor Rock grinned.
"Good, now, it's time to move to sparring and evaluate your general level of training. I need two volunteers."
Milo moved first, no one would be crazy enough to face against a guy with a metal arm, let alone one that scored above Caster... right?
Then Changing Star herself stepped up, and Milo didn't know if she was that confident or simply that dumb, and he highly doubted the latter. Milo stepped forward, and in an instant, he was already being thrown over her shoulder.
His back hit the ground hard. A shadow in the corner snickered slightly, Caster simply nodded, and Eva's stare turned into one of worry and anxiety.
Milo walked over beside her, Eva's head tilted towards the ground, hand on her chin.
"This never happened" Eva muttered under her breath, then she turned and noticed Milo was next to her. She jumped at the fact
Milo scratched the back of his head, feeling slightly insulted. His Flaw chose the strangest times to flare, his heart was beating like crazy. His soul felt a resonance, but all he was focused on was her reaction.
'Am I really that repulsing? Surely not.'
Milo would've looked back at this moment a month from now and laughed at himself. How clueless he really was.