Ayna felt a disturbance once again as the facility seemed to shake from an intense impact.

  At this point, Dr Xavier Jekyll's anger was apparent, his eyes fixated on her briefly on a large screen as he said, “One, you will remain here for a short period. I have some urgent matters to attend to.”

  Suddenly, the screen sank into the smooth metallic wall and disappeared. The arena became waves of grey metal as the walls shifted and moved, leaving her inside a spacious, circular, metallic room.

  Ayna found herself still, unsure of what further action to take until she received an abrupt notification.

  You have completed the quest [Survive!]

  Congratulations on completing your first quest. Your opportunity is upon you; it is up to you to grasp it. Rewards adjusted.

  Rewards received: The Inventory system is now unlocked. Noxcarp Light Combat Armour Grade III stored in inventory.

  You have gained an abundance of experience towards [Esper (Novice)] and [Soldier (Novice)]

  [Esper (Novice)] has levelled up.

  Lvl 14 > 15

  Energy +5

  Intelligence +2, Willpower +1, Charm +1.

  You have received 2 attribute points.

  [Soldier (Novice)] has levelled up.

  Lvl 11 > 13

  STR + 2 END +2

  You have received 2 attribute points.

  Your reward [x1 Attribute Point has been adjusted to X1 Skill Point]

  Would you like to use one skill point to advance the General Skill [Mental Resistance {MAX}] to [Advanced Mental Resistance {Lvl1}]?

  Mental Resistance? Max?

  Why can't I remember acquiring such a skill?

  Resistances were General Skills gained passively from resisting a specific attribute; they were notoriously difficult to progress, and for her to have a maxed-out skill in Mental Resistance was absurd.

  That would take an absurd amount of time to progress and would require me to be targeted by someone of absurdly strong means for it to advance to the maximum level so swiftly.

  Mental Resistance was very hard to progress and rare because mental influence abilities are difficult to acquire, and Metahumans generally have a high natural resistance to it, making them unlikely targets.

  Players acquire resistance abilities more easily than natives, though even they find it challenging to progress, and Mental Resistance was usually acquired by influential natives who had the means to progress it.

  Even as an F grade for me to…

  At that point, the interface prompted her to advance her Mental Resistance skill, and Ayna knew she could not delay any longer.

  You have used x1 Skill Point. [Mental Resistance {MAX}] has been advanced and replaced with [Advanced Mental Resistance {Lvl1}].

  Ayna felt as if a fog had lifted off her mind even further; it then began to dawn on her how wrong things truly were.

  All those months she had spent in the facility flashed by, and she realised how idle she had been. Outside of training and being the ideal test subject, what had she been doing?

  Ayna's memories flashed back to the first time she and Dr Xavier made eye contact.

  Is that why I have acted as if everything is normal? Is that why I have not broken down?

  She began to understand that the primary reason behind her adapting so well was outside influence from the beginning.

  Though she wanted to credit herself with being mentally strong and flexible, she knew the way she had been acting over the past few months was anything but normal.

  How strong is Dr Xavier? How much does he know? Does he have an idea of the system? If so, is that why the prompts are so strange? Has he been adjusting my memories the entire time?

  It made Ayna want to panic. Even now, without Dr Xavier's direct influence, she felt her newfound resistance skill, even a tier above what it was before, struggle against him.

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  All I need is time and strength. I know the perfect means to advance the Mental Resistance skill even further, and every advancement in grade will make it even more difficult for Dr Xavier to influence me. All I need to do is get out of here, and I will be able to make myself effectively immune to even the strongest mental manipulations, preventing such a thing reoccuring.

  Even in her current state, she was highly resistant, which meant Dr Xavier was likely an A-grade, perhaps even stronger, to control so many C-rankers like nothing.

  She was fortunate that his manipulations of her were rather subtle; he seemed to want her to retain most of her mind; he just made her more adaptable and made her adjust to her newfound world and situation instantly.

  Ayna decided to allocate all her available stat points to willpower, which passively increases her resistance to mental manipulation.

  Now, how do I get out of this prison?

  At that point, she was reminded of her new trait and decided to check its description swiftly.

  Traits:

  Adaptable Physiology: Your body is malleable and responsive in handling the powers of differing natures. You have an advantage in learning and adapting to new powers and elements. Despite a myriad of differing elements, your body has perfect harmony. Abilities that are of a lower level than your strongest ability will receive improved efficiency in progression. The larger the gap in levels, the higher the bonus to learning speed.

  The new trait seemed responsive to the differing natures of her two current Esper Powers.

  Something else described in the trait also surprised and excited her.

  Cyrokinesis, thus Ice Affinity improves more swiftly until it reaches a similar level to Pyrokinesis, her Fire Affinity skill?

  Now that would be helpful and would assist in catching up on levels when she gains further future powers.

  That left her newly unlocked Inventory. This was usually accessed much earlier in the game and was a large grid of empty slots, except for one.

  She had no idea why she had not questioned it until now.

  Currently, there are five spaces down and eight across, for a total of forty. These slots expand and improve every time she moves up in grade. There was also a currency counter, depicting her number of Galactic Credits, a universal currency in most sections of the galaxy.

  Currently, the only item in there was her newly received Noxcarp Light Combat Armour Grade III.

  She wanted to put on the armour right away, yet felt nervous about Dr Xavier making an appearance at any moment and having to explain herself to him. She knew if he realised his hold over her mind had begun to slacken, he would put new measures in place.

  Suddenly, a change occurred in the arena: a section opened, and the large steel doors she had entered earlier began to open.

  Ayna felt far different from how she had entered, though. She had gained many levels, and her mindset was far less accommodating toward Dr Xavier than it had been, yet these feelings did not matter in the face of true power.

  Yet, to her confusion, shortly after the doors opened, a red alarm began blaring in the facility.

  Two large Automatron came storming in with urgency as their mechanical voices said, “One, you are ordered to follow us! Dr Xavier has…”

  Instantly, a burst of intense lightning emerged, sending both of the machines flying sideways as the familiar figure of Stormflash emerged.

  Stormflash had sparks in his eyes and felt far more intense than she had ever seen him as he walked in with purpose.

  “Stormflash?” Ayna said questionably, unsure what to make of what was happening.

  “We have no time. However, you are different? How did you break free? I was trapped for so long until…” Stormflash said before shaking his head, lost in thought.

  Ayna had no idea how to continue their conversation; her mind kept thinking, Is this real, or some trap by Dr Xavier?

  “Those Automatron, did Dr Xavier?” She asked with a measured tone, unsure whose side he was truly on.

  Stormflash laughed at that, his rugged features relaxed as a charming smile appeared as he said, “You do not need to put up an act. Dr Xavier is the strongest known Psionic in the Federation database. I do not know how you escaped his control, yet we need to get out of here before...”

  Abruptly, an intense shake occurred, followed by a loud explosion.

  Suddenly, numerous Automatrons began to enter, eyes flared red in hostility as they said, “Stormflash! You are designated a threat and have disobeyed Dr Xavier's direct command! Hand over Test Subject One immediately, or you shall be eliminated!”

  Ayna went pale at the sheer number of the machines, each far stronger than the ones she had fought in the arena.

  Stormflash, on the other hand, smiled carefreely as he replied, “Is this it? Looks like the situation is worse than I thought, good for us, we may actually have a chance!”

  Ayna was about to respond, "What do you mean? This is it?" Though she was soon answered.

  Ayna found herself reminded just how strong a C-rank super was.

  Stormflash began releasing large bolts of lightning at will, manipulating surges of electricity as he fried the Automatrons' systems, causing them to explode in a mishmash of parts.

  There must have been rows and rows of Automatrons, including tens of advanced models of the versions she fought. However, none of them proved a match as Stormflash moved in a whirlwind of action, generating shields of electricity that absorbed and reflected various energy beams and blasts of elemental projectiles launched by the Automatrons.

  Ayna found herself dumbfounded as everything around her was swiftly torn apart.

  Moreover, she and her nearby surroundings were protected in an airtight bubble, with the Automatrons unable to even threaten her in the slightest, as one by one they were blown to smithereens without nearing her.

  As the final Automatron was dealt with, its cold mechanical voice sounded, “You shall be dealt with. You think you can escape? You are ours to...”

  Stormflash did not even let the machine finish as he stomped on its head, crushing it.

  Turning his head back to her, his dark blue hair crackled with sparks as his ice-cold blue eyes fixated on her, “Trust me now? If you want to leave here, we have to move now. I have no idea who will emerge victorious, yet either one won't prove good for either of us.”

  Either one?

  Is Dr Xavier in the midst of confronting something?

  What could be strong enough to pose a threat to the strongest known Psionic?

  Ayna only knew of one being. And if so, she was already hastily moving to follow Stormflash.

  Observing her, he smiled, “Good choice.”

  A flicker of darkness appeared in his eyes as he said that, yet neither of the duo proved the wiser as they began moving through the facility.