Chapter 2 : Escape Failed
One month had passed since I had been captured and subjected to these cruel experiments in the scientists' laboratory. During this period, I endured countless physical and emotional sufferings, with my body constantly being mistreated and tortured.
These scientists were obsessed with testing the limits of my skin's resistance, seeking to break through it by inflicting increasingly severe wounds. Every day, I endured painful treatments and brutal interrogations, hoping to give them information about my unique power and unknown heritage.
I was hungry, my body was almost in tatters after all these trials. They didn't even give me any rest; I was treated simply as an object, my skin worn out.
Despite the unbearable trials I had to endure, I held a glimmer of hope in my heart. I refused to be broken by these scientists. I dreamt of escaping from this hell, finding my freedom, and discovering my true identity.
My heart contained a mixture of various emotions; I was angry. Very angry. My hatred towards these men couldn't be worse. All I dreamed of was destroying them for everything they had done to me.
My right horn had been ripped off; the pain I felt that day was horrendous. I'm sure the feeling of having an arm cut off would be more bearable.
I had noticed that I was apparently not the only one in this laboratory. I had seen other people, or "subjects," who were in my situation, although some of them did not bear physical wounds.
I wanted to talk to them, to have some communication with other people my age. But these people decided otherwise. I was forbidden from having any interaction with other children.
What kept me from succumbing to their experiments was my will to live. I didn't want to die; I wanted to be free and uncover my past. Being chained in a cell couldn't be more humiliating.
Ignoring my rumbling stomach, I looked down the corridor outside my cell. Over the weeks, I had started to closely observe the habits and weaknesses of these bastards. I familiarized myself with the surroundings, memorizing the details of each corridor and room. I understood that I had to wait for the right moment to act.
And then, that evening, when I was on the verge of succumbing to exhaustion and pain, an opportunity presented itself. The scientists were occupied with another subject of their experiment, leaving me momentarily unsupervised.
Usually, they would inject some kind of substance into my blood that would weaken me, making my limbs stiff as well. But unfortunately for them, that substance hardly affected me anymore. My body had become accustomed to their anesthetics; it no longer posed a threat to me.
I seized this chance and began to undo the restraints that held me in the cell. My movements were slow and cautious; I had to avoid drawing the scientists' attention. Every second counted for me.
My hands placed themselves on the bars in front of me. I knew my body possessed superhuman strength. I had never shown it to the scientists; they didn't know. Even though I had learned about the existence of Mana and that I was sterile from it, my child's body already possessed considerable strength.
I began to use all my strength, my face contorted from the effort. I wanted to slightly bend those bars to be able to escape from here. I checked the surroundings again to see if there were any guards.
Seeing no one, I headed to the left, walking quickly but silently. A victorious smile crept onto my face; all I had to do was follow the path, and there was the exit.
Hope filled my heart, the thought of being able to leave here filled my mind. There were no obstacles; freedom was right before my eyes.
The guards were not there, I had memorized their schedules. The exit was only about ten meters away when suddenly a small voice could be heard near me.
Just as I was about to put an end to my escape plan, a shadow stealthily slipped into the hallway. Before I could react, a girl around my age, with fair skin, suddenly appeared in front of me, a malicious smile on her lips.
"You thought you could escape, but you were wrong, poor fool," she whispered in a chilling voice.
Stunned, I realized that someone had witnessed my escape attempt. This child had chosen to denounce me to the scientists. Why was this happening to me ? Disappointment and betrayal mingled with the pain and frustration that already consumed me.
I had seen this girl before, but I had never spoken to her. Why did she want to block my path ? I looked at her angrily ; she was meddling in things that didn't concern her. Damn it...
"Who are you ? Why won't you let me pass ?" I said in distress, but she seemed to simply mock me, refusing to even answer.
Suddenly, scientists and guards rushed towards me, surrounding every corner of the hallway. The triumphant looks on the scientists' faces and the sadistic expression on the girl filled me with indescribable rage. How could I have been so naive to think it would be easy ?
Trapped, I was subdued by the guards and the scientists, who were more violent than ever in their movements. It was pointless to struggle; things would only get worse for me. The pain inflicted upon me exceeded all limits, and I felt my body reaching its limits.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the girl, who was observing the scene with cruel pleasure, relishing in my suffering. I was so close, why she did that...
The little girl named Ultear couldn't help but look at the boy with pity. Her transformation into a dark and vengeful person was now complete, and she had found a way to take revenge on the world that had abandoned her. It was a selfish act ; she didn't want to see this child escape and be free.
Her mother had brought her to this laboratory full of madmen in the first place because of her immense magical power at such a young age. She hated and still hate them all. There were other subjects like her, but she didn't care. Overall, she was treated well.
After escaping from the laboratory with the hope of seeing her mother again and living a beautiful life with her, she had seen her mother happy with two boys close to her age, completely replacing her. She had been abandoned, betrayed, and she had returned to the laboratory, letting the scientists do whatever they wanted to her as long as they increased her magic.
This boy made her curious ; she had seen him several times, always in pitiful states. And now, he was trying to escape. She found it amusing to betray him, shattering someone's hopes...
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(Ryota POV)
The following weeks were a true nightmare. The experiments I was subjected to were even more brutal and inhumane. The scientists used me as a guinea pig for extreme experiments, depriving me of any hope of freedom.
During all this time, I had learned the girl's name, Ultear, and she continued to taunt me, relishing in my distress and pain. She laughed as if it were the most normal thing in the world. She demonstrated herself as the most dangerous ally of the scientists.
But despite everything, I clung to a thin thread of hope. My mind was filled with determination and resilience, refusing to let myself be completely broken by these torturers.
I knew I had to continue searching for opportunities to escape, even if it meant taking even greater risks. My survival instinct urged me never to give up and find a way to break free, no matter the obstacles in my path.
In the shadows, I began gathering my strength and devising a new plan. This time, I would be more cautious, more cunning. I would wait for the right moment to act, when the scientists were most vulnerable.
My hatred towards Ultear and the scientists grew with each passing day, fueling my determination to escape them. Despite the horrors I had endured, I refused to submit to their power. I would fight until the end, hoping to regain my freedom and kill all those bastards.
"How are you holding up, Ryota ?" A small figure appeared outside my cell. Ah, it was Ultear. What does she want from me ? My mood was already bad, as if there was a day it was good.
"I don't want to see you, just leave,"
Ultear observed Ryota with a sneering smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She enjoyed playing with him, mentally tormenting him as much as the scientists tortured him physically.
"Oh, Ryota, you're so kind to me," she replied in a mocking voice. "I can't leave, you know. I quite enjoy seeing your miserable existence in this cell."
Ryota growled with frustration and tightened his fists. Ultear's presence only fueled his anger and hatred towards her and the scientists. But he had to remain calm and find a way out of this situation.
"Why do you hate me so much ? What have I done to deserve all this ?" he asked with a voice filled with sadness and frustration.
Ultear leaned towards the cell bars, her gaze filled with amusement. "I don't hate you, Ryota. You don't deserve anything more than what's happening to you. You're weak, pathetic. The scientists are right to treat you like this." Ultear's eyes were those of an animal playing with its prey.
Ultear's words were like sharp blades, piercing deep into Ryota's heart. He felt anger boiling inside him, but he knew he had to stay calm if he wanted to find a way out of this situation.
"You have no right to judge who I am. You know nothing about me," he replied firmly.
Ultear burst into laughter, a cold and empathetic laugh. "Oh, I know much more than you think, Ryota. I know why you're here, why they're subjecting you to these horrors. But I won't tell you because it's fun to see you suffer."
Rage now burned in Ryota's eyes, but he forced himself to remain calm. He couldn't let his emotions get the best of him. He had to focus on his escape, on finding the right moment to act.
"You can laugh all you want, Ultear, but I won't remain locked up here forever. I will find a way to escape, and when that day comes, I will get my revenge on you and everyone who contributed to my misery," Ryota's pupils had turned into slits for a moment, showing his suppressed anger.
Ultear raised an eyebrow, momentarily seeming intrigued by Ryota's confidence, but she quickly concealed her surprise, leaving only a childish smile before walking away.