The room was silent.
Only the hum of April's breath echoed faintly off the metallic walls. She stood barefoot in the center, her posture rigid, her hands slightly trembling with restrained G-force energy.
This time, she wasn't going to rely on instinct.
She wanted to understand it.
April mentally closed her eyes—the world darkened, but she focused on the faint vibration pulsing through her body. It started low, deep in her chest, then climbed upward like static crawling beneath her skin.
Her heartbeat synced with the rhythm.
Then—she guided it.
Slowly, deliberately, she directed the current of G-Force energy toward her face. Specifically to her stitches. The moment it reached the stitches, a reaction occurred—an orange mist coated her stitches.
The thread lines over her eyelids shimmered, loosening.
A soft orange glow spread in criss-cross patterns, the same as before. For a moment, the world formed around her—not through sight, but through sensation. Every vibration, every pulse of movement became visible outlines in the air.
Then it faded.
Gone in less than a second.
April exhaled, frustrated but curious. "So… that's it, huh?"
She tried again, pulling more G-Force energy from her core, forcing it into her arms. The orange mist-like trails coiled around her hands, flickering like sparks in water.
April clenched her fists, trying to shape the energy into a form—a blade, a shield, something.
It slowly began to take shape—just for a nanosecond—before collapsing back into mist.
She tried again.
And again.
Each attempt ended the same.
A brief form… then nothing.
The energy would never stay.
Sweat gathered across her brow. Her breathing grew heavier. The G-Force energy moved wildly through her body, reacting to her intent—it was powerful, unrestrained, but untamable.
She raised one hand, forcing everything outward. The mist surged, forming a glowing barrier around her. For a fraction of a second, the air cracked and warped, a shockwave pushing outward.
Then—silence.
The barrier was gone. The floor hissed with faint heat marks.
She stared at her hands, panting.
"So… that's the rule, huh?"
She gathered it again, gently this time, only enough to make a faint ripple in the air.
The moment she held it—she felt it slipping away, dissolving back into her body, refusing to be held.
"G-Force can't exist outside the body…" she murmured. "It's… movement itself. Not matter."
She stood there, letting the realization sink in.
If she could not manifest it, she would have to become it.
That was the only way to control it.
The orange glow around her stitches pulsed one last time, fading like a heartbeat slowing to rest.
And the room fell silent again—except for April's whisper:
"It's not a power you hold. It's a power you ride. Huh?"
"I need to inform the rest of my theory," April said firmly.
Without wasting time, she gathered the entire group in the training hall. The atmosphere was tense but filled with curiosity—everyone wanted to hear what she had discovered.
Standing at the center of the hall, April began explaining her theory in full detail, watching each of their faces closely, studying every flicker of reaction as she spoke.
When she finally finished, silence hung over the room for a moment. Then Jax broke it with a faint smirk and a low whistle.
"Okay then…" he said, leaning back slightly, his tone laced with intrigue. "That's… interesting."
"You're not entirely wrong about that," Jax said, his tone calm but serious. "But you're not fully right either. Let me explain so you can understand."
"G-Force," he continued, "is a primal, primordial energy. I know that might sound confusing, but just know this — the more you earn the Leader's respect and trust, the more you'll learn about it. You'll eventually come to understand their true origin, how the Gears were made, what inspired him to create them, and… other things best left for later."
He paused for a moment, his gaze distant. "I'm telling you this because something happened — something between the Leader and me. It made it hard for us, especially him, to trust people again. But if you keep going the way you are, you'll eventually earn that trust."
"Like I was saying," he went on, leaning forward slightly, "G-Force is a primordial energy — one not meant for direct human use. The Gears were created so that we could handle it without dying. You can't just manifest it freely outside your body, because even keeping it inside is already dangerous. Without the Gear acting as a regulator, we'd probably explode from the pressure alone."
He folded his arms. "Through martial arts, we learn to draw out and control G-Force — to shape it safely. The name 'G-Force' is just a shortened form, though. The 'G' part… is something only Leader and I know what it truly stands for. As for the others, they don't even know the full name yet."
"That's why you guys insisted that I learn a specific martial art?" asked April, understanding dawning in her voice.
"Yes, that's exactly why," Jax replied with a nod. "Even though your Gear can instantly register a martial art into your memory—making you practically a master at it—that doesn't mean you can't evolve it further or continue learning on your own. It's just that, the more martial arts you try to learn, the harder it becomes for your body and mind to adapt. That's why each of us chooses one style to specialize in."
April tilted her head slightly. "I see. But… what would happen if someone had two Gears?" she asked curiously.
Before Jax could answer, Saya's voice came from the corner of the room. "Just imagine this," she said calmly. "If it's already difficult for one person to contain even a single Gear's G-Force inside their body without it tearing them apart—what do you think would happen if someone tried to hold two?"
The image instantly flashed through April's mind, and her expression darkened. A cold chill ran down her spine. "Yeah… I think I shouldn't have asked that," she muttered, regretting the thought. "That should've been obvious."
Jax chuckled softly. "Don't worry, it's not a stupid question. Curiosity's normal," he assured her. "But let me continue…"
April nodded, signaling for him to continue.
Jax gave a small nod in return before speaking again.
"That's why you can't actually manifest anything," he said. "Theoretically, the idea was to manifest something like a shield—but it's not possible to directly manifest G-Force. It's already difficult enough just to keep it contained inside the human body."
He leaned back slightly, resting an elbow on his knee. "However, what is possible is to redirect it—from one part of your body into a specific, ready-made weapon crafted from certain materials. That's something the Leader will explain to you once you reach a particular barrier you'll need to break through. The weapon you obtain at that stage will be able to channel your G-Force into it directly. That's how you'll truly be able to manifest your G-Force externally."
April listened closely, her brows drawn together in focus.
Jax continued, "Of course, there's another option. You can use your G-Force to create a large explosion—to make distance between yourself and an opponent. But remember: that explosion affects you too, not just your enemy. You'll be right in the center of it, meaning you'll sustain a significant amount of damage as well. It's a risky move—one that could either save your life or end it."
He paused briefly, his tone growing more deliberate. "Now, we're going to show you something interesting—how to actually manifest G-Force. And this method is the second and only other way. There is no third method."
April's expression hardened with focus as she straightened her posture, her voice low and serious. "I'm ready."