C 84 (2)

The test bed, typically reserved for recording experiments with high error margins, now had an entirely new purpose. Rick could hardly believe the boss himself was volunteering to test the serum.

"Relax, Rick," Kain said reassuringly. "I trust your research."

Without hesitation, Kain removed his shirt and lay down on the bed.

"For my daughter," Rick murmured to himself, steeling his resolve. He prepped the syringe with the fusion serum, his hands trembling as he attached various monitoring equipment to Kain. 

The instruments would record every detail of what happened next.

"Mr. Kain… I'm about to begin," Rick said nervously.

Kain nodded, his tone steady. "Go ahead, Rick. Be bold."

Rick glanced at the Shadow Clone looming nearby, its cold, watchful gaze only increasing his tension. After meticulously double-checking the equipment, he gave Kain one last look for confirmation before pressing the injection button.

The serum entered Kain's bloodstream, and almost immediately, changes began to manifest. Kain could feel it—the transformation taking hold. His eyes turned red, and the blood vessels under his skin glowed faintly, a telltale sign of the Extremis Virus starting to repair and enhance his body.

But unlike his previous experience, this time there was no excruciating pain. Instead, he felt a deep, numbing itch spreading across his entire body. It was as if his skin were preparing to shed, evolving into something entirely new.

"The data looks excellent, as expected, Mr. Kain," Rick remarked, quickly moving to inject glucose and other nutrient solutions into Kain. Nutritional support was essential for the body during its transformation.

Twenty minutes later, large patches of dead skin began to peel off Kain's body. Despite the unsettling sight, Kain felt increasingly better, though there was a gnawing emptiness inside him—like he hadn't eaten in days.

Half an hour later, after Kain's vitals had stabilized, Rick asked cautiously, "Mr. Kain, the injection is complete. How do you feel?"

As he spoke, Rick undid the metal restraints holding Kain to the bed.

Kain sat up slowly, but his legs felt weak, and he nearly collapsed back onto the bed. While the transformation had made his body feel stronger, he was physically drained, and the layers of dead skin clinging to him made him deeply uncomfortable.

Seeing his state, both the Shadow Clone and Rick moved to help him. Rick also brought over a tray of high-calorie food.

"Mr. Kain, the process went very well. You need to replenish your energy. Once you've regained some strength, you can freshen up," Rick advised.

Without wasting time, Kain devoured the food, regaining a fraction of his strength. He then headed to the laboratory's bathroom to wash off the dead skin.

However, just after the transformation, Kain hadn't fully adjusted to his newfound strength. With a casual push, he accidentally broke through the metal bathroom door, which was over ten millimeters thick and weighed nearly a thousand kilograms.

"This door is weak. Replace it tomorrow," Kain remarked nonchalantly.

Rick, still in shock, nodded quickly. "Of course, Mr. Kain."

After cleaning up, Kain didn't linger in the lab. He handed Rick a pre-prepared check for one million dollars and gave him precise instructions:

"Backup the experimental data and delete everything else. Take a few days off, and halt the trials for now. I'll let you know when to resume."

Rick accepted the check, suppressing his astonishment. While the rest of the team remained unaware of the details, Rick knew better than to gossip about it.

Kain left the lab and headed straight home, where he ordered an enormous amount of food to satisfy his lingering hunger. Once full, he began training to control his newfound strength.

He could already feel how much stronger he had become—likely capable of flipping a car and hurling it effortlessly. This was impressive but potentially troublesome if he couldn't learn to manage his strength in public.

There was also a peculiar feeling in his body, one that made him suspect a connection to magic. Though he couldn't be certain, he decided to investigate further.

Kain retrieved a spellbook he had brought back from the Harry Potter world, along with a recording of Guy teaching Hermione magic. He had been preparing for this moment, determined to learn magic in the future.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The first time Kain attempted the spell, he felt a strange energy surging from within, but his lack of control caused the power to explode outward, leaving a large hole in the floor.

"This is... magic power. I can use magic. I can control it..."

He recalled the sensation with a mixture of excitement and determination. During his first attempt, he hadn't thought to regulate the flow of energy, but now, reflecting on it, he felt confident that proper control would make a significant difference.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

On his second attempt, Kain carefully focused on channeling the magic power. This time, the vase in front of him began to lift slowly into the air.

"Success!"

He laughed, elated by the breakthrough. He had tapped into his magic, and the energy coursing through him felt immense. It wasn't just raw power—it was a natural force that seemed to flow effortlessly, deeply rooted in his blood.

"This must be the influence of the phoenix and fire dragon cells," Kain mused. The magical creatures' fusion had evidently gifted him an extraordinary reservoir of magic, one that was surprisingly easy to control.

Curious about the extent of his abilities, Kain experimented further. He relaxed his control and let the magic power instinctively flow to his throat. Then, he exhaled sharply, following the sensation.

BOOM!

A scorching, powerful jet of flame burst from Kain's mouth, instantly engulfing a section of the wall in fire.

"Shit!"

Panicking, Kain yelled as he scrambled to grab a fire extinguisher, frantically putting out the flames before the situation could escalate further.

….

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