Apex Human

The school hours were over. Mason quickly left the school grounds. While walking on the streets he couldn't help but look towards the forest.

"A quick walk in the forest can't be bad, right?"

He slowly walked inside the forest. Unaware of the action he just made actually sealed his fate.

***

"Can this one succeed?"

Andrew Houll asked the man with a white gown. He was holding a file in his hand. The man looked at the file and read its contents before answering.

"He should be more durable than others. We have yet the find the necessary requirements to succeed but he is the best subject so far."

"We already lost so many resources. We need some results and we need them soon. You better be successful this time."

They both looked at the man with patient robes. He was a tall and bulky man. He had short grey hair and brown eyes. There was a long scar on top of his left eye. It wasn't completely visible but there were numerous scars on his arms and legs.

"Who is he?"

"Howard Munoz. Former mercenary. Fought in Crueland for 8 years. Due to injury, he had to retire. But right now he is in peak condition."

"Crueland? That damned continent. That place is literally hell on earth. He must be really above average if he survived out there."

Andrew's gaze sharpened. He was aware of the situation of Crueland. For the last thirty years, there was a constant war happening there. Even now it continues albeit not at full power. It was maybe the biggest problem of Earth Nations for the last three decades. Many other countries tried to interfere and atop the war. It didn't work.

There were five countries in the Crueland. Sometimes they put a stop to the war to recover their forces. Then they fight with small skirmishes for a couple of years. The only reason they haven't destroyed is other countries literally waiting for a chance.

The Crueland is rich with underground resources. This was also the reason why the war started. At first Earth Nations tried to stop the war and come to an agreement with the sides of the war. That stop the war for like only two years at the time.

The Earth Nations was of course furious when the war restarted. So they come to an agreement among themselves. In the case of one or more countries of Crueland being destroyed, the territory of the destroyed country or countries will be invaded by the united army and will be used for mining underground resources.

What about civilians, some thought. There is an undeniable truth about countries, they will always first care about their own people. Most of the time they wouldn't even care rest of the people of Earth.

"When do we start?"

"In five minutes."

"Good."

Andrew slowly walked out of the laboratory. He wasn't interested in the process of the experiment. He only cares about the final results. Especially now that the police department is trying to find what he was doing.

It might be stupid from outside what he has done with the police. But for the last century, police never dared to disobey Houll or Dax families in Daxhoull. But this new Police Chief turns out to have a backbone unlike those before him.

"That damn father of mine. If he didn't dump all the responsibility on my shoulders. He even denied it when I asked him to deal with the police. But just you wait. I will create the apex human. Then you can't deny me anymore!"

The reason he started this project was to make his father admit he is worthy enough to be the next head of the house. His father always favored his brother, the incompetent idiot.

Andrew Houll was actually the bastard son. So he knew why his father wasn't paying much attention to him. That wasn't a problem for him. He can work and earn what he deserves with his own efforts.

***

About half an hour later Andrew returned to the laboratory. The experiment they were doing was basically injecting the blood of the supernatural lizard they caught into the humans. This was of course oversimplified version of the experiment.

They used many subjects. Some animals and many humans. Some rejected the blood and quickly burned to the ashes. Some last for a few hours. Surprisingly some corpses they buried in the forest exploded after a while even though they were already dead.

This is why the subject was in another room and being observed after the experiment. The room he was in was designated to last even against an explosive missile. One of the safest places in the whole of Daxhoull.

Howard was laying down on the bed. The bed was in the middle of the room and was being watched by tens of different cameras. He was unconscious after the experiment. The experiment itself didn't take much time but it put his body an incredible amount of burden.

"His vital signs are good. He can actually succeed!"

Andrew looked towards the computer screen which shows many different vital values of Howard present. His lips slowly twitched upwards.

***

(Howard)

Ugh... My whole body hurts... All I can feel is pain... I can't even open my eyes. I feel my body but it doesn't respond to me. What's going on?! That damned experiment failed?

I don't know how much time passed. But all I felt that is pain. My consciousness is growing hazy. I'm on the verge of losing consciousness. I felt something getting closer to me. Slowly, an unfamiliar presence is creeping closer to me.

"...Do...you...want...power..?"

What is that? A voice... but it doesn't belong to a human...

"...Do...you...want...power..?"

...power... All my life I desired power. I never want to be vulnerable. I mustered all of my strength and tried to talk. It took my everything to just respond with a single word.

"...yes..."

At that moment I didn't know that this answer of mine would change everything.