Lug and the old woman had started walking, as they talked.

"The brain is made up of different parts, it's not like a muscle that you can strengthen without *really* having to think about it. Here, if you go too hard, you might end up with after-effects."

" Like what?" asked Lug, looking concerned.

"At best, you might go insane. At worst, you'll die in excruciating pain."

Hearing this, Lug began to doubt - once again.

"What the hell am I doing here... Seriously." he thought to himself.

The old lady went on.

"The secret is to know exactly which part of the brain you want to strengthen, and to put energy into it continuously, in *reasonable amounts*. So don't do what you did last time."

"I didn't do it on purpose, I followed your instructions, and the next thing I saw, was my arm swellIng up like crazy."

The old woman looked at him, puzzled.

"You really are a special one."

"Why?" said Lug, almost sighing.

"Normally, when you learn reinforcement, the hardest part is managing to emit enough energy to increase your body's limits. But in your case, it's the opposite. You have too much energy and it tends to go out uncontrollably." said the old woman, mimicking an explosion with her hands.

"The Wise One told me the opposite. That I have a lot of energy, but it can't get out, because of... He told me that something is missing."

"Yes, that's right. It's only a fragment of your energy that you can use. But that fragment… It's already an unattainable peak for the average person."

"That much?" Lug asked, a little proud of himself.

The old lady switched the subject, sensing that highlighting Lug's abilities would only inflate his pride.

"Far too many people have died, not killed by their enemies, but by their arrogance." she thought.

They had been talking as they walked, when they reached Lug's house, they stopped.

"This may seem sudden, but I have taught you all you need to know about reinforcement. You have to figure out the rest on your own."

It seemed inconsistent to Lug.

She explained to him the risks of this technique, and then what? Good luck?

"Why don't you show me everything, it would be easier." Lug objected.

"There is nothing weaker than one intelligence subordinated to another. I showed you the way, the rest is up to you."

"In the end, you and The Wise One are not so different." said Lug in a slightly mocking tone.

The old lady didn't answer, but one could tell her annoyance.

She went toward the cemetery gate.

Before leaving, she said:

"You will keep seeing me in the cemetery, don't worry. I like it here." she had a grin creasing her lips, it seemed like an effort to her.

She walked out and left Lug there, in front of his house, his mind troubled.

On the one hand, the idea of brain enhancement was very appealing to him.

On the other hand, the possibility of a violent death just made him want to forget everything.

The cold wind that blew on the back of his neck brought him to his senses.

He went home.

After eating, he laid down on his bed.

Since he had reduced the output of his energy centers, Lug needed only 6 hours of sleep a night, and ate much less.

His skin had regained its luster, and his eyes had a liveliness he had never known.

He was in much better health than before he came to this cemetery.

"I doubted The Wise One, but in the end he was right. Mmmh." he was weighing the pros and cons.

He began to think that he was much better at managing his energy flow than before.

Lug was not a great optimist, but here, he had put aside all the difficulties and suffering he had gone through.

Taking *only* the positive into account, he told himself that he had everything to gain from strengthening his brain.

He placed his pillow comfortably under his head, laid down with his arms along his body.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He put his attention on his brain.

Trying to feel the blood flowing through it, the membranes that made it up, the life that pulsed.

And he began to strengthen it.

As he had done with his arm, he let his brain be engulfed by the same sensation.

The psychic energy flowed through his blood and sustained the tissues.

He went even deeper, into the gray matter, into the neurons.

He tried to visualize as precisely as possible everything he could in his brain.

Lug was not a specialist, but he did not need to be.

He imagined what a neuron might look like, that was enough.

There is an innate intelligence in the body, it finished the work started by Lug.

The intention was enough, it was the secret behind the mastery of psychic powers.

That's why it was necessary to visualize the result.

The intention was a tended bow, it was then necessary to let the intelligence of the body guide the arrow.

But Lug had made a mistake.

He hadn't practiced strengthening since the accident that left him bedridden for two days.

He had not yet mastered the basics of reinforcement, but he was already working on psychically boosting his brain.

He naively thought he could control the flow of his energy.

But the flow that poured into his brain was like a tsunami engulfing a river.

It was so intense that Lug snapped out of his meditation and opened his eyes.

He wanted to stop it, but it was already too late.

His face - no more sensation.

His eyesight - everything went dark.

A sound... His voice? No. The sound of his teeth grinding.

And suddenly.

He had a violent epileptic fit.

His movements were so abrupt and violent that he almost broke the fragile wooden pates that maintained the structure of his bed.

His eyes were bulging, his nose was bleeding and foam was beginning to appear in his mouth.

Gavan, who was at the table, was horrified by the spectacle, he did not move, not knowing what to do.

Then he turned back to his trusty wall, acting as if he had seen nothing.

Denial was his answer to intense stress.

After several minutes of a most sinister scene, Lug finally calmed down.

He had passed out.