Chapter 166

—It’s with great caution that I say this, but Aaron Stingray is an extremely dangerous individual.

—His very existence is a risk. Ever since his return from the sickbed, major incidents centered around the Academy have occurred without pause.

—He’s too difficult to control. Just this year, he’s already had two Showcases with Militech. While he did come out victorious in both, the problem is that the relationship is deteriorating. If these localized skirmishes continue, there’s a real possibility that it could escalate into full-blown war later on…

Stingray Production Colony #5812.

Beneath this site, which handled the production of automobile parts for the Stingray Group, there naturally existed the group’s secret research lab.

Amusingly enough, unlike other secret labs, this one had been created for the sake of a single researcher. And that researcher’s name was none other than…

“Director Benedict. Sample #50012 is ready.”

“Good. Let’s proceed.”

Benedict Stingray.

This lab existed solely for the second son of the Stingray Family and former Head of the Technical Division’s Module Research Department.

On one of the computers, a holographic projection of a Stingray executive meeting, secretly recorded through a wiretap, was playing.

Wearing safety goggles and gloves that reminded one of a frog, he was tinkering with the circuitry of a mechanical device. As the android assistant approached, he removed his goggles and set them down.

Ssshhk.

Once the goggles were off, a handsome face emerged, harmonized with the Stingray Family’s signature golden, beautiful eyes. However, the atmosphere around that face had changed significantly compared to just a few months ago.

Dark circles extended long beneath his eyes.

Chemical stains marred his skin.

His once jet-black hair had begun to discolor in patches, and his skin had become considerably rough and dry.

The luxury goods he used to wear head-to-toe were replaced by a plain white lab coat. The stylishly parted hairstyle was now a tangled mess.

The transformation was drastic enough to make one mistake him for someone else. But in Secret Research Lab #5812, where he worked alone, there was no one to point it out.

Following the android assistant’s guidance, he headed toward the area where the experimental samples were stored and asked:

“How are the samples?”

“All green.”

“Good.”

Satisfied, Benedict nodded and entered the testing chamber. There, a massive tank—approximately 100 meters in both width and length—contained a yellow-tinged liquid that rippled softly.

Countless mechanical arms busily moved across the ceiling, rearranging the samples inside the tank.

“Let’s begin the test immediately.”

“Commencing Test #10001.”

As the android murmured in response to Benedict’s command, the mechanical arms extracted a cylindrical container from the tank.

A wall slid open to reveal a testing table, where five cylinders were laid out in a row. Then, something encased in reinforced glass descended smoothly from the ceiling.

It was a combat module.

However, compared to standard models, it looked rather crude—mainly because it hadn’t yet been fitted with the socket HUB connector designed for Adaptees.

[Subject B-921 ready.]

[Commencing module compatibility test.]

The computer reported in an emotionless tone.

Soon after, the ceiling arms connected the combat module case and cylindrical samples with wires.

[Countdown.]

[5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0]

[Activate.]

Bzzzzzzzzzt—!

At the moment the countdown hit zero, a massive surge of electricity began flowing through the wires connected to the module. The cylindrical samples immediately reacted.

[Samples #50008 and #50011 terminated.]

BOOM!

Among the five cylinders arranged in a row, explosions erupted in the first and fourth. A wet squelch followed as red fluid filled the interiors.

The remaining three began to react in turn. The contents inside went berserk, shrieking violently.

[Samples #50009 and #50010 going berserk.]

“Tsk. Terminate them.”

Clicking his tongue, Benedict gave the order.

The mechanical arms promptly severed the module connections and transported the second and third cylinders to the incinerator.

That left the fifth one.

Unlike the other samples, it remained strangely still despite the intense stimulus delivered through the wires, quietly enduring the experiment.

Hooh.

Benedict murmured with interest and nodded. In response, the android assistant issued a command to the computer.

“Increase output.”

[Increasing module output.]

A stronger current surged into the fifth cylinder. Yet Sample #50012, unlike the others before it, calmly accepted the stimulus.

“Maximum output.”

[Maximizing module output.]

At last, the final stage of the experiment.

If Sample #50012 could endure even this, the test would be a success. Benedict watched the test, slightly anxious.

[20 seconds until test completion.]

[19, 18, 17……]

[10, 9, 8……]

The final 5 seconds.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1. 0

[Test complete.]

[Sample #50012 has passed the test.]

[Congratulations, Director.]

“……”

The computer’s emotionless report.

It was the hard-won result of killing over 50,000 samples through 10,000 tests. Yet, for some reason, Benedict’s expression wasn’t bright.

With a rather displeased look, he called over the android standing nearby.

“Assistant.”

“Yes, Director?”

“Sample report for #50012.”

“Here it is.”

After reviewing the information handed over by the android, Benedict’s brow furrowed even more.

“A sample based on Professor Adam Richardson’s research, I see.”

“Yes, that’s correct. He’s a master of new materials engineering. His doctoral dissertation was about the application of mana-carbon steel—”

“I don’t care about that garbage.”

Benedict cut the assistant off.

“Wasn’t this same man’s research also used as reference when developing that ‘B-921’ module?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Sample #50012 that passed the test this time was the same. Could that really be a coincidence?”

Instead of answering immediately, the android searched the database and then responded.

“Sample #50012 was not created using Professor Adam Richardson’s official thesis.”

“Then?”

“Under the terms of the contract, all faculty members who signed with the Stingray Group must share all their written documents with us. Sample #50012 was inspired by a document titled Living Fireworks.”

“Living Fireworks?”

“Yes.”

“Bring it here.”

Benedict received the new document.

Upon reviewing its contents, he saw that, contrary to his concerns, it had absolutely nothing to do with the current project.

“Just an artificial lifeform made for display.”

“That’s correct.”

In short, it was a product of the AI combining various types of data to try and create a new kind of sample. A coincidence born from experimentation.

There was little to no chance that the professor had realized the true nature of the current project.

However…

“Something doesn’t sit right.”

“What do you mean?”

“The fact that he’s a professor at the Academy.”

Trinity Academy.

The place where that damned older brother’s students were gathered. That was what bothered him. Because that place housed students who truly deserved to be called geniuses.

Benedict rested his hand on his chin, reminiscing about the past—about the “incident” that had turned him into what he was now.

‘Back then, I was too overwhelmed to realize it… but that girl created a clone of my brother just like that.’

Who was Aaron Stingray?

Roughly 30 years ago, he was the strongest human weapon ever produced by the Stingray Group through their utmost efforts.

Even if it was a “deteriorated version,” the fact that such a child had managed to create a clone of Aaron was truly astonishing.

‘Even Kallia and I… Our brother’s DNA is protected with genetic security features that prevent casual cloning. To have bypassed that and created a cloned human means…’

A monster.

Benedict muttered.

He should’ve realized it back when she created a military-grade Arcane Module with just a fragment of a low-grade demon’s essence. To think he’d failed to see the worth of such an immense treasure—how blinded by greed he had been back then.

‘But not anymore.’

He had been reborn.

Now he knew what to do.

Where to go.

So there was no hesitation.

“I’ll have to bring her.”

“Are you sure about this?”

The android assistant asked.

The implication was obvious.

Would Aaron really stand by if his most cherished student was taken?

Even aside from that, sneaking a student out of the increasingly fortified Academy would be difficult. And if they got caught, there’d be no turning back. Aaron would storm in and cut his head off without hesitation.

But Benedict answered casually.

“I’m not talking about taking her.”

Even he wasn’t crazy enough to abduct someone Aaron held dear. This whole operation had to proceed without Aaron ever finding out.

“What matters is the ‘knowledge’ inside that girl’s head. All I need to do is extract it without my brother realizing. It’s not hard. And then…”

Benedict snapped his fingers.

In response, the mechanical arms moved to detach Sample #50012 and brought it before him. With his bare hands, he opened the cylinder’s lid, placed a tray beneath, and poured the contents out into his hand.

Sploosh!

A yellow, mucous-like liquid spilled into his hands. The tray below filled up, and atop Benedict’s hand, a small, wriggling form began to move.

It was a fetus.

A red, raw mass of flesh with no eyes or hair yet developed. The fetus, barely managing to breathe, frowned as if pained by Benedict’s touch.

“Father was pleased with this experiment as well. As long as it succeeds, even if my brother finds out later, he’ll cover it up for me.”

He toyed with the fetus in his hand like a plaything before handing it off to the assistant. Then, wiping the liquid from his hand with a towel, he gave his orders.

“From now on, this isn’t Sample #50012. It’s called ‘Prototype.’ Process it into other versions based on this. Our project is now moving to the next phase. Give it… a month or so.”

“Prototype. Understood.”

“And dispose of all samples after the prototype.”

“Understood.”

Click.

The android assistant sent a signal, and the mechanical arms all retracted into the ceiling. Soon, a loud siren blared, and red liquid began to spill from the samples.

[Initiating full sample disposal procedure.]

[Injecting D-128.]

Screeeeech—!

Shrill screams and a flood of air bubbles erupted from the tank. Shadows writhed in agony inside the cylinders, but Benedict merely cast an emotionless glance at them before turning away.

Tap. Tap.

Benedict walked away from the lab with measured steps. Left behind, the android assistant stood still—cradling the struggling, breathless fetus.

And then, the fetus opened its eyes.

Its optic nerves hadn’t developed enough to see, and yet it stared blankly at the blood-stained tank, as if it could perceive something.

The baby’s eyes, gazing into that tank—

—were unmistakably golden.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep