Angron's combat data crossed the vast reaches of the Sea of Stars, passed through layers of encrypted communication bands, and found its destination beneath the surface of Sotha.
It was a chamber buried deep underground, its four walls cast from black metal. The air inside was cold and stagnant, and the only light came from the central wraparound main screen, its ghostly blue glow flowing across the metal walls.
The third Ferrus Manus replica stood before the screen with his eyes closed. The influx of data drove his system load to its critical threshold in an instant.
His body grew slightly hot. Wisps of white vapor escaped through the gaps in his armor plates, and liquid metal flowed slowly across the surface of his skin.
He slowly exhaled, his breath condensing into a fine mist in the icy air.
He opened his eyes. Countless lines of rapidly scrolling code flashed in the depths of his pupils before the numbers and symbols finally settled into a clear conclusion.
"You're so strong, Angron..."
Ferrus Manus's voice echoed through the chamber, carrying a mechanical flatness and a trace of awe he could not quite conceal.
He lowered his head to look at his open hands. The liquid metal in his palms was slowly smoothing out again.
"I probably won't forget you for ten thousand years," he murmured to himself, his voice so low it seemed meant for his ears alone.
His database was now crammed with Angron's combat data.
The alignment of muscle fibers in that naked body, the angle of his shoulder blades' displacement with every punch, the timing of his muscles' contractions when absorbing an impact, and the exponential curve of his increasing strength once rage ignited him.
These readings far exceeded the preset limits in his original template. Even the