A metal piece could be seen as it was slowly pushed out from Aditya's wound. The flesh and muscles around the wound were healing, which caused the round to be pushed out. Aditya gritted his teeth as he reached out to the projectile and pulled it out.

Taarini's body trembled as she opened her eyes and looked at Aditya's wound. Her eyes blurred as she knew what had happened on the bridge. Even though she was helpless to change anything, she had witnessed Aditya's actions. Aditya had also taken the fall so that she won't be further hurt. It would have been nice to spend her life with him. But, unfortunately, she had reached her end.

Taarini could not feel anything anymore. Her vision was slowly becoming dark. Taarini's sense of touch was almost gone, and she couldn't feel any pain. Her brain was shutting down due to lack of blood supply. She had lost a lot of blood.

Dying by Aditya's side was not bad either. She had never profoundly thought of how she felt about Aditya. She had many reservations in her heart whenever she thought about getting close to Aditya.

For example, Aditya was younger than her by many years. He seemed to have an ambiguous relationship with Maahi. Aditya did not seem to have any interest in her and treated her with respect instead of intimacy. Taarini had always been prepared to live a solitary life until she met Aditya. At this moment, when Taarini looked at Aditya, she knew the answer. Though it was already late, Taarini felt relieved.

Aditya noticed that Taarini had regained consciousness. He threw the metal piece away as he held Taarini and said, "Mentor, there is nothing to fear. There is a hospital nearby. In ten minutes, you are going to be treated, and everything is going to be alright," Aditya comforted Taarini repeatedly. It was the only thing that he could do.

Aditya was not sure if Taarini's condition could be treated, but as long as she was alive, everything was possible. Only a hospital would be sufficiently equipped to prolong a person's life.

Aditya moved near to Taarini so that he could hear what she had to say. Taarini looked at Aditya and muttered, "cha...change back."

Aditya understood Taarini and turned himself into his original form. Taarini looked at Aditya's face as if she wanted to imprint him in her mind forever. Her lips curved into a small smile as she said in an almost inaudible voice, "rem...remember me. Think about me from time to time."

Aditya's heart shuddered when he heard these words. He had thought that since Taarini had regained consciousness and was able to talk, she was safe for the moment. Aditya did not imagine that Taarini would speak her last words. He could see Taarini's eyes dimming as they lost focus. Aditya always felt that stars were shimmering in Taarini's dark eyes, but now he could not see them.

"Mentor! Hold on for some time. Just a few minutes and everything is going to be fine," Aditya roared as he held Taarini and shook her body. But he received no response except for the smile that lingered on her lips. Aditya's mind became blank as he felt Taarini's body start to lose its warmth.

"Adi, I have a way to save her," Tya's cute voice was like a voice from the Heaven for Aditya.

"What? Can you save her? Why have you waited until now? Please, quickly save her," Aditya pleaded Tya.

"Do you remember when I told you about the next ability that was going to be activated, which was called 'Gene Regulation'?" Tya activated 'Slow Timing' on his own. He had to state the consequences of Aditya's actions if he chose to save Taarini. Every second was a minute when 'Slow Timing' was activated.

Aditya noticed that Tya had to say something crucial, but his mind was filled with Taarini's last words. Still, he listened to what Tya had to say. Aditya nodded when he heard Tya mention 'Gene Regulation'. Tya had indeed expressed that this ability would make it possible to make Aditya's body into a laboratory. Tya would be able to produce any chemical or enzyme or protein in the cells itself without the use of any external equipment. Even Aditya's human genome shackles would be broken unleashing the full potential of genes.

"What about it?" Aditya asked. He gazed at Taarini who was surrounded by a bleak aura.

"Well, the dark energy required to activate this ability had not been accumulated yet. If everything went as planned, it would take another two and a half months. But now I could forcefully withdraw your soul particle's potential to cause a massive surge of dark energy into your soul particle. This action will help me to artificially simulate the ability of 'gene regulation' for a few minutes and create the chemicals which could save Taarini." Tya said.

"What are the repercussions?" Aditya had calmed down by now as he heard these words. If this could be done without any adverse effects, Tya would not have to explain Aditya.

"All your dark energy reserves would be depleted. The potential of your soul particle to attract dark energy will be affected. You have to say goodbye to 'Cellular Regulation' ability for a month at least."

"Also, don't forget that the healing molecules that I have to create in your body won't come out of thin air. I will have to use the chemicals available in your body. I will need rare elements like molybdenum, selenium and Vanadium to save Taarini."

" These elements are scarce, and I will have to break down your body cells to accumulate these molecules. This breakdown of your cells will have serious repercussions on your body and brain. I won't be able to undo these repercussions until the 'Cellular Regulation' ability is reactivated." Tya listed out the effects one by one.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Do it," Aditya immediately replied when he heard Tya's reasons. None of these reasons could outweigh the regret and remorse if he let Taarini die in front of his eyes. Particularly, when he knew that he was in the position to change the outcome.

Aditya would love to have been one of those protagonists who can make rational, cold decisions. But sadly, he was not one of those. Aditya based his decisions on his emotions and heart rather than prioritising the future over the present.

Aditya knew that he was jeopardising his parents' safety by choosing to save Taarini now. They say that the way parents talk to their children becomes their inner voice. In that way, Aditya's inner voice was influenced by his father and mother.

His father's words would be something like, "Are you trying to save us by refusing to help a woman in need? I might as well die rather than living with the memory that my life was rescued by sacrificing a helpless woman's life."

His mother's words would be something like, "Adi, do you think that you will be able to save us if you let Taarini die? Are you confident that you could save us? Do you know the real capabilities of the 'Organisation'? When you are not even sure that you could save us, why do you have to stop yourself from helping Taarini? The only constant in every human life is death. Adi, the real question is whether your death was worthy. So, if I die because of this delay, I will be satisfied that my son has grown."

Aditya bitterly smiled when he thought about his father's and mother's imaginary response. Aditya's father had a rather simple outlook while his mother had always been deeply insightful about human life. Her perspective deviated from common sense. But his mother was happy and peaceful all the time. Aditya, as a kid, always found solace in her lap.

Tya got to work after he heard Aditya's agreement. Aditya could feel his body change. He felt a piercing headache for some time before it was replaced by lightheadedness. His body was filled with vibrant energy, which made him think that everything was possible.

"It is lucky that you were poisoned. That poison contained many key elements that we need. Adi, place your right hand on Taarini's wound. Also, I am manufacturing a pain killer opioid, which is hundreds of times more potent than morphine. It will help Taarini go through the healing process without having to suffer and prevent her mind from breaking down. A typical human brain is not made to handle this pain." Tya said. He had started doing the needful when he received Aditya's assent.

Aditya placed his right hand over Taarini's wound. Plain transparent liquid started flowing out the sweat pores from his right palm and drenched Taarini's wound. The injuries began to heal at a visible pace. Aditya was shocked when he saw this immediate reaction. He also noticed that his hand was becoming thinner and paler. Aditya's skin on his right hand was also getting wrinkled as if it was getting dried. Aditya did not worry about this as he knew this adverse effect was nothing in comparison to what was about to come.

"What chemical is this?" Aditya asked when he saw the speed of recovery. He saw Taarini's closed eyes start to move beneath her eyelids. The pain of the healing process was hard to bear as new nerve cells were formed and were exposed to a barrage of painful stimuli.

"This is the compound that I had created based on the formula from the chemical found in elder sister Saira's blood. I have modified it to reduce the side effects and improve the therapeutic effect. Adi, I am creating the second compound, and I need you to deliver the drug directly into Taarini's blood."

Aditya brows wrinkled as he asked, " Where is the second chemical substance being made?"

"Your salivary glands. There is a chemical called opiorphin in human saliva, which is seven times more effective than morphine. I have modified it to increase its potency." Tya said in an innocent tone.

"And how am I supposed to deliver it directly into her bloodstream? It's not like I carry an injection in my pocket all the time," Aditya asked as he felt a liquid well up in his mouth.

"Adi, don't you know that drugs could quickly be absorbed into the bloodstream through the blood vessels in the tongue? An immediate effect is also achieved through this route. There is also a separate class of medicine known as sublingual and buccal medication based on this property. So, you have to administer the drug into Taarini's mouth," Tya said as if it was not a big issue.

Aditya gulped his throat without swallowing the drug in his mouth. Wasn't Tya asking him to kiss Taarini? He could collect his saliva and make Taarini drink it, but Aditya did not want to do it for some reason (Ahem).

Taarini woke up to a searing pain in her abdominal region. All the vital organs, which were damaged by her stomach acid, were healing at a quick speed. Of course, it was going to be very painful. Taarini wanted to open her eyes but could not do so. Just as the pain became unbearable, Taarini felt her mouth opened by a soft but firm object. It felt like a small snake as it wriggled around her tongue and released a warm, sweet liquid into her mouth.

The moment that liquid came in contact with her tongue and mouth, Taarini felt the pain decrease. Soon, the pain was replaced with a euphoric feeling. Taarini felt her worries melt away in this pleasant, addictive feeling. Slowly, her tongue started to wrestle with that soft object as it demanded more liquid. The smooth object lightly trembled when Taarini's tongue moved, but the inflow of the liquid increased.

Taarini's hands wrapped around Aditya's neck, unconsciously, as she pulled him closer to her. Aditya also forgot about the purpose as he immersed himself in this fabulous experience. Aditya always felt that Taarini's lips were the most beautiful pair of lips he had ever seen. He couldn't resist himself from biting them.

Taarini's eyes trembled when she felt her lips bitten. She opened her eyes to discover Aditya kissing her. Aditya did not have a shirt on, and his right hand was on resting on the wound on her waist, except, there was no wound and severe scarring could be seen in its place.

Taarini could feel a warm sensation in her abdomen as well see the skeleton-like right hand of Aditya with loose skin around it. Her pupils trembled when she remembered the various superhuman abilities that Aditya displayed. Aditya had somehow pulled her from the jaws of death, and she did not know that the cost that he had pay to achieve this feat. Taarini looked at Aditya's closed eyes.

Aditya felt Taarini wasn't responding to the kissing and opened his eyes in doubt. Aditya trembled when he saw the cool gaze of Taarini. Aditya wanted to stop and get up so that he could explain, but Taarini's hands held him in place as she started to kiss him. Aditya also stopped caring about the explanation as he began to attack her full, ravishing lips.

Both of them seemed to have forgotten that they were not in their best states. Aditya's body cells, which included even some of his peripheral neurons and brain cells, were broken up so that the healing medicine could be made. Taarini was weak after losing so much blood, and the energy required to heal her organs was not less as well. Aditya became unconscious. It was his body's recovery mechanism kicking in while Taarini slowly slipped into a deep sleep as they recuperated in the moving freight train.