"You're joking, right?”

Carr thought the check-up would be quick, expecting to leave after it was done, but the doctor held them back, saying they needed to wait for the results.

Exiting the consultation room and entering the temporary ward, Carr saw Merlin browsing the star net on his watch, with a robot diligently scanning his leg. Noticing Merlin's pale complexion, Carr assumed his friend was nervous about an unforeseen issue, "Don't worry. Once the doc checks out the results, it might just be a neural connection issue with the mech pod. This kinda thing has happened to mech pilots before."

Merlin, with a hoarse voice, looked at Carr, "Aren't you going back to your shop today?"

Carr, who owned a mech retail store dealing in various mech parts on a small scale, found Merlin's question odd.

Merlin had been his neighbor and despite the four-year age gap, they were close, "Forgot? My shop's getting a makeover, man." Carr said, puzzled, "Maybe you should get checked again, your memory seems off too. You're not looking so hot, dude. You're the talk of the town lately, with all these teams wanting to sign you. Don't get played in your condition."

Contracts...

Merlin's attention briefly shifted to the red notifications popping up on his watch, slowly piecing together memories from when he was 18. That year, he had clinched the Solo Mech League, attracting offers from prestigious mech teams due to his unrestricted signing status. According to the trajectory of his future career, he would sign with a team, continuing to shine in the solo mech combat scene, bagging multiple trophies—

Until he turned 20.

Merlin's gaze swept the surroundings, finally resting on the watch displaying star-net information.

The year was 1245, and the 17th season of the Solo Mech Combat had just concluded a few days ago. As usual, he made a routine medical check-up at the end of the season.

Carr, puzzled by Merlin's unusual mood today, watched him closely.

"Did the genetic test results come out?" Merlin asked.

"Should be soon. The Medical Center's pretty empty today," Carr responded, but the ward's door opened before he could finish. The doctor, looking grave, hurried over with a medical pad in hand, speaking earnestly, "There's an issue with your right hand."

Carr was momentarily stunned, "I thought the problem was with his leg. How did it switch to his hand?"

"No issues were found with the leg." The doctor paused, then continued seriously, "Upon repeated verification, we discovered a genetic mutation in the patient's right arm."

Carr, who had been planning on grabbing a good meal with Merlin after the check-up, was caught off-guard by the doctor's words, struggling to respond, "Doc, clarify, please. Don't scare us. My friend's a mech pilot, and you can't just throw around words like genetic mutation."

"It's no mistake," the doctor, handing the medical pad to Merlin, stated gravely, "We suspect a genetic disease."

Carr's expression stiffened, "You're joking, right?"

Genetic disorders, as of now, are something even the Star Alliance can't fully cure. Fast forward to today, and people's physical and mental strength dictates their overall health. But genetic diseases? They're a beast of their own, capable of wrecking havoc on a person's physique and mental fortitude.

When you're hit with a genetic mutation, control is out the window. The affected area can spiral, eventually shackling the entire body and wreaking genetic havoc, leading to a complete health nosedive.

This isn't your garden-variety genetic hiccup. The strides in physical and mental enhancement have only made these conditions more unpredictable. Even with a deep dive into human genetics, the root cause of these mutations remains elusive, forcing the hand toward drastic control measures.

Doctor: "Before a confirmed diagnosis, we're talking multiple screenings. This isn't a minor issue. We didn't spot anything in the leg, but the arm mutation popped up unexpectedly during a deep dive." The doc never saw it coming, especially in a mech pilot. Initially, these mutations can appear minor, easily misdiagnosed, until they're not. Without immediate control, it's a full-body spread, culminating in severe deterioration.

Merlin glanced at his right arm, realization hitting that the issue surfaced at 18.

In his past life, the genetic backlash struck two years later, costing him dearly during a crucial match. His mech crashed, and it was only during emergency medical attention that his advanced-stage genetic mutation was discovered.

By then, the mutation wasn't just in his hand; it had severely crippled his legs and right hand. Treatment delays meant that even after amputating and fitting prosthetics, his legs couldn't sync with the mechanical limbs, confining him to a wheelchair for a decade.

The physical pain, the hefty penalties… and ultimately, a shuttered career path.

Merlin, listening the ongoing discussion, glanced at his arm. Flawless skin, calloused fingers from years of mech piloting, and beneath his pant leg, his yet-to-be-amputated legs.

Closing his eyes, he felt the smooth flow of mental energy he hadn't felt since his disability.

This was him at his peak.

Carr was still hashing it out with the doc. Genetic diseases in mech pilots are no joke, especially given Merlin's usually robust health.

As Carr and the doctor debated further tests, Merlin, silent till now, chimed in: "If it's a genetic disease, what's the treatment plan at this stage?"

The doctor, eyeing the patient's athletic build and the smooth muscles of his exposed arm, knew too well the concerns mech pilots had about their health. A minor slip could end careers.

"The quickest fix is to excise the mutated genetic section ASAP, preventing further spread, coupled with drug intervention for control."

"We need to biopsy your right arm for more insights, expecting results within three hours." The doctor hesitated, then in the heavy silence of the hospital room, added, "If it's confirmed as a genetic mutation in the right arm, considering the circumstances, we're looking at one treatment plan."

"We'd recommend genetic repair surgery, amputating the right arm, and fitting a mechanical prosthetic."