Chapter 307: A Better Understanding
Jace took in a deep breath as he concentrated. He was currently working on his power control. It was something he had been meaning to sit down and do. Which he could do now that he had some free time. Cho was even sitting outside the door to make sure no one bothered him.
The last few days had been a whirlwind of activity. But now he is getting time to focus on what he has been wanting to do for a while. His squad were either training or getting familiar with the new equipment. Aside from one piece of equipment that had been specifically set aside for him.
Amusingly enough the piece of equipment was sitting in the corner of the room in a box in the room he was training in. He would get to practicing with it after he was done with his control training. Hopefully he will fully understand his powers now.
Before now he had been heavily relying on the nanosystem. But recently he noticed something. Almost like his power was being resisted it was why he had not been relying on it as much.
Now with nothing to distract him reached out. First he started inside his own body. His electrical impulses and his nervous system. Both which had been irreversibly altered from normal humans. Even now he could visualize the electrical energy branching out from his mind through the rest of his body using his nervous system as a pathway. There were branches of nerves reaching out to the skin of his body.
He could see it all. Most of the extra energy he was storing throughout his body. Mostly in his muscles and bones. But that felt a bit inefficient. He was sure he could increase the amount of capacity so he would not need an external power source to generate an astronomical amount. But for now he wanted to just get a view of his power at the moment.
Going outside of his body he could feel something like a slight buzz on his mind. But it was not painful. It was more like he could tell what part of his mind he was accessing to view the room through his senses. Not just one at once either. He was focusing all of his senses on his surroundings.
He could smell the faint saint of musk from sweat that seeped into the floor mat. There was a crisp burning smell near the lights. The box in the corner smelled like nothing but inside he could smell the grease and oil of the machine inside. Then there was something else like a faint electrical trail. It was fading but it was around the room but was stronger near the door. He could almost see the pathway in his mind like a trail of electricity but it was definitely Cho’s scent.
Next was his sense of taste. He could taste the nutritional bar that he had eaten earlier in the day. He could also taste a bitter taste like burnt food in the air. Along with an offputting taste. It was not as abundant but it was there and distracting. It was the taste of air itself; it tasted like soap but even more artificial. It was upsetting to his sense of taste. Almost like it was a violation of what should and should not be.
Then he focused on his sense of hearing. He listened and could hear his own heartbeat along with a few other bodily functions. Then he could pick out the sound of the air being shuttered into and out of the room. The creak of metal throughout the room. Then there was his own steady breathing. But just right outside of all of that he felt like he could faintly pick up something. He focused a bit more and now he was able to hear it. It was people talking, not just talking from person to person. But it was more like they were relaying messages. What he was hearing were channel frequencies which normally would have been outside of the normal realm of hearing. But he could tune in to those frequencies and listen in without a device.
After that revelation he focused on his sense of touch. He could feel the clothes on his body. The slight and almost unnoticeable cool breeze on his exposed body from the air moving through the room. Then there was the slight heat from the lights in the room on his skin. Then there was something else. Something zipping back and forth across his skin. It was a faint bit of electricity he moved it away and around his body before bringing it back and absorbing it through his skin. It felt more natural this time. Like he was not relying on anything else this time.
Next he focused on his sight. He opened his eyes. Looking around the room. He could see everything from the smallest bit of dust. To the divots and faint scratches that were on the wall. But after a moment he could see something else. Electricity around the room, sitting stationarily on objects waiting to be moved. Now he could even see the trail of electrical energy that Cho left earlier. It was an entirely different way to see. But after a few moments he realized he could see beyond the wall into a distant room where a pair of people were working on something electrical. He could see the electricity running through their body. He could even pick out which parts of their brain they were using.
After a few seconds he focused on his own body again. He closed his eyes again. This time he was not just going to sense. He needed a better way to harness his powers. He could keep something to store the energy but it would be better to keep it in his body in case he was captured.
He had talked about meditation with Director Fenrir back in training. Apparently it had been useful in keeping herself and energy centered. But now he felt like he had to step it up and adapt the meditation technique to himself.
So he took a breath. Expelling some electrical energy and then pulling in more. Almost like he was cycling it out. Slowly static built up in his lungs but it was getting difficult to breathe. So he moved the energy from his lungs to the rest of his body. Instead of just storing them in his muscles he used the electricity to strengthen them. In his bones he stored electrical energy and could feel them getting stronger. Then the rest went to his nervous system. Energizing it so his thoughts could power his actions even quicker.
After several more cycles of this he could feel two things change. One his skin was the only thing left behind so it felt like it was bubbling. Even his blood and internal organs had been getting stronger from him moving energy through it. The second was a noticeable spare amount of energy. They were just rotating around his organs.
First he began integrating electricity into his skin. Next he began doing the same to his organs. The final thing he did was manipulate his organs itself. He flinched in pain as his stomach hurt from him abruptly moving it.
He had one final thing to do to complete this training. He began cycling the energy through his body continuously. He continued to do it until it was as easy as breathing. He abruptly opened his eyes and looked at the door. Willing it to open by manipulating the electrical energy that was inside the door panel. It opened and he saw Nila standing outside looking surprised as her hand was still reaching for the door panel on the other side of the door.
"Nila, I thought I asked to not be disturbed for at least a day?" Jace asked as he pulled himself up from his sitting position. He rotated his arm as he felt intensely energetic.
"Ummm... Jace it has been five days since you entered the training room." Nila looked nervous as she looked back out. Jace looked out to see Cho was devouring a large lasagna dish that had undoubtedly been used to lure Cho away from the door.
"Really?" Jace tilted his head. "Okay. Well I am sure you have something important to tell me." He stepped forward and accepted the data pad she was holding out. "Has anything of note happened in these last five days?"
"Venture and General Isaiah have our fleet ready for action. Two Century-Class mechs were used in a battle between the Circle of Yuri and those Holy Empire people. Apparently two moons were destroyed and both of their fleets were crippled so they both retreated." Nila explained as she nodded at the pad. "Now we have our own orders to get our battle started. Cerberus is going on a scouting expedition for when the fleet moves in."
Jace grinned as he also noticed something else sitting just in the corner of his view. It was just about time for him to test his powers.
[Talent/Ability Understanding: 53%]
He had jumped the wall that he was previously struggling with. He could even feel the power moving through him right now. A steady pulse of electricity. The medical people are going to hate him even more now. They would have to use a new set of modified equipment.
Jace waved his hand at the corner of the room and took control of the thing that was sitting in the box. The box fell apart as it moved forward, scaring Nila. "Good, I think I am ready for my next step. So this scouting mission will prove to be an opportunity."