Arthur sat cross-legged on his bed, the faint hum of the holographic datapad resting in his palm. The sleek device glowed softly, its translucent interface displaying a series of menus and data points. He stared at it, his mind swirling with curiosity.

“Alright,” he muttered to himself. “Time to see what this Technopathy thing can do.”

Closing his eyes, Arthur focused on the datapad. He imagined an invisible thread extending from his consciousness and latching onto the device. The effort was oddly taxing, like trying to lift a weight he’d never lifted before.

‘I need the complete research on Advanced CRISPR gene editing,’ he thought, directing the command toward the datapad.

At first, nothing happened. The datapad’s interface remained static, and Arthur let out a sigh.

“Maybe I’m doing it wrong,” he murmured. But just as he was about to give up, a faint loading bar appeared in the corner of his vision, steadily progressing.

His heart leaped. “It worked?”

Within seconds, the loading bar reached 100%, and a flood of data appeared before him in an intricate holographic display. Thousands of pages of text, diagrams, and simulation videos on CRISPR gene editing spanned the air around him.

Arthur’s head throbbed sharply, and he winced. “Ow…what the hell?” He pressed his fingers to his temples as the pain ebbed away.

“That’s new,” he muttered. “Probably because I’m not used to this yet. But…this speed!”

He gazed at the display in awe. The data represented over 700,000 years of cumulative research on gene editing, yet it had been downloaded in mere seconds. He mentally flipped through the files, skimming breakthroughs in gene splicing, precision editing, and genome mapping.

“This…this is incredible,” he whispered. “I’ve never seen anything like it. If I can harness this ability fully…”

His thoughts trailed off as he explored the data, noting the intricate relationships between genetic markers and biological enhancement. His newfound ability opened a door to endless possibilities, and his mind raced with the implications.

..

After hours of poring over the data, Arthur leaned back, rubbing his eyes. “Time to test Energy Absorption,” he thought.

He stood and focused, trying to consciously pull in the ambient energy around him. He imagined himself as a sponge, soaking up the unseen dark energy that filled the air.

Nothing happened.

“Figures,” he muttered, crossing his arms. “It’s supposed to be unconscious for now. But if I can figure out how to consciously control it, maybe I can find a different way to increase my strength…”

As he pondered, a memory surfaced. He recalled Kael and Lira’s massive appetites during meals, their trays piled high with specialized nutrient-rich food.

‘They eat so much,’ he thought. ‘And yet I’ve never needed anything close to that. Is it because of Energy Absorption?’

He remembered once, during a meal with them, Arthur had asked them. “Why do you two eat so much? Is it just an ECHO thing?”

Kael laughed, shoveling a spoonful of protein mash into his mouth. “Our bodies demand it, rookie. Enhanced physiology burns through nutrients like wildfire. We need this stuff to keep functioning.”

Lira nodded. “Without it, we’d weaken fast. What about you? You eat way less than us. How are you even standing?”

Arthur shrugged, offering a sheepish smile. “Guess I’m just built different?”

They chuckled, but Arthur’s mind was elsewhere. 

Remembering his interaction with Lira and Kane in the cafeteria “If my body’s been sustaining itself without these massive meals, I must have been absorbing dark energy this whole time. It’s been right under my nose.”

Now Arthur knew why he did not need to consume huge amounts of nutrients, as he must have been absorbing dark energy to substitute for it, so he had this ability from the start, it is just it never occurred to him before.

And Arthur was glad to see he had the [Gene Lock] ability and a huge load just removed from his mind as others would not be able to find out and copy his abilities.

After testing his abilities he went to sleep for the day as tomorrow he will be demonstrating his strength in front of others.

…

The following day, Arthur made his way to the testing and training grounds. The facility was massive, with holographic projectors lining the walls to simulate combat scenarios.

Kael and Lira were running late, but Arthur wasn’t alone for long. Admiral Kane arrived, his imposing figure cutting through the bustle of operatives and scientists.

“Admiral?” Arthur said, surprised. “I didn’t expect you here.”

Kane folded his arms, a rare smile tugging at his lips. “I don’t want to miss this, Arthur. Watching an ECHO’s first real test of strength is always a monumental moment, and I have a feeling yours will be…unique.”

Arthur grinned. “Let’s see if I live up to the hype.”

…

Arthur readied himself to spar with Kael and Lira in a simulated combat scenario. Kael, the resident powerhouse, charged at him with a calculated ferocity, throwing punches that could shatter reinforced steel.

Arthur moved with precision, weaving through the onslaught. His reflexes, sharpened to an almost preternatural degree, allowed him to anticipate every strike. He countered with swift jabs and well-placed kicks that sent Kael stumbling back.

Lira entered the fray, her agility unmatched. She darted around him in a blur, attempting to exploit any openings. Arthur stayed focused, tracking her movements and predicting her attacks with uncanny accuracy.

“Not bad, rookie,” Kael said, grinning as he caught his breath. “But let’s see how you handle this.”

He lunged again, this time coordinating his attacks with Lira. The two of them worked in tandem, their strikes synchronized to overwhelm Arthur.

Arthur’s movements became a blur, his body operating at peak efficiency. He ducked, dodged, and parried with a fluid grace that left the onlookers in awe. Finally, he saw an opening and delivered a spinning kick without putting much strength in it that sent Kael crashing into a nearby wall.

Lira stopped, her hands on her hips. “Okay, that was impressive.”

Kael groaned from the ground. “You’re telling me.”

Then he went on to challenge different enemies in the training hall.

The first challenge was a Class-A holographic enemy, a towering, armored beast wielding a massive hammer. Class-A threats were formidable adversaries, capable of taking down multiple elite soldiers.

The simulation began, and the holographic enemy charged at Arthur. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, delivering a single, earth-shaking punch to its chest. The projection shattered into particles, the sheer force of his attack overwhelming its programming.

The room fell silent. Kael and Lira had arrived just in time to witness the display, their jaws practically hitting the floor.

“Holy…” Kael muttered with cold sweat pouring his back, thankful that Arthur didn’t use his full strength during their spar. “He just one-punched a Class-A.”

Lira blinked, stunned. “That’s…not normal.”

Admiral Kane raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. “Interesting.”

Next came the Class-S threat, a towering, multi-limbed monstrosity that required an entire squad of ten ECHOs to subdue. The room tensed as the simulation began.

The creature attacked with blinding speed, its limbs lashing out in a flurry of deadly strikes. Arthur evaded with ease, his movements a blur as he ducked, weaved, and countered.

“This is perfect,” Arthur thought, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Time to test everything I’ve learned.”

He applied techniques from his three months of training, executing flawless counters, precise strikes, and evasive maneuvers. The fight lasted no more than five minutes, culminating in a devastating punch that shattered the creature’s skull, ending the simulation.

The room erupted into murmurs.

Kael whistled. “That’s…that’s insane. Even I can barely keep track of his movements.”

Lira nodded, her eyes wide. “He’s faster than any ECHO I’ve ever seen.”

Admiral Kane stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Arthur. “You’ve exceeded every expectation, Arthur. Truly remarkable.”

…

With the combat simulations complete, the next tests were straightforward measurements of strength and speed. Operatives calibrated the machines, and Arthur stepped up for his turn.

First, he placed his hands on a pressure plate designed to measure force. With a deep breath, he pushed with all his might.

The machine beeped, displaying the result, 6893 tons.

The room collectively gasped. Even Kael, known for his immense strength, looked astonished.

Next came the speed test. Arthur ran down a track lined with sensors, his form a blur as he pushed himself to his limit. The final result was 355 m/s.

Kael shook his head in disbelief. “That’s…faster than anything we’ve ever seen.”

Lira nodded. “He’s a one-man army.”

…

After the tests, Arthur joined Admiral Kane, Kael, and Lira in the Admiral’s office. The room was lined with holo-screens displaying tactical data and mission reports.

Kane leaned back in his chair, his expression serious. “Arthur, your performance today confirms what we’ve suspected. It’s clear that your abilities go beyond anything we’ve seen in an ECHO.”

Arthur nodded, waiting for him to continue.

“We’re sending you to the frontlines,” Kane said. “A training program for new ECHO recruits against the Chimerians at the edge of the galaxy. You’ll depart in fifteen days. By then, your armor and weapons will be ready.”

Arthur’s heart raced. The Chimerians were a fearsome alien race he’d read about extensively. 

Before leaving, Arthur made a request. “Admiral, could I have access to civilian technologies and research databases? I have taken a liking to studying.” 

Arthur knew they might not give him access to military technologies so he asked for civilian ones and even these would take him a long time to master.

He would consider asking for military technologies after he accumulated some merits in the battlefield.

Kane considered for a moment before nodding. “It’ll be done.”

…

Back in his quarters, Arthur sat on his bed, staring at the glowing holographic panel hovering before him. His thoughts were a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation.

“Fifteen days,” he thought. He will be using most of his time studying the new techs and blueprints for the next fifteen days.

***

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