“What do you mean I am faulty?” Miles asked. Although he wasn’t suspecting Merlin, he thought there might be something wrong with the medicine.

“When we found you, your body was clashing with the medicine. For some reason, your body is rejecting the serum.” Milosh started, “I talked to Evelyn, don’t worry I calmed her down, she looked into other medicines in the same series and she also asked Mother AI about this, but we can’t find anything wrong with the other serums produced together with this one.”

Miles looked at Milosh with bewilderment. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Whatever is happening with your body, it is rejecting the serum. You have to solve that first. Our doctor already examined your body and realized medicine didn’t reach your muscles at all. It is impossible if your muscles weren’t denying the medicine from the start.”

“I cannot increase my energy…” Miles answered after thinking for a while.

“What do you mean?” Milosh asked. “I know that you don’t have a superpower, so it is harder for you to increase the density of your energy, but it is a cumulative effort. Don’t feel disheartened, you just have to keep working.”

“You don’t get it.” Miles's voice was heavy. He was feeling bitter and defeated. He bore against whatever life put in front of him, and he always found a way to break the obstacles set in his path. But now, all of his advances were closed forever. He couldn’t increase his energy, he couldn’t use serum, how could he advance to the next level?

“For the last 10 days, my energy hasn't increased even a little. Not a bit.” Miles muttered and explained what had happened.

“This… I have never encountered anything like this before.” Milosh was taken aback. He held his chin and thought for a few minutes. “Keep working for now, and try to pass through this bottleneck,” Milosh said and left after patting Miles's shoulder.

Miles sighed and fell to the bed. He didn’t know how to feel or what to do. He, for the first time in his life, felt like giving up.

Even after he failed to awaken his superpower, when his ancient gene exploded, even when he failed to form a seed… He never gave up and kept on fighting, because there were other paths he could choose. But now, he had no alternative path. Nothing!

“Miles, what are you going to do?” Coin asked as he floated above Miles. His hologram body was sitting in the air.

“I don’t know.” Miles shook his head.

“You can’t give up.” Coin tried to encourage him.

“I don’t know what else I can do, buddy,” Miles answered listlessly.

“You can still get stronger.” Coin pleaded.

“I don’t even have a seed. I can’t form an ultimate. I will always be behind others.” Miles said silently.

“You can. Who says you can’t form an ultimate without a seed?” Coin retorted.

Miles opened his eyes and looked at Coin’s ethereal body. “What do you mean?”

“Didn’t people tell you it is impossible to be a hunter if you fail to awaken? Didn’t they tell you it is impossible to use serums? Shouldn’t it be impossible for humans to use energy before Form-Rank? Miles, you overcome many impossibles in your life. Why are you giving up now?” Coin asked.

Miles felt his heart was burning. ‘Indeed, why do I feel it is impossible? I still have energy despite not having a seed. And my energy is different from others. What is there to hesitate? I will carve my path like I always did. What if I can’t form an ultimate without a seed? I will form something even better!’ Miles clenched his fists. The pain was still there but he ignored it.

“Thank you, Coin!” Miles thanked him from the bottom of his heart.

————

Miles returned to the villa with newfound ambition. Doctors ordered him to not practice at least for a week, but he couldn’t wait any longer.

He sat on the ground and took out the notebooks and information he had on ultimate. Both Kenway and Mercer shared their experiences with him, there were also some on Uninet, and a library in the Academy. He read everything he could on the subject.

“Ultimate is an epitome manifestation of energy. It is used to exude a person’s energy to carry out a certain function, creating a special and unique paranormal ability. Once a certain level of energy control has been attained, the hunter can attempt to create their personal ultimate ability. Since they can have a superabundantly vast range of effects.

A good Ultimate ability reflects a person's own character, regardless of its complexity; one can never truly master their ultimates if they only copy someone else's abilities.”

Miles had seen a fair share of Ultimates last year. Firstly, he saw Merlin’s Elemental Beast. Then Mercer’s Gauntlets of Superior, Malcolm’s Mischievous King, Helez’s Cape of Darkness, Mr. Roger’s Nurse, Kostas Anemone’s Wing of Gods, Serzen’s Lock-On, Kenway’s Cross Sword, Dusek’s Tree of Life, Marcela’s Morgan Le Fey and Alex’s Star Map.

There were also monster ultimates. Among them, Merlin, Helez, Roger, Kostas, Dusek, Marcela, and Alex’s abilities were Heart Branch Ultimates.

While Mercer, Malcolm’s, and Kenway’s abilities were Body Branch Ultimates.

Serzen’s was a Mind Branch Ultimate.

Although there were a few baffling Miles, he could still see how their ultimates and characters were matching. Mercer was always prideful and victorious, he created an ultimate that required him to tyrannize his opponents. He was a successful general and good at psychological warfare. He loved to corner his enemies even before a fight started. An ultimate which could strengthen him, indeed suited him perfectly.

Others were the same.

“What is my personality?” Miles asked himself.

“You are a gallant hero, then a sword maybe?” Coin said.

“No, I am not a hero.” Miles shook his head.

“You are just, so a scale can test the opponent then punish them!” Coin said while creating a hologram scale in his hand.

“I don’t think that is on the scale of Body Branch.” Miles shook his head and chuckled at the pun.

“Oh, why do you think you should create your ultimate in Body Branch?” Coin asked.

Miles was dumbfounded by the question. “Why should I? I don’t know. I always felt it would be my primary.” He was pondering when Coin said.

“You always payback. A mirror?”