David took a step back, his eyes narrowing as he scanned Saponu with suspicion. "Wait... If your powers were sealed, how were you able to heal me? And how did you use another ability to identify mine?"
Saponu chuckled, a sly smirk tugging at his lips. The golden glint in his eyes reflected an almost mischievous joy. "Ah, always sharp, aren't you? The answer's simple—I possess a soul item."
David blinked, confusion clouding his face. "A soul item?"
Saponu nodded, his expression shifting into something more serious. "Yes. When an ancestor dies, they leave behind a soul stone. It's a remnant of their essence. If crafted properly, these stones can be used to create soul items—powerful artifacts imbued with unique abilities."
David's frown deepened. "So... you have one of these 'soul items'?"
With a smug tilt of his head, Saponu tapped the side of his eye. "This here?" He grinned, the light catching the faint swirl of symbols in his golden iris. "This is mine. My soul item."
David's breath caught in his throat. For the first time, he noticed the intricate symbols hidden in the depths of Saponu's eyes, shifting and pulsing in ways that made his skin crawl. They weren't just ordinary eyes. They held something far more dangerous.
Saponu continued, his voice turning slightly bitter. "After my powers were sealed, this item lost much of its true worth. About 80% of its power was stripped away. But... even in its weakened state, it still grants me one vital ability—this soul item lets me copy the powers of others."
David's thoughts raced, the pieces clicking into place. "So, you were able to heal me and identify my abilities because..."
"Exactly," Saponu interrupted, his smirk widening. "I borrowed power from others long ago. What remains of my soul item lets me use fragments of those abilities. But enough about me. Let's focus on you now."
David's eyes snapped up, and for the first time, he saw a spark of something different in Saponu's expression. It wasn't the arrogance or amusement he was used to, but a sharpness—a challenge.
Saponu crossed his arms and tilted his head toward two men standing off to the side. "You see those two?" he asked, nodding toward Peter and Randy. "Try using your Amplifier ability on them."
David hesitated. He hadn't fully grasped his power yet, and it felt too risky. "How?"
Saponu's eyes gleamed with impatience. "Focus. Picture how the ability should work. Imagine yourself reaching out, amplifying something in their bodies. Once you have that in your mind, try to amplify the one on the left. If it doesn't work, try touching him."
David swallowed hard and nodded, taking a deep breath. His heart raced as he turned toward the two men. Peter, the one on the left, and Randy, the one on the right.
Peter stood like an immovable pillar—tall, broad-shouldered, and exuding raw strength. His dark hair was cropped short, framing his sharp jawline, while his brown eyes remained watchful, flicking cautiously toward David. Everything about him radiated discipline, the posture of a soldier ready for anything. Beneath the solid exterior, however, there was something... tired. A kind of quiet weariness, as if he had been carrying too much for far too long.
Randy, on the other hand, was more compact, leaner. He didn't have the imposing physical presence of Peter, but there was something coiled within him—energy, waiting to burst free. His tousled black hair and angular face gave him a mischievous edge, and his dark eyes flicked around, always assessing. Unlike Peter's rigid, disciplined stance, Randy stood relaxed, confident in a way that suggested unpredictability. He was like a blade hidden beneath silk, just waiting for a reason to strike.
Peter shifted under the weight of David's stare, uncomfortable with the attention. "What's going on here?" he asked, his brow furrowing.
Saponu waved it off. "Stay still," he commanded in a tone that brooked no argument.
Peter's muscles tensed, sensing the danger, but he remained still. "I don't like the feel of this…"
David closed his eyes, focusing. He imagined energy—his energy—flowing from his mind, extending outward, an invisible wave. He willed it to enhance Peter's body. His strength, his speed—anything. But nothing happened. Not even a spark.
David exhaled sharply, frustration bubbling up. "It's not working," he muttered.
Saponu was unfazed. "Then touch him."
David hesitated. But there was no other choice. He stepped forward, extending his hand toward Peter's shoulder.
Peter recoiled. "Whoa, whoa, hold on!" He started to pull away, but before he could do so, David's hand made contact with his arm.
The second their skins met, a surge of energy flooded David's body. It was like a shockwave, an electric pulse running through his veins. Peter's body tensed as if struck by lightning, his muscles bulging unnaturally. The veins in his arms and neck stood out, pulsating with a sudden flood of power. It was as though every ounce of strength in his body had been awakened.
Peter gasped, stumbling back. "What the hell?!" he shouted, flexing his fingers as if testing their newfound power. "I—I feel like I could lift a mountain!"
David quickly withdrew his hand, his body still humming from the energy transfer. He stared at Peter in disbelief. "It worked…" he whispered.
A slow, approving smile spread across Saponu's face. "Good. Now, let's take it further."
David's heart was pounding, but he stayed focused on Saponu. "What do you mean?"
Saponu motioned to Peter again. "Try touching his chest this time. Don't focus on his muscles or his body. Focus on his life force. Feel it. Sense it."
David hesitated only a moment before stepping closer. Peter, still adjusting to the surge of strength, shot him a wary look but didn't resist.
David placed his hand on Peter's chest, the steady beat of his heart thumping against his palm. He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, searching for something deeper than mere physical power.
At first, there was nothing. Silence.
Then, he felt it—a faint pulse beneath his hand. A rhythm. It was like the hum of a distant engine, hidden beneath layers of flesh. Peter's life force, something primal and raw, thumping steadily like a drumbeat.
"I can… I can feel it," David whispered.
Saponu nodded in approval. "Good. Now, Amplify it."
David's body stiffened. He focused harder, pushing himself to harness that pulse. He imagined it growing, expanding, a flame burning brighter and hotter within Peter's core.
Minutes dragged on. Sweat beaded on David's forehead. Peter fidgeted beneath his touch, the sensation of something shifting inside him unnerving.
Then, suddenly—
Boom!
Peter jerked forward, his body surging with a rush of vitality. His skin flushed with a faint, glowing light. His breathing deepened as his senses sharpened, and his muscles became impossibly tight, like steel coiling inside his skin.
Peter gasped, eyes wide. "Whoa… WHOA!" he shouted. "What… what is this? I feel alive."
David stumbled back, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He could feel the drain of energy, his legs weak, but his heart swelled with triumph. He had done it. He had amplified Peter's very life force.
As David stood there, his chest heaving with effort, he turned to Saponu.
Saponu's smile deepened, satisfaction clear in his gaze. "Well done, boy… Now, Amplify my Copyeyes—and let's get the hell out of here."
David blinked, confusion flickering in his mind. "Wait… Copyeyes? What's that?"
Saponu exhaled sharply, his tone turning more serious. "The name given to my soul item is Copyeyes. You know what it does."
David nodded, still processing. He focused his energy on amplifying himself first. A rush of power surged through his veins, his senses sharpened, and his body felt lighter. Next, he placed his hands on Saponu's eyes. The golden hue of his irises flared as the pulse of energy passed between them.
David felt the connection grow stronger, and for a moment, he feared he might lose control. But the energy settled, and Saponu's eyes glowed more brightly than before, the intricate symbols within them now clearer, more intense.
Without wasting any time, David turned to Randy. He placed his hands on his chest. Randy's body trembled as the power flowed through him. The surrounding air hummed with energy as his sonic explosion abilities became even more potent.
Saponu flexed his fingers, his Copyeyes still shining. He looked at Peter and Randy, locking eyes with both of them. In an instant, the abilities they wielded were now his. "Peter got super strength and Randy sonic explosions," he said with a smirk. "This will come in handy."
But then, Saponu shifted his gaze to David, a strange glint in his eye. He activated his Copyeyes again, but this time, nothing happened.
His expression tensed for a brief moment, but before David could ask anything, Saponu quickly masked it with his usual confident demeanor. "Interesting," he muttered, then shook it off. "No time for that now. Let's get out of here."