"Hey, you, did something appear in your hands just now? I swear I heard a crumbling of something. You've figured a way to get us out?" Human #2 asked, pressing his face against the bars. His focus never left the cave opening that led to the upper section. Unfortunately, however, footsteps could be heard down the pathway.

  "It's pointless, Wayne. Let's say he's an Abna. That'll give him something to play with." The woman's interruption cut through the air before Hezekiah could respond.

  Oh hell no. I don't think so, you self-centered whore.

  "And risk my only chance of survival? Are you stupid, woman?" he argued.

  "Idiot! I did not come searching for you so you die in front of me!"

  "I have something in mind," Hezekiah finally spoke up, eyeing everyone in the room before landing on Wayne. "Try to survive for five minutes."

  Wayne wanted to ask what he meant, but two tentacles squirmed from the threshold of the chamber, followed by Hyonda.

  "I hope you three are as excited as I am. You have no idea how many humans would kill to be in your position." Hyonda made his way to one of the lab tables without sparing anyone a glance. His eyes were bulging, straining to contain his happiness. A flower with black petals rested gently in his palms.

  He snagged a flask from a high shelf containing a luminescent liquid, constantly alternating between colors.

  Is that the substance that ignites the transformation process? To actually give you superpowers?

  "Mr. Hyonda, that boy is an Abna!" the old man declared, pointing at Hezekiah.

  Hezekiah glared at the man, tightening his grip on his injured leg.

  "You senile old head. Has dementia made you forget reality that quickly?" Hezekiah snapped back.

  "Human #3," Hyonda began, mixing the petals into the strange liquid, turning it pure white. "I detected no Abna energy in him, so that simply isn't possible." His unnatural smile never wavered. He continued stirring the solution, treating their words like air.

  "And even if he was, there's no way I could even harm him. After all, my mother was an Abna. A charming woman at that." He continued. The liquid was now glowing, signifying the process was complete.

  Wait—he’ll let me go if I prove I have powers?

  He could feel the gazes of the other two looking at him. Although he hadn’t done anything, he could tell the others already thought he was going to betray them—to leave them to die.

  Well, that’s not my problem. I’ve had enough of this supernatural crap. But I better get out quick.

  Before he could do anything, a tentacle burst through Wayne’s cage, entangling him.

  "Wait! No! Please!" he begged. His eyes met Hezekiah’s, screaming for help.

  The tentacle carried him into the air and slammed him onto the metal bed. His glasses fell off his face onto the dusty ground. He struggled and squirmed, but all of his limbs were entirely wrapped.

  "You’ve always been the most rebellious. Yet here I am, about to reward you. You're very lucky how passionate I am about my success."

  Suzie had her back pressed against the cage, fingers curled as she watched in horror. She saw the flask approaching the man’s mouth. Her eyes shut tight, refusing to witness the bloody scene she had seen before.

  Human #3 never broke eye contact. He looked intently at the spectacle. "Don’t resist, Wayne. Trust in Hyonda," the old man voiced.

  "Wait! It’s true, Mr. Hyonda! That man used powers earlier, and he’s plotting to kill you!" Suzie blurted out.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Hyonda paused, his eccentric smile fading into something unpleasant. If only one of them had claimed it, it wouldn’t be worth considering—but now two of them?

  Now that I think about it... he said something about notebook paper before he attacked me. But I didn’t detect or see anything.

  Hyonda tilted his head, sorting through his thoughts to rationalize the new development. It simply made no sense. Why was he so pathetically weak? And he definitely didn’t sense any Abna energy in him. He was definitely an ordinary human.

  A certain idea zapped through his mind, something more plausible.

  He’s definitely an ordinary human... but he played dumb, pretending to be ignorant. He’s more likely using a Huska tool, which can simulate abilities. Did someone send him to investigate me?

  "You too decided to bail on the plan now, Suzie? At least own up that this was your idea!" Hezekiah hollered.

  "Human #5, are you an Abna?"

  A silence lingered in the air. It was two against one, and Wayne hadn’t spoken a word yet. His sight was still on the ceiling, attempting to delay his death as long as possible.

  "Well, no matter. After I take the Huska away from you, you would—"

  In the midst of his speech, Hyonda noticed a blue liquid beneath him. Widening his eyes, he wiped his nose and noticed the same substance.

  "I’m... bleeding?" he said calmly. The others noticed it as well. It was slow at first, nothing serious—until his vision began to cloud. Sludges of blue began replacing his surroundings.

  "Mr. Hyonda! Your eyes!!" the old man spoke urgently.

  Streaks of blue descended from Hyonda’s eyes, a gnawing pain clawing at them.

  "Augrh!! What... what's happening to me!?" he demanded. He kept wiping his eyes and nose, but it only kept painting his already muddy clothes. Each second grew more agonizing—comparable to fire ants digging into one’s eyes.

  He lost his balance, accidentally knocking tube racks and tools off the table. The bottles burst, decorating the cold ground with a wide gradient of colors.

  Everyone’s mouths were agape. Even Hezekiah was caught by surprise. Initially, he didn’t believe anything would happen if the rules weren’t followed. And when he saw that nothing happened when Wayne was slammed, he suspected all hope was lost.

  So he broke Rule Number 3 by committing violence... which in turn caused him to bleed from the nose and eyes. Even dizziness, perhaps?

  Hyonda plummeted to his knees after taking a few steps forward. His eyes were bulging while he held his stomach. Not long after, a waterfall of ocean-thick liquid discharged from his mouth.

  Hezekiah sensed a melting glare directed at him. He didn’t have to look to know it was the fanatic prisoner. But why let something like that bother him? He wasn’t going to risk dying to obtain something he already had anyway.

  "Selfishness knows no limits! Since you possess something special, you believe it's fair to strip us from a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!?" the old man shouted, rattling his cage like a gorilla.

  "Can it, you geezer!" Suzie responded. "Isn't it about time you met the grave anyway!?"

  "Enough!" Hyonda spoke, causing them to fall into silence. His breaths were uneven but gradually grew steady.

  Despite the bleeding reducing, the searing pain in his eyes and chest didn’t dissipate. He naturally thought it must have something to do with the test subject he recently brought.

  Wayne was speechless. He had never seen Hyonda in such a state. The tentacle grasping him had significantly loosened, but he didn’t try to escape.

  He can still crush me... I’ll have to wait and see what that guy will do next.

  "Who sent you here!? You cursed rat," Hyonda managed to say, slightly opening his eyes.

  Hezekiah was perplexed when he heard him.

  Didn’t you kidnap me? Does breaking the rules give you amnesia too?

  "Does it matter? Maybe I’m associated with the Unity Council. Or an ordinary Abna. Or maybe a stranded street rat who lost his way. Shouldn’t you be more concerned about your own situation?"

  "Hehehe," Hyonda cackled, his eyes blueshot like the ocean. "What a pointless response. No matter. In the end, I’ve determined you’re better off being fed to Hyuuz," he said, as he sluggishly lifted himself up, releasing Wayne.

  But before he took a step, both his ankles twisted out of joint—clearly far beyond what they were capable of. A piercing scream escaped his lungs, assaulting everyone’s eardrums.

  Hezekiah shielded his ears while Wayne looked away, covering his mouth.

  Why did that happen? Did he already break another rule?

  "Just kill him already, damnit! Stop wasting time!" Suzie commanded as her fingers bristled through her hair.

  Unfortunately, however, Hezekiah wasn’t sure how to proceed. His instructions seemed to be working, but it’s not like he wrote what would happen if someone broke them.

  Telekinesis...? No, a Huska tool normally possess one ability. But even then, I didn’t see him use anything.

  Hyonda wondered, grinding his teeth. Darkness slowly overcame his vision while the ever-present pain dominated his body. His sight finally ended on the man who caused all of this.