The focus shifts to the lifeless body. Suddenly, the injury on his head begins to close up, the skin knitting itself back together in a miraculous display of self-healing. His body contorts and snaps back into place, and he takes a deep, life-restoring breath. His eyes flutter open, and he slowly stands up, his mind racing with strategies. 'Okay, now that I've tested their strength, I need to figure out a way to beat those two,' he thinks, plotting his next move.
However, his contemplation is interrupted by General Harlan's voice. "Vorn Luis Hail. A student in the highly advanced institution of Litha. Well, you sure are smart, that institution is a pain to get into. Why would a smart man like yourself enslave fellow people?" General Harlan says, rubbing his temples as he stands up, his tone carrying a mix of curiosity and reproach.
Vorn, turning to face the general, looks around the room, assessing his situation. "Did you know I wasn't dead?" he inquires, popping his neck as he regains his composure. Internally, he doubts their ability to detect his survival. 'No, I don't think that's possible, abilities are not something people can detect,' he muses, scanning the room for any hidden observers.
Dr. Hartwell, with a smile that belies her keen intellect, responds to Vorn's question. "Of course we did, silly~ We've been waiting for you to wake up for a while now," she says, her voice light yet laced with a deeper understanding of the situation at hand.
Vorn smirks, a hint of amusement in his expression. "Hmhmhmhahaha, you knew that and yet the two people who can fight me left." His observation points out the apparent carelessness of their actions. He sighs and pushes his hair back, a gesture of mild frustration. "You people are truly stupid," he declares, taking a step forward, his confidence and cunning evident in his demeanor.
The general, undeterred by Vorn's menacing demeanor, remarks with a touch of sarcasm, "I never understood how some smartasses can be so stupid."
Vorn, undaunted, strides towards General Harlan with a confident swagger. "Old man, we're living in a new era, the apocalyptic era where those with abilities rule," he declares, pointing a finger at the general. His grin widens as he adds, "And you will die off just like every other weakling." With a swift movement, he throws a punch at General Harlan, expecting to inflict serious damage.
To Vorn's shock, the punch seems to have no effect. The impact causes the surrounding metal to vibrate, but General Harlan stands unscathed. 'What? It felt like I hit a wall,' Vorn thinks, staring in disbelief at General Harlan, whose face remains unfazed by the punch. 'That's impossible, with my strength I can kill anyone with ease,' Vorn muses, his confidence shaken.
General Harlan, maintaining his composure, sighs and addresses Vorn. "You are not wrong; this is a new era." He raises his fist, signaling his readiness to retaliate. "However, you seem to misunderstand something, boy. There are many people out there with incredible power without an ability." With a swift and powerful motion, General Harlan lands a punch on Vorn, sending him flying back into a steel wall, bending it with the force of the impact.
"You are a frog in a well, unaware of the vastness of the world," General Harlan continues, his voice stern. "The amount of secrets hidden in this world grows each day." Vorn, reeling from the impact, coughs up blood as he slams into the wall.
General Harlan then advances towards Vorn, grabbing him by the collar. He looks into Vorn's eyes and says firmly, "Abilities may be a leading power in the future, but that is 'the future'."
At that moment, Dr. Hartwell interjects, her concern evident. "Hey, be careful, his energy signals are through the roof right now," she warns, tapping her tablet anxiously.
Vorn, blood trickling from his mouth, manages a sinister laugh despite his injuries. "Hahahaha, old man. I know I'm a frog in a well, which is why I'm going to jump out of it and see what these hidden truths are," he declares, his grin widening with a mix of defiance and excitement.
In a sudden, unexpected move, Vorn reaches up to the side of his neck and violently stabs himself with his hand. As he pulls his hand out, a knife emerges with it. The weapon is striking – a hunting knife with blue glowing lines engraved into the metal, giving it an ominous and powerful aura.
Dr. Hartwell, observing this development, can't help but smile as she captures pictures and reads the data on her tablet. "That's it, that's the knife we made. The parasite is going to enter its second stage soon," she announces, her voice tinged with both excitement and concern over the implications of what she's observing.
With his newfound weapon, Vorn teleports out of General Harlan's grasp. "Thanks to an idiot, I was able to get this beauty. A true masterpiece," he boasts, holding the knife with a sense of triumph. He then turns his attention to Dr. Hartwell, recognizing her role in its creation. "You must be the one who made it," he says, smirking. "I'm going to keep you as a little pet."
Dr. Hartwell, unphased by Vorn's threatening demeanor, steps back and rolls her eyes in annoyance. "Yeah, go ahead and try, I'll kill you myself, you parasite-infested moron," she retorts sharply. Her confidence and disdain are clear as she adds, "The knife is just a prototype; it won't be long until the parasite in it takes control of your body."
Vorn, undeterred by his recent setback, smirks confidently. "My ability will protect me from death," he declares, certain of his resilience.
Dr. Hartwell, however, is skeptical. Rolling her eyes, she counters, "Yeah well, it won't protect you from becoming a puppet." She remains focused on her task, diligently collecting data and analyzing the situation.
General Harlan, assessing the threat Vorn poses, speaks with a tone of finality. "You are a threat to everyone here, your death is necessary to prevent the parasite from spreading." He lights a cigar, a signal of his readiness to confront the situation head-on. "I will tear you limb from limb until you're dead," he states, his voice firm and unwavering.
Vorn, amused by the challenge, laughs heartily. "Hmhmhmhahaha," he sneers, licking his knife and teleporting behind General Harlan in a swift move, attempting to slash his neck. However, the knife fails to penetrate; it's as if it struck metal, bouncing off ineffectively. "What the hell are you made of?" Vorn exclaims, surprised and perplexed as he teleports back to reassess.
General Harlan, unfazed, responds coolly, "I've been a soldier my whole life. A boy like yourself wouldn't understand the training I've been through over the decades." His experience and toughness are evident in his calm demeanor.
Vorn, undaunted, tries again to attack, but this time General Harlan is prepared. He grabs Vorn's wrist, halting his assault. "You have zero combat experience," he states, twisting Vorn's wrist upwards, breaking his hand with a swift, precise movement. Before Vorn can react, General Harlan slams his arm against the side of Vorn's head, causing a concussion.
Dr. Hartwell, observing the fight, makes a critical observation. "Oh, I see, this is new. The reason his energy levels are off the chart is that the parasite is eating his energy. He is being completely drained." She suggests, "We should try killing the parasite off now that I have a proper reading on it."
Quickly, Dr. Hartwell retrieves several vials she prepared while waiting for Vorn to awaken. She places them in a device that mixes the contents, spinning rapidly until a single vial is produced. She then loads the concoction into a large syringe.
Meanwhile, General Harlan continues to incapacitate Vorn, giving him repeated concussions to prevent any coherent thought. Seizing the opportunity, Dr. Hartwell plunges the needle directly into the center of Vorn's chest. His body convulses violently, shaking uncontrollably as the parasite is forced out. With a cough, the parasite emerges from Vorn's body.
General Harlan acts swiftly, grabbing the expelled parasite and clapping his hands together, crushing it completely.
Dr. Hartwell, deeply engrossed in the data displayed on her tablet, begins to articulate the complexity of their situation. "Well now that we've dealt with its main body, we have to deal with its essence..." She bites her lip and scratches her head, her gaze intensely focused on the tablet's screen.
General Harlan, having just destroyed the physical remains of the parasite, looks to Dr. Hartwell for guidance. "Is there a problem?" he inquires, sensing the gravity of her concern.
Dr. Hartwell, now sitting and taking a closer look at the data, bites the inside of her cheek, indicating her deep concentration and unease. "The data is odd... I mean, I knew it was going to be hard to deal with, but if my theory is correct, it's going to be even harder," she explains, her voice laced with a hint of frustration. She rubs her eyes, a sign of fatigue from the intensity of their task.
"The essence of the parasite, or to be more precise, our creation, the evolved parasite, is currently in a weird state," she continues, her words reflecting the unprecedented nature of their challenge. She kicks Vorn's body in a moment of exasperation, adding, "We know that abilities are contained somewhere in the body in a non-physical form."
General Harlan, following her train of thought, nods in agreement. "That's right, isn't that what everyone else has been focusing on? Finding out exactly where it's stored?"
Dr. Hartwell smirks, her mind racing with theories and hypotheses. "Yeah... but the essence seems to be flowing with the energy levels of his abilities, so we have no way of killing it right now, which is a big problem." She emphasizes the critical nature of their predicament, outlining the potential danger they face. "Getting rid of the main body only prevents it from laying eggs in this body. Keyword 'this'. If it manages to gain control of this body and gain intelligence, it will find a way to enter a separate body and create a new physical form to lay eggs."
General Harlan, understanding the severity of the situation, agrees with her assessment. "That's right, due to the nature of the weapon, it's extremely difficult to contain it, especially when it has a host." He finishes his cigar, extinguishing it under his foot, a gesture reflecting the gravity of their discussion.
-
General Harlan, still immersed in the discussion about the parasite's essence, suddenly turns his head, alerted by the sound of footsteps. As he looks up, he sees Mia standing there, with a cat gracefully jumping down from the ceiling to land on her shoulder. His gaze hardens upon recognizing them. "It's the two monsters..." he mutters, clenching his fist with evident disdain.
Mia, unfazed by the general's cold demeanor, blinks nonchalantly as she observes him. A realization dawns on her. 'This man... I knew it. He is stronger than Jenna,' she thinks, assessing his capabilities with a calculating eye. Her gaze shifts to the half-dead body on the ground, and a slight smile plays on her lips.
"You humans have different ranks, correct? What rank do you fall under?" Mia inquires, her question seemingly casual yet probing.
General Harlan doesn't take kindly to her question. "Watch your mouth, you damn monster. I should kill you right here for all the people you've killed," he retorts, his voice laced with hostility and contempt.
Mia, undeterred by his hostility, smirks and walks calmly past Dr. Hartwell, running her finger across the scientist's cheek in a taunting gesture. "Those words are quite harsh. Thanks to a certain... someone, I am a human, 100% human now," she claims, her tone mocking and confident.
General Harlan, unfazed by her provocations, takes a swig from his bottle. "Your crimes cannot be erased," he states flatly, his stance unwavering.
Mia, standing in front of him, smirks again, a hint of excitement in her eyes. 'Ah~ He can actually kill me,' she thinks, considering the danger and thrill of facing someone as powerful as General Harlan. She challenges him boldly, "Go ahead and kill me. I'm sure Caelum will be pleased, right?" Her words are laced with mockery, testing his resolve.
General Harlan meets her gaze, their eyes locking in a silent standoff. After a moment, he turns away, his voice carrying a warning. "Don't push your luck. Once he's done with you, you're dead."
Mia, with a sly glint in her eyes, crouches down next to the body of Vorn. "Hmmm~ You sure tampered with him~ Do you mind?" she inquires, her curiosity piqued and clearly up to something.
General Harlan, observing Mia's interest in the body, internally debates the potential risks. 'I don't know why Caelum intends on keeping her around, but as long as she's human, she shouldn't pose much of a threat,' he thinks to himself. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he turns back to Dr. Hartwell and says, "Go ahead."
Dr. Hartwell's eyebrows raise in intrigue as she observes Mia closely. 'These monsters for sure have a better understanding of abilities, right? Let's see what she can do~' she thinks to herself, her scientific curiosity piqued.
Mia gazes down at Vorn's body, a predatory smirk forming on her lips. 'Jackpot,' she thinks, sensing an opportunity. She pops her fingers in anticipation, her mind racing with possibilities.
Mia notices something amiss. 'There seems to be something trying to steal my meal,' she grits her teeth, her hand beginning to glow with a soft white light. 'Dammit, this is still hard to maintain,' she struggles internally.
With a determined thrust, Mia stabs her glowing hand into Vorn's body. In an astonishing display, she pulls out two ethereal marbles – one blue and the other red. She glares at them intently, her focus unwavering.
Suddenly, Mia inserts her finger into one of the marbles, extracting a glowing green string that squirms and writhes. Dr. Hartwell's eyes widen in shock and amazement. 'That's the essence! How is she doing this!? I can't read any data!'
Without hesitation, Mia discards the green string, tossing it aside where it slowly fades and dies out. Then, with a satisfied exhale, she swallows both the blue and red marbles, assimilating their essence into herself.