Marcus felt a surge of energy ripple through his body, molten and vibrating beneath his skin. His muscles tensed, his limbs stretched, and his frame expanded with astonishing fluidity. In the next instant, he realized he had grown over three meters tall, his body fully transformed.
As his transformation completed, a thick cloud of white smoke enveloped him, swirling around and partially obscuring his massive new form. He raised his hands instinctively, flexing fingers tipped with hardened gray plates, feeling their weight and density, marveling at the raw power coursing through him.
When the smoke began to clear, his gaze fell upon the reinforced glass to his right. Reflected back at him was the full extent of his transformation: plated gray extremities, taut red musculature, and the sheer imposing scale of his body. Marcus exhaled, absorbing the sight, aware that this was a version of himself far beyond the limits he had ever known.
But what unsettled him most was not the terrifying form itself, but how he could see the world through eyes that, by all appearances, were completely covered. A troubling thought crept into his mind: if his eyes are blocked, how is he still able to see everything so clearly?
Through the thick, swirling smoke, Elias's calm, measured voice came over the microphone, cutting through Marcus's thoughts:
"Marcus… how do you feel? How are you holding up?"
Marcus inhaled deeply, letting the strange, smoky air fill his lungs, and realized he felt… comfortable. Not overwhelmed, not frightened. His body, though enormous and unfamiliar, moved naturally under his own control, and the plates on his skin shifted smoothly as he flexed his fingers.
"I… feel comfortable," he replied, his voice steady despite the roar of power within him. "Stronger… but in control."
Elias nodded from behind the observation glass, taking notes on every word and the steady tone of Marcus.
"Alright, Marcus," he said through the microphone. "It's important that you get used to these sensations. Now I want you to do a small exercise: move your arms slowly, feel how the plates respond, how your musculature adapts. No rush, just focus on control."
Marcus lifted his right forearm first, watching how each plate followed the flex of his muscles, then the left, and finally both simultaneously. The sensation was strange yet familiar, as if his body instinctively remembered how to handle this newly acquired strength.
"Perfect," Elias continued. "Now, I want you to examine your hands and feet. Feel the strength in each extremity, the density of your muscles, the texture of the plates… and then try lifting a weight that you would have considered impossible before. Just enough to perceive your limits in this state."
Marcus obeyed, feeling every fiber of his new body, the flow of ether coursing through his veins, and how the transformation granted him a natural power that he still needed to learn to modulate. It was a moment of discovery, of adjustment, and despite the power, he felt… strangely calm and comfortable.
While Marcus stood in the room in his transformed state, Elias Vann signaled one of the assistants to bring over a set of special bracelets and a belt.
"Marcus," Elias said from behind the glass, "these devices will allow us to record, in real time, how your body responds in this form. We want to compare your capabilities with the data we collected previously. Place the bracelets on your wrists, the anklets on your ankles, and the belt around your waist."
Marcus followed the instructions with controlled movements. He first adjusted the bracelets on his wrists, feeling the sensors conform to his musculature without restricting movement. Next, he fastened the devices around his ankles, and finally secured the belt around his waist, noting the faint hum of the sensors activating and synchronizing with his monstrous form.
"Perfect," Elias continued. "Now we can accurately compare your physical capabilities with the records from the first assessment. Maintain a natural posture, move normally, and let the devices gather the data."
Marcus took a deep breath, feeling the ether vibrate more intensely through his body. Every movement he made in this monstrous form would be measured and compared to his previous results, allowing the scientists to precisely evaluate how much his strength, speed, coordination, reflexes, and endurance had increased from his human form to this current state.
Selene studied the data and evaluations on Marcus, arms crossed and brow slightly furrowed.
—His physical capabilities, his combat skill, his endurance… —she murmured— his protective plates, how he moves… he's clearly oriented toward close-quarters combat. He's the typical assault-type humanoid with superior physical abilities. But, unfortunately, there are already too many like him.
David leaned against the wall, relaxed, and said:
Let me tell you something that happened in the alley —David began, leaning against the wall—. During the fight, I appeared behind Marcus, raised my weapon, and fired straight at the back of his neck… and yet, he dodged it without even turning. The bullet followed its trajectory, but he moved in time to completely avoid it. And not only that: in the very next instant, he counterattacked immediately, knowing exactly where I was. It was fast, precise, and clean at the same time
Selene raised an eyebrow, skeptical:
—Mm… he may have extraordinary reflexes, but many assault-type Transformers have highly developed senses. They can react to environmental cues, perceive tiny changes in the air, in sound, or in an opponent's posture… I'm not saying he doesn't have talent, but we can't assume something unique from a single incident. Besides… there are already too many with that profile.
David looked her squarely in the eyes, calm as ever:
—You know no one senses me. That's why they call me The Dark Ghost. What happened with Marcus wasn't chance or normal reflexes. There's something different about him, something that really doesn't fit with what we know.
Selene frowned, thinking that perhaps she should take David's advice. She knew better than anyone that behind his carefree demeanor hid someone very intelligent and sharp.
Through the microphone, Elías's voice came through firm and precise: "Marcus, we need to inform you of something important. The investigation into your monstrous form will take a full week; we need to gather all your exact characteristics and abilities to fully understand your form."