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.

    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.''