Rain wrinkled his nose, the smell of something rotten hitting him suddenly. *Where's that coming from?* he wondered, before realizing with a grimace that the stench was coming from his own body. The residue of his transformation clung to him. Quickly, he unfastened the straps around his wrists and ankles.
Principal Gupta stood by, a slight smile of understanding on his face. "Go wash yourself in the bathroom, Rain."
Rain nodded and rushed into the bathroom, eager to rid himself of the foul odor. As he scrubbed the grime from his skin, he felt the cool water soothe his newly transformed body. Once clean, he stood in front of the mirror, examining himself more closely. His skin now had an unusual jade-like luster, glowing faintly under the bathroom lights. And to his surprise, he was completely bald.
Intrigued, Rain concentrated and summoned his genetic energy. He could feel the flow of power beneath his skin, and the moment he willed it, the jade luster on his skin faded. He then directed the energy to his scalp, focusing on the dormant hair follicles. Within moments, strands of hair began to sprout and grow, slowly returning to their natural length. He grinned at his reflection, satisfied with his control, and finally stopped the process.
Turning his attention to the rest of his body, he flexed his muscles, feeling the increased strength coursing through him. *At least double the strength,* he estimated. But the Super Healing Lizard genetic enhancement wasn't known for brute strength—it was the regeneration ability that intrigued him most.
Curious, Rain tested his new power. He extended his fingers, noticing how his nails had grown sharper, more like claws. He scratched lightly at his forearm, and though his skin didn't break, the resistance felt different, tougher. Satisfied with his increase skin resistance, he applied more pressure, and this time, the skin gave way under his claws. Yet before a drop of blood could even spill, the wound sealed itself almost instantly.
'Incredible.' He smiled, watching the cut vanish without a trace. The healing was faster than he had imagined, even after all he had learned.
Satisfied with his inspection, Rain quickly got dressed, his mind buzzing with excitement at the new abilities he had unlocked. As he stepped out of the bathroom, a new sense of purpose filled him.
This was just the beginning.
As Rain stepped out of the bathroom, he noticed Dr. Sen and Principal Gupta sitting in the adjacent office, visible through the glass wall. Their expressions were calm but focused, as if waiting for him. He walked over to them, feeling a sense of gratitude. "Dr. Sen, Principal Gupta—thank you for looking after me," he said sincerely.
Principal Gupta smiled, waving it off. "No need to thank us, Rain. We were just doing our duty."
Dr. Sen glanced at Rain with a teasing smile. "Rain, you could've slept through the entire day at this rate. We called your name so many times, but it was only when the principal shook you that you finally woke up. You should know your transformation ended two hours ago. You were still in a deep sleep. If Principal Gupta hadn't intervened, who knows how long you would've stayed in dreamland."
Rain blinked in surprise. 'Two hours?' He thought back to the dream space, the training with his copy—surreal but vivid. He couldn't tell them about it, though. They wouldn't understand, and he had no intention of revealing what might be his secret weapon—his "golden finger," as he called it. "I didn't sleep much last night," he lied smoothly, forcing a smile. "Too excited about the procedure."
Principal Gupta exchanged a glance with Dr. Sen, then nodded. "Understandable."
Without further comment, Dr. Sen stood and walked over to his desk. From a sleek, metallic briefcase, he pulled out a strange device—an intricate headgear shaped like a crown, with a dark green jewel embedded in its center that seemed to pulse faintly in the light. Rain's interest piqued immediately.
"What is this, Principal?" he asked, eyeing the unusual device. 'A crown? For a test?'
Principal Gupta folded his arms. "This is your final test, Rain. The last step before we recognize you as a genetic warrior."
Rain's brow furrowed as he studied the headgear. 'Why a crown?' Before he could ask more questions, Dr. Sen handed the device to him. "Put it on," he instructed, his voice steady but expectant.
Rain hesitated briefly, unsure of what to expect. Then, taking a deep breath, he carefully placed the cool metal crown on his head. It sat snugly against his scalp, and for a moment, nothing happened. No sudden rush of energy, no pulsing light or sensation. It was as if the device was inert. The silence was almost deafening.
He looked up at them, puzzled. "Nothing's happening," he said, casting glances between Dr. Sen and Principal Gupta.
Dr. Sen stepped behind Rain and adjusted the crown on his head. "Now?" he asked expectantly.
Rain shook his head slightly. "Nope, nothing," he replied, feeling a bit confused.
"Tell me the moment you feel anything," Dr. Sen instructed, still adjusting the crown.
At first, there was nothing. Rain sat there, waiting, when suddenly, faint notes of a familiar melody began to echo in his mind. It was a song from his previous life—one he used to listen to when trying to fall asleep. 'What?' he thought, his heart skipping a beat. He hesitated, unsure whether he should reveal the truth. 'If I mention it's music from my past life, they might think I'm crazy.' He quickly decided to say just enough without revealing too much.
"I'm hearing… something," Rain said, trying to keep his voice steady.
Dr. Sen looked up from behind him, curious. "What kind of sound?"
"Uh, just… some gibberish," Rain lied, not daring to mention the lullaby.
Dr. Sen frowned slightly but kept his focus. "Anything else? Do you feel anything physically?"
Rain thought back to how he used to drift into sleep with this music in the background, but now, having just woken up, he didn't feel sleepy—just a strange comfort from the melody. "No, nothing unusual," he said truthfully.
Principal Gupta, who had been observing silently, spoke up. "What power level has he reached?"
Dr. Sen glanced at the readings. "He's at peak D-rank," he reported.
After a pause, Dr. Sen's voice came again, this time more hesitant. "Should I increase the power?"
Principal Gupta nodded. "Let's see how far he can go."
Within moments, Rain began to feel the change. At first, it was a mild sensation—a growing weariness, like he'd been exercising for hours under the blazing sun. His body started to feel heavier, and an urge to sit down in a shaded spot with a cool drink surged within him.
Principal Gupta, noticing his expression, asked, "How are you feeling, Rain?"
"I feel tired," Rain admitted, wiping imaginary sweat from his brow. "Like I need to rest, maybe drink something to recharge."
Dr. Sen adjusted the crown further, increasing the intensity. The sensation worsened. A wave of deep fatigue swept over Rain, making his eyelids droop. The comforting music from his past life that had once lulled him into relaxation now seemed to amplify his exhaustion.
Before they could ask him another question, Rain spoke up. "Now I feel… like I need to sleep," he muttered, his voice thick with drowsiness.
He could see the nod of approval from both Dr. Sen and Principal Gupta, though their faces blurred as his vision darkened. The experiment had pushed him to his limit. His body, worn out by the sudden depletion of energy, begged for rest.
"Alright," Principal Gupta said calmly, signaling the end of the test. Dr. Sen stepped forward and removed the crown-like device from Rain's head. Instantly, the heavy sleepiness that had been weighing him down vanished, leaving Rain wide awake and alert. He blinked a few times, trying to shake off the lingering haze of fatigue.
Rain sat up, curiosity burning in his chest. "What was that?" he asked, glancing between Dr. Sen and Principal Gupta. "Is this some new machine? And what exactly was the test about?"
Principal Gupta raised a hand, his tone reassuring. "I'll explain everything in just a moment." He then turned to Dr. Sen, who was carefully placing the crown back into its briefcase.
Before the principal could say anything more, Dr. Sen interrupted. "Principal, I already know what you're about to say… but Rain's test result has reached upper C-rank. You realize what that means, don't you?" Dr. Sen's expression was serious. "People are going to take notice. Some might even file complaints against us."
Principal Gupta was quiet for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. Rain, meanwhile, felt a surge of confusion. 'Upper C-rank? Who's going to complain? What does this even mean?'
Dr. Sen broke the silence again, his voice tinged with a hint of frustration. "You've already called her, haven't you?"
Principal Gupta simply smiled knowingly, offering no response.
Rain's confusion only grew. He looked between the two men, trying to piece together their cryptic conversation. 'What was this test about? And who is this mysterious 'her' they keep referring to?'
Finally, Principal Gupta turned back to Rain and began to explain. "I understand you're confused. Let me clarify. The test you just took was to assess your mind's ability to defend against external spiritual influences. It's a crucial skill for any genetic warrior, especially those working in special divisions. Your score—upper C-rank—indicates you have strong mental resilience."
Rain raised an eyebrow. "Mental resilience? Against what?"
Principal Gupta nodded. "In your case, this result is quite impressive. It means you'll be eligible to join a very special department within the police force: the Ghost Department. It handles supernatural and high-risk cases that go beyond the capabilities of ordinary genetic warriors. And with a score like yours, many teams will be eager to recruit you."
Rain could hardly believe it. *Ghost Department? Supernatural cases?* His life had already changed so drastically since his genetic awakening, and now this?
The principal continued, "However, there's one particular person who's especially interested in talents like yours. Teacher Sky—she's both a team leader of one of the Ghost Department teams and a part-time instructor at the academy. She asked me personally to inform her if any student with exceptional mental defence emerged. Her team is short on members, and with your score, I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to recruit you on the spot."
Before Rain could ask any more questions, the door to the office burst open, and in walked a woman with long, flowing light blue hair that swayed with her every step. Her presence was commanding, and her eyes, sharp and piercing, quickly scanned the room before locking onto Dr. Sen.
"Old Sen, stop! What are you doing?" Teacher Sky demanded, her voice tinged with playful annoyance.
Rain turned to Dr. Sen, who was now sitting behind his desk, typing something on his computer. The faint glow of the holographic screen reflected off Dr. Sen's face as he worked.
Dr. Sen raised his hand from the keyboard. "I was waiting for you," he said with an innocent expression directed toward her.
Rain's chair shifted, bringing his face close to Teacher Sky's chest. He quickly raised his head as her face came inches from his. "Rain, are you going to join my team?" she asked. Hesitating and unsure of what to do, Rain turned to Principal Gupta for assistance.
Principal Gupta intervened calmly, "Sky, calm down and explain it to Rain nicely."
Rain faced Teacher Sky again as she took a deep breath. "Rain, how about joining my team? I will support you and teach you everything about the Ghost Department. And the most important point—don't you like Siobhan?"
Rain's cheeks involuntarily turned red. He wasn't sure if he liked her, but he felt a good sensation from absorbing all the memories of this life, which had also affected him.
Rain was dumbstruck. He didn't know how to respond and could only shake his head.
Teacher Sky pressed on, "Why are you shy?" She patted her chest, and Rain's eyes involuntarily wandered toward her. It was shocking to see this side of Teacher Sky, who was known for her calm demeanour. "I will set up a date for you with her," she continued.
Rain responded, "No need. I will join your team." He thought that joining her team would help him ease into his new role, rather than being assigned to unfamiliar teams, which would be inconvenient.
Teacher Sky smiled. "Good. I've input your data, and you are now joining my team. Now, let's go. You must be hungry. I will treat you and explain more about the Ghost Department."
Before he could get up from the chair to follow her, Dr. Sen interjected. "Wait a minute," he said, approaching Rain with a small box. He opened it in front of him, revealing a circular object.
Dr. Sen handed it to Rain. "Take it."
Rain held the object in his hand—it was like a jelly. "Now, input your energy into it," Dr. Sen instructed.
Rain didn't think much about it. He did as Dr. Sen told and channelled his energy into the object. The device flashed and dissolved into his skin.
Startled, Rain looked at Dr. Sen. "What is this?"
Dr. Sen replied, "Don't worry. It's a biological computer. You can use it to call, and it's loaded with A.I. Every genetic warrior has one. Try controlling it with your energy."
Rain followed Dr. Sen's advice and felt the biological computer integrate into his body. He tried to control it, and the device reappeared in his palm. He took it back, still curious.
Teacher Sky said, "You can play with it later. Now, follow me. I'm hungry."
Rain followed Teacher Sky, leaving Principal Gupta and Dr. Sen behind. He glanced back briefly, but they continued to watch him as he left the room.
As they walked out, Rain felt a mix of emotions—curiosity about his new abilities, gratitude toward those who had helped him, and a lingering uncertainty about what lay ahead. He took a deep breath, ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that being part of the Ghost Department would bring.