April flexed her fingers, staring at the faint shimmer of G-force that still clung to them.
The sensation was unlike anything she had felt before—
raw, electric, alive.
Saya shook out her arms, still smirking.
"You're adapting fast. But that wasn't just instinct. Your Gear is trying to show you something."
April swallowed hard, her heart still racing.
"And how the hell am I supposed to understand it?" She asked.
Saya shrugged. "You listen."
"To what?"
Saya tapped her temple. "Your body. Your instincts. The sigil on the back of your head isn't just decoration—it's a conduit. It's your Gear's way of communicating with you."
April exhaled sharply, running a hand through her dull-orange hair.
"Great. So now I have to learn to listen to something that doesn't talk."
Saya chuckled. "That's the idea. And considering you nearly knocked me on my ass, I'd say you're off to a good start."
April narrowed her eyes. "I barely touched you."
"Yeah, this time." Saya turned toward the exit. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we will push harder."
As Saya left, April remained in the training room, staring at her hands.
The G-force had faded, but she could still feel it lingering beneath the surface.
She closed her eyes.
"Listen…," She told herself.
April focused, trying to reach for the same feeling she had during the fight.
The sigil on the back of her head tingled, and for the briefest moment—
A whisper.
It wasn't a voice, not exactly.
It was more like a pulse, a ripple of intent moving through her body.
A feeling of power coiling within her, waiting to be unleashed.
Her breath hitched.
This wasn't just some combat enhancement.
Her Gear wasn't just evolving.
It was changing her.
April barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the pulse again, like a presence just beyond her reach.
By morning, she was already in the training hall, waiting.
Kai walked in, stretching. "You know it's barely dawn, right?"
April ignored him, adjusting the wraps around her hands. "I need to figure this out."
Kai smirked. "Then let's see what you've got."
The spar started of slow. Kai was fast—faster than Saya
-but April could sense his movements before he made them.
April ducked under a high kick, twisted, and landed a sharp strike to Kai's ribs.
Kai grunted but grinned. "Nice—"
April felt it again. The pulse.
This time, she leaned into it.
G-force surged through her limbs.
She pivoted and struck out—faster, harder.
The air cracked as Kai barely blocked in time, the force sending him skidding backward.
He blinked. "Okay. That's new."
April's breathing was steady, controlled. The sigil's whisper was getting clearer.
She was starting to understand.