"Understood." Kohta looked down, then back up at him, a determined expression on his round face.
Rei looked torn. She felt bad for taking the core. Her friend didn't seem all that disappointed on the outside, but it was obvious that inside, it must've stung a little. Still, Tysone's promise was enough for him. Kohta had proved himself multiple times. In fact, he was the undisputed backbone of the entire group, and there was no way any one of them could have necessarily lived through those horrible ordeals without him. He did his fair share, and everyone knew it.
So she picked up the core. Its weight was surprisingly substantial. "Th-thank you!" She bowed, trying to maintain her composure, but couldn't quite manage it. Excitement was written all over her face. The excitement of not being left behind and the expectation of the power-up was almost overwhelming.
She sat down in her seat and placed the core into her palm. For some strange reason, it felt warm. As if it were alive and pulsating with a gentle energy. Rei glanced at Tysone, hesitantly, like a child asking permission for a glass of juice.
He gave her a reassuring nod.
Takashi was looking down at his own, smiling like a giddy fool. He had proven that he'd make use of the power-up to the fullest of his ability and had achieved a level of maturity that surpassed his earlier incompetency. Clearly, he was still an idealistic fool by heart, but he was a good one. Tysone knew that Takashi, as the original protagonist of this world, could be trusted. It was not only mere canon knowledge, but also a gut feeling, like a hunch.
Rei and Takashi's breaths grew heavy with anticipation and excitement. As far as they knew, this was their first experience. Their first high from going from an ordinary human to something beyond. Certainly, not on the same scale as Tysone, but something significant nonetheless.
"So, how do we...?" Rei asked, looking between the core and Tysone.
"Just crush it." Tysone answered simply.
Rei and Takashi looked at each other. They both took a deep breath. It was a small thing, really, a small black crystal that fit in the palm of their hands. Would it even be easy to crush? Turns out that, yes, it was.
Takashi went first. He closed his hand around it, and squeezed. Hard enough for his knuckles to turn white.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a series of cracks echoed in the silent room. The core shattered, its black shards turning into a fine, black dust that was instantly absorbed into the cuts inside his palm.
Takashi's eyes widened. A wave of energy, hot and potent, surged through him. It was like a small fire had been lit in his veins. He could feel the heat flowing through every fiber of his being. The process wasn't intense like he expected. It was weird, oddly pleasant in a way, like chugging down a good energy drink.
His pulse skyrocketed. A strange warmth settled in his chest. He felt… stronger. Not to the point where he could bend steel, but certainly an improvement. It wasn't much.
"Holy shit..." He breathed, looking at his hands. He clenched and unclenched them, eyes darting around to find anything to test his new powers.
Rei followed suit. She squeezed her core, and it shattered just as easily. The black dust seeped into her skin, sending another jolt of energy into her body.
The pleasure wasn't instant, but once she opened her eyes, Rei felt it. Her eyes grew wide, a huge grin stretched across her face. "Wow... so this is what it feels like? To have powers?" She wondered out loud.
A vague sensation began in her gut. Something soft and bubbly.
"Damn, I'm envious." Miku sighed with a mixture of awe and envy.
"Well, she deserved it." Mai shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't worry. We're all in line."
"I can't wait to have one..." Yumi chirped. She, like many others, had a hungry look in her eyes.
Even Zeke, the darn dog, trotted around and barked at Tysone's leg, as if saying "Me too! Me too!"
Tysone chuckled. "Patience, little guy. I'm not sure if cores work on dogs. We'll have to find a canine zombie with a core, maybe." Though, it wasn't a bad idea, actually? A loyal, powerful zombie dog could be a good companion. However, he didn't know if a core would change the dog's behavior and loyalty.
After all, there were still many unknowns.
But it was something worth trying a little down the road.
"A zombie dog?" Kohta's eyes lit up behind his glasses. "The king of destruction's reign of terror will extend to the canine kingdom! Hahahaha!"
Tysone rolled his eyes at the otaku's dramatics.
Marin popped up behind Rei, eyes gleaming. "So, so? How do you feel? Any tingles? Any new powers? C'mon, spill!"
Rei stretched her arms, feeling the newfound energy. "I feel... lighter? It's like I've been carrying weights my whole life, and now they're gone." She then looked down at her hands, a small, almost shy smile on her face. "And I feel... warm. All over. It feels nice."
Takashi nodded in agreement, his own excitement barely contained. "Me too. And I feel... stronger. A lot stronger." A lot was an overstatement here, it might've been the rush of adrenaline and the still vivid sensations of the power-up. But the effects weren't negligible, as they'd come to find out soon.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still have a lot to learn about these abilities." Saya interjected, pushing her glasses up her nose. "More importantly, try not to charge headfirst into a horde just because you feel a bit stronger. You're not invincible."
"Yes, ma'am." Takashi and Rei replied in unison, their faces a little flushed. Saya was right. They were still learning. They were still vulnerable.
The rest of the day was a whirlwind of activity. The newly-evolved Takashi and Rei, under Tysone's and Saeko's watchful eyes, were put through a series of tests to gauge their new abilities.
Both of them tried taking on Saeko's in a sparring match, just to be swiftly defeated, their wooden weapons clattering against her training sword.
"Focus on your footwork." Saeko advised, her voice calm and steady. She had them both panting and sweating within minutes. "Your increased strength means nothing if you can't control it. You're telegraphing your moves. Sloppy."
Takashi gritted his teeth, lunging forward again, only to have Saeko sidestep him effortlessly, her wooden sword tapping him lightly on the back of his head. He stumbled forward, nearly falling.
Rei was faring slightly better. Her movements were more fluid, more graceful. Her spear, a simple broomstick with a sharpened end, was a blur of motion. But Saeko was still on another level.
"Not bad." Saeko said, parrying Rei's thrust with a swift flick of her wrist. "But you're still too predictable. You need to learn to adapt, to improvise. Don't just rely on your strength. Use your speed. Use your agility. They're your main assets, aren't they? Don't try to overpower with strength you do not possess." She continued to lecture them like a seasoned martial arts master. "Use it to create openings. Use it to dodge. Use it to strike and retreat."
Rei nodded, her brow furrowed in concentration. She lunged again, this time feinting to the left before thrusting to the right. Saeko parried the attack, but this time, Rei managed to get away before Saeko could counter.
Tysone watched them from the sidelines, a small smile on his face. They were improving fast. The cores had unlocked their potential, but it was up to them to hone it.
Takashi and Rei continued to train for the rest of the day, their movements becoming more and more refined, more and more controlled. They were still no match for Saeko, but they were getting there.
By the end of the day, they were exhausted, but they were also beaming with pride. They could feel the difference. More importantly, the could be the difference in a fight. Tysone was more relaxed now that they had two more evolved in the group. A lot of the pressure on his shoulders could be evenly distributed to two new powerful assets.
Tysone's group, right now, had a total of four evolved. And as they'd continue on their hunts, he foresaw the entirety of the group having evolved powers. Perhaps even the dog.
Author's Note:
If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at [email protected]/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support.