Chapter 42 - Genetic Testing.
(Rodova Military Academy – Reflex Testing Chamber, Post-Test Recovery)
Leo felt drained as the reflex test ended, his breath coming in ragged, uneven gasps while he knelt on the cold testing floor. Sweat trickled down his back, his entire body trembling from exertion, his muscles hollowed out as if every ounce of strength had been siphoned away.
However, this wasn't the first time.
This overwhelming fatigue—this complete depletion—was becoming a recurring pattern.
He had felt the same when he first triggered that strange time-slowing ability, for, the moment it ended, his body had collapsed under its own weight, leaving him gasping for air like a drowning man.
'I can't afford this in a real battle,' Leo realized, his hands curling into fists against the floor. 'If I collapse after taking out a few enemies in a real battle, I'll be done for.'
The urgency burned into him.
He had to master this ability and be quick at that.
He needed to learn to control it, regulate it—to trigger it when needed and suppress it when not.
Because if he did not—
It wouldn't be a weapon.
It would be a liability. One that could land him in deep waters.
"Skyshard!"
A voice suddenly pulled him from his thoughts as the chamber door slid open.
The assistant hurried inside, her expression a mix of concern and undisguised excitement as she knelt beside him.
"You did amazing!" she gasped, practically beaming.
"You just broke the university record for first-year students on your first day! I've never seen a better performance in my life—" She rambled, but Leo barely listened.
His mind was elsewhere, struggling to stay conscious as black spots flickered across his vision, expanding and contracting like ink bleeding into water.
"Oh, how silly of me, you must be exhausted... Here—drink this," the assistant urged, pressing a small glass vial into his palm.
Leo glanced at the vial, the liquid inside glistening with a faint golden hue. He studied it for a split second before deciding to gulp it down in one go.
The taste was sharp but not unpleasant, and almost immediately, a slow warmth spread through his veins—not as a sudden jolt of energy, but as a steady, stabilizing pulse.
It was a stamina potion—a high-grade one, at that.
Low grade stamina potions were usually yellow, but the golden tint in this one hinted at the superior alchemical herbs used in its creation.
It was a truly potent item that would usually cost a pretty penny in the open market.
And as Leo drank its contents, although the fatigue did not completely vanish, the leaden weight in his limbs eased almost immediately.
His muscles no longer felt like they were moments away from collapsing under him and his vision returned to normalcy.
"That should help a bit," the assistant nodded, quickly moving to help him back onto his feet.
Leo let her, though his stance remained slightly unsteady as she guided him toward a side panel where his uniform had been neatly folded.
"Here—get dressed," she instructed as Leo grabbed his uniform, shaking off the lingering dizziness before slipping back into his clothes.
His balance was still off, but at least now he could stand on his own.
As soon as he finished dressing, the assistant tapped her data slate, and moments later, an automated escort drone rolled up beside him, flashing a notification screen.
"You're being transferred to another building now," she informed him.
Leo frowned. "Why am I being separated from the testing batch?"
"You're going to follow this drone to the next building, and you'll be the only one doing so," she replied, her tone carrying a hint of amusement.
His frown deepened. "And why is that?"
The assistant's lips curled into a sly smile.
"You've been flagged for priority genetic testing," she said, winking. "So, you're skipping the queue."
Leo's frown deepened considerably at these words, however, before he could register any protest, the assistant tapped a few commands on her data slate, commanding the drone into action.
*Nudge*
*Nudge*
The drone slammed into his back, urging him to move on, as sighing Leo began to walk, knowing full well that he had no other option but to follow the university's orders.
If it were someone else, they would probably be elated to be the center of attention—
To get preferential treatment from the University, however, Leo was not one of them.
On a personal level, he did not appreciate being singled out, as it blew his cover of anonymity and thrust him into the limelight.
'I hope not many people see me being escorted as a priority case—' He thought, as the drone guided him to make a series of turns, leading him straight towards the Genetic Assessment Department.
*******
(Rodova Military Academy— Genetic Assessment Department, Outside Chamber #01 )
Soon, Leo reached the Genetic Assessment Department, and unfortunately for him, the moment he entered the testing grounds, he immediately became a topic of contention amongst the students present, who saw the drone flying above his head and flagged him as a serious threat.
Almost immediately, murmurs rippled through the gathered cadets, their voices hushed but unmistakably intrigued.
"Wait... isn't that the same drone escort that Su Yang had over him?"
"What the hell? Why is he alone?"
"A drone escort? Seriously?"
"Shit, is he some hidden young master?"
Leo kept his expression neutral, ignoring the stares, but he heard everything being said around him.
This was exactly why he did not want the unnecessary attention.
He had planned to keep a low profile, to observe and navigate Rodova without standing out at the beginning. But now?
Now he was walking into the Genetic Testing Facility like some special-case recruit, personally escorted by an academy drone.
It was a blatant sign that he was different. That he was being prioritized.
And that made him a subject of interest.
Eyes followed his every move as he strode through the facility, scanning him with everything from curiosity to suspicion.
Some cadets whispered among themselves, speculating about his background.
Others looked at him like a competitor to crush.
And then there were those few... the ones who already saw him as a future enemy.
Leo exhaled slowly, keeping his focus straight ahead.
'So much for staying under the radar...'
He had no choice but to deal with it now.
At the very least, he needed to see what this Genetic Assessment was all about—and why he was being prioritized.
"Skyshard, Leo–" A male voice said, as a lanky man with thick glasses walked towards him, a data slate firmly held in his hand.
"The principal has marked you as a priority testing subject. Genetic Testing Chamber #1 has been reserved to test your potential.... Please follow me—" The man said rather loudly, as if there were any lingering doubts about his special status amongst the gathered students up-till now, they were all gone now.
'Great.... This is exactly what I needed on day one!' Leo thought sarcastically, as he rolled his eyes in frustration.
Looking around, he could feel the hostile stares boring into his back, as there were more than one Candidate who looked at him with eyes that said 'I hope you fail miserably in your genetic test.'