Chapter-10 How Do You Find Your Worth If You're Not Fighting for It?

Aiden stepped out the medical pod, his body weak at first, from his unsteady legs, they wobbled beneath him. Slowly, he began to feel a strange new flexibility, an almost unnatural ease in his movements. Most of all he felt something powerful surging within him.

'This power feels like I could lift a car.' He mused.

"Do you like how you feel?" Kurt asked, watching him with a raised brow.

"Mhh."

Aiden rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn't deny it. His body felt healthier, stronger, more alive than it ever had before. 'But... I've never had a body like this. Nor did I ever need it.' he reflected.

Kurt, sensing the hesitation in Aiden continued, "Do you want to test your new strength before we explore further?"

"Hmm."

Aiden was about to move forward, while Mira began walking ahead, signaling to follow. But Kurt stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever you decide from here on out, I will support you," Kurt said, his voice firm but warm. His grip tightened slightly on Aiden's shoulder. "You can always come back to the shop and continue your training."

Aiden felt a wave of warmth flood through him. It wasn't just gratitude. There was something more. Kurt cared for him not just as a teacher or a mentor, but as something... more. What is this feeling?

His chest tightened, and for a moment, his breath caught in his throat. He never experienced this before.

"Yeah." Aiden finally whispered, his eyes briefly meeting Kurt's before looking away. Kurt patted him on the shoulder in acknowledgment.

He didn't need to say more. He had seen too many people hesitate at a crossroads, weighed down by uncertainty, and he knew that pushing wouldn't help.

Mira then led the way, and Aiden followed, still processing Kurt's words. A while Later, they entered a gym unlike anything he had ever seen a space where, advanced technology that wss different, from what he really seen in the real world.

"Spend an hour here," Mira instructed. "Then we'll talk about being an Exodite."

Aiden nodded, then gazed around the "gym" had marveling cutting-edge technology, bathed in neon-blue light, with sleek black walls lined with. Holographic displays flickered in midair, tracking every movement, every heartbeat, and every ounce of force exerted.

The air smelt fresh and fragrant, dispite being a gym. He stood in the middle of it all, still reeling from the power coursing through his veins. He wasn't the same anymore.

His gaze landed on a kinetic punching bag, a massive cylindrical construct made of reinforced nanofiber, programmed to measure impact force and durability. A holographic interface hovered above it, displaying previous records…some belonging to former Exodites who had trained here before.

Taking a deep breath, Aiden clenched his fists. I have to know. How strong am I now?

He stepped forward and threw a punch.

The moment his fist connected, a shockwave erupted from the impact point, rippling outward with an unseen force. The entire bag lurched back violently, sending a loud BEEP echoing through the room. At the same time the holographic display flickered and recalibrated.

Aiden's eyes widened as a number materialized above the bag. "Punch Force: 3,300 PSI! " he blurted out.

He staggered back, his body swaying, his heart pounding. "What…?" he gasped, barely able to catch his breath, staring at his own hand.

His fingers tingled of a strange energy, his muscles still humming from the impact. He didn't even put his full strength into that punch.

Yet, the force he generated it was inhuman. It wasn't that Uzrudos nor the Serpentine Wraith matched his strenght. It was him that was weak.

Aiden took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. 'If this is my strength then… what about my speed?' He wondered.

His gaze shifted toward the high-speed treadmill, a sleek black platform glowing with neon-blue circuitry. Designed to push even the most elite athletes to their limit, it could simulate extreme speeds far beyond normal human capacity.

He stepped onto it. The interface pulsed to life. "Please select a starting speed."

Aiden hesitated before muttering, "Start at normal running speed."

The treadmill whirred, smoothly accelerating to a comfortable pace. He started jogging, feeling the familiar rhythm of his steps. But… it felt too easy like he was barely moving. Thought this was the first time he ever exercise and used machines.

As he wasnt sure. "Increase speed."

The treadmill obeyed, climbing from 10 mph to 20 mph in seconds. His body adjusted instantly.

"Faster."

The machine obeyed again. 30 mph. Then 40. Then 50.

Still, Aiden its only at 50 that when, he started to feel the strain of running at such speeds.

Aiden wasn't just running he was starting to blur. A sharp intake of breath left his lips as his surroundings became a smear of neon light. His body felt weightless, almost disconnected from reality.

He stumbled, catching himself as the treadmill immediately powered down, flashing an emergency alert:

"Speed Detected: 75 mph"

Silence filled the gym.

Aiden slowly stepped off, rapid heavy breathing.

"What… really am I?" he whispered.

His world had just changed forever. Just from passing the trial of judgment. Better yet entering the Phantom Dimension. Now I'm reaching new heights and surpassing my limits.

As he glanced at his hand, he noticed a large mirror nearby. Walking over, he removed the white vest he had woken up in.

He scanned how now defined and sharp all his muscles were and showing. He twister and trurned, his eyes traced over all the bone lines. A smile slowly form before it turn to a frown. At that moment he heard voices behind him.

"Surprisingly, there's someone else here."

Aiden glanced in the mirror's reflection, his eyes narrowing as he observed two men walk in, dressed in workout gear. They looked strong, but something about them seemed ordinary compared to how he now felt.

"Why do you say that?" One of the men asked.

"Well, this location has been on the decline for a long time… everyone is moving away."

Actually, in the world where among exodite there is fear and respects, each other for the thing they do. So some move to different for better benefits.

Aiden's head dropped low, his shoulders slumping slightly. 'This is good, but… is it worth it?' he thought. His hand reached instinctively for his pockets, but they were empty.

Ever since he entered the Phantom Dimension, he'd been instinctively stuffing his hand into his pants pockets, only to remember there were none. He sighed and shivered, the emptiness weighing on him.

Deciding it was time to leave the gym even if he hadn't spent a full hour he turned toward the door. As he stepped out, he heard the last words of the two men behind him.

"That's too bad, because the last time I heard, this was the legend's favorite base."

A minute later, Aiden found himself wandering aimlessly, pacing through various rooms he didn't recognize. He had no clear direction, nor could he locate Kurt. He did, however, learn more about the base its technology was advanced, designed not just for war but for rest as well, a strange juxtaposition of purpose.

As he walked down one of the long corridors, the soft hum of machines buzzing quietly in the background, he unexpectedly bumped into Mira.

Mira rubbed her forehead. "How does it feel to be an Exodite?" she asked, her eyes fixed on him as if searching for an answer only he could provide.

She had asked that same question to herself once and found her answer. Maybe there wasn't one. Power didn't always come with clarity. It never had for her. 'Will he find meaning in this, or will he be like others?' She mused.

Aiden paused, glancing at her before replying. "It's good."

"Just good?" Mira raised an eyebrow, as if not entirely convinced. "Is there something you feel you can do now that you have this kind of power?"

Aiden hesitated, before walking alongside her as she continued down the hall. "Yes… but it doesn't help me find anything. What's the point of having this power if all it's good for is fighting?"

Mira seemed to ponder his words before responding, her tone still thoughtful. "Oh… worth. How do you find your worth if you're not fighting for it?"

Aiden fell silent, her question lingering in the air. How can I find worth if I'm not fighting for it?

His footsteps slowed, and a distant look appeared in his eyes as he pondered the deeper meaning of her words.

He had never fought for anything before not even for his own well-being or his beauty. How can he find the worth he looking for if he not fighting? It was only after meeting Kurt that he started considering the idea of pushing past his limits. Maybe... it's not about fighting others. Maybe it's about fighting for myself.

Mira noticed his quiet reflection, had her own internal thoughts. 'I felt like I had nothing worth fighting for until I met Kurt. But then again… he doesn't seem sure if it's worth fighting for either.'

After a while, Aiden found himself inside a cafeteria. The scent of warm food filled the air, a stark contrast to the sterile atmosphere of the rest of the base.

Kurt was sitting at one of the tables, eating, and his eyes immediately lifted to meet Aiden's as he entered. Mira and Aiden sat down across from him, the quiet settling in as Aiden tried to focus on the Kurt before him.

"You haven't eaten in a while," Kurt said casually, gesturing to the food in front of Aiden. "Eat while I talk to you."

Aiden picked up a couple of items from the tray and ate slowly, savoring the unfamiliar flavors. It was a far cry from his usual meals, and the variety was something new, almost too extravagant for his taste.

Kurt continued. "You're truly an Exodite now. You're slowly unlocking abilities of a spacelocker." He paused briefly before adding, "I heard you were able to do one of the main abilities."

"Shifting your surroundings." he clarified, his eyes watching Aiden closely, studying his reaction.

At which he noticed that he didn't react. But Aiden nodded, then turned his gaze downward.

"So, I'm wondering." Kurt continued. "From here on out, will you stay as an Exodite and continue this journey, or return to your normal life?"

Aiden stared at his plate for a moment before answering, his voice quieter. "I'm not sure yet. I want to have a proper sleep and think about it."