At so point, my Aura projection faded into darkness with my consciousness. The pain had eventually subsided and I was so exhausted I didn’t really have a choice.
I didn’t know how long I slept, but when I finally woke up, I realized I had my senses back.
Yet I couldn’t quite use the one I was most eager to test since my entire face was wrapped up.
Even my body felt as tender as my face, every touch with the bed and sheer sheets they laid over overstimulating my nerves.
Not only that, but when I tried moving my limbs, they didn’t feel like my own body parts. re twitches of the fingers ca with such chanical ease, clarity, and precision they felt completely alien.
And my movents didn’t go unnoticed. I heard a voice not long after.
“John? He’s awake!”
“Seems so. Ti to finish this up then.”
I heard Terrace’s voice before feeling a hand grab my own. It was Umara’s.
“Can you hear John?”
I nodded slowly in response to her question, feeling the muscles in my neck move with unerring responses to my subconscious desires.
At the sa ti I could tell just how unbelievably sensitive my hearing was. Every tremor in the room sounded like it was right next to , every breath, even their very heartbeats. Their voices rang in my ears like they were yelling, yet it didn’t feel like too much to handle.
Like that, I felt the wrap around my head get taken off. It wasn’t long before I was able to see again.
And what appeared in my vision was quite the… sight.
Umara was the first person I saw, and yet I almost thought I was looking at a whole different person. The image of her was so clear that I thought I could see the cells that composed her skin.
And the colors all around were so vivid. The color depth that I was experiencing had to have exponentially increased. In fact, I soon realized that I was seeing more than just colors. Dare I say, I could actually just barely see the Magika in the atmosphere, sothing that could only be sensed by my Aura before.
It felt like a whole new world had opened up to , as if I had been looking through an unfocused lens all this ti and suddenly got upgraded to the best.
My field of view was widened, the range of light I could see expanded, the resolution multiplied, and even magical power beca sowhat visible.
Once my nose was uncovered, A whole host of slls slamd into like I had gotten the nose of a dog, though the amplification was quite subdued compared to my vision or hearing.
My mouth was already uncovered, and I didn’t imdiately taste or sense anything different. All my teeth were there and my tongue still functioned as normal.
Or, at least I thought it did. But then I felt sothing odd and stuck my tongue out.
I could swear it wrapped under my chin, Umara recoiling from the sight in front of .
“...Why the hell did you make my tongue so long?”
“That’s the first thing you say when you wake up? Every sense of yours has been enhanced. You should be thanking .”
Maxwell scoffed from the side, my tongue slithering around before getting pulled back into my mouth.
I suddenly smiled at Umara.
“You’re going to enjoy that later.”
“O-Okay?”
“Tsk, kids.”
Terrace clicked his tongue, walking up to and handing a mirror.
“Here. Your eyes are different. You should know what they look like.”
“Oh. Wow.”
My brows raised when I saw myself.
My eyes used to be hazel, but now, they were a bold golden color. Not only that, but they seed to be a bit larger as well.
The pupil and iris filled a much larger area, so the eyeball wasn’t necessarily bigger. There was just less visible sclera. If my mory served right, these eyes were identical to the Royal’s, at least in appearance.
Functionally, I could dilate and contract my pupil if I really focused. I could kind of feel the muscles in the eye, and by manipulating that feeling, I could focus in on sothing.
I looked off toward a wall of the room, focusing my eye and watching as my vision effectively zood in. I focused on a seam of the stone wall, able to see even the tiniest details of its surface and variations in the coloration. I even noticed that we were in a different room.
And that was just from a casual glance. I suddenly wanted to go outside and see for myself the extent of this enhancent.
But when I tried to get up, I found that my body was far more sensitive than I initially thought. Controlling my own limbs felt difficult, and the slightest change in touch made so uncomfortable that it was painful.
Terrace put his hand on my shoulder.
“Relax. Your body needs ti to adjust. I want you in bed for at least the next day. After that you can start moving around. At that ti you’ll need assistance until you can function on your own, so if necessary, I can give you a doctor.”
“Maybe. We’ll see how I feel.”
“Mm. You did well, getting through that. You seem to be fine, but take a week to wind down. It can be a traumatic experience, especially what you went through.”
“Yeah, especially when there’s no numbing agent.”
“Sorry about that.”
Terrace looked apologetic.
“So people outright refuse to get the operation done due to expectations of pain. Unfortunately, there’s nothing I could’ve given you to dull that beyond what the paralytic solution gave. So I felt like it was better if I didn’t tell you at all.”
“...Whatever.”
I let out a breath and looked away.
If I was being honest, that pissed off. Fighting through all that pain while paralyzed was sothing I never wanted to experience again. Thankfully, I would never have to as this was the only modification to sensory organs I would ever get for the rest of my life.
But I felt so ntally drained, and it wasn’t from the operation. That level of pain seed to age a few decades, and he was right in that it would take ti to get over it.
Maybe my attitude was just bad because of it all, but I didn’t really feel like I could look at him. And refusing to thank him would temporarily be my way of expressing my anger.
I raised my hand to my face, touching it and feeling all the odd sensations. It would take ti to get used to this.
“Well, with that, the operation is complete. You’re free now, but since you’ll be staying here, I’ll have soone bring you food. Just make sure not to bite your tongue. Seriously. I’ve done tongue enhancents before and all of them bit theirs. One girl even bit off the end of hers. So just take it slow.”
“Hm.”
I nodded as Terrace left.
That’s when Maxwell spoke in explanation.
“The enhancents you got are obvious, but I should notify you about the one I added. The injections we did across your spine and limbs consisted of the spinal fluid of a Shrike. These beasts are known for their agility and are incredibly difficult to catch because of it. Anyway, that has given you greater agility and fine movents, especially in your hands where I thought you could use it most. You will find that your dexterity has beco a magnitude better, and thus your capacities to utilize the ti dilation effects of your coat are much more thorough. The Crown was effectively ti dilation but for your body instead of your mind. However, you will need to figure out how to use it. It may be a while before you can even sense the ability.”
“I see.”
I lifted the hand that wasn’t holding Umara’s, waving around my fingers. They still felt foreign, but I was already adapting.
“Thank you, sir. This honestly is a great enhancent. I appreciate you helping .”
“Don’t worry, you earned it. Your next Crown won’t co for a long ti, because now, the only ones that will afford you any significant enhancents are the ones with great strength and vitality. Those will be valuable since they will increase your odds of survival, but even that is limited. You will want to beco as powerful as possible and go through as many temperings as you can, because your level of Vigor will determine how strong of a Crown you can receive of that nature. Another type of Crown will be one that enhances your ntal faculties, but those that will be able to et your future standards are extrely rare and even more difficult to acquire. So from now on, just focus on your summoning.”
“I will. Thanks.”
My nod was accompanied by a smile. My strength had been advancing rapidly, and if I was being honest, the operation actually helped a bit with advancing.
I was filled with so much Psyka from the White Crystal that a huge chunk of my cultivation had been done for . Now, I just needed to comprehend the rest of the formation and I would beco an Authority 5. I didn’t think that would take very long.
At that mont, an attendant walked into the room with so food.
This room was one of the normal ones within the dical wing of the building, the bed being far softer and comforting than the operating table. There were also so nice facilities, including an incredibly opulent chair that I guessed was Maxwell’s.
I took the tray of food, finding so small but tender chunks of at in a broth and so other bite sized treats.
My two guests let take so bites in silence, and that was when I finally got to appreciate the enhanced taste. I savored each bite by wrapping my tongue around everything that entered my mouth.
Talk about an unnecessary enhancent, though I wasn’t complaining; neither would Umara.
At so point, Maxwell stood.
“I’ll leave you alone for now. Tomorrow I’ll head back to the Capital. Just focus on recovering.”
“Mm. Thank you.”
“You keep thanking .”
“Because I’m thankful for what you’re doing for .”
“Hm.”
He humd while retrieving the chair, leaving the room.
Umara watched his back as the door closed before looking at .
“He’s not a very expressive man, is he?”
“Eh, he’s just got his own way of doing things.”
“Right. So, how are you doing?”
She scooted to my side, leaning against my shoulder all cutely.
I smiled.
“I’m alright. I think I’m distracted enough by the new sensations to not focus too much on the lingering terror.”
I felt the vivid mories resurface for a mont. Honestly, the ocular injection itself wasn’t a fraction as bad as what ca after.
“I’ve been through a lot of pain in my life, both things I’ve forced myself through as well as things that were inflicted onto . But that was sothing else entirely. And being paralyzed like that only made it worse. It's hard to describe, but I sincerely hope I never go through sothing like that again.”
“Mm. I hope so as well. If I’m honest, I got a bit scared watching you go through all that. Your face was bleeding a lot. I could only imagine how agonizing it all must’ve been. I just hope you find it worth the pain.”
“Ti will tell.”
I let out a long breath. I didn’t want to act like temporary pain would suddenly make a permanent benefit less valuable, but that temporary pain was horrendous enough for the thought to cross my mind.
Perhaps it was a good thing that I wasn’t told about it, and that I was paralyzed. As Terrace said, it wasn’t really my choice at that point. It made feel a tiny bit better. Only a tiny bit though.
After so silence, Umara muttered.
“I’d like to apologize.”
“For?”
“I was a bit mad at you for what you said earlier, about your history. I have to admit that I really didn’t like it. But I spoke with Vetsmon and he helped realize that sothing like that has no bearing on us. So I apologize for ever thinking that it did.”
“...Well, I suppose I’ll accept that apology.”
I smiled a bit and licked my spoon clean.
“I’ve never been so in love and so heavily invested in anyone else that I’d talked about marrying them like with you. I’m going to trust you intrinsically, and love you unconditionally. And so long as I’m able to continue doing that, then I will be marrying you in the future. You got that?”
“Y-Yes.”
She nodded, her Aura giving away her feelings of joy and erratic heartbeat.
That felt good to see, and is also when I noticed how unbelievably sharp my Aura was. But that was an analysis for another ti.
I chuckled a bit.
“Good. Now, I’d pin you down and test out this new tongue of mine, but I’m kind of immobile right now and want to eat my food.”
“I can help with that.”
“But I want to eat my food.”
“Hm, the food isn’t going anywhere.”
She suddenly grabbed my tray and set it aside, straddling from the front.
“If I understand this situation correctly, I can do whatever I want to you, and there’s nothing you can do right now to stop ?”
“Sothing like that.”
“Hmm, then I think I’m going to enjoy you for a little while.”
She leaned in, but at that mont, we heard a noise.
*Knock Knock*
“...Dammit.”
She cursed before letting out a long sigh, making smile.
“Who’s that?”
“I forgot that I asked Vetsmon to co. Tana is here too.”
“How long was I out?”
“From the start of the operation, about three days have passed.”
She responded while walking to the door and opening it, letting Vetsmon and Tana.
Surprisingly, Feiden was with them.
“Hello!”
“Hey guys.”
“How’s the bossman doing?”
“Getting better.”
Feiden and I clasped hands before giving a quick hug.
I recoiled a bit from it, not to ntion the weakness pervading my body.
“Careful guys. He’s sensitive.”
Umara chuckled while handing back my tray of food. I ate the rest of what was left while watching the others.
Vetsmon’s brows raised.
“Your eyes. They’re golden now.”
“Mm. Just like the Royal.”
“How much better are they?”
“Just from the couple hours I’ve been awake, they’re already a few magnitudes better. I’m basically a Scout now.”
“Hm, I can’t imagine what you’re going to be able to do now. I’m a bit excited for the next ti we deploy to the frontlines.”
Vetsmon rubbed his chin in thought, Feiden tilting his head.
“We have the tournant first.”
“Oh yeah, forgot about that.”
“What’s the deal with that anyway?”
I asked, prompting an explanation.
“The tournant is just that. The entire school competes in a few different categories. There’s the Warlock, Knight, and Summoner divisions to determine the best in each one. Then there’s the Champion Tournant where everyone regardless of type shoots for the crowned title.”
“It already started a day ago, but the Elites are exempt from the preliminaries, going straight to the semi-finals for the division tournants. We’ll need to be back in a week in order to compete. The Champion Tournant happens after all of those conclude.”
“Do you think you’re going to compete?”
Vetsmon asked , causing to shake my head with a baffled look on my face.
“Are you kidding? Hell no. I’m not trying to accidentally kill soone.”
“I guess. It would be pretty cool though. You’d probably be able to take the Crowned Title if you didn’t hold back.”
“I just need to get through the rest of this year. I don’t care about so school ga. Besides, I’d rather train. I’m really close to Authority 5.”
“Already?”
Umara asked in surprise.
“Yeah. That operation packed full of Psyka, and I had a dream while I was sleeping, though I can’t really rember it. Give a week or so and I’ll advance.”
“You should focus on recovery.”
“I know. I factored that in.”
“Just making sure.”
We nudged each other before Feiden asked.
“When are you going to recover?”
“ntally, not for a while. Physically, I should be good to move around normally in a day. Until then I can’t really move though, so unfortunately I can’t go anywhere with you guys.”
“That’s alright. We’ll just have so fun here.”
“A dical room isn’t very fun.”
“No reason we can’t make it work.”
He smiled before grabbing a seat, the others following suit.
I smiled and relaxed. It was nice having good friends.
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