The reinforced glass exploded outward, shards spraying across the floor as thick cables disconnected one by one. Sparks crackled, and steam hissed from the containment unit, shrouding the figure inside in an eerie fog.
Then, it moved.
The creature twitched violently, its glowing red eyes flickering erratically. It was human-shaped but wrong—its muscles pulsed unnaturally, shifting under the skin like something struggling to hold form. Cybernetic components jutted from its arms, and deep red veins ran across its body, glowing faintly with unstable energy.
It turned its head slowly—then its eyes locked onto Greg.
Greg exhaled, unfazed. “Yep. Called it. Secret Syndicate science project that shouldn’t exist.”
Tempo tensed, shifting his stance. “I really don’t like how it’s looking at us.”
Cora’s fingers flew over her screen, scanning the biometric readings flooding in. “Wait—this thing was unstable before. But now—”
The creature lunged.
Greg barely had time to shove Tempo aside as a clawed arm tore through the space they had just occupied, leaving deep gashes in the steel wall behind them. The impact alone sent a shockwave through the lab, rattling every remaining containment unit.
Tempo hit the ground and rolled, pushing himself up. “Okay, yeah—definitely not just another failed experiment!”
Greg dodged another swipe, but his movements were a fraction slower than usual. Not enough sleep for this crap.
Cora, still focused on her tablet, didn’t look up. “Wait! I don’t think it’s trying to—”
The creature stilled for just a second. Its gaze locked onto Cora.
Greg noticed. And he didn’t like it.
His fist clenched. He didn’t hesitate.
He stepped between them and threw a full-force punch into the creature’s gut. The impact sent a deep ripple through the air—but the experiment barely staggered.
Greg’s expression darkened. “Oh, that’s not good.”
Tempo blurred into motion, accelerating toward the creature at high speed. His fist struck its side—but instead of sending it flying, the force rebounded back.
Tempo skidded across the floor, barely keeping his footing. “Oh, come on. What is this thing made of?!”
Greg exhaled, rubbing his jaw. “Something worse than anything I’ve fought before.”
----------------------------------------
A flickering monitor displayed the unfolding chaos. The lab’s dim glow reflected off Sylvia’s unreadable expression as she observed Greg and Tempo struggling.
A subordinate hovered behind her. “Commander, the containment unit has breached. Should we activate the failsafe?”
Sylvia didn’t answer immediately.
Her gaze was locked on Cora.
The creature had reacted to her presence. Its erratic vitals had stabilized the moment it saw her.
Her fingers curled against the console.
"Commander?" the subordinate asked again, nervous.
She didn’t look away from the screen. “No.”
The subordinate hesitated. “But—”
“Not yet.”
Greg had just thrown another punch, this time with enough force to crack the steel plating beneath them. The experiment took the hit, sliding back only slightly. Tempo darted forward, his accelerated strikes a blur—but the creature adapted, shifting to intercept him mid-motion.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Sylvia leaned forward. How far can it go?
Her nails dug into her palm.
And how much of herself does she still have left?
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Above the underground battleground, Arden was already inside.
The fights continued overhead, the roar of the crowd masking his movements. But down here, below the surface, the corridors were disturbingly empty.
That meant only one thing.
Security was being pulled somewhere else.
Arden crouched near an exposed conduit, his sharp eyes scanning the pulsing energy patterns flowing beneath the facility. The energy readings weren’t random. They were being funneled—redirected.
Something was feeding off the fights.
He touched the hilt of his sword, his expression unreadable. Guess I found what I was looking for.
A low vibration ran through the floor. Then, a muffled boom.
Arden’s gaze flicked toward the source.
That wasn’t part of the plan.
He pulled his hood over his face and vanished into the shadows.
----------------------------------------
The fight wasn’t going well.
Greg was slowing down. Tempo’s attacks weren’t landing cleanly. The experiment was learning—its movements sharpening, adapting with every second.
Cora bit her lip. “We need to stop—”
“No,” Greg cut her off, rolling his shoulder. “We need to end this.”
Cora turned to him, frustration flashing in her eyes. “You don’t get it. This isn’t just a monster—it’s reacting to us. If we can analyze it, we might be able to—”
“Analyze it?” Tempo snapped, wiping blood from his lip. “Cora, it’s literally trying to kill us. Maybe we should not play scientist right now?”
“I am thinking,” Cora shot back. “Thinking about the bigger picture. What if this thing is connected to something worse?”
Greg exhaled, running a hand through his hair. This was a waste of time.
“We don’t have time for ‘what ifs,’” he said. “We either take this thing down now, or it takes us down.”
Cora met his gaze, defiant. “I can stop it. But I need time.”
Greg let out a dry laugh. “Time? That’s hilarious. You should borrow some from Tempo.”
Tempo, despite the tension, muttered, “Not how it works.”
Greg rolled his shoulders. “Fine. You want time? I’ll buy you some. But if this goes south, I’m punching my way out.”
Cora’s lips pressed into a tight line.
“…Deal.”
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Greg threw another full-force punch.
This time, the experiment caught his fist.
Greg’s eyes widened. No one had ever done that before.
Then—before anyone could react—the experiment moved.
It slammed Greg into the nearest wall with earth-shattering force.
The sound of metal cracking filled the room. Greg hit the ground hard, coughing up blood. His vision blurred.
Tempo’s eyes went wide. “GREG!”
Cora screamed his name—but the experiment was already moving again.
It grabbed Tempo mid-dash and threw him across the lab like a ragdoll. He crashed through a console, sparks flying.
Cora was next. The experiment turned to her—and for the first time, it spoke.
“Subject… recognized.”
Her blood ran cold.
The experiment launched forward.
Cora barely managed to dodge, her drone intercepting the attack—but it wasn’t enough. The impact sent her skidding across the floor.
Greg, struggling to push himself up, felt something crack in his ribs. His breath was shaky.
Damn it.
Tempo wasn’t moving.
Cora was cornered.
Greg was too injured to fight.
The experiment prepared for the final blow.
Then—
A shadow moved.
A flash of silver.
The experiment froze mid-attack.
A blade gleamed under the flickering red light.
A new voice cut through the chaos.
“You’re not dying here.”
Greg’s blurry vision barely made out the silhouette. A sword. A coat. A presence like a storm ready to break.
Tempo groaned. “Who…?”
Cora’s breath caught in her throat.
Arden stepped forward.
“Let’s finish this.”
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TO BE CONTINUED...