The rune-etched longsword in the hands of the advanced test subject sliced through the dark crimson light, cutting toward Ryan with a shrill whistle of air. Black magical energy coiled around the blade, thickening the atmosphere as if the air itself had turned viscous.
Ryan had only just sensed a faint warmth of magic stirring inside his body. There was no time to gather or shape it. Instinct took over. He threw himself sideways in a desperate roll.
The longsword crashed down where he had been standing only a moment earlier.
The floor tiles shattered instantly. Black energy spread along the cracks, releasing a sharp sizzling sound as it corroded everything it touched.
"Hrrrk—"
The advanced test subject let out a low, guttural snarl and pivoted smoothly, swinging the blade again.
At the same time, the failed test subjects had already closed in. Ash-gray hands and lizard-like claws lunged from every direction, reaching for Ryan's limbs and throat. A wave of putrid stench slammed into his face.
Ella reacted instantly.
She kicked away two charging test subjects in front of her, golden energy surging violently around her body as she rushed toward the advanced one.
"Ryan, fall back!"
Her fist tore through the air and smashed toward the advanced subject's head. Yet the creature moved with shocking agility, twisting its body aside at the last second. The rune blade swept horizontally, aiming straight for Ella's waist.
Ella's pupils shrank.
She leapt backward in emergency evasion. The blade grazed her coat, ripping open a long tear. Beneath the torn fabric, a shallow wound was already knitting itself together at a visible speed.
That brief exchange made her heart sink.
This thing's speed and strength were far beyond the modified hounds and ordinary test subjects they had faced before.
The piercing alarm continued to echo throughout the laboratory. Red emergency lights flickered on and off, stretching the shadows of the two of them into distorted shapes as they stood surrounded.
Ryan rolled behind a lab bench. Just as he was about to activate the Eye of Truth to search for a breakthrough, a burst of static suddenly crackled from the overhead speakers.
Then, a hoarse and manic voice filled the entire room.
"Intruders… you actually managed to reach my core laboratory. I must say, I'm impressed."
Every test subject froze.
Including the advanced one holding the longsword.
Ryan and Ella exchanged a glance. The same alert realization surfaced in both their eyes.
The owner of that voice could only be one person.
"Who are you?" Ryan shouted toward the speakers. "Where have you taken Mr. Linton?"
At the same time, he activated the Eye of Truth, rapidly scanning the surroundings. In his enhanced vision, a massive concentration of stable dark magic pulsed behind a metal door deep within the laboratory—along with an energy fluctuation that matched the speaker's voice.
A mocking chuckle echoed back.
"Linton? That exceptionally compatible 'premium material'?" Dr. Kallen's voice dripped with satisfaction. "He's with me. And soon, he'll become the core of my modified army. As for who I am—"
The metal door slowly slid open.
A man in a white lab coat stepped out. His hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot behind gold-rimmed glasses. A twisted smile hung on his lips. On his wrist was the same strange symbol bracelet Ryan had seen twice before.
"I am Dr. Kallen," the man declared, spreading his arms slightly. "The future ruler of the supernatural world."
At his appearance, the test subjects retreated and lined up behind him, forming a grotesque living wall.
Dr. Kallen walked to the center of the lab. His gaze swept past Ryan and finally settled on Ella, greed flickering unmistakably in his eyes.
"A werewolf descendant? And with such pure bloodline… If modified properly, you'd make a formidable combat unit."
"You lunatic!" Ella roared. Golden energy surged violently around her body, faint traces of fur surfacing on her skin. "Human experimentation is a capital crime forbidden by the Balance Council. Aren't you afraid of being hunted down?"
"The Balance Council?" Dr. Kallen burst into sharp, hysterical laughter. "Those stagnant fools only cling to their so-called 'balance.' They have no understanding of the true power born from the fusion of magic and technology! Once my army is complete, they'll be the first to fall."
He waved his hand.
The test subjects behind him let out synchronized snarls as dark magic surged like a tide.
Ryan clenched the basic magic manual in his hand, his brow deeply furrowed.
"You kidnapped those wealthy investors who refused to fund you… just to use them as test subjects?"
"Exactly." Kallen nodded proudly. "Most of them lived pampered lives. Their physiques are unusually compatible with magical energy. Linton's compatibility reached eighty-nine percent. Once the final modification is complete, he'll become my 'King of the Modified' and lead my army to crush everything."
His expression darkened.
"Everything was progressing perfectly—until you two showed up."
"Your plan was wrong from the start!" Ryan shot back. "Using living humans, stripping them of freedom and soul—this kind of power doesn't make you a ruler. It makes you a butcher."
"A butcher?" Kallen's smile vanished. His eyes turned cold. "Call me whatever you like. Since you've delivered yourselves here, you might as well stay and become part of my experiment."
He raised his hand sharply.
"Modified guards, capture them. And be careful with the werewolf. She's still useful."
Four towering humanoid figures stepped forward.
Unlike the twisted failures, they had proportionate human bodies. Their skin was silver-gray. One arm on each had been replaced with a mechanical limb gleaming with metal. Their eyes glowed red with electronic light, and the dark magic surrounding them was even denser than that of the advanced test subject.
"My finest creations," Dr. Kallen said calmly, hands clasped behind his back. "Magic and cutting-edge technology, perfectly fused. Strength and defense far beyond ordinary enhanced beings."
He smiled faintly.
"Enjoy your final struggle."
The four guards charged simultaneously. Hydraulic hisses rang out as black magic gathered around their fists.
Ella took a deep breath and released all restraint.
Golden energy erupted from her body. Her hair flared, muscles tightening visibly as her nails elongated into sharp claws. Her werewolf form fully emerged.
"Ryan, distract them," she said through clenched teeth. "I'll handle the offense!"
She shot forward like an arrow.
Her collision with the leading guard produced a thunderous impact. Golden and black energies clashed, the shockwave rattling nearby lab equipment. Her punch struck the mechanical arm, leaving only a shallow dent.
The guard counterattacked instantly.
Ella twisted aside just in time. The mechanical fist smashed into the lab bench behind her, reducing it to fragments.
"So tough…" her heart sank.
The remaining three guards closed in, mechanical arms swinging in coordinated patterns. Attacks overlapped, forming a dense net that trapped her in place. She relied on agility to evade, striking whenever she could, but their precision left almost no openings.
Shallow wounds soon appeared across her body.
Ryan watched in mounting panic.
He couldn't wait any longer.
He pulled out the magic disruptor and activated it. Pale blue waves spread outward. The guards' movements slowed slightly, the red light in their eyes flickering.
"It works!"
Ella seized the chance, slamming her fist into one guard's eye. The red glow went out instantly, and its movements faltered.
But the disruptor only lasted five minutes.
And these guards adapted far faster than the modified hounds.
After barely a minute, their movements recovered.
Worse still, Kallen issued another command.
"Stop wasting time. Finish them."
The failed test subjects surged toward Ryan, surrounding him completely. He slashed desperately with a short blade exchanged from the system, faint magic coating its edge. It could barely pierce their skin.
There were too many.
He was driven into the corner of the lab, back pressed against the cold wall, grotesque faces closing in.
Ella tried to rush to him—but three guards locked her down completely.
A mechanical arm slammed into her back.
She coughed up blood, stumbling forward. The golden aura around her flickered, weakening.
From afar, Dr. Kallen watched with manic delight.
"Give up. You were never my equals," he said softly. "Soon, you'll understand my greatness."
He raised his wrist.
The strange symbol bracelet glowed dark red.
From deep within the laboratory, heavy mechanical sounds began to rumble.
Ryan's heart skipped.
Through the Eye of Truth, he saw a massive metal container rising slowly. Black runes covered its surface. Something writhed inside.
The sheer density of dark magic made his blood run cold.
In that instant, he understood—
Dr. Kallen had never intended for the guards to capture them slowly.
Whatever was inside that container… was his true killing move.