The air inside the abandoned building felt heavy.
Jared Alonzo stood still.
Eyes locked on the man in front of him.
Posture: relaxed.
Expression: controlled.
Threat level: unknown.
"…you brought me here," Jared said calmly.
"Explain."
The man chuckled softly.
"Straight to the point. Good."
He stepped forward.
Slow.
Measured.
"No fear?"
Jared didn't hesitate.
"…no reason to."
A pause.
Then—
The man smiled.
"Wrong answer."
Silence.
Jared didn't react.
Because fear—
Was inefficient.
"Let's start simple," the man said.
"Who are you?" Jared asked.
The man tilted his head slightly.
"…someone who noticed you."
"Insufficient."
"Expected," the man replied.
He stopped a few steps away.
Close enough.
Not close enough to touch.
"You're changing," the man said.
"Faster than any normal human should."
Jared's eyes sharpened.
"…define 'normal.'"
The man's smile widened slightly.
"There it is."
Silence.
"You already know something is wrong," the man continued.
"The question is…"
A pause.
"…how far are you willing to go to understand it?"
Jared didn't answer immediately.
Because—
That question wasn't simple.
"…as far as necessary," he said.
The man studied him.
Long.
Carefully.
"…good."
He took another step forward.
"Then let's evaluate you."
Jared's eyes narrowed.
"…test."
"Exactly."
Without warning—
The man moved.
Fast.
Faster than before.
Faster than Ramon.
Jared's pupils shrank.
Speed: above expectation.
The man's hand shot forward—
Grabbing Jared's shoulder—
And—
BAM!
Jared was slammed against the wall.
Pain surged through his body.
"…tch—!"
Before he could recover—
The man stepped back.
Calm.
"That's your first problem," he said.
Jared steadied himself.
Breathing controlled.
"…physical gap."
"Correct."
The man crossed his arms.
"Your mind is accelerating."
A pause.
"But your body?"
A slight shake of his head.
"…fragile."
Jared didn't deny it.
Because it was true.
"Second," the man continued.
"Your thinking."
Jared's eyes sharpened.
"…what about it?"
"Too linear."
Silence.
Jared processed it instantly.
Incorrect.
"…explain."
The man smirked.
"You analyze."
"You predict."
"You adapt."
A pause.
"But you still follow rules."
Jared froze.
"…rules?"
"Logic rules," the man said.
"Human limits."
He stepped closer again.
"What happens when those don't apply?"
Silence.
For the first time—
Jared didn't have an immediate answer.
Because—
That question…
Didn't follow logic.
"…unknown," he admitted.
The man smiled.
"Good."
He turned away slightly.
"Final question."
Jared watched him carefully.
"Why do you think your intelligence is increasing?"
Silence.
Jared's mind moved rapidly.
Blood donation → neurological enhancement.
Possible biological mutation.
Unknown external factor.
"…uncertain cause," he said.
The man nodded slowly.
"Honest."
Then—
He turned back.
"And wrong."
Jared's eyes sharpened instantly.
"…explain."
The man stepped closer.
Now—
Face to face.
"You think you're getting smarter…"
A pause.
"…but what if you're just removing something?"
Silence.
Jared's thoughts halted—
Just for a fraction of a second.
"…removing?"
The man's eyes glinted.
"Limits."
The word echoed.
Jared's breathing slowed.
Not gaining…
Unsealing.
"…then why blood?" Jared asked.
The man smiled.
"That…"
A pause.
"…is something you're not ready to understand yet."
Silence.
Jared stared at him.
Information withheld.
"…then why tell me this?"
The man stepped back.
"Because you passed."
"…passed what?"
"Initial evaluation."
Jared's eyes narrowed.
"…meaning?"
The man turned toward the exit.
"It means…"
He stopped.
"…you're worth watching."
And with that—
He walked away.
Leaving Jared alone.
In silence.
Jared stood there.
Still.
Thinking.
Removing limits.
His eyes darkened slightly.
"…then I was never normal to begin with."
A slow breath.
"…good."
Because that meant—
There was no ceiling.