"You're sure you want to do this?"
Kai stood with Omilaena and Tusquo in one of the innermost chambers of the Irunian government building. Omilaena was in full research mode, with her goggles on and her syringes arranged. She had argued against using Tusquo for the first experiment, but he was adamant, even now.
"If my opinion means anything," Omilaena said, "I wouldn't start with you. We can test the principle on someone weaker with less to lose."
"If it isn't safe for me, it shouldn't be injected into any Irunian." Tusquo removed his shirt and carefully set it aside in a folded square before he sat down in the center of the floor. "Are you ready to begin?"
"Just a little longer."
It had already taken quite a while, by Kai's judgment. Omilaena had drawn blood from various Irunians, including those with G-rank and E-rank Physique, gradually refining her conclusions. The difficult part had been to develop the next step, an injection that would enhance them. Now it was ready - hopefully - for someone like Tusquo locked at rank F-9.
"Maybe we should review the theory," Kai said. "Tusquo has to make some choices while advancing, after all."
"I think the details will be too technical, but sure." Omilaena set aside her syringe and drew the strange diagram she used as a reference for her theories, then showed it for Tusquo. "There are seven different fundamental components of power. Everyone here treats the Irunian ability as something like a Class or an Elemental ability, but that's not right: it's Essence."
"You aren't summoning steel into existence, the steel is part of your nature. So it doesn't grow like cultivation or many other abilities because you need to improve that essence, either by absorbing or enhancing. This isn't unprecedented by any means. Demonic arts develop by absorbing essence from others, while species like lamias that have intrinsic essence grow theirs over time."
"But your little injection will help us?"
"It should. Think about it this way... Irunian steel isn't strong because it has mana or chakra, it's because its essence has been fundamentally enhanced. You could think of it as 'more steel than steel' on a spiritual level."
"We have been practicing the Path of Steel for many years," Tusquo said. "I would be... almost disappointed if you could uncover something new in just a month."
"Here in Deadwaste, it seems like your only option is to grow your essence slowly. But you should be able to improve yourself by extracting and refining the steel before re-injecting it." Omilaena held up her syringe, which glistened with liquid Irunian steel. "If I'm right, this will force your body to adapt and improve itself. I'm sure it won't kill you, but there are so many unknown variables, we need more data from someone on either side of an advancement. Which is why I suggest you wait."
"No." Tusquo squared his shoulders. "I will be the test case."
"Fine, if you insist. Give me a while longer to warm it up."
Omilaena wandered away from them and began tapping at her syringe. She'd mentioned to Kai that this was more like chakra than mana, so she could add some of her own energy to push things along, but she was uncertain about the process. Hopefully she cared enough about Tusquo, or at least her own research, to get it right.
For some time Tusquo sat completely stone-faced, but eventually he spoke softly, just to Kai. "You believe this is the best path forward?"
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"I think so." Kai realized that the other man was anxious, despite his expression. "She injected me too, to help me get to D-rank Physique. She might seem to take things casually, but she's very serious about her work. Someone has to be the first to try, and I respect that you want to be that someone."
"I can't let you stay so far ahead." Tusquo looked up at him with sharp eyes. "Your Physique alone is stronger than me. Hopefully this will help us compete with everyone else."
"Don't focus on the broad political stuff. You should worry about your own body and Physique."
"My body is Irun." Tusquo closed his eyes, apparently at peace with his decision.
Eventually Omilaena turned back with a syringe filled with bright silver liquid. She got one final confirmation from Tusquo, then injected it into the largest vein on his arm. Despite everything Kai had said, for a moment Kai worried he'd see the other man suffer. But instead of harming him, the injection seemed to spread a new strength through him, first his arm and then the rest of his body.
"I will... advance now..." Tusquo barely managed to grunt the words and then threw his head back, his body convulsing as he strained to reach the next stage in Physique.
Kai had come along to provide support, but at this point he was pretty much useless. It all came down to Omilaena's work and Tusquo's own endurance. He seemed to be suffering a more painful advancement than normal, mana flaring throughout his body. Instead of just merging with his flesh to reinforce it, the energy seemed to be sinking into something deeper.
"I'm right." Omilaena was muttering to herself with a small smile. "It's not perfect, but I'm right. If 'Essence' is a principle, it explains so much..."
"So are chakra arts based on Essence?" Kai asked. "All these terms could get confusing."
"Hush. I'll figure out the terminology some other time, once I'm sure of the details."
The process finally completed and Tusquo's mana flared one more time. Then he sat up slowly and took a deep breath. It looked like he'd reached E-Rank Physique, but more importantly there was some deeper shift within him. Nothing Kai could see in his spiritual sight, yet his instincts told him it was there.
"This isn't quite enough." Tusquo folded his legs and concentrated. "The power I felt before... it's only partially settled..."
"I was afraid of that, but we can deal with it." Omilaena swept to his side and quickly extracted more of his blood - it now looked dark and almost silvery. After rapidly repeating her chakra processes, she injected it back into his other arm. Tusquo immediately took a massive breath.
"Yes." He clenched his eyes and grimaced for several seconds, then when he opened his eyes, they had changed to a dark gray.
"Holy shit, it worked." Omilaena took a step back and then began walking around him, admiring her work. "Unless you're feeling poisoned or like you're about to die, this is what we were going for."
Tusquo rose to his feet and examined his arms as he flexed them. "I feel something new, both body and soul. It looks like... 'Ironpath Physique' seems like the right label."
As soon as he said the name, Kai interpreted the new symbols in the other man's soul the same way.
Ironpath Physique (+10)
"I have a visceral understanding of it now." Tusquo generated a sphere of metal in his palm and then clenched the hand. "It doesn't strengthen the Path of Steel, but the Path now strengthens me."
"Looks like it," Kai said with a grin. "Congratulations."
"Thank you. Thank you both. I will... require some time to contemplate this."
They stepped away from him in order to let the Irunian test out his new Physique. Omilaena looked incredibly pleased with herself as they moved to the side of the room. She had been working without sleep recently, focused on her own obsession, so it was good to see her relaxed.
"I'm glad the theory is sound," she said, "but I'd expected it to be stronger. Just 10 Power?"
"That's still significant," Kai countered. "Aside from any other benefits, that's an improvement of... what, five or six percent?"
"Look at you, doing math!" Omilaena checked her hip against his playfully. "I just don't think this is the full potential. Perhaps it has to do with-"
"It can be trained." Tusquo interrupted them, apparently having heard their whispered conversation. His smile was small, but shocking on his usually neutral features. "You said this Ironpath Physique is a natural part of our bodies... I'm confident it can be strengthened. I will not waste this gift."
Omilaena waved him away. "Oh, you don't have to thank me. It was a fun project and this is the first time I've really put theory to use."
"Are there any other synergies we could take advantage of?"
"I'm sure this is just the start. Really understanding what power means is the key to unlocking so much... but can I actually pull off anything now? This was probably easier than average, so no, this is all I can manage for the near future."
"It could still be enough." Tusquo tightened his fist. "Enough for Irun."
For him, that might be the answer for his own advancement and the future of his people. But even though Kai was happy for his friend, he found himself looking at Omilaena instead, just wondering what else they might unlock in the future.