Half an hour later, Card and Denlambu boarded their hovercar.

  "Manager Card, what should we..."

  "Nothing to see here!" Card slammed his fist onto the hovercar's dashboard, leaving a distinct dent. "Damn, which idiot injured him? That absolute moron! Imbecile! Complete buffoon!"

  Denlambu stared wide-eyed at the damaged console - this latest model hovercar had cost him a year's salary. But Card's furious roars made clear the Black Phage Group's Millard branch security chief was in dangerous form. Rubbing his neck, Denlambu felt icy dread creeping up his spine.

  "Are you unwell?" Card finally noticed his companion's odd expression.

  "Nothing."

  "You look pale."

  "Ah... I was just thinking about that idiot mecha pilot who injured the boy," Denlambu gritted through clenched teeth while staring pointedly at Card.

  "Your gaze seems strange."

  "Merely furious at certain imbeciles."

  "..."

  Unbeknownst to Card, the "idiot" in question stood in the very hospital where Latham had been treated.

  The young man wore crisp military attire, his posture ramrod straight like a spear. When white-haired Dr. Zellman - the neurologist who treated Latham - entered, the officer addressed him: "Uncle, how's the patient?"

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  "Discharged fully recovered."

  "Good. Thank you for your trouble."

  "Interesting case though. The mecha's shockwave not only left him unharmed but boosted his psychic energy by one level."

  The officer froze. "He gained a psychic tier?"

  "Precisely. Initial tests showed Level 7, but post-recovery he reached Level 8. The energy surge must have triggered latent potential."

  The soldier's expression turned comical. "Uncle... you're saying he originally had Level 7 psychic power?"

  "Eighteen years old with Level 7? Remarkable. Now Level 8? Even elite family heirs rarely achieve this."

  A strange light flashed in the officer's eyes. "Uncle... could others replicate this... breakthrough through energy impacts?"

  "Possible." The doctor chuckled. "That boy's living proof."

  Lieutenant Liad's gaze intensified. Having plateaued at Level 9 psychic energy for a decade, temptation overwhelmed caution.

  Noticing his nephew's hunger, Dr. Zellman suddenly produced a baseball bat. "Come here, boy."

  "Uncle? What..."

  WHOOSH The bat barely missed Liad's skull.

  "Wha-?!"

  "Your experiment!" The doctor swung again. "This impact's weaker than mecha shockwaves!"

  "But I only meant-"

  "Silence! Should've known you'd seek shortcuts!" The bat arced wildly. "Your grandfather would- Stay still!"

  Chaos erupted. After dodging multiple swings, Liad fled the hospital in狼狈 fashion.

  Watching his escape, Dr. Zellman calmly sipped tea. "Level 8 breakthrough from mecha shockwaves... Now that's intriguing."