CHAPTER 25: CH 25: ADAPT.

Levi had just sat down, casually glancing around at the trainees as they moved and spoke.

Particularly a platinum short haired blonde, eyes like clear crystal lake with her lips pressed into a firm line as she stared back at him.

’Why the hell is she looking at me?’

He thought just before he averted his gaze.

Right before Jace slid into the seat next to him.

He didn’t waste a minute before pushing Levi’s food aside.

"Alright. This is how we get into the archives..."

Levi blinked twice, before regaining composure, "That was quick."

Jace continued, "The archives aren’t here, but I do know where they are—"

"Where?"

Levi didn’t let him finish.

"There’s a certain L.U.X administrative hall that has all its dirty secrets locked in the basement and it’s practically impenetrable."

Levi cut in, brows furrowed, "Thought this was good news?"

He raised a finger, stopping him, "It is and isn’t, Look there’s no way we can break into a L.U.X base... But there is a gala happening there in about a month."

Levi’s expression deflated, "We both know there’s no way they’re letting me go to a gala nor do I want to go—"

"That’s what I thought too but recent news says that the heads want you at the gala and as long as you can prove that you’re uhmm... Stable, then you’ll come and we can get the archives together."

Levi sighed.

"So you mean I’ll have to pretend I don’t want to kill everyone for a month."

Jace moved closer, "Not just that, you have to pretend you’re fully L.U.X and mean it."

And with that Jace stood, patted him on the shoulder and left.

Levi watched his figure walk away with the thought in mind, ’How am I gonna deal with this?’

He turned his gaze back to the girl who was previously staring at him but she was gone.

He sighed once more before finishing his food and leaving for his room.

He stepped into the quiet of his room, the silence wrapping around him like a blanket. With a weary sigh, he collapsed onto the bed, letting the darkness cradle him into sleep.

---

The steam of the practically boiling water rose to the sky, she held it inches from her face.

~Splash.~

She overturned the bucket over his body in one rapid motion.

Levi immediately raised his upper body, feeling every cell in his body stinging.

He jumped out of bed, waving his body into the air and finally turned to see who drenched him in hot water.

’Of fucking course... Goddamn witch.’

He cursed internally but just gritted his teeth on the outside.

Selene stood there, bucket in hand and an expressionless face like she hadn’t just snuck into someone’s room and drenched in boiling water.

Levi was visibly reddening, from head to chest on fire.

It took about a minute before he finally started to cool down.

He leaned against the wall, opening and closing his mouth, not knowing exactly what to say.

She rolled her eyes at the sight, "You’re pissed right? You’re angry? Use that. Cause now we train. Follow me."

She turned on her heels and walked out of the room.

He waited, still completely lost of words, ’What did I get myself into?’

But after arguing with himself walked out following her.

The place was weirdly silent, there were no windows or outside lights so as far as he knew no clocks so he assumed everyone else was still asleep.

They made their way back to the training room.

She waited at the door, gesturing for him to walk in first as usual.

He stepped in, moving cautiously in case she had something in store for him again.

"Relax,"

She waved her hand, gesturing him to come closer.

He closed the distance between them.

she reached for the weapon rack retrieving what looked like a metallic belt— segmented with a circular buckle.

She raised it to his view.

"You’re going to learn how to fight like a vampire whether you like to or not."

’Oh, shit. I have a bad feeling about this.’

She wrapped the belt round his waist before clicking it shut, raising a finger before pushing the centre of the buckle.

~BOOM!~

Immediately, his knees buckled. The floor rose to meet him as though an invisible weight chained him down and had pressed its hand against his shoulders.

The crack beneath him visibly cracked, forming a slight crater and leaking spiderwebbed cracks out.

His body screamed, every bone suddenly heavier, every breath a task. He barely caught himself before collapsing.

"That," Selene said coolly, "is a gravity artifact. It emulates up to three times normal gravity... And is half of today’s training."

Levi gritted his teeth, feeling the unbearable pressure around him, "HALF! Why are you trying to kill me? And does it always seem like you’re enjoying this?"

It was clear she was, the smile was back on her face and too clear to deny so she pretended she didn’t hear him.

She continued, "The only reason why your healing is so advanced is because of all the hits you’ve taken so what if we improve your strength and speed...

Make your body feel like this is the new normal so when you take it off it’ll feel like you’re lighting fast... Maybe even B-Class speed."

With every single muscle flexed, every vein surfaced and a dangerously red exterior, Levi still spoke, "So your brilliant plan is too leave me here for hours and hope I’ll get used to it?"

She shot up a brow, remembering something.

"You’re right, the chances of that are still low, you know for evolution and adaptation to occur the body has to really need it...

But you’re just standing there. That’s not really a perilous condition now is it?

Give me a second."

She sprinted off.

Levi still stood there, feeling like his body was about to explode from the immense pressure imposed on him.

Then he heard it—

The mechanical whirl of the gauntlets.

Selene finally returned, with the gauntlets in hand.

Heavy yet sculpted with a lightweight alloy. Thin neon lines trace along the seams, pulsing gently with electric blue light.

She finally met his widened eyes, "This is how we make your body feel like this is life or death."

He blinked twice, "Life or death? Because you’re gonna kill me?"

She smirked.

"Only if you don’t adapt. So you better adapt."