Inside the lab, Dr. Edward appeared to have lost all sense of composure, his face a mask of despair as he dully tugged at his sparse hair.
Meanwhile, Kai, still hanging on the wall, smiled carefree.
His laughter was hearty. It echoed through the room—grating enough to break Dr. Edward's spirit.
More so, because of the sudden changes in his body due to the serum Dr. Edward had injected into his heart.
A new sensation of exhilaration and power surged within him. Warm and cool currents flowed through his body. They grew stronger with each passing moment, seemingly strengthening him again and again.
Each time a warm current coursed through his body, followed by a period of itching, a cool, calming aura flooded his body.
Kai felt his body grow light yet brimming with boundless power!
At first, he wondered if it was just his imagination.
But then he noticed the rapid healing of his wounds—especially his broken leg, which seemed to be miraculously reconnecting and returning to its original form.
All of this was happening at an astonishing speed, and this made him more confident that it wouldn't be long before he was fully healed and free from the years of imprisonment.
"Dr. Edward, how does it feel? Did you find this event as lovely and wonderful as I did…?" Whistle~ Kai watched his deadly pale face, etched with utter defeat, and eyes filled with fear and uncertainty.
Unable to resist, he let out a mocking shout, echoing the same derision he had received earlier.
Especially the final whistle he blew, accompanied by his hoarse voice, struck with devastating precision, landing a critical hit with no resistance.
In fact, his sudden words were so piercing that they snapped Dr. Edward back to his senses.
He let out a loud shriek, nearly losing his balance, and with a heavy thud, collapsed to his knees.
"Kai!!!, How dare you! Don't you think that this little trouble could set me up!" Dr. Edward bellowed, a wild glint flashing in his eyes.
Suddenly, as if possessed, he delivered a fierce blow and erupted into a sinister laugh— his laughter was no less than that of a devil! echoing with unhinged menace.
"Kehahaw…! I haven't lost yet! not yet! I still have you—and with you, all my research. All I need is to leave this damned place."
"Kai, don't think that this sudden unrest can beat the passion for unveiling the secrets of supernatural genetics!"
"I, the great Dr. Edward, have dedicated my entire life to this research! Do you really think I would leave it unfinished?"
"Hah! Just wait—so will the royal family, I'll be pioneering a new era of supernaturals. Fame, wealth, beauty, power—I'll have it all."
"Hufff!"
After a long exhale, Dr. Edward gradually regained his composure.
His expression shifted from despair to ferocity, then finally settled into indifference. Yet, a strange, chilling smile lingered on his face.
"Not good," Kai thought, alarmed by the sudden turn of events.
His carefree smile faded as he observed Dr. Edward's strange behavior.
He wasn't afraid of death; rather, Kai, familiar with this mad demon, knew that whenever Edward wore such an eccentric smile, there was always a tragedy bound to happen.
What happened next made Kai's expression sink in deep worry.
What he saw was Edward, who had been on his knees moments before, now rising and rushing toward the central cabin.
Amid the constant vibrations from meteorite bombardments, landslides, and earthquakes, Dr. Edward stumbled several times before reaching the cabin.
As he reached the central cabin, he swiftly opened it, and what appeared in front of him was another safe fixed in the middle.
Upon closer inspection, it is evident that the secure chamber in the center is crafted entirely from a black metal substance.
After a brief moment of verification, Dr. Edward successfully opened it and retrieved a suitcase-like bag made of metal.
Despite its appearance, the bag was surprisingly lightweight, allowing Edward to carry it easily as he hurried toward Kai.
A sinking feeling gripped Kai as his expression darkened. He shouted sharply, "What are you trying to do!?"
"Nothing, ah nothing much," he said smoothly. "Kai, you can rest assured—I'll take care of your body from now on. By now, the medicine I gave you earlier should have taken effect. Yet, you're still conscious, and surprisingly, your spirit hasn't waned; in fact, it's growing stronger."
"It appears that the supernatural serum triggered unknown changes within your body, even counteracting the effects of the anesthesia." As he cast a probing glance, his hands remained steady.
Opening the case, Dr. Edward retrieved a new syringe and serum, and beyond that, he pulled out a strange, silver-gold mass resembling a chip-like structure.
"This injection contains a drug I call 'Especona,' which serves two main purposes," Dr. Edward said, filling the syringe with a strange, almost unsettling smile that could even scare away a devil.
"The first, administered in less than a minute, can numb the nervous system without causing any harm. My favorite, however, is the second—because it can permanently erase a person's memories. I've tested it a few times on subjects, and you know what? Within five minutes of injection, they become little more than puppets. The best part is, I can retrain them, install new memories, and make them obedient to my will."
As he gazed at the silver-gold chip, Dr. Edwards revealed its true nature: a genetic nano-chip, and together with 'Especona,' which contained reactive nano-agents.
"Once both sides' nano-agents are activated, this device would allow me to create a biotech controller, granting me overwhelming control over the subject's life and death!"
Hearing Dr. Edwards' claim, Kai neither found it funny nor believed he was lying.
This further alarmed Kai, and he began to struggle with his weakened body.
Though he could feel it gradually gaining strength, the process was neither swift nor sluggish—
It would take some time before his body could fully develop this newfound power.
Regrettably~, who would have thought that Dr. Edwards wouldn't even give him much time to adjust to the ongoing changes within his body?
For a moment, Kai couldn't help but attribute his impatience and bold laughter to the sudden shift in Dr. Edwards' attention, which ultimately allowed him to recognize the behavioral change and ineffectiveness of the previous medication dosage.
'I should have been more careful. Alas— now it's too late,' was all Kai could think as he watched Dr. Edwards approach him.
With each of his steps, Kai felt time slipping away, as from any moment now, his consciousness might fade, leaving him a helpless puppet in the hands of the one he despised most.
While Dr. Edward took deep relish in Kai's struggle, he was no fool after all. Sensing that this game had gone on long enough, he decided to bring it to an end.
"It seems like....You've won again," Kai muttered stubbornly, glaring at Dr. Edward, who now stood just a meter away. His voice was hollow, laced with bitter resignation.
As if those words drained every ounce of strength from Kai's body and soul, in the dim glow of the underground lab, bound by the chains, that sorry figure hung limply against the wall, hapless and helpless... utterly broken.
In this very moment, Kai never felt so lonely and abandoned, as if even the last speck of hope is now dim and diminished!
"Ha! It seems even you can no longer deny my greatness, Kai. I'm honored," Dr. Edward chuckled contentedly, his eyes gleaming with arrogance and excitement.
With a triumphant smile, he knocked on the tile beneath him and raised the injection.
As he inched it closer to the heart, a surge of triumph washed over him, as if success and his grand ambition were finally within reach… "At last, I've done it," he thought, basking in the moment.
"Booom! Puchi~ Bang!!!"
That was how Dr. Edwards' final thoughts and expressions appeared—until, suddenly, a deafening bang echoed through the lab, as if a meteorite had shattered the underground roof, halting his final act of unveiling the hijab.
In a blur of swift, precise movements, the meteorite struck Edward's head with lightning speed.
His skull shattered like a watermelon, bursting apart as white and red brain matter, along with shards of bone, sprayed outward.
The force slammed with immense pressure into the nearby walls and floor, embedding fragments amidst the chaos.
Finally, with a deafening bang, the meteorite was driven full force into the ground.
The impact shook the entire laboratory—vibrating through the floor, which cracked beneath the force.
Mist and smoke billowed through the space, filling the air with chaos.
Before Kai could fully grasp what was happening, a loud Thud! echoed as Dr. Edward's body collapsed before his eyes.
Witnessing the entire event, Kai was left speechless, overwhelmed by shock and unable to believe what he had just seen.
[Note: Ha! Now our story's first villain is down! Everyone, I sincerely ask for a comment on whether you find these chapters satisfying thus far!]