These attacks should have posed little threat, yet Alec felt the opponent's fists were significantly heavier than before.
Thus, he was completely overwhelmed by Fred's assault.
Of course, Fred knew when to stop.
After just a few punches, he withdrew his hands amid the astonished gazes of the onlookers.
Though his expression remained calm, a sense of joy quietly emerged in his heart.
His abilities had grown stronger, and his skills were indeed useful.
While Breath Control to erase his presence might seem somewhat impractical, he could alternate its use, and this skill wasn't limited to combat alone.
Stealth and Ambush were likely its better applications.
Moreover, he could hold his breath for a very long time.
In short, even if it wasn't useful now, it would certainly be valuable in the future.
All things considered, Fred was very satisfied.
Happy, he extended a hand to Alec, who was still lying on the ground.
"Alec, are you okay?"
The young man's voice was only slightly raised compared to usual.
To others, it seemed no different from any other day.
"No..."
Alec shook his head.
His resilience was still intact; he was thick-skinned and sturdy.
Though the few punches were heavier than expected, they hadn't broken through his defenses.
However, it was true that he had lost the ability to fight back.
Continuing would only mean being pummeled until his defenses failed.
So, he had undoubtedly lost.
"You've grown stronger very quickly."
Using Fred's hand for support, Alec stood up, dusted himself off, and showed no sadness over his defeat. Instead, his eyes shone brightly.
He had long expected Fred to surpass him, but he hadn't anticipated it would happen so soon, leaving him completely unprepared.
Still, he had watched Fred grow stronger bit by bit.
He had witnessed his gradual development.
There was no jealousy in his heart.
As long as Fred gave his all for the Coordinators, he would naturally do his utmost to protect him.
"Just lucky."
Hearing this, Fred shrugged.
Joule and Amalfi nearby fell silent in disbelief.
If this was just luck, they might as well say inventing the Engine was luck too.
Unaware of their inner complaints, Fred continued, "Your strength is impressive too." I've learned a lot from you during this time."
As someone who often stayed by Fred's side, Alec clearly knew Fred was in high spirits.
"I don't deserve such praise..."
Alec responded with a sheepish grin.
The surrounding crowd snapped out of their daze, exchanging knowing glances.
"Fred must already have the strength of a Combat Elite."
Joule's husband quietly appeared beside his wife, murmuring.
The two of them were well aware of Alec's capabilities.
Alec himself was one of the top Elites among them, which made their astonishment even greater.
From the movements of Alec and Fred just now, it was clear neither had held back.
In other words, Fred, a Natural barely fourteen years old, already possessed the strength of an Elite Combatant.
While fourteen was considered barely adulthood here, and if he were the offspring of an Elite Coordinator, such a feat might be somewhat understandable.
But Fred himself was practically all-round capable, and with his current abilities, it was terrifying to think about.
"Hmm..."
Joule was equally stunned, unsure how to respond.
Fred's abilities were even more exaggerated than she had anticipated.
Originally, the reason Alec had been assigned to stay with Fred—aside from his own request—was because they wanted someone to monitor him.
But with Fred already stronger than Alec, the so-called monitoring seemed almost laughably reversed.
It could still serve as a simple early warning, but expecting Alec to stop Fred from doing anything in the future was likely impossible.
However, Fred didn't give off the impression of being the kind of ambitious schemer who would betray others or a fanatic of Blue Cosmos.
Moreover, he had the trust of the two higher-ups.
For now, it should be fine, right?
Still, she needed to report this to Patrick.
While Joule was inwardly muttering and everyone else was shocked, Heather quickly stepped forward, anxiously scanning Fred from all sides before lightly tapping the boy on the head.
"I told you to be careful!"
Though she didn't know why Fred had suddenly become stronger, Heather's eyes were still filled with concern.
"Are you hurt?"
At Heather's worried inquiry, the corners of everyone's mouths twitched.
Was he hurt? Her son had just been pummeling Alec relentlessly.
If anyone was hurt, it was Alec.
Of course, it was undeniable that Fred had taken a direct hit from Alec earlier.
But since the boy looked completely unharmed, everyone subconsciously overlooked that point.
"I'm fine."
Just as everyone thought, Fred appeared completely unscathed, smiling as he turned to Alec.
"Alec, are you okay?"
"No."
Upon hearing this, Alec rubbed his head with a simple, honest expression.
"He's very strong."
Watching the harmonious family of three not far away, Joule, after exchanging a few words with her husband, quietly approached Yuri.
"Yes."
Yuri nodded.
For someone as reserved and tight-lipped as Joule to utter such a remark, Fred's impact on her seemed even greater than he had imagined.
But Joule was directly involved in battleship research, so she might know things he didn't.
Though they weren't exactly from the same faction, as fellow members of research and development organizations, they were quite familiar with each other.
"Do you think we could get him involved in MS research?"
Joule's voice was soft, ensuring only the two of them could hear.
"...I don't see any problem with that."
After a brief silence, Amalfi nodded.
"His abilities are outstanding, and he hasn't done anything to harm us."
"But if he ever does, the damage would be even greater."
Joule countered.
"That's true."
Amalfi didn't deny it. No one could say for sure whether Fred might suddenly turn on them.
But watching Fred interact with his family, Amalfi retorted.
"But would Fred really risk his own family?"
"Hmm..."
Joule fell silent.
By all accounts, Fred had considerable credibility with them, especially given his temperament. They had top psychological analysts continuously assessing Fred's state of mind.
Just as Amalfi had said, unless Fred had lost his mind, he couldn't possibly be unaware of the risks involved.
-
Fred: How did you know?
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