So this isn't a dream… damn."
Samuel stretched as he woke up on a quiet Saturday morning.
"I guess the good part is I'm starting to get comfortable with this place."
He stood up and walked to the mirror.
When he looked at himself, he froze.
His body looked different.
His stomach now had visible abs.
His arms looked stronger.
Muscles had formed even though he hadn't done any gym work.
"Wait… what?"
He touched his stomach.
"I didn't work out for this…"
Samuel also noticed his skin looked smoother and his hair had grown slightly longer and curlier.
"Wow… that's odd," he said.
"But I think I like the new me."
He turned toward the TV, thinking about playing a game to relax.
Just then—
KNOCK KNOCK
Someone was at the door.
Samuel opened it and saw a young woman wearing a lab uniform.
"Good morning," she said.
"You are expected at the training session in the army barracks by 10 AM."
She handed him a folded outfit.
"Professor Gabriel asked me to give you this."
Samuel nodded.
"Thank you."
He closed the door and sighed.
"Ugh… looks like today is going to be stressful."
He checked the watch on his wrist.
It didn't show the time.
"Weird…"
He grabbed his phone.
9:30 AM.
"Oh no!"
Samuel rushed into the bathroom, quickly took a shower, and arranged his things.
Then he opened the package containing the outfit.
It looked like a tactical combat suit.
"Wow… this actually looks good."
He noticed something written on the chest.
CHRONO MANTIS
Samuel laughed.
"Chrono Mantis? Funny people."
He wore the suit, strapped on his watch, grabbed his backpack, and hurried out of the room.
While rushing through the hallway, Samuel accidentally bumped into a woman.
Her files and equipment almost fell.
But before they could hit the ground—
Samuel caught everything.
Fast.
Very fast.
The woman stared at him with surprise.
Then she smirked.
"You must be the new guy. Impressive."
Samuel scratched his head nervously.
"I'm Samuel."
She smiled.
"Deborah. I work here as a radiotherapist."
Samuel tried to hide his blush.
"Um… do you know where the training barracks are?"
She gave him directions.
"Down the corridor, then left past the main gate."
"Thanks," Samuel said.
"I guess we'll see each other again."
She smiled.
"Maybe."
Samuel quickly continued running.
When Samuel finally reached the training barracks, he saw his teammates waiting.
"Look who we have here," Elwin said calmly.
CJ grinned.
"SAMGOKUUU!"
Samuel laughed.
"Are we soldiers now? There are so many army guys and robots here."
Lilian shook her head.
"No. We just train here."
"For now you're still a beginner."
"Soon we'll start real missions."
Samuel looked at her suit.
"Pulse Seeker… cool name."
"So you fight too?"
Lilian laughed.
"Not exactly."
"Some of us fight."
"Some of us use our brains."
Samuel nodded.
"Fair enough."
She pointed at his chest.
"Oooh… Chrono Mantis."
"That sounds like a fighter name."
Samuel smiled.
"Apparently I destroyed company robots yesterday."
"So what are your abilities?" he asked.
The team began demonstrating their powers.
Clinton released sparks of electricity.
CJ focused quietly.
Elwin heated a metal rod until it glowed red.
Samuel's eyes widened.
"Wow."
Then Elwin looked at him.
"So Samuel… what do you have?"
Samuel scratched his head.
"I honestly don't know."
"I just noticed I'm… fast."
"Oh really?" Clinton said.
Suddenly he fired a bolt of electricity toward Samuel.
Samuel instinctively moved.
He dodged it like it was nothing.
Everyone froze.
"Wow!" CJ shouted.
Even the soldiers nearby looked impressed.
Samuel frowned.
"What was that for?! You could have injured me!"
Clinton laughed.
"Relax bro. You'll get used to injuries."
Elwin chuckled too.
Just then a tall military officer walked into the room.
Everyone stood straight.
The soldiers saluted.
"This is General Belthel," Lilian whispered.
The general walked directly toward Samuel.
"So you're the Mantis guy Professor Gabriel told me about."
Samuel swallowed nervously.
"Yes… sir."
The general stared at him.
"Hope you're ready."
"We don't raise babies here."
"We train soldiers."
Samuel nodded quickly.
"Yes sir."
The general turned to the team.
"All of you go to your training rooms."
"Improve your abilities."
"Yes sir!" they replied.
Samuel was taken into a massive training hall.
It was as large as a stadium.
"This will be your training area," the general said.
A woman wearing a lab coat walked in.
"She will monitor your abilities," the general explained.
"She'll also guide your training."
The scientist smiled slightly.
"Stand in front of that robot."
"It will scan your body and fight according to your ability level."
Samuel walked forward.
The robot scanned him.
Suddenly—
Fifty heavy metallic robots stepped forward.
Samuel's eyes widened.
"WHAT?!"
The general looked impressed.
"Interesting."
"Even Elwin didn't face that many during his first test."
"Attack," the general ordered.
The robots rushed toward Samuel.
Samuel moved quickly, dodging their attacks.
To him, everything looked slow.
But suddenly—
One robot punched him.
Others grabbed him.
They started beating him violently.
The scientist looked worried.
"General… should we help him?"
The general shook his head.
"No."
"Let's see what he can really do."
Suddenly—
BOOM.
One robot flew across the room.
Samuel had punched it.
Another punch.
Another robot destroyed.
Each punch became stronger than the last.
Samuel's hands began glowing slightly red.
Then—
A massive punch exploded forward.
The air cracked.
A powerful cavitation shockwave burst outward.
All the robots were destroyed instantly.
Silence filled the room.
The general and scientist stood speechless.
Samuel stood there breathing heavily.
"How… did I do?" he asked.
The general smiled slightly.
"Nice."
"Very nice."
The scientist examined the data.
"You created cavitation."
"When your punches reach extreme speed, pressure bubbles form in the air."
"When they collapse, they release extra energy."
Samuel looked at his red fists.
"So that's why my hands feel like they're burning."
She nodded.
"When you grow stronger, you'll need fewer punches to create cavitation."
"At your peak, even one punch might be enough."
"Maybe even a finger flick."
Samuel laughed nervously.
"That sounds dangerous."
"That's why you have the watch," she replied.
"To control your levels."
She adjusted the watch slightly.
"You've reached the next level."
The general and scientist left him to continue training.
Meanwhile, far away in his office, Professor Gabriel watched everything through security cameras.
He smiled slowly.
"That Chrono Mantis will be something special."
"Mr. President will be very pleased."
"If Samuel reaches his peak…
he alone could defeat thousands of soldiers."
"Ghana and South Africa won't stand a chance."
But in the training hall, General Belthel looked troubled.
Something about all this power…
Didn't feel right.