Humanity's gateway to the supernatural was the control over their body. Their most powerful tool was designed into them by genetics. It was called Adrenaline.
But most people didn't know how to use it. They let it roam free and did everything as it liked. Only when you could learn to control the Adrenaline that the gateway shall be opened.
Carter taught Adrenaline control to Nina and Quill. He started small, with breathing. Through breathing, you could control your heart rate. And once you could control your heart rate, you started to learn how to control your heart, the core of every human's metabolism.
From your heart, you began to reach your hands out to other aspects. Your senses, your digestion, your energy expenditure. Then once you mastered them all. You learned the skill Metabolism Manipulation and you became an Awaken.
Carter bought a plot of land right next to his house and made it into a training center. The construction was still on-going and may take a few weeks to be completed.
These few weeks would be enough for the two of them to learn how to manipulate their heart rate. The first step to learn Metabolism Manipulation.
At the moment, they ran around the blocks and tried to keep their breathing calm and their heart rate low even in physical exhaustion.
Quill saw stars in his eyes. He barely managed to keep up with Nina.
"Nina… Is this… Metabolism Manipulation really works? I've never heard about this supernatural pathway before." His breath was uneven. He couldn't even run properly because he was so tired. His breathing and heart rate were out of control.
Nina was more graceful. Sweat on her forehead. But she managed to keep her breathing calm. Just not her heart rate yet.
"I don't know… But I believe it's real. I've never heard of someone describing a supernatural pathway so detailed before. It must be real."
"So you don't really know."
"No. I know it's real. The scientist in Cyber Runner explained to me their supernatural pathway before. It has the same logic as Metabolism Manipulation."
"What do you mean?"
"Cyber Runner's supernatural pathway is Cyber Psychosis. It's a way to build your mind through the influence of machines. Basically turning you into a half machine half human hybrid."
"It does not have the same logic at all!"
"That's not what I meant. I meant that it followed the same logical path. One was mental. The other was physical. But I have a hunch that this Metabolism Manipulation is stronger."
"Why?"
"One that you can achieve with your own power. The other needs assistance from machines. Which one do you think has more potential?"
Quill didn't answer. He continued to flail his hands chaotically while running along Nina. But he tried to regulate his breath more.
He understood what Nina was implying. Self-enlightenment was always more powerful than assistance from outside forces. It was the same logic with the Seven Pillars. All seven of them dug into the power within a being, not from outside.
Cyber Runner was a faction under the Utopia. But they didn't have Utopia's technology. Their supernatural pathway was only a fraction of Utopia's.
In the meantime, Carter checked the locations of the other potential cemetery inside Terrorstate. This world was large. But it was smaller than Earth. The planet was only half the size of it and had much less habitable areas.
Surprisingly, those inhabitable areas weren't because of Terrors. Terrors were basically non-existent where humans didn't live. Terrors and humans of this planet seemed to have a special connection to each other.
Carter sipped Kaito's delicious coffee while looking at his screen. "Quite a few abandoned cemeteries around. I'll probably be able to create an Elite Skin after a while."
Carter did wonder what was higher than Elite. Cyber Runner didn't know that. The most powerful being inside Cyber Runner was a Peak Elite. They were the same rank as Eldritch Knight but probably much higher in Star Level. Eldritch Knight was only a 1 STAR Elite.
"I should hunt for some more Terror Shards too. Try gathering as much as I could before I jump to a second dimension. Nina and Quill probably wouldn't reach Awaken by that time so I have to take this trip alone."
Night fell. Carter went out with Neros and Piper again for the betterment of humanity.
The truth was, Carter was simply farming for Terror Shards. They would stop after midnight which Carter would then split from the two Invokers and start to rob cemeteries in the surrounding area.
The Terror Bat could fly but its speed was still very limited and couldn't get Carter too far.
A few weeks passed.
The construction of the gymnasium was completed.
"The place seems nice, Mr. Caine." Kaito said.
He and Carter were standing inside the training center. It was a big building with many separate rooms inside, each designed to train humans to become Awakens.
Carter nodded. He used a lot of his wealth to buy some businesses inside Terrorstate, ensuring that his estate would print money even when he wasn't around.
He used another small portion to build this place and bought the equipment inside it. He called it the Metabolic Institute.
This center even got some attention from the press. They paid a lot of attention to him since Carter was the only one that had a connection with an Eldritch Knight.
"Why exact did you build this place, Mr. Caine?" Kaito asked.
"For the betterment of humanity, Kaito. This is where many more warriors will appear. It is not ready to be opened yet. The two instructors still haven't earned their places.
But soon, they will be. When that happens, this place will officially be opened."
"May I ask, Mr. Caine, are these warriors Invokers? Or are they Eldritch Knights?" Kaito said.
"Neither, Kaito. They're a new breed. Both Invokers and Eldritch Knights are very hard to create. One needs a good bloodline. The other needs will that no mortal should possess. I consider them to be specialists more and are useful for only precise missions.
The warriors from this place, however, will be the main force in the future."
"What do they call, Mr. Caine?"
"They are… Superhuman."