The monsterized Maxwell awoke, his senses reeling as he took in his new surroundings. He found himself in a circular, metallic fighting arena, the walls lined with reinforced glass panels. Behind these panels, various men and women in lab coats observed with detached curiosity, their expressions obscured by the reflective glare of the harsh overhead lights.
The ground beneath Maxwell’s feet was a gritty mixture of sand, small chunks of bones, and dark stains of dried blood, a grim testament to the countless battles that had taken place here. As he glanced upwards, he noticed a large, gaping hole in the ceiling, its perimeter surrounded by a grid of glowing lasers that thwarted any chance of escape. The humming energy served as a constant reminder of his imprisonment.
All around him, thirty other monsters swarmed the pit. Each was a grotesque fusion of human and beast, their features twisted by experimentation and transformation. If they were still human, their ages would have ranged from ten years old to around fifty years old. Some had elongated limbs and clawed hands, others bore scales or fur, and a few had additional eyes or mouths in places where they didn’t belong. Their eyes, however, told the same story, trapped, desperate, and enraged.
Maxwell's new form ached with unfamiliar power, his large white wings twitching instinctively. His monstrous red eyes scanned the arena, quickly assessing the other creatures. Each seemed equally confused and aggressive, their movements erratic and filled with a primal, survival-driven intensity.
Above, the scientists watched with keen interest, jotting down notes and discussing among themselves as they observed the unfolding chaos. Maxwell’s monstrous instincts began to take over, heightening his awareness of the immediate danger. The air was thick with tension, a palpable energy that hinted at the imminent violence.
A loud horn suddenly boomed from a speaker, its blare echoing ominously through the metallic arena. The monstrosities paused, their mutated forms twitching in agitation. A voice crackled through the speaker, cold and detached. “Listen up, you freaks. One of you, and only one of you, will get to live. So go ahead and kill each other. The last beast standing will be given a cure to fix their deformities,” Octavian announced, his words dripping with cruel amusement.
The arena erupted into chaos. The monsters, provoked by the loud noise and driven by desperation, began to tear each other apart with savage ferocity. Snarls, roars, and the sickening sounds of flesh being ripped filled the air. Blood sprayed and limbs flew as the battle for survival commenced.
One creature, particularly vicious and determined, charged toward Maxwell. It appeared to have once been a thirty-year-old man, but now it was a grotesque abomination. Its black hair hung in matted clumps, and its eyes were fully blackened, voids of malice. A large, gaping mouth yawned where its stomach should have been, lined with jagged teeth. Its arms were elongated and sinewy, ending in sharp, claw-like fingers.
As it rushed toward Maxwell, its long, slimy tongue shot out like a spear, aiming for his heart. Even in his monstrous form, Maxwell retained some semblance of his hypercognitive abilities. Time seemed to slow as he calculated the trajectory of the attack. With a fluid, almost graceful motion, he sidestepped the assault, the tongue whipping past him harmlessly.
Maxwell's instincts flared to life. He could feel the raw, unrestrained power coursing through his new form, urging him to fight. His wings spread wide, their tips brushing the walls of the arena, and he leaped into action. His clawed hands slashed through the air, aiming for his opponent's vulnerable spots.
The creature screeched, its blackened eyes widening in pain and surprise as Maxwell's claws tore into its flesh. It retaliated with a wild swing of its elongated arm, but Maxwell ducked and rolled, coming up behind the beast. With a powerful flap of his wings, he launched himself forward, driving his claws into the creature's back. The force of the attack sent the monstrosity sprawling to the ground, its blood pooling beneath it.
Maxwell’s senses were heightened, each movement calculated, each attack precise. He was not just a beast, he was a predator, a survivor. Around him, the other monsters continued their brutal skirmishes, but Maxwell’s focus remained sharp. He knew that only by embracing the monstrous side of himself could he hope to survive this ordeal.
“He’s doing quite well. If he succeeds, he’ll be a valuable asset in eliminating the Awakened,” Octavian boasted to a female scientist.
“Yes, sir. As you say. What should I do with the other three hundred failed experiments?” the woman asked.
“Throw them into storage with the other failures. I’ll tinker with them when I have the chance,” Octavian replied.
The woman nodded and went to carry out his orders.
“Give me a good show. Show me why the Bookkeeper has taken an interest in you,” Octavian murmured, a sinister smile playing on his lips.
Octavian continued to watch as the number of monstrosities dwindled to twenty-one. The chaotic arena was filled with the sounds of battle, screams, and the tearing of flesh. The air was thick with the stench of blood and fear. Maxwell, panting heavily and covered in grime, barely had a moment to catch his breath when a new threat emerged.
A spider humanoid, its body a grotesque fusion of human and arachnid features, skittered towards him with terrifying speed. Its eyes were multifaceted, glinting malevolently in the harsh lights of the arena. Long, segmented limbs ending in razor-sharp claws moved with predatory grace, while its abdomen, swollen and pulsating, hinted at its lethal capabilities.
Without warning, the spider hybrid lunged at Maxwell, its limbs a blur. Silk shot out from its abdomen, ensnaring Maxwell's arms and legs in a sticky web. He struggled, but the silk was incredibly strong, binding him in place. The spider hybrid loomed over him, its fangs dripping with venom as it prepared to strike.
“A spider hybrid, who cares,” Octavian said nonchalantly from his vantage point above the arena, his voice amplified through a speaker. “We already have one of those this year. Just hurry up and kill it, brat.”
Maxwell’s mind raced as he fought against the webbing. Drawing on his hypercognition, he quickly analyzed the situation. The silk was strong, but not unbreakable. He needed to find the right leverage point. As the spider hybrid reared back, preparing to sink its fangs into him, Maxwell twisted his body with all his might, snapping the silk binding his left arm. In a fluid motion, he grabbed one of the spider's legs and yanked hard, pulling it off balance.
The spider hybrid screeched, a high-pitched, unnerving sound. Maxwell didn’t waste a second. With his free hand, he conjured a blade of pure aura and slashed through the remaining webbing. As he freed himself, the spider hybrid recovered and lunged again, its fangs aiming for his throat. Maxwell ducked, narrowly avoiding the venomous bite, and countered with a powerful kick to its abdomen.
The spider hybrid stumbled back, its multifaceted eyes narrowing in fury. It spun more silk, this time aiming to entangle Maxwell’s neck. But Maxwell was ready. He dodged to the side and closed the distance between them in an instant. With a swift, precise movement, he drove his aura blade into the spider hybrid’s thorax, cutting through its tough exoskeleton.
The spider hybrid convulsed violently, its limbs flailing. Maxwell pressed his advantage, slashing again and again until the creature collapsed in a twitching heap. He stood over its body, panting, his eyes blazing with determination. The crowd of scientists and observers behind the glass walls watched in stunned silence.
Octavian’s voice broke the tension. “Impressive, brat,” he said, a hint of genuine admiration creeping into his tone. “But don’t get too comfortable. There are still many more to go.”
Maxwell took a deep breath, steeling himself for the next challenge. The arena was a nightmare, but he couldn’t afford to falter. Not now, not ever. He had to survive. For himself, and for the faint hope of escaping this hellish place.
Many of the remaining creatures were either injured or hiding, reluctant to engage in further battle. However, one monster stood out from the rest, driven by an insatiable hunger. It had been waiting as the battles continued, but now has chosen to hunt.
This horror towered over seven feet tall, its skin an abyssal black that seemed to absorb the dim light. It had a single, large eye that glowed with a malevolent intensity, and a gaping mouth filled with rows of jagged teeth. Its limbs were long and muscular, ending in clawed hands that effortlessly grabbed creature after creature, lifting them to its maw, where they were devoured whole.
In a short time, this monstrous entity had consumed five of the weaker creatures, growing more formidable with each kill. Its gaze locked onto Maxwell, who was still recovering from his previous skirmish. The creature’s eye began to glow ominously, charging up a deadly beam.
Maxwell's hypercognition kicked in, alerting him to the imminent danger. He leaped to the side just as the beam was unleashed, a searing bolt of energy that narrowly missed him. However, the beam grazed his wing, causing intense pain as part of it was vaporized. A monster behind Maxwell wasn't as fortunate, it was hit directly and instantly vaporized, leaving only a stone husk where its body had been. The energy from the beam had a petrifying effect, and Maxwell felt a part of his wing becoming rigid and heavy, a small portion turning to stone.
“Ooh that was the one that we fused with a cyclops, it's quite a shame that one failed, it's quite a useful ability,” Octavian chuckled to himself.
Despite the pain and the growing weight on his wing, Maxwell’s instincts kept him moving. He assessed his new opponent quickly, recognizing the threat posed by both its physical power and its deadly beam attack. The monster, undeterred, lumbered toward him, its massive form casting a shadow over the arena.
Maxwell knew he had to act swiftly. He spread his wings, feeling the strain from the petrified section, and took to the air with a powerful flap. His claws gleamed in the dim light as he circled the giant, looking for an opening. The creature’s single eye tracked him, glowing once more in preparation for another attack.
With a sudden burst of speed, Maxwell dived toward the monster, aiming for its eye. The creature swung its long arms, trying to swat him out of the air, but Maxwell was too fast. He evaded the flailing limbs and closed the distance, his claws extended. Just as the eye began to glow brightly, Maxwell struck, driving his claws into the glowing orb with all his might.
The monster let out a deafening roar, a sound that reverberated through the arena, as its eye exploded in a burst of dark, ichorous fluid. Blinded and enraged, it thrashed wildly, its limbs tearing through the sand and debris around it. It would scream in pain until it eventually collapsed and died. Maxwell retreated, flapping his wings to gain altitude, his eyes scanning for a new vantage point.
At that moment, the pain in Maxwell's wings became unbearable, and he plummeted to the ground. His wings crumpled beneath him, and he struggled to stand. The scent of blood and weakness drew the attention of the remaining monstrosities. Believing this was their chance to consume him, twelve creatures swarmed toward Maxwell, their grotesque forms converging with murderous intent.
In an instant, the twelve attackers were swiftly cut in half. Maxwell's vision cleared, revealing the lone figure standing among the remains of the fallen monsters. This creature had long, flowing crimson hair and piercing blue eyes. Its mouth was elongated, and small blades jutted from its body, glinting menacingly in the dim light. Yet, despite its fearsome appearance, there was no visible modification that could explain the lethal speed and precision with which it had dispatched the other monsters.
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Octavian, watching from above, studied the creature closely. As he did, his eyes widened in fear as the monstrosity began to transform. The elongated mouth shrunk, and the face shifted to that of a young man, roughly eighteen years old. His eyes turned a bloody red, and his hair changed to a medium-length, blonde mane. His facial features were strikingly handsome, reminiscent of a movie star, and his clothing morphed from tattered rags into a maroon hoodie with fur trim, black pants, and dress shoes. The creature, now looking like an ordinary but exceptionally attractive young man, smiled and locked eyes with Octavian.
Despite his human appearance, Octavian knew that a dangerous monster had infiltrated the facility. The fear in his eyes was palpable as he realized the true nature of the creature before him.
“Everyone with combat experience, hurry up and kill that thing, now!” Octavian ordered, leaping into the fighting pit himself.
Five others followed, two men in suits, one in a lab coat, and two women in suits. The six of them formed a circle around the young man, who stood protectively over Maxwell.
“Oh my, everyone here to welcome me, that's so nice,” the young man said ecstatically, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Be ready,” Octavian warned his team, his voice tense. “That is a portion of the strongest known monster in the world, the Boogeyman.”
The air in the arena grew tense as Octavian and his team prepared to face the young man, who, despite his human appearance, exuded an aura of immense danger. His bloody red eyes glinted with a mix of amusement and malice, and his smile broadened, revealing perfect teeth.
Maxwell, still struggling to regain his strength, looked up at the young man standing over him. Something was unnerving about the calm confidence he radiated, a predator's assurance in the face of prey.
“I didn't come to fight, but this should be fun” the young man taunted, his voice a blend of menace and glee.
Octavian clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing. “This is only one of its duplicates, besides its regeneration this fight shouldn't be too bad,” Octavian reassured both his fellow fighters and himself.
With a swift, synchronized motion, Octavian, and his team launched their attack. The young man moved with inhuman speed and grace, dodging and parrying their blows effortlessly. His movements were a blur, each strike precise and devastating.
The lab coat-clad attacker lunged at him with a syringe filled with a green, glowing substance, aiming for the young man's neck. The Boogeyman caught the attacker's wrist in midair, twisted it with a sickening crunch, and drove the syringe into the attacker's chest. The man convulsed and fell to the ground, his body twitching violently.
The remaining five attackers circled warily, their confidence shaken. The young man's smile never wavered. He spun around, delivering a powerful kick to one of the women, sending her crashing into the arena wall. She slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Octavian pressed his attack, throwing a series of precise punches and kicks. The young man dodged with ease, his movements almost lazy. “Is this the best you've got?” he taunted, deflecting a particularly aggressive strike and countering with a swift jab that sent Octavian staggering backward.
Maxwell watched the fight with a mix of awe and horror. The Boogeyman was toying with them, his power and speed far beyond anything they had ever encountered. At that moment, Octavian activated his ability, his body beginning to glow with an intense blue aura. The energy crackled around him as he moved with blinding speed, becoming a blur as he rushed toward the creature.
With a powerful punch, Octavian's fist connected with the Boogeyman's stomach, creating a shockwave that echoed through the arena. The impact left a gaping hole in the Boogeyman's torso, and the force of the blow sent him crashing into the metallic wall, denting it with the sheer force of his collision.
For a brief moment, there was silence. Maxwell, Octavian, and the remaining combatants watched as the Boogeyman lay still, the wound in his stomach a gruesome sight. But then, as if mocking their efforts, the wound began to close. The Boogeyman's flesh knitted itself back together with a sickening, organic sound, and within seconds, he was fully healed. He stood up, dusting himself off, his expression one of mild annoyance rather than pain or fear.
“Impressive,” the Boogeyman said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “But you'll have to do better than that.”
Octavian's eyes narrowed, his blue aura flaring brighter as he prepared for another attack. The remaining members of his team regrouped, their resolve hardening despite the apparent futility of their efforts. Maxwell, still recovering, watched with a newfound respect for Octavian's power, but also with a growing sense of dread. The Boogeyman was unlike anything they had ever faced, a true nightmare brought to life.
The Boogeyman moved first this time, his body blurring with speed as he closed the distance between himself and Octavian. No ability was activated, this movement was solely its raw power. Their fists met in a clash of power, the force of their blows sending shockwaves through the arena. The other combatants joined the fray, their attacks coordinated and relentless, but the Boogeyman danced around them with an eerie grace, evading their strikes and retaliating with lethal precision.
Octavian, pushing his ability to its limits, managed to land several more hits, each one causing significant damage. But the Boogeyman's regeneration was relentless, his body mending itself almost as quickly as it was damaged. Despite his calm demeanor, there was a cold fury in his eyes, a hint that he was beginning to take the fight more seriously.
“Wow, you are quite a powerful team, let's fix that,” the Boogeyman said maliciously.
His arms turned white, revealing they were composed of thousands of writhing maggots. With a flick of his wrists, the maggots launched from his arms like a swarm of living bullets, targeting the heads of every remaining agent, unconscious or dead, except for Octavian. The conscious agents screamed in agony as the maggots burrowed into their skin, their bodies convulsing violently.
The transformation was grotesque and swift. The agents' flesh bubbled and warped as the maggots consumed and replaced their tissues from the inside out. Their limbs elongated and contorted, their faces twisting into horrific parodies of the Boogeyman’s visage. Blond hair sprouted from their scalps, and their eyes turned a chilling, bloody red. As their screams died down, they stood up, now identical to the Boogeyman, each wearing that same wicked, malevolent smile.
The newly transformed Boogeymen turned their gaze toward Octavian, who stood in shocked silence. The five duplicates moved with eerie synchronization, their sinister smiles never wavering. The sight of his teammates, now turned into the very monster they had been fighting, filled Octavian with a mixture of horror and rage.
Each of the Boogeymen chuckled softly, their voices blending into a haunting chorus. “I now have a team of my own,” they taunted in unison.
The original Boogeyman approached Octavian, his steps deliberate and menacing. He swiftly grabbed Octavian by the neck and lifted him into the air, the maggots that made up his hands nipping at Octavian's flesh. Small holes began to bleed as the Boogeyman taunted him.
“You're lucky. I was told not to kill anyone important. Though you do not have much value in my eyes, my boss wishes for you to continue to live… for now,” the Boogeyman said coldly, his grip tightening.
“Who the hell is strong enough to order you around, and how the hell did you get here?” Octavian demanded, struggling to breathe.
“I hate pointless questions. Shouldn't you just be happy that you're going to live?” the Boogeyman replied, slamming Octavian into the ground with brutal force.
Octavian gasped for air, pain radiating through his body. The Boogeyman continued, a malicious glint in his eyes. “I'll indulge in the answer to one of those questions. I placed my fragments in a few thousand homeless people around the country, and you fools kidnapped this one, allowing me to easily enter this place.”
With a swift kick, the Boogeyman sent Octavian flying across the room. Octavian crashed into the wall, crumpling to the ground in agony. The Boogeyman then turned his attention to Maxwell, taking slow, methodical steps toward him. He stopped in front of Maxwell, dropping to one knee to look him directly in the eyes.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” the Boogeyman said, his voice dripping with mockery. “So this is the miserable wretch my boss told me to investigate.”
Maxwell’s eyes widened with fear and confusion. The Boogeyman’s presence was overwhelming, his aura suffocating. As the monster stared into Maxwell’s eyes, a sense of dread filled the room, making it hard for Maxwell to even think straight. The Boogeyman’s smile grew wider.
“You’re different,” the Boogeyman continued, his tone almost curious. “I can sense it. There’s something special about you. Something… valuable. I can see why everyone is so interested in you. The one who made this vessel of yours is quite special, someone divine.”
The Boogeyman stood up, towering over Maxwell. “And that’s why you get to live… for now. But don’t get too comfortable. You’ll be seeing a lot more of me.”
Both the original and each of the Boogeymen clones suddenly transformed into millions of maggots, their bodies collapsing in on themselves. The writhing mass of maggots fell to the ground, creating a sickening, squirming carpet. The moment each maggot touched the ground, it swiftly disintegrated, leaving only a small puff of black smoke with each one.
The room was left in eerie silence, the only remnants of the Boogeyman's presence being the faint smell of decay and the lingering sense of dread. Maxwell's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to process what had just happened, the weight of the Boogeyman's words pressing heavily on his mind. The other scientists and guards remained frozen in shock, their eyes darting around as if expecting the Boogeyman to reappear at any moment.
Maxwell took a deep, shuddering breath, the reality of his situation sinking in. He knew now that his survival was not just a matter of escaping this place, but also a matter of understanding why he was so valuable and what the Boogeyman’s interest in him truly meant.
At that moment, the exhaustion Maxwell had experienced had caught up to him as he passed out. Octavian got up, his ribs were broken, and his neck was bleeding as he went to check on Maxwell.
“Hurry up get a healer here, also bring the Cinderella formula, finally should anyone leak what happened today to anyone else I'll kill you myself,” Octavian threatened them all as they all frantically ran around to complete his orders.
One of the female scientists approached Octavian, her steps measured and precise. She carried a sleek, black briefcase with polished silver latches that gleamed under the harsh laboratory lights. Her expression was a mix of apprehension and determination as she presented the briefcase to Octavian.
With a click, Octavian opened the briefcase to reveal a carefully padded interior. Nestled within the foam was a syringe filled with a blue, translucent liquid that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. The liquid inside swirled gently, catching the light in a way that made it appear almost alive.
The scientist’s hands trembled slightly as she handed the briefcase over, her eyes flickering with a mix of hope and fear. “This is the latest formula, sir,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “As you said, the Bookkeeper ensured its success.”
Octavian’s gaze hardened as he took the syringe, his fingers closing around it with a firm, almost possessive grip. The blue liquid inside seemed to react to his touch, pulsing faintly as if acknowledging its new owner. He lifted the syringe, examining it closely, the liquid reflecting in his cold, calculating eyes.
“This had better work,” Octavian muttered under his breath, his voice laced with both anticipation and a hint of unease. He turned his attention to the task at hand, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on his shoulders.
The female scientist took a step back, her eyes never leaving the syringe. She knew the importance of this moment and the potential consequences if the formula failed. The room seemed to hold its breath, the tension palpable as Octavian prepared to use the mysterious blue liquid.
With a decisive motion, Octavian swiftly grabbed Maxwell's arm, his grip firm and steady. He inserted the syringe into Maxwell's vein, the blue, translucent liquid flowing smoothly into his bloodstream. As the liquid entered his system, Maxwell's body transformed. The changes were subtle yet profound, he reverted to the same childlike form he had been before, but with notable differences. The once majestic wings now appeared smaller, yet still carried an ethereal glow. Intersecting crimson halos shimmered around his neck.
The scientist watched intently, her anxiety giving way to cautious hope as Maxwell's features softened, his expression no longer clouded by the monstrous transformations he had endured. The atmosphere in the room shifted, a collective sigh of relief echoing silently among the onlookers.
Octavian withdrew the syringe, his face filled with satisfaction. He studied Maxwell closely, assessing the effectiveness of the formula. The child before him bore the physical remnants of extraordinary abilities.
“Bring him to a room for the night, we can start training him tomorrow. Also, get me on a call with that damned Bookkeeper. I know he’s going to charge a lot for this favor,” Octavian sighed, rubbing his temples.
“Sir, don't forget that this child was brought here at his request. Most likely, our reward for this will be not having to pay for the working Cinderella formula,” the woman reminded him, her voice steady and calm.
“I hope not. His rewards can be worth a lot more if you have no debts to be paid,” Octavian complained, frustration evident in his tone.
Later that night, Maxwell awoke in a small bedroom. It was modest but cozy, with a neatly made bed, a wooden closet, a small table and chair, and a bathroom that was through an additional room. The soft glow of a bedside lamp casts a warm light over the room, creating a sense of comfort and safety. It was at the very least better than the average college dorm room. On the table sat an envelope, a delicate white rose placed beside it, its petals pure and unblemished. Maxwell walked up to it and opened the letter.