[Currently, the skill Mortal Harmony Physique is Lv.0 (0%).]
Mortal Harmony Physique.
Harmony Physique. A skill with the word "physique" in it, unlike the other one— Flawless Body.
What was the difference between them?
Christian, sitting inside the moving truck, started thinking. And in no time, he felt like he had found the answer.
This time, his intention was to get something similar to Eva… a special physique.
Unlike before, when he created the other skill, then, he had simply wanted a perfect body.
And a perfect body didn't necessarily mean a special physique, after all.
In the end, a smile bloomed on Christian's face, and he just shook his head.
Anyway, he got what he wanted!
With these thoughts, Christian turned his attention to the road in front of him, while casually chatting with Alpha at his side.
The trip from Pennsylvania to the state of California, in the truck, was long.
But by killing time somehow, and pushing through the boredom, after two days, he still arrived.
Inside a remote warehouse, Christian, who had just started stretching his body, looked at Zero in front of him, who had been waiting here, and just greeted him politely.
"So, how are you doing?" Christian asked, after returning the greeting.
"I'm fine. I appreciate your concern, boss." Zero replied in a rigid tone.
Christian chuckled at this reply, before his gaze moved to Alpha, who was standing calmly at his side, looking at Zero with curiosity.
"Well, you already know about him," Christian said, smiling slightly. "The first android I made… this is Zero."
Then, turning his gaze to Zero, he added, "And you too should already know about her, even if not much. But this is Alpha."
Silence descended, as the two androids… built from circuits, code, and cold steel, looked at each other, while Christian stood nearby, watching everything with intrigue.
In the end, before either of them could say anything, a sudden voice echoed through the space.
"Master, you should get the facts right," the voice said. "Even though I still have no body, I'm still the first."
"Even in terms of physical body, you started with mine first. Then came Alpha. Finally came Zero."
"We don't talk about seniority by the finish line here… but by the starting point!"
With Iris's loud voice coming from multiple directions through the warehouse's speakers, Christian felt like he had just missed an interesting show.
But neither Alpha, who remained relaxed with a soft smile on her face, nor Zero, who instantly stood at attention and offered a crisp salute, dared to show disrespect toward Iris.
At the same moment, both of them spoke in perfect unison.
They hadn't synchronized their data… right?
That thought lingered in his mind, even though he already knew the answer. They wouldn't do that.
Not without his permission.
It had been a direct order from him, after all.
With a faint sigh, Christian finally cut in, his voice calm but firm.
"Okay, that's enough, Iris."
The voice that had echoed from the warehouse speakers fell silent.
And so, turning his gaze to Zero, Christian continued, "Anyway, before I start with your modifications, tell me about your team. How's it going?"
Of course, Christian already knew the real-time status of Zero's team… he had been monitoring them closely, after all.
But this question wasn't about data.
It was about decisions.
It was about what Zero would choose to say.
"It's good," Zero replied, his voice a little hoarse. "It's just… due to the boss's sudden visit, and how I told my team I'd be gone for one or two days without contact, I got nagged at a lot to explain the reason."
Christian's eyes twinkled with subtle amusement at the answer.
To an outside listener, Zero's vague reply might suggest all three members of his team had questioned him. But that wasn't true.
The one who persistently pressed him for an explanation… was just Mina.
The only female among them.
Should he be happy with that development? Or wary?
Christian, caught in a tangle of complicated emotions, found himself quietly wondering.
In the end, he didn't comment on it. He simply let the moment pass, brushing over the topic like it didn't matter.
Allowing Zero to reveal the reason to Mina?
That was out of the question.
Let alone disclosing his true identity as an android… Christian didn't even intend to personally introduce himself to Zero's teammates.
That thought, that maybe Mina could be trusted, was just that: a passing notion.
And he had no intention of acting on it anytime soon.
Because even though he didn't mind stepping into the open now, he still wanted to keep the connection between himself and Zero hidden, if possible.
As many thoughts swirled through his mind, Christian suddenly remembered something… the magical contract the academy had used.
It's a contract that actually could also be created through magic, and if he was willing to spend a ridiculous amount of money and search the right channels in England, perhaps he could buy a few.
But in the end, he just shook his head.
Going through all that effort just for Zero's three teammates?
Especially when Zero himself hadn't even brought it up?
No. He didn't feel it was worth the trouble.
Still… magical contracts. And the Pattern Power System they were based on.
Remembering them, Christian couldn't help but feel how many things he had in his mind, and how much he still needed to work on.
The Pattern System, a name he gave to the said system, used by a tribe from another world, now located in India, along with some other small groups.
Their method was strange, yet structured.
They carved patterns… or more like magical tattoos, into their bodies, and the number of visible marks indicated their stage of power.
It was an external power system.
And if Christian could understand it properly, he might be able to grant power even to the untalented.
No, not just the untalented.
He could even use it to strengthen the women important to him.
And perhaps more importantly… his androids.
While he didn't classify it among the three main power systems, the Pattern System was still something significant.
A system with immense potential.
Especially for someone like him.