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Ah, this…"
Axel rolled his eyes at Lex, momentarily at a loss for words, then felt a faint warmth build in his head.
A moment later, he closed his eyes. The instant he did, everything around him began to rise from the ground, drifting slowly as it circled him.
At the same time, Lex spoke in a restrained, uneasy tone.
"Axel, focus. Don't generate a telekinetic current that's too strong, unless you want to tear me apart. I started the gene cloning project for Death a long time ago, but if I have a choice, I'd still prefer keeping my original body and brain, buddy."
As he finished speaking, Lex, still suspended in the air, clapped his hands with mild frustration.
Axel slowly opened his eyes and gave a crooked smile.
"The bad news is Compound V doesn't work on me. My cells are too strong. Each one is countless times more powerful than a normal person's, so the compound can't enhance me at all.
If it's going to improve me even a little, it would need to be at least one hundred and sixty-two times more concentrated. And by the time it reaches that level, my base strength would have already grown far beyond that again.
But there's also good news. Its stimulant effect pushed my brain into overdrive for a short time.
Damn, so this is what it feels like to think like you people. My processing speed just now easily surpassed a supercomputer.
For a moment, the entire world lost its color. Because color is just how the brain helps us process visual information and evaluate our surroundings.
And when my brain decided I wasn't in danger, I became something closer to a machine.
And that feeling… is disgusting."
His brows tightened slightly. At the same time, Soldier Boy's battle suit floated toward him.
While guiding the suit onto his body, Axel lowered Lex back to the ground.
"Knowing more might bring some novelty, but I'd rather live easily. That's what I actually want.
So I redirected most of my brainpower into developing pure telekinesis. Look at this, I can move small objects now… and I can float."
He raised both hands slightly. In his mind, it felt as though an invisible hand lifted him, holding him steady as he rose into the air.
Lex watched with a grin, then patted Axel's arm.
"Even with enough strength to lift three hundred kilograms, you couldn't move a grain of dust with your mind before.
Now, even if you could lift a mountain physically, your telekinesis can only manage…"
He paused, analyzing the data, then nodded.
"This much.
Most of your telekinetic force is probably being used internally, maintaining the stability of your body in this fragile material world.
Without your brain regulating it, even your body would collapse under its own power.
And without precise thought, even something simple like kissing someone could turn catastrophic.
Right now, your mind and body have reached a balance that suits you.
By choosing not to think too much, you've freed up a portion of your mental capacity, and that surplus is what you're using to influence the physical world.
So…"
Lex spread his hands slightly.
"Even though I enjoyed talking to the highly intelligent version of you earlier, and would have liked to learn from it…
This version of you is more reassuring.
Being surpassed doesn't feel good. Even I'm not immune to that.
My brain has been exceptional since childhood. At eight years old, my natural processing power rivaled low-tier supercomputers. Now, it's far beyond that.
But even then, it still falls short of you at full capacity.
So this is better.
Bruce, Pierce, Lucius, and I still have room to compete, and you seem just as satisfied as ever. That works out for all of us."
For a moment, Lex actually smiled.
Axel laughed and threw an arm around his shoulder.
"Not bad, seeing you like this. Looks like I've given your theories some real-world validation.
But don't celebrate too early. We're just getting started, and you haven't even finished a full set of nano battle suits yet, buddy."
Lex laughed.
"True, but I still have something worth celebrating.
I don't need to install flight systems in your suit anymore.
Bruce and I will still need them for ours, but for you, development can move much faster.
Within three days, I can have a complete set of interchangeable nano battle suits ready, without flight functions."
Axel nodded and patted his shoulder.
"Good. I'll leave it to you.
But tell me, is Compound V useful to you?"
"Very."
Lex nodded immediately.
"It gives me direction."
"Just direction?"
Axel tilted his head slightly.
Lex paused, then rubbed his forehead with a tired smile.
"I'm starting to miss the smarter version of you."
Axel laughed.
"That version is gone. Intelligence only makes things complicated. Power and freedom are what I actually enjoy."
He ruffled Lex's hair, while Lex continued calmly.
"Then hold on to that.
As for Compound V, it's not a drug. It's a highly potent genetic catalyst.
Think of genes as gunpowder, and the human body as the container. Compound V is the spark.
Once triggered, the reaction depends entirely on the individual. Some will collapse. Some will cause massive destruction.
Because no two human bodies are exactly the same, and the compound can't standardize them, the results are inherently unstable.
Even its creator probably wouldn't risk using it."
He shook his head slightly.
"It can inspire new ideas, but it's not the answer I've been searching for."
Lex lifted the vial in his hand.
"But it still has value. The right approach matters more than the right conclusion.
I'll analyze it tonight and recreate it. By tomorrow, I can begin human trials.
Which means I'll need live subjects.
The military won't touch anything tied to Gotham anymore, so private cooperation is the only option.
And in Gotham, no one has more influence than you.
So have your people send me death row inmates."
"No problem."
Axel chuckled, patting his back before floating out of the lab.
Moments later, he drifted toward Selina, who was nearby with an animal.
"Selina, look at me!"
He hovered slightly higher, unable to hide his excitement.
"Finally… I can fly!"
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