The syic skin c it looked fwless, softer and smoother thahe healthiest human skin. If not for the knowledge that it was syio one would suspect it wasn’t real. However, oail stood out: the facial features of the body were entirely different from Lillian’s inal face. "Subeous bulletproof tissue impnted?" Zack asked as he ied the syic skin.

  "firmed," Ego replied.

  "Good. Begin instaltion." Though the bionic skin appeared fragile, it housed advanced defensive features. In the event of an attack, its sensors would harden specific areas of the skin instantly, providing enough prote to deflect rifle bullets. The system owered by the Cold Fusioor embedded in Lillian’s heard—a power source strong enough to sustain her new body indefinitely. "At least paldium poisoning won’t be an issue," Zack muttered, watg as the final yers of bionic skin were seamlessly attached.

  A short while ter. A lifelike woman sat up oransformation table, her eyes snapping open as if waking from a long nightmare. Energy from the Cold Fusioor coursed through her artificial body, activating every syic an in perfect harmony. "Ugh..." Lillian groaned softly, her hand instinctively toug her head as she adjusted to her new senses.

  Zack tossed a pile of clothes onto her p. "Get dressed," he said without emotion.

  "I..." Lillian stared at her hands in disbelief, flexing her fingers as if to firm they were real. Her gaze moved down to her body, iing every inch. "Are you sure I’m a robot?" she asked, her voice filled with shock.

  The refle staring back at her looked nothing like the half-mae monstrosity she had expected. Instead, her skin was smoother and softer than ever, her body seemingly rejuveo its prime. Her appearanow resembled a younger version of herself, as though she had aged backward twenty years. "The sense of touch is still there... the smell too..." she murmured, her disbelief growing. "Disiant... I smell it."

  "Of course," Zack said bluntly, leaning against the sole. "It’s syiagic. You’re still half-robot. You just don’t look like real human."

  Lillian remained silent for a moment, staring at her refle. After a long pause, she looked up at Zack. "Thank you," she said softly.

  Zack didn’t reply, his focus already shifting to the sole, preparing for the ask. Lillian stood up from the transformation table and stretched, adjusting to her new body. Her movements were hesitant at first, but within moments, she seemed fortable in her new form. Then, her refle in a nearby polished metal surface caught her attention. "Wait," she said, stepping closer to her refle and toug her face. "My face... it’s different."

  "Lillian is dead. Buried," Zack said bluntly. "From now on, you’re someone else. You pick a new name if you want."

  "I know that," she replied, nodding. A ge of identity was something she had anticipated—and even hoped for. But that wasn’t her real . "That’s not what I mean," she said, narrowing her eyes. "Where did this fae from? It doesn’t feel like me... and it’s a bit too young."

  Zack poi a holographic dispy across the room. "I desig," he said simply. The s showed a face-creation system remi of character ization in online games. Lillian approached the dispy, tilting her head as she examihe digital model of her neearance. "Well," she said after a long pause, "I have to admit... your taste isn’t bad." She reached out instinctively to touch the hologram, only for her hand to pass through it.

  "Stop admiring yourself," Zaapped, his tone impatient. "Get over here and see if your powers still work."

  "Yes, sir!" Lillian replied automatically, her voice carrying an odd mix of authority and submission. She froze for a moment, her face puzzled, but her body moved instinctively toward the testing ptform.

  "I told you before," Zack reminded her, watg her rea closely. "After the transformation, you’ll obey my orders unditionally. How does that feel? Regret it yet?"

  Lillian looked back at him, her expression calm and resolute. "No, I don’t regret it," she said firmly. Her to no room for doubt. Then, without warning, she k on one knee, l her head slightly. "From now on, I’ll protect Sophia from the shadows, no matter what. I’ll do whatever you ask of me," she said with vi. "From this moment forward, I’ll be your Shadow."

  The testing began. Shadow, as she now called herself, stepped onto the ptform. Her right hand transformed seamlessly into a bde, and a faint, pale white light—resembling moonlight—formed along its edge. She turned sharply and swung the bde at an alloy steel pipe with a diameter of five timeters.

  Screeech!

  The pipe was sliced ly in two, the cut surface smooth and precise. After several rounds of testing, Zack observed that Shadow’s powers remained intact. It seemed mutant abilities inated in the brain, not the body. She could gee energy resembling moonlight, which could either coat her ons or form into structs like light bdes. This energy was unimaginably sharp, capable of cutting through alloy steel with ease.

  Even ultralium alloys, known for their resilience, wereirely immune. While it couldn’t sever them pletely, it left deep, damaging cuts—enough to promise their iy. "Good thing I didn’t let you get too close in the fight," Zack remarked dryly, watg the test results.

  In their previous enter, Lillian hadn’t had the ce to attack. Zack had nded a devastating punch before she could even raise her bde. Though her powers were formidable, her physical strength was far below his.

  Even without armor, Zack’s body had a strength index 12.5 times that of an ordinary human—and that number was climbing. His physical capabilities alone made him more powerful than the fearless warriors under his and. But Zack preferred efficy over theatrics. If a missile could do the job, there was o risk hand-to-hand bat. His personal strength was a trump card he rarely o py.

  "Aside from the basic life-support systems, your new body has plenty of built-iures," Zack told Shadow as she pleted her tests. "You’ll stay in the b for now and explore your new abilities. Once you’ve adapted, I’ll design a suit for you. Until then, don’t go anywhere."

  "Uood," Shadow replied, her toeady. She could feel the immense power surging through her new body with every move she made. The Cold Fusioor embedded in her chest supplied limitless energy, filling her with a sense of strength she had never experienced before.

  As Zack turo leave, he suddenly paused and gnced back. "One more thing," he said. "From now on, keep your distance from Sophia. Minimize your tact with her as much as possible."

  Shadow nodded without hesitation. "Uood," she replied automatically. Then, after a moment, she added in a softer voice, "Don’t worry. Sophia has finally accepted my death. I won’t disrupt her peace." Her first response was an instinctive obedieo Zack’s and. Her sed was a heartfelt promise, born of a mother’s love.