At work, it was the kind of shit Mike expected to be, getting scolded for what happened in New Gaia despite not being his fault,

Even getting scolded when Rose was the one who allowed it, but whatever, Mike was sure of what would happen anyway.

It was not his fault but Louis' and even when so, nobody could help Mike.

Lucky for him, even mentioning about getting fired, he wasn't fired.

One of the bosses, a bulky man in charge of HR department, talked about being forgiven since it was the evaluation period.

But Mike couldn't care less, he kept his work and that was the important matter to him.

But... got his salary cut for this month. No matter the amount they will cut of it, Mike cried in his mind for it, it was the painful side of this meeting.

After finishing the scolding session, he was left free to go beside Rose.

Sadly, for him, she was not in the company building today, and the time was already 8 o'clock.

It looked like they wanted to fire him right away, so they made him stay in that place for too long.

He knew about the scolding and didn't care but when someone said Rose was not in the building and receiving a message from Male...

"It's like they are planning all those things, I would think so if that were to happen, but I saw similar situations and faced some before" To make people lose time, it was common doing from certain people to their employees in Aether.

Mike reached the place after running to the destination, he didn't take a taxi because, well, forgot to tell the android to move some money to his account...

And because the bus was not as fast as him running... and had no cash on him again.

It was Rose's house, actually, the Minister Slade's residence.

"With so much money why is she leaving with her parents yet? But that house is big, so I can guess why..."

He reached the entrance and the man in there was...

"Oh, my luck is not bad at all, I know I am late so, just tell me what to do" Said expecting the man to remind him about the time.

"You should not expect much from me if you are arriving late, but lucky you, it's an easy day for you" Said the man, somehow displeased by Mike arriving late, but still somehow surprised by something.

Mike noticed nothing anyway or just ignored it.

The work when Rose was at home was easy, he just needed to guard outside since Rose's father wouldn't allow him or any other private bodyguard inside.

Even if he was working under Slade's brother.

Male informed Mike already arrived but, in the meantime, he showed Mike his work for the day, and also told him that he could even leave early today.

Mike was tempted but still chose to stay until the right time.

He was in the evaluation period after all, and could not miss a single step or the bosses would kick his ass after the incident in New Gaia.

Male showed some sign of doubt while saying so too, so Mike was sure he could not just leave his work mid-term.

After 8 pm he finally left, he didn't even have the chance to see Rose, but that was the best result for him.

Seeing her would mean problems.

"Problems are away from me, problems are finally getting away" He repeated things like that while leaving.

He had to train today since Claire stated that will not help Mike in training with his yesterday's condition,

And Mike could do nothing to insist Claire.

For the first time (or maybe second) he didn't want to order her to do something. He was indeed tired that day.

But the guild had many miracle treatments for almost every kind of injury or pain, today, he woke up like new.

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Tonight will be when he finally resumes his training to reach phase 1, and maybe he could finally be stronger, at least a little bit stronger.

Upon reaching home, he had dinner, relaxed a bit, and went to the training area.

Instead of the previous training he wanted to test his power with the device again.

Although he got beaten by Louis previously, he felt he learned one or two things with his ability.

Claire understood his intention and turned on the device, Mike still didn't know how to turn that thing on.

He has an advanced android who could do it gladly (but without the 'gladly' part, just obeying orders) for him.

He placed his hands and started using the Bloody Hand and then, pressure.

The first second was somehow still enough to worry him, but felt that each day the first seconds were less hard.

The first 5 seconds, he felt big pressure but still could hold on.

7 seconds, finally felt the challenge once again.

9 seconds, it was hard to bear with it, the pressure was high, and he felt his ability shaking already.

10 seconds and his body was finally crying.

He thought he was already in 6 or 7 seconds, anyway.

12 seconds, he still felt like could keep going, but only in will, his power was depleted 2 seconds ago, it was the real challenge.

13 seconds, Claire prepared to catch him in case he would not get away from the device.

14 seconds, Claire made an analysis of Mike's PhySEC production status.

15 seconds, Claire was finally surprised, even in an android standard.

Mike was clearly improving his ability to such an extent; in his mind, he was reading the combat against Louis.

But the combat itself even if life-threatening was not enough to motivate him,

But anyway, it was enough to let him learn.

At 17 seconds, he felt his body suddenly fainting, confusion shocked him.

"What? I still... had energy... why...?" The android caught him in her arms as usual. But in the meantime, some strange knowledge was being craved in his body.

"Sleep well, master" Said the android while looking at Mike reaching the world of dreams.

"How much did he beat you up to learn that much?" Said the android even if it knew it was pointless while nobody would listen to her.

The android Claire took her master to the bedroom, changed him from his clothes and placed him on his bed.

Without delay, it went to the training area again and then headed to the device.

Soon she removed the back cover of the device, took some kind of electronic board, and analyzed it.

Result: "working fine to level 1"

Level 0 was how the device was programmed to deal with phase 0 of the bloody hand.

But level 1? It means that it was placed to train phase 1, but Claire, placed the board previously because it was the hardest way but also the quicker to advance phase 0 to phase 1 of the Bloody Hand.

She inspected it was fine and placed the board again in its place.

She would not tell her master since she had no need.

She prepared the device to help him achieve phase 1 quick even when not ordered to change the board in it.

She wanted to help for sure, to analyze the board was a common procedure after advancing to the next phase anyway.

Her work in training area was done, and then headed to the secret laboratory, all while having scans on Mike's current state continuously.

There was a reason to scan him, advancing phases made the users of the Bloody Hand tired and weak, even more than usual, and specially made them feel pain if not receive adequate treatment during the phase increase.

She took the medicines from the lab and headed to the energy sector to take a look quick.

In there, only a few bones remained in two capsules. May their souls get mercy in the afterlife after their bodies got used as energy to keep her and the house working.

She had no way to "see" what was happening in the energy room or in the secret laboratory, her systems could not reach those places if she was not there.

She made a note to install the sensors and all kinds of scanners in those and any other place of the house that had no access.

To do so, she would need access from the master, she had access to most of it, but still needed permission as common procedure,

But had in her mind that it was not necessary since her master would allow it anyway.

Another flaw in the system, but who would fix it?

With tools and medicine in hand, she headed towards Mike's bedroom again.

While getting inside, Mike was sweating, she already knew anyway, it was normal for him.

Applying the medicine on Mike, she focused on where the biggest muscle pressure was and placed the medicine in the right way in the right zone in time.

It was a transformation that happened when a user of the Bloody Hand advanced phases.

But it would take hours so... bless the androids and their infinite stamina.

She made another mental note, since her master advanced quicker than expected, would tell the consequences of advancing phases first thing in the morning.

Oh, and the way of restraint ability advancing phases too.

Otherwise, who knows where can he advance his ability suddenly and get vulnerable to who knows what.

The Bloody Hand was powerful but had to bear with its weakness while advancing through phases.

The founder (who gave the Bloody Hand to the Blood family) made the Blood family suffer like that while advancing a phase but not on purpose, the ability, in difference to others, had big changes each phase.

So the body, not only the mind, and muscle memory, must adapt to each change in just hours.

Phases were not everything in most of the PhySEC abilities, but with this ability, it gives noticeable changes.