episode_0054

*****

Human experiment.

The scope of what that means is actually quite wider than you might think. This is because, regardless of the unpleasantness felt in the tone, it is an unavoidable process in the history of medical development. So, strictly speaking, the problem would be ‘unethical human experimentation.’

So what kind of scene is this unethical human experimentation? Some people may imagine being forcibly confined in a concentration camp and administered drugs. A person with a rich imagination may be able to picture a disgusting sight, such as a face full of unidentifiable blisters.

When Surt and his group heard that it was a human experiment, the scene they each imagined was not much different. There was even serious discussion about whether they could secure evidence and rescue the patients before the investigation team arrived.

What a simple imagination that was. Looking at the scene before their eyes, Surtur and the others could not help but realize that fact.

“What the hell… .”

“It’s terrible.”

If the rooms above had an image closer to a ‘hospital room’ or a ‘laboratory’, this place was closer to an ‘animal cage’. I guess that’s a pretty mild expression, though.

Most of the rooms were locked with iron cages, and some were blocked by walls that showed the inside. Most of the things seen inside did not have human shapes.

“I’m glad Raon or Mari didn’t come this way.”

“If you think so, it would be better to hurry. I don’t know what your purpose is, but this is the deepest part of this lab. Whichever route you take, you will end up here.”

Hearing Chae Sa-hee’s words, Surtur and Jabberwock searched the surroundings even more urgently. I don’t know what kind of experiment was being done here, but the probability that he was here was definitely not low.

Because there was no one in the room they were in.

However, it didn’t take long for the two people who were running around and searching the room like they were catching mice to stop. The reason was simple. This is because there were too many figures whose faces were unidentifiable.

“At least, I don’t think there are any among those whose facial features remain.”

“If there is even a list of the people here… .”

Even though he said it himself, Surtur knew very well what a vain dream it was. It was probably in one of the rooms they passed through. Of course, I can’t search through all those rooms now.

“Isn’t this dangerous? He said his main goal is to take that man and have him ask for rescue from us. But I figured out which one of them was the guy and took him with me. In the first place, is there still enough reason left in that man to talk to him?”

“… … .”

There was no one who refuted the trainer’s words. Among the people inside the cage, there were almost no clear rational beings. Even entities that could speak simply shouted the same words over and over again or muttered incomprehensible words.

The eyes of the trainer and Jabberwock focused on Surtur. If all members do not have a suitable alternative, all that remains is the leader’s decision.

“For now, let’s wait here for the others. There is a possibility that the uncle was found on the other side. There are some things I want to find out more about.”

There was no objection. It was just that there was no other alternative.

After that, the three of them split up and took action. The reason was that there was a need for more clues and that there would be a low probability that there would be a trap where the research results were. Surtur was also looking at the place where the monsters were trapped once more to organize his thoughts.

Should I say, inadvertently? As Surt looked around, Chae Sa-hee caught his eye. Chae Sa-hee had shown a strange interest in Surt since they met, but now she was just looking at the strange figures inside the cage.

A deadpan expression that makes it impossible to tell what he is thinking. But Surt felt that it was more impressive than any other expression Chae Sa-hee had seen today.

“… ? What’s going on?”

“No, that──”

Of course, if you look that closely, you’re bound to get caught. Seeing Chae Sa-hee looking at her with a puzzled look, Surt continued speaking quickly as if making an excuse.

“──It seemed like he was looking at me intently. I was wondering what you were thinking.”

“Ah. What were you thinking? hmm… .”

It was a question that had nothing to say even if it was ignored, but Chae Sa-hee seemed to be seriously considering the answer. Of course, just because I answered seriously didn’t mean it was a helpful answer.

“Just because I think I know why I was sent here. I’m definitely the right person for this, it’s something I want to do.”

“You mean leaving something behind?”

In response to Surt’s question, Sahee Chae just smiled slightly. Is it negative, positive, or just vague? It was a mixture of all kinds of laughter.

Before Surtur could ask again about the meaning, a question was asked in return.

“What does Surt plan to do with them? If you look at them, you can see that they were originally people, right?”

As Chae Sa-hee said, these monsters showed traces of having once been human. It was a terrible sight to see, but it also offered some kind of hope. The kind of thing that makes you think that if you do it right, you might be able to get them back to their original state.

Of course, Surt’s answer was predetermined.

“I will protect it as much as possible. It’s too much for us, but if it’s a place like the Association, we might be able to get them back to their original state.”

“Hmm. Yes. Of course you will. Well then, it’s just one story.”

What if they can never come back as humans again? Are you going to leave them alone then too?

Chae Sa-hee asked that question with a serious face.

Although he had a faint smile on his face, Surtur felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Somehow, the expression on Chae Sa-hee’s face right now seemed similar to the one on which she was looking through the bars a moment ago.

Therefore, Surt expressed his thoughts out loud, being a little more honest than the model answer.

No, I was trying to take it out.

[This is quite an interesting story. It’s also a poignant story.]

Pot. Surtur took a stance and instantly raised his magic power. The voice was coming out of a speaker mounted on the wall.

And that voice was something Surt was also familiar with.

“Hatter… .”

[The seed has fallen out. Well, since I witnessed something like this, there is nothing I can do about it.]

Even through the microphone, I could feel a wry smile. Of course, Surt felt no emotion at all about that fact.

Hatter has been under suspicion since Dumping Cat was suspected. Rather, I was wondering why he, who was simply a researcher at a pharmaceutical company, was part of Team Galaxy just because he was an awakened person. The appearance of the Hatter in this situation was neither unexpected nor surprising to Surtur.

[Even though it looks like this, you are quite surprised. How on earth did you find out about this place? I was operating it carefully. I never thought it would come so suddenly.]

“Do you think you will answer?”

[That’s true too. This really gave me a headache. It only took a little more, but I never thought I would sprinkle ashes on the finished rice like this. I’m in real trouble.]

Crash. The sound of something being pressed was heard through the speaker. At the same time, the siren sounded and the closed bars began to slowly open.

“This… !”

[That is a gift to those of you who worked hard to get here. I listened carefully to your statement just now. You wanted to save them, right? If you are a hero, try your best.]

The reactions of those who came out of the cage were varied. There were some entities that did not care whether the cage was opened or not, and there were others that poured out as soon as it was opened and were unable to maintain their shape. The lab was filled with all kinds of strange creatures, including those that climbed the walls and moved around the skylight, those that flew, and those that hit their heads on the ground.

And among them, of course, there were entities that attacked people.

“──No!”

Kang! Surtur rushed forward and blocked Chae Sa-hee’s lightly swung sword. Of course, the skill gap between the two was still intact, so Surtur was thrown into the wall and hit, but this type of monster was only cut in half.

Chae Sa-hee quickly adjusted her posture and read strong disapproval in Surt’s eyes. This way, no matter what she says, it won’t work.

“Ha. all right. I will concede this much.”

Sigh. Chae Sa-hee’s sword returned to her sheath. The sight of him without a single hesitation even made me feel refreshing.

“… Thank you.”

“Okay. I think it’s a little early to say thank you.”

Surt interpreted those words as being due to monsters approaching from around him. If you could kill it, it wouldn’t be that big of a threat, but in the current situation where you have a handicap, it could have been different.

Kiaaa!

After confirming that the sword was holstered, the monster jumped in again. The means that Chae Sa-hee chose instead of the sword was death. The moment the monster was about to pounce, it was met with two eyes filled with enormous murder.

The monster ran away like a puppy with its tail wagging.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“First──”

“Surt! Are you okay!?”

Before the words, “Let’s join the other personnel,” were even spoken, Jabberwock came running. Beyond that, there was also a trainer walking leisurely. Surt raised his hand to indicate not to worry and spoke about Hatter.

“Speaker? Which one?”

While Surtur was briefly summarizing what had happened, the trainer intervened. Surt quietly pointed to the wall of the lab. There was a decoration in the center of the wall that served as a speaker.

The trainer went there, looked at the decoration for a while, and then stretched out his hand into the air. A snake-like demon appeared along the trainer’s arm for a moment and then disappeared.

“Did you find out anything?”

“If there was some kind of magic involved, it would be a winner, but it’s just an ordinary speaker. Even if I try hard to trace cause and effect, I only know direction and distance.”

The distance from the direction the trainer told me was not that far. Surt guessed that it was probably something like a control tower overseeing this place.

“Trainer, Jabberwolk. I’m sorry, but please subdue these people. I’ll chase the hatter.”

“To chase after you?”

“Yes. Anyway, I won’t be of much help if I stay here.”

There is no ability as unsuitable for suppression as the Flame of Surtur. Jabberwock, well aware of that fact, reluctantly nodded.

“Okay. There is no time to fool around with people right now. But avoid fighting as much as possible. If possible, find Fafnir and go with him.”

“Yes. I will do that.”

The moment we confirmed each other’s roles and tried to figure it out, there was a voice that stopped us. He was a trainer. The trainer pointed to one side with his finger at the two people looking at them curiously.

“So what are you going to do with that woman?”

“”Ah.””

Chae Sa-hee was there, quietly looking at them. Even though she had been acting like this until now, she had her own purpose.

“Are you going with Surtur this time too?”

“No, my destination is here. I have to stay here until the time comes. Can I help you?”

“… I don’t know what your plan is, but if it looks like you’re doing something strange, I’ll attack you right away.”

If Chae Sa-hee followed, Jabberwock was planning on following along somehow. Fortunately, Jabberwock’s wary gaze softened slightly at Chae Sa-hee’s words, “That’s all.”

Unfortunately, she reverted back to Chae Sa-hee’s attitude of saying, “If you can, do it.”

“Then I’ll go.”

“Yes. I’ll chase after you as soon as this is finished.”

After saying goodbye, Surtur ran towards the exit in the direction indicated by his trainer.

“Hmm. Should I have followed after all?”

“I’ve gotten a lot stronger recently, so I guess it’ll be okay.”

“In fact, I’m more worried because of that.”

If you become too strong, you will misunderstand your own abilities. Jabberwock also had a similar experience, so he was a little worried about Surtur’s solo activities.

Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t trust Surtur. The current Surtur may be stronger than Jabberwock himself. So for now, it would be better to trust your friend and quickly go help him.

As he shadowed the monster attacking from the ceiling, Jabberwock erased his worries about Surtur from his mind.

***

There wasn’t much Surtur did while coming here. This is because the trainer was in charge of overall hiding, and the Jabberwock was in charge of searching for the technique.

But that’s only based on infiltration. If it was a chase where the existence of Surt and his party had already been revealed, he could use his full power.

“Hap!”

The sword drawn with a spirit cut down the protruding pillar. The pillar, which would have originally scattered bullets randomly around the area, burned down without even being able to land a blow.

Although he was inexperienced, he could clearly see the magical power and was able to notice the unnatural flow of magical energy around him. Even mechanical devices that did not use magical power or devices that had not been seen before could not exceed the reaction speed unique to the awakened person.

Surtur’s magic vision still relies on sight. So, originally, an attack from a blind spot would have been quite fatal, but

‘Fine, back!’

“Yes!”

Sarah’s cognitive ability eliminated even those few gaps.

If you trap it with a barrier and try to subdue it with gas, the barrier will be set on fire. If you spread electricity throughout the passage, you can create a magical platform in the air to jump over. Manipulation using magical power that would be invisible to an ordinary person did not work on Surtur, who was burning with all his magical power.

Surtur is truly showing signs of turmoil. There was a reason why he was able to show such a performance.

‘It doesn’t hurt as much as it used to.’

Previously, when using flames, movement was restricted due to the pain of the recoil. Although I am not aware of it, it is a pain that burns in my soul itself. It is not the kind of thing that can be endured with will.

Fortunately, through special training with Fafnir, Surtur’s understanding of this flame deepened. A power that is not yours to begin with. Just being aware of it changes a lot.

However, it wasn’t enough. The thought that he could still go further lingered in Surtur’s mind. If you take just one step forward… That thought made Surtur’s body move.

Surtur’s feet cannot be tied up with guard techniques. Since it is normally used as a passageway, there would have been limits to the ability to place various obstructions. In the end, it didn’t take long for Surtur to catch up with Hatter.

“Please stop. I can’t let you go like this.”

“This is true. I only saw it occasionally, but it was such an incredible firework. Are you saying you’re not the leader for nothing?”

Hearing compliments from his enemies was something Surtur was unfamiliar with. Therefore, instead of saying that he was at the bottom of the team in terms of combat power, Surtur pointed his sword.

On the outside, Hatter gave the impression that he was a researcher. The clothes are lab coats and there are no visible muscles. However, he did not show any signs of agitation even when the sword was pointed at him.

For a brief moment, Jabberwock’s words about how dangerous it was to be alone crossed Surtur’s mind. The decision was quick. The opponent did not seem stronger than himself, and if he hesitated, there was a possibility of calling for support.

More than anything, I didn’t want to lose the person who had created such a terrible scene. Therefore, Surtur’s hesitation was short-lived.

“I was hoping for at least an answer. They’re going to make you vomit anyway──Wooot!?”

While speaking, Hatter barely avoided the sword that was thrown out and hurriedly stepped back. After seeing that, Surtur was convinced that Hatter had never learned martial arts.

Of course, Surtr didn’t expect what the Hatter said next.

“What, while talking! What a coward!”

“… ? What?”

“You’re a hero!? Why do you prioritize violence over dialogue!”

Is this some kind of joke or sarcasm? For a moment, Surtur seriously thought so. But Hatter’s expression was even more serious.

“To begin with, you don’t know anything! What is this experiment and what position am I in? Then properly──”

After seeing Hatter continue to talk about him, Surtur was convinced. This man has no awareness of how terrible what he has done.

Surtur’s sword swung once again.

“Wooho!?”

But this time, Hatter dodged Surtur’s sword. Unlike before, it was a sword that Surtur swung with the intention of inflicting significant damage. Although his posture was still a mess, he didn’t even brush the black hatter.

It was clear that he had not learned martial arts. There was no chanting to be considered magic. If so, it must be potential. Thinking like that, Surtur continued to swing his sword. When it comes to avoidance-related potential, it is quicker to find the law and force it into an outsider.

“Negotiations have collapsed!”

But Surt’s prediction was wrong again. Hatter, who had been running away just moments ago, jumped into Surtur’s sword on his own.

Even though there is no flame, it can split even the black rock that wields magic power. Surtur, conscious that a catastrophe would occur if things continued like this, changed the path of the sword as much as possible.

Kang!

“What!?”

“Such attacks are useless!”

Surtur’s sword bounced around in an absurdly meaningless manner.

The Hatter’s fist was approaching Surtur, who was panicking. Surtur was tense for a moment, but his sword bounced off and he was able to easily avoid the attack even in a collapsed position.

The Hatter, who punched the air, smiled confidently as if he was doing the right thing.

“You are indeed a student at Cheonmyeong High School. If so, then get this too!”

The same seemingly innocuous fist as before was swung. Seeing that scene, Surtur’s thoughts quickly turned.

I dodged the sword that was thrown and bounced it away. Perhaps a body strengthening system, and a broad one that enhances reflexes and physical strength. It’s a fairly excellent ability, but that alone──

After thinking that far, Surtur quickly raised his sword and defended something. This is because I saw a sign that something would be released from the Hatter’s arm through magic vision. The power I saw so many times while practicing with the steel ball. It was telekinesis.

But it was Hatter who actually got thrown out. Surtur’s body froze for a moment at the incomprehensible phenomenon. I realized that it was a run away when the Hatter’s body turned the corner.

‘How many abilities are you using?’

Surtur nodded inwardly at Sarah’s words while he was chasing Hatter. Evasion, physical strengthening, telekinesis, strange magic, and even short space movement. Actions that could not be performed without the assistance of potential continued to pop up.

The power and precision of each potential was too high to be considered a simple imitation. It was unfortunate that Hatter’s skill level was low, otherwise there were several scenes that would have been dangerous.

Multi-ability? That was the first hypothesis that came to Surt’s mind. However, I have never heard of Surt having as many different types of potential as I do. I couldn’t understand why someone with that much potential was working as a researcher.

“Perseverance… ! This is the end!”

Even though he hadn’t run that long, Hatter was out of breath. Anyone could see that he had a rudimentary appearance as an awakened person, but the poisonous dance coming out of his hand looked extremely dangerous.

Where the flash of flame passed, even the poison burned away, leaving only clean air. However, since the sprayed range was limited, it was necessary to swing the sword several more times.

‘brand! ‘It’s over there!’

With the time he earned, Hatter boarded the elevator. By the time Surtur moved in front of him, the elevator was already going up floor after floor.

The decision was quick. Surt grabbed hold of the rope as he jumped beyond the bursting elevator door. Although he could not do stunts like throwing himself like Fafnir, the awakened person’s physical ability was much faster than that of an elevator.

He broke the floor of the elevator and rushed into it, but Hatter was nowhere to be seen. Surtur’s gaze quickly caught sight of an open area near the ceiling.

Now, if you go up there, you will see the back of the hatter or traces of the hatter leaving. Maybe they will attack you while you are on the rise. After completing a short simulation, Surtur held on to the ceiling and jumped.

In front of Surtur’s eyes, who had risen above the ceiling.

A huge meteorite was falling.

***

Manslaughter. This is a judgment received when a person causes death due to negligence rather than intention. The person concerned will be punished by imprisonment for up to 2 years or by a fine of up to 7 million won.

Such bits of knowledge passed through my mind like a flash of light.

… What is this sinister narration!?

“Murderer… .”

Mari──Cyclops’ voice is heard from next to me. Quickle’s eyes were looking back to the way they were when he first saw them. In other words, it is the eye that looks at a murderer.

“No, no, no! It’s a false accusation!”

“He’s dead… .”

“It’s alive!?”

Although I protested fervently, Quickle’s gaze was suspicious. Well, it’s worth it. I also have no confidence that those people are alive.

“You’re alive, right? Hey, please answer me~. Oh, you fainted and couldn’t answer? Then I have no choice. Quickle, did you hear? I can’t answer because I fainted.”

“Murderer… .”

“I need a lawyer!”

How did it end up like this? I was just carrying out an undercover mission with Quickle. On the way, Mr. Ryan and a wolf woman called Fenrir or something were fighting, so I just turned back and tried to escape.

… On the way, both of them seemed so defenseless that I just slightly hit them on the back of the head!

“Coward… .”

“Yes, that is correct.”

When you see the two people collapsed under the crumpled wall, you can’t help but say it’s a pect. But it was so full of gaps…

I thought it would be rude if I didn’t hit him, so I did it without thinking. No reflection.

Well, Quickle probably doesn’t mean what he’s saying. In Soul City, you can see at a glance whether a person is alive or not, and reducing variables in a mission is usually a good thing. I’m not sure why Mr. Ryan is here.

When I said that, Quickle’s gaze became colder.

“Mr. Ryan, he is an ally.”

“Yes, yes, I owe you a lot. But the world of adults is inherently messy like this. I want to become an adult, quickle.”

“… ? I’m not sure, but I know Fafnir is bad.”

I also feel like he is becoming more and more remorseless. Although it is much better now than when it was awkward at first.

I was a bit worried about whether to tell her or not. What reason could there be for Mr. Ryan, a combat agent, to be in a lab like this, especially on his days off?

Still, you can talk about painful things even after the mission is over. I also think that if there is an adult, there is no need for the child to become an adult.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, chiselpants.”

While I was chatting, my magic must have recovered, and I felt the need to move faster, so I decided to move right away. I picked up Quickle, who had become a selling machine, in my princess embrace and quickly left the wide floor.

I don’t know if everyone is doing well.

*****