Adam offered food to both Azrael and Lyra. Azrael tried to eat, but instantly spat it out. "Sorry, Mom and Dad," he said, "I can't eat it, it's disgusting."
Lyra analyzed that Azrael's taste buds might not be suited for normal food. They both wondered what he could eat. After trying various foods and water, nothing worked; Azrael threw everything up. A concerned look appeared on Adam's face; he didn't want Azrael to starve.
Azrael's Evolution and a New Understanding
Lyra then posed a question: "Is it possible that the variants would prefer human flesh or zombie flesh?"
Adam asked Azrael to close his eyes, then pricked his own finger, letting a drop of blood fall into Azrael's mouth. "That's yummy," Azrael declared, "It's very sweet."
Azrael's body began to glow. Lyra scanned him; his mana core had fully developed. Before they could ask him anything else, his body slumped onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep.
Lyra analyzed that Azrael was undergoing an evolution. His mana core continued to unleash different signatures. Lyra immediately told Adam to put the mana armor on Azrael to stabilize the mana core.
Fully covered by the mana armor, Azrael's body was now surging with infinite mana. The mana core's fluctuations slowly subsided as it absorbed more and more mana. Azrael's mana core continuously absorbed the mana, which the mana armor supplied endlessly.
As time passed, Azrael remained in a state of suspended animation within the mana armor. Lyra assured Adam that Azrael was safe, and they could now discuss moving to another location.
New Plans and Unveiled Capabilities
Adam sat beside Lyra as she displayed a scan of the area. Not far from their location was an airbase. With enough fuel, it would provide a good chance to return to the human civilization they had created. Adam, however, was hesitant about flying a plane, admitting he didn't know the controls. Lyra reassured him that with the universal tool, she could hack into any vehicle and even control it for flights.
Adam, surprised, asked, "Does the universal tool able to access technology?"
Lyra confirmed that the universal tool itself was a type of technological artifact. Adam then questioned why she hadn't told him this sooner, suggesting he could have created a jetpack to fly back.
Lyra explained that while it could become a jetpack, its size limitations meant it wouldn't have enough speed or power to travel far. It would take days or even months to get back, and a jetpack could barely support Adam's weight alone. More importantly, using mana as fuel would cause more harm by unleashing mana into the environment, leading to rapid zombie evolution.