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*****
Early the next morning, Fini prepared to verify the effects of 'Incursio' with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. Although Skye wanted to tag along when he left, he ultimately refused, considering he didn't yet know what the effects of this skill would be like.
He pedaled his bicycle all the way to a very remote suburb. This place was once a small factory building that had been abandoned for a long time; after Fini discovered it by accident, he transformed it into a secret base.
Occasionally, he would handle excess 'Sumire Karaage Rolls' here or test the maximum reality-warping effects 'Ars Magna' could achieve.
After unlocking the door, Fini first meticulously checked the surroundings. Only after confirming there were no abnormalities did he begin preparations for the test.
Standing in the wide, open space, Fini took a deep breath and shouted in a low voice:
"Incursio!"
A silver sword with a chain attached to its pommel and a ruby embedded in the center emerged from the void. Exuding a dangerous aura, it appeared before Fini.
Fini had pondered whether the skills he drew could harm him back when 'Ars Magna' first succeeded.
He could still vividly remember that splitting headache; as a seven-year-old, he had to recuperate for two full months before completely recovering.
Instinctively, Fini felt that the system wouldn't harm him—at least not through the drawn skills themselves. For instance, with 'Ars Magna,' he couldn't use it at all as a newborn, but as he aged, the effects became increasingly potent.
Therefore, looking at the dangerous aura emanating from 'Incursio,' Fini didn't actually feel much fear. Instinct told him the worst-case scenario was simply being unable to equip it.
Without hesitation, Fini reached out and grasped the silver hilt.
Instantly, a massive surge of energy erupted from the red gemstone, enveloping Fini. Simultaneously, a giant phantom clad in bright silver armor appeared behind him, reaching out its hands to slowly embrace him.
Fini seemed to hear a faint, ferocious roar in his ears, while simultaneously feeling something flowing over his body.
As the giant silhouette vanished.
A fully enclosed set of silver armor covered Fini's entire body. A white cape fluttered behind him without a breeze, instantly maxing out his style points.
Only at the moment the equipment succeeded did Fini clearly sense the power of 'Incursio.' Now, never mind Hawkeye—even if Captain America showed up, he wouldn't be afraid.
"Amazing, it's really powerful!"
Fini clenched his fists and shouted excitedly in his heart. The panic he had felt about facing the future, not knowing what to do, finally lessened significantly at this moment.
Once 'Incursio' is equipped, it acts as a buff to all of his innate abilities. At this moment, Fini's speed, strength, and spirit were all enhanced.
Of course, most importantly, there was the defense. Fini didn't know how the metal of the 'Incursio' armor compared to Vibranium in hardness, but the single trait of being able to evolve according to the wearer's strength was enough to leave Vibranium in the dust.
However, such power didn't come without a cost. Fini could feel his stamina draining rapidly. With his physical condition honed by years of training, it seemed he could only maintain the equipment for about twenty minutes.
As for the invisibility function inherent to 'Incursio,' it was currently unusable, likely because he was still too weak.
"Wait, Ars Magna!"
Fini suddenly thought: since 'Incursio' enhanced his overall being, could he use the enhanced state to cast 'Ars Magna' and feed those gains back into himself?
"Double my physical fitness!"
Clearing his mind, Fini used 'Ars Magna' with all his might to boost his strength. He had tried this before, but he had never succeeded.
As soon as the words left his mouth, his already power-filled body strengthened further. It actually gave Fini the illusion that he was invincible at this moment.
Not only that, but after doubling his physical fitness, the duration of 'Incursio' also extended slightly, though he couldn't gauge exactly how much right now.
"Triple my physical fitness!"
Fini 'commanded' excitedly again. However, perhaps because his mind was cluttered and he couldn't focus, it didn't succeed this time.
After concentrating and meditating for a while to focus his will more sharply, Fini spoke in a deep voice: "Triple my physical fitness!"
A warm current seemed to surge into his body—comfortable and intoxicating—but immediately afterward, waves of exhaustion hit his mind. It seemed that this level of reality-warping was his current limit.
Rather than being disappointed, Fini was extremely satisfied. Strength could be built step-by-step. After the 'Sumire Karaage Roll' incident, 'Incursio' having such an effect had already exceeded his expectations.
Due to a lack of equipment, he couldn't precisely test what level his strength and speed had reached, but he could easily lift the heaviest objects within his field of vision.
The pity was that even with a triple physical boost, he still couldn't use Incursio's invisibility. It seemed higher requirements were needed.
Furthermore, the physical boost from 'Ars Magna' wasn't permanent. As his thoughts drifted and his focus wavered, the buffed state grew weaker, showing signs of returning to normal levels.
About forty minutes later, Fini felt his stamina reaching its limit. He began to deactivate 'Incursio,' and the armor transformed back into a longsword before him.
In that instant, a wave of soreness and pain surged over him, and he fell directly to the ground.
"I overdid it..."
That was the first thought that crossed Fini's mind as he lay prone on the ground. He had slightly underestimated the backlash after deactivating 'Incursio.' Now, he didn't have a shred of strength left in his body, and everything ached.
With the cancellation of the skill, the sword also vanished into the air. It seemed he didn't have to worry about how to carry it around; essentially, it was still a skill rather than a physical piece of gear.
With great effort, he rolled over. Fini didn't care about the dirt as he lay on the ground, reflecting while he recovered.
"It's likely because the boost from Ars Magna raised my physical limits temporarily. When the armor was deactivated, the boost was gone, so the backlash was much more intense."
Fini quickly figured out the reason. In short, it was because he was still too weak himself, leading to this situation.
His current body was just that of a fifteen-year-old boy. With ordinary human training methods, no matter how strong he got, there was a limit.
After a brief moment of frustration, Fini composed himself. Complaining wasn't his style; instead, it was more useful to think about how to continue strengthening his body.
"Should I stick to the original plan and go find that big bald head to figure something out!?"
Fini's mind drifted as he lay on the ground, unable to help murmuring softly.
But just as the words left his mouth, a gentle voice came from behind him: "It's not very polite to discuss someone's hair behind their back, you know!"
Then, a brilliantly shiny bald head appeared in his field of vision.
(End of Chapter)