Enhancements

Rex lay passively on his bed, the slight rays of light piercing through the basement windows causing his eyes to furrow. As he shifted awake, he immediately noticed a difference. Gathering his thoughts, he proceeded to ask, "Helix, how did the procedure go?"

"It went well, Maker. However, the true extent of improvement needs to be physically tested. The AP-01 cells might have adapted differently," replied Helix.

"Argh," Rex sighed slightly, standing up from the bed. He headed out of his room, which had white walls, shimmering lights in the corners, a small library filled with the latest advanced books, and a gaming setup that would make anyone envious.

Walking out of his room, his enhanced senses picked up movement in the kitchen, directing him to his mom. Tia, feeling exhausted from her last night's duties, shifted her gaze at Rex as he approached.

"Oh honey, you're awake already. I was just about to wake you for breakfast and to prepare your lunch for school."

Rex shook his head slightly, noticing that his senses had been boosted. His mom's voice seemed unusually louder but still manageable.

It was unusual for her to make him breakfast, as she was often busy with work or other events. However, now there were sandwiches on the counter and several other assortments, clearly showing her fatigue.

"Mom, I don't think I'll be able to go to school today," he said sheepishly, his usual lightness and coldness fading away. "Can I not go today?"

"Why? Are you not feeling well?" she asked, worried. Rex normally never missed school and always preferred not to stay at home.

"No, I just don't feel like going," he replied truthfully, hoping for the best.

"Okay, dear, you can stay home but just for today."

"Thanks, mom. You're the best," he replied as jovially as possible, giving her a hug, which she accepted with a smile. As they hugged, Tia decided to check his condition using a probing spell. "Kelith morath, reveal thy core," she muttered lightly, almost inaudibly. Rex, with his enhanced hearing, immediately picked it up, feeling the probing sensation he had felt before.

Tia, noticing an increase in his mana, separated from the hug and headed to her room to shower. Rex immediately noticed her microexpression of excitement.

"Make sure to finish your breakfast," she reminded him. Locking her door, Tia snapped her fingers, her room transforming in a blue light. "I can't believe it's really happening," she almost jumped in excitement. His mana, though not large, had increased considerably, indicating the possibility of further growth. She pondered how to explain this to him while looking at her bookshelf.

"First, let me see which manual he should begin with," she muttered, flicking her hands. The books on the shelf levitated towards her, and after some observation, she decided on a few.

"Basic Mana Control Manual, Basic Conjuration Manual, Basic Elemental Magic, and let's not forget 'Magik Language'," she said jovially, storing the books in her storage ring before reverting the room to normal.

Meanwhile, Rex was finishing his large breakfast, his hunger quenched by the assortment of delicacies. Just as he was about to head to the lab to start some testing, he saw his mom walking down the stairs.

"Rex, we need to talk," she said, making Rex pause. Wondering why she had that look on her face, he waited for her to continue.

.

.

.

"So you're saying we, you and I, are from a race of magical beings?" Rex confirmed, clearly shaken but restrained. His thoughts wandered to the book in the lab encased in strange materials.

"Yes, Rex, and it's finally time for you to start learning magic."

Momentarily lost in thought, Rex pondered his previous discoveries. Firstly, cells don't carry mana. He hadn't discovered them in his cells despite deep studying. Secondly, the DNA analysis showed a 98% match with humans. He had originally attributed this to the AP-01 serum, which altered his DNA to adapt.

"Here are the books I've gathered for you. They should assist you in learning the basics," Tia said, placing the four books in front of him.

"Basic Mana Manipulation," he mumbled, glancing at the titles.

"Naturally, mana manipulation comes instinctively to us Magik beings, but since you're a late bloomer, you will need all the assistance you can get," she explained with relief, feeling a burden lift from her shoulders.

"Also, don't mess with the book in your father's lab. It was sealed by your grandmother since I didn't possess enough mana to put it to good use, okay?"

Rex, slightly surprised, quickly returned to nonchalance, having guessed she knew about the lab in the first place.

.

.

.

"The analysis shows the Maker's strength is at 2.37 tons, while the maximum speed ranges from 85 to 89.7 meters per second. Your body should be resistant enough to withstand low-caliber bullets. As for cognitive and intellectual improvement, that would have to be tested by the Maker himself."

"Okay, good report," Rex grunted out, lifting heavyweights before dropping them. He had gone through various tests and analyses, and surprisingly, his improvements were greater than he anticipated, giving him renewed knowledge and understanding of how his cells and body work.

Leaving the small exercise room, he proceeded to have a shower, washing off the sweat. His fatigue quickly faded away, giving him something to add to his list.

In total, the introduction of smart atoms into his body had caused his AP-01 cells to adapt his body to handle them.

His cells had totally gotten rid of the smart atoms, or to be precise, they had consumed and transformed them into something similar. Right now, they could be called AP-01 atoms.

It granted him superhuman strength, durability, and agility, though they were on the lower level of the spectrum. Additionally, there was a great increase in stamina, while regeneration was slightly amplified by around forty percent.

Sitting in the bio lab, he glanced at the magic textbooks he had just been given. Right now, he wasn't in a rush to delve into them, opting to finish his recent study on a research paper about the conditioning of genes and mutations, owned by a particularly insignificant figure.

After just a bit of study early on, he had discovered it could be the key to manipulating the outcome of the compound X substance.

But the deeper he delved, the more he realized something fatal. "I'll need large amounts of money," he muttered.

The amount of money he made creating software, security systems, and firewalls was simply not going to be enough for what he was going to need.

"Cecil...I wonder how much he would be willing to buy a low-tiered superhuman serum," Rex smirked with brilliance, as this idea sparked to life.

"Helix, bring up all information so far on the AP-01 serum," he inquired, his head sparkling with newfound ideas and possible theories.

The more he studied the serum, the more exhilarated he became with its capabilities.

What took his interest in particular was its creation and fusion of complex arrangements. It was simply a work of art; its creation warranted investigation.

Having delved deep, he discovered many things. Along the line was the discovery of the serum as a biotechnological compound, designed to enhance the body's ability to adapt to foreign introduction and changes, including internal stimulations and conditioning.

Whether it was genetical, biochemical, or cellular, it was possible to adapt.

Its mechanism of action involves a multi-faceted approach that integrates genomic editing, which involves components that allow the host's body to adapt and integrate foreign genetic material.

The next was immune modulation, which temporarily suppresses the immune system's rejection mechanism to allow the cells or material to be integrated.

Following this was regenerative enhancement, allowing stem cells to repair and integrate foreign materials for more natural and robust adaptation, which was supported by metabolic optimization, optimizing the restoration of possibly damaged tissue.

Last, protein synthesis and cellular machinery and neural plasticity, the latter boosting brain plasticity to allow it to adapt to new sensory inputs and control mechanisms, while the first increases the production of chaperone proteins that help in the proper folding and functioning of new proteins.

The ingredients and materials were not scarce nor hard to find, but the order of addition of the ingredients and the percentage ratio of each addition simply made it hell for anyone who tried bringing it to existence.

Exhaling while closing his eyes, from reading his father's research, he had read the countless mistakes, errors, and failures he had made, ranging to thousands and taking up three years just to create.

In his heart, he thanked him for his perseverance and undying resolve to create a path for his son. He was no longer X, the assassin in his past life.

He was the amalgamation and fusion of two souls. He was different, he was unique, he was the product of a genius, he was the son of a father who wished for his son's survival. He was the product of science... no, he was the product of Science and Magic, and he knew his journey had just begun.