A roar dragged, the giant shadow stretched across the skyline. It hovered, swallowing the sun and plunging the city into an unnatural night. It was a Mechanical beast of unimaginable scale. its towering form rising out to the heavens.
Glistening steel panels reflected the faint flickers of light from fires below, while Its massive joints creaked and groaned, releasing bursts of steam like a punk machine. Another roar this time a low, guttural rumble that built into an ear-splitting crescendo, shook the ground, leaving cracks spider webbing through the streets.
The panic seized district was in chaos as people fled in every direction. Their screams pierced through the cacophony of collapsing buildings and roaring flames. Explosions erupted where the beast's massive limbs landed down, its massive claws teared through skyscrapers as though they were paper.
Smoke billowed up, choking the streets with ash and debris, while alarms blared warnings of sheltering instructions and an imminent defense response. "Take Shelters in the bunker. Explosion incoming"
In the middle of the chaos stood a little boy, unmoving, seemingly not phased by the situation. His pale face was streaked with soot but his emerald-green eyes remained sharp, reflecting the mayhem around.
His gaze shifted upward, locking onto the streaks of incoming machines. A fleet of sleek fighter jet drones surged through the sky. Their contrails cut through the smoke as they headed straight for the behemoth like kamikaze bombers.
The first jet struck the beast's chest, followed by a dozen more in rapid succession. For a brief moment, there was silence, as if the world had paused to witness the culmination of the assault. Then came the explosion.
It erupted like a second sun. A sphere of light so intense appeared seemingly consuming the horizon.
The brilliant fireball expanded outward. Its core surrounded by concentric rings of orange and crimson flame sent a shockwave that raced outward with apocalyptic force, flattening everything in its path.
Buildings crumbled, vehicles were flung like toys, and people were swept off their feet. The deafening sound of the detonation drowned out everything else. The sound was so overwhelming, that it pressed against the boy's chest like physical weight.
In an instant, he didn't hear the screams anymore. He didn't hear anything. His ears were ringing, a shrilling and endless note that marked the last sound he would ever hear.
As the mushroom cloud climbed into the darkened sky, the boy's vision dimmed. The world around him faded into an oppressive blackness as he sank to his knees. The suffocating heat and smoke stole the the air from his lungs as his life faded out bit by bit.
--
"BP is getting high; he's crashing out—pull him out!" a voice barked, cutting through the haze.
The boy's consciousness returned with a violent jolt as the lid of a pod slid open. Viscous liquid spilled out in ripple, and he fell forward, coughing violently, expelling the strange fluid from his lungs.
His body trembled with exertion and every muscle spasming as he struggled to stand from the ground.
Above him, a group of scientists in white coats and sterile expressions loomed without displaying a hint of empathy. One of them glanced at one of the multiple monitors and said in a cold and clinical voice:
"Weak body frame. Integration with body strengthening liquid: 25%. Recommendation for biocore awakening: Not recommended."
Another scientist crouched before the boy, tilting his chin upward with an almost reluctant gentleness.
For a moment, the man's professional detachment faltered. The boy's face was wet with the metallic sheen fluid. His phoenix-shaped green eyes held a piercing clarity, framed by bruises and the unmistakable signs of poor nourishment.
His nose was slender, his blossom-pink hue lips were full and soft in harmony with his pale skin.
Despite his bruised and malnourished frame, there was a quiet strength to him, almost ethereal.
"You're from the new batch of military students, aren't you?" the scientist murmured, more to himself than to the boy. "Judging by your performance your body frame would be ranked F. Its a shame With a face like that, you could've had a brighter future elsewhere. Your chance for awakening are one in a million."
The boy said nothing. His chest was still heaving as he fought to catch his breath. The scientist straightened his posture addressing him with measured tones. "For your safety, I strongly advise you to abandon this process. The data shows that continuing the process could lead to permanent damage. Will you proceed to the awakening of your biocore?"
The boy blinked his green eyes shimmering with confusion as if was he was trying to processed the scientist's words. He brought his hands up slowly, forming a series of intricate gestures. His movements were deliberate but fluent in conveying his inability to understand the spoken message.
Pressing the small ear studs affixed to his lobes, they unfurled mechanically into a sleek curved device that fit snugly over his ears. A faint hum followed, and a thin holographic interface projected before his face, glowing faintly against the sterile light of the laboratory.
"I'm sorry, sir," he said. His voice was croaky and rusty as if it was an unused machine. "I am deaf. Could you repeat your words?"
The scientist hesitated caught off-guard by the almost artificial tone of the boy's voice. After a moment, he cleared his throat and restated, "You were classified rank in body frame F in your bio-evaluation. Will you proceed to the core awakening, knowing you have a 75% chance of dying in the process?"
While the scientist spoke, the words translated appeared in glowing text on the boy's virtual screen. "Yes!" he replied immediately. His gaze didn't waver, his green eyes were shining with resolve despite the gravity of the situation.
The scientist sighed displaying a mix of weariness and pity. "Humans already struggle to survive in this world," he muttered under his breath. "For someone like him... maybe this is the only chance he has." He straightened and gestured to his team. "Get him on the table."
Within moments, two assistants in protective suits moved swiftly to the boy's side. In clinical and efficient movements they each took an arm and lifted him as though he was a cargo.
The boy didn't resist as they carried him across the lab, and strapped him down onto a metallic operating table. His head, arms, and legs were secured tightly with heavy restraints that clanked ominously into place. Once sure that he couldn't move the assistants retreated silently to their stations.
The head scientist stepped forward as the cold light of the equipment surrounding him illuminated his face. "I'm going to explain how this process will work" he began, in measured and steady tone. Although there was an undertone of reluctance he continued "In a few minutes, that machine over there" he pointed to a large, cylindrical device humming softly in the corner—"will inject you with seven doses of pure liquid biocore. Since you're from a public military school, we'll be using the standard government-mandated biocore."
He paused. "The genes in the biocore will stimulate your genome and attempt to awaken your core. However, because we're using standard-grade biocore, the process will be slow... and extremely painful. If you can't endure it, you will die. Do you understand?"
The boy's virtual screen translated the scientist's words into text, which scrolled before his eyes. He nodded slightly while his lips pressed into a determined line.
"Let me know when you're ready," the scientist said as he stepped back waiting.
The boy's gaze flickered to the machinery surrounding him, then back to the scientist. He took a long and steady breath. "I'm ready."
The scientist sighed a third time before giving a brisk nod as signal for the procedure to begin. One of the assistants pressed the initiation button and the machine came to life. While emitting a low hum, its mechanical appendages descended like a spider's legs. Each limb aligned precisely with Nioh's body: his legs, arms, chest, belly button, and forehead.
Nioh braced himself, his eyes squeezing shut. Then like fangs sinking into a prey, the machine plunged its injectors into him. His eyes flew open in shock before closing again as he clenched his fists. His body jerked involuntarily while the crimson liquid biocore began to flow into his veins. A searing heat spread throughout his frame burning everything on its path. Despite the agony, not a sound escaped his lips, only faint tremors betrayed the unbearable pain.
The scientist who was observing from the control station was startled. He had anticipated screams, thrashing, perhaps even desperate pleas for mercy. Yet the boy endured with a stoicism that unsettled him. "Check his vitals." he instructed his assistants in a tone tinged with disbelief. "Unhook him in two hours! If he survives. This might actually work."
As he spoke, he opened the patient's file, skimming its contents:
Name: Nioh
Age: 15
Sign: Gemini
Address: Hope Memorial Orphanage
Remarks: Deaf
Occupation: Student at Megara Soldier Academy
The details painted a much expected tragic story. As a survivor of the infamous S-rank behemoth biocore attack ten years ago, Nioh had lost both his hearing and the use of his legs.
The file describes the years of grueling rehabilitation and medical procedures that restored his mobility. The file denoted his talent in theoretical courses, particularly electro-mechanics, and his unremarkable performance in physical disciplines. The boy's ambition to become a battlefield support engineer seemed both noble and tragically out of reach if he could not awaken his biocore.
As the scientist pieced together the story, Nioh drifted in and out of consciousness. The serum ignited a fire within him, destroying everything in its path seemingly searching for something. His already pale skin was even more devoid of life as his body endured the excruciating process. Just as he thought he might breakdown, a familiar sensation surfaced—a voice resonated in his mind.
"Nioh…"
It wasn't hearing, at least not in the traditional sense. It was something more magical, an ancient presence stirring within him.
"Ekoh...!" Nioh replied with his mental voice in a calm yet brimming with emotion.
"How long has it been?" the voice answered back.
"Ten years, three-thousands-six-hundred-fifty-two days" Nioh answered back slowly longing filling his thoughts.
Ekoh's presence swelled. "At that time, I used all my energy to shield you from the explosion. It put me into deep slumber. Without this biocore injection, I would have remained dormant for another decade."
Nioh felt a rush of gratitude. "I'm just glad you're back."
"Let's take it slow, right now I am going through the awakening surgery" Nioh decided. "Process the biocore to strengthen my body frame."
Suddenly, Ekoh's voice grew sharp. "Nioh, I detect a larger source of pure biocore energy being restricted by the machine. If I could access it, it would help strengthening your body frame?"
Nioh's resolve hardened. "Create an low frequency sound discharge to disable their equipment. Hijack as much of the energy as you can during the confusion."
Ekoh hesitated and countered. "It'll flood your system with unimaginable pain. You sure?"
"I've waited ten years already. Do it now."Nioh insisted.
The room buzzed with static sound as the machine trembled violently. Sparks erupted from its joints, and a quiet crack echoed as an electromagnetic pulse discharged. The lights flickered before plunging the lab into chaos.
"What's happening?!" one assistant yelled.
"The system's overloaded!" another cried, panic evident in their tone.
Before anyone could react, the machine's restraints shattered releasing an avalanche of pure biocore energy. It surged into Nioh's body like a raging tide. His veins lit up with an intense crimson glow. His body thrashed uncontrollably. His head snapped back as loud screams finally tore from his throat. He convulsed violently while blood seeped from his nose, ears, and mouth.
"He's going to die! Reboot the system, now!" the scientist bellowed while racing to the boy's side. He fumbled with the straps undoing them as quickly as his trembling hands allowed.
The assistants scrambled to cut power to the machine, but it was too late. The final surge caused the room to black out momentarily before the lights flickered back. The machine retracted its appendages feeling steaming and lifeless.
Nioh's limp body sagged against the scientist, who propped him up and patted his back urgently. "Breathe! It's over. You passed the hard part!" he assured eventhough his voice betrayed lingering fear.
With visible reluctance, the scientist barked to the assistants, "Escort him out of the premises. Don't let him die here—we can't afford another ethics inquiry."
As they lifted Nioh's battered body, his green eyes fluttered open briefly, flickering with a new intensity. Ekoh's voice whispered in his mind: "We did it."