Chapter Forty-Six

"After the world learns the truth, what do you intend to do?" Edward asked as the car was put in park. However, instead of leaving the car, Edward and Mrs. Snow stayed inside to talk for a little bit longer. Suddenly, though, Edward felt a large object land atop the car's roof. Ikarus, probably.

"I don't entirely know yet. I expect everybody will try to blame my company, but I also expect the player count to climb to exponential levels. Once the public learns that they can be granted superpowers by playing a video game, everybody will want a piece of it," Mrs. Snow answered, "By that point, all hell will break loose. The world governments will be unable to contain those with superpowers, and the balance of power will crumble. Presidents will fall, while Emperors will rise. At the moment, I plan to take a step away from it all and protect my interests. I only want my company to last long enough to survive the transition."

"You'll curl up and defend yourselves from the mania?" Edward asked. Mrs. Snow nodded, though she appeared guilty in doing so.

"I don't see any other option. I've already tried cutting the service, but the device left behind by the Stranger won't listen to me. When I tried to manipulate my own technology, it didn't work for me. It was like it had a mind of its own," Mrs. Snow said, "By this point, I can't stop what's already started. I can only be prepared for it."

"Even if it means you'd abandon the rest of the world?"

"There isn't any other option, Mr. Colt." Mrs. Snow said. She turned to knock on her window. A moment later, one of the bodyguards opened the door for her and helped her out, "Let us speak of this no longer. Instead, I think it's time we took those tests."

—

"Okay, Mr. Colt, we'll begin by having you participate in an endurance test," the plump doctor said with a smile. He held a clipboard in his hands while he talked to Edward from his chair. Not long after Edward and Mrs. Snow arrived at the building, the bodyguards led him and Ikarus to an underground floor used entirely for testing. Half of the floor was filled with exercise equipment, while the other half was dedicated to rooms filled with test tubes and other scientific instruments.

At the moment, Edward sat on a chair just inside the small gym. Ikarus was resting nearby, though he kept his eyes on the doctor as he watched for any sudden movements. For a man with ordinary human stats, the doctor was able to ignore Ikarus rather well— only shouting in surprise when he first saw the dragon.

"An endurance test?" Edward repeated.

"Yes, more than one of them. First, I'll need you to run on a treadmill while I hook you up to a heart monitor and a respirator— it'll help me keep track of your vitals and measure your oxygen intake," The doctor explained, "You'll be running at a light jog— at least by normal standards— for as long as you possibly can, okay?"

"We'll be here for days if that's your requirement," Edward chuckled. The doctor blinked at Edward, momentarily stunned, "How fast can your treadmill go?"

"Um— it's not the fastest in the world, but it's fast enough for Olympic sprinters to practice on," The doctor answered. Edward stood up and smiled.

"Give me your fastest setting," Edward told him. Then he turned around and looked at the equipment in the gym. After only a moment, he found what he assumed would be the treadmill he would practice. It looked like any other treadmill, except it was almost twice as wide and covered in blue stripes. The treadmill was placed next to the center of the room alongside a bench press and some dumbbells that were too heavy for commercial use.

"Right! Let me grab my equipment. Go ahead and remove your shirt while I'm out of the room, Mr. Colt. I'll need you to be bear-chested if I am going to track your vitals." The doctor said as he hurriedly ran out of the room, an excited expression on his face. Edward laughed and turned to Ikarus.

"Should I completely surprise him?" Edward asked his dragon. Ikarus sighed and rested his head against the floor. Edward removed his shirt and threw it to his chair. Then, he walked to the treadmill and began inspecting the various controls. He recognized the button layout that controlled the treadmill's speed. Curious, he pressed the button that turned the treadmill's speed to its max and watched as the tread began to turn.

It started out slow— like all treadmills— before running at a speed faster than any other treadmill Edward had seen before. Within ten seconds, the treadmill was going as fast as it could, yet Edward still found it disappointing.

The doctor walked back into the room as he wheeled in a strange contraption that looked like a mix between a refrigerator and an air tank. As soon as Edward saw the doctor, he quickly brought the treadmill to a standstill before looking at the contraption at the doctor's side. There were wires looped around like a hose on the left surface of the contraption, as well as a respirator hanging over the edge. As the doctor walked into the room and saw Edward, he stopped and readjusted his glasses.

"You have a very refined body, Mr. Colt," The doctor said. Edward looked down and inspected his muscles, somehow surprised by the doctor's sudden compliment, "They're lean enough to put any bodybuilder to shame. Did you acquire them before or after you ascended?"

As Edward looked down at his own body, he initially dismissed the doctor's claims. Yet, after a moment, he decided to imagine viewing his body from a different angle. After a moment, he quickly realized that the doctor was correct. Compared to how his body was built before the game, he had lost a lot of body fat and gained more muscle— despite never working out with his real body. His muscles were sharp and sturdy enough to look almost like stone from certain angles but also soft enough to appear like silk.

"Oh, I hadn't even noticed," Edward said with mild uninterest. To him, it didn't matter how his body looked so long as it functioned. He looked back up to the doctor, "I had a fit body before my ascension, but I seem to look even better now."

"Interesting. I assumed the— Oh, I'm rambling. My apologies," The doctor said. He pushed his contraption forward. He began to untie the looped wires before looking back to Edward, "Now then, let's begin."