Adrian tried to open his eyes, but his lids felt as heavy as lead. The flickering fluorescent light above sent pulses of pain behind his skull."Where... am I?" he whispered hoarsely. His throat felt as if he had just swallowed a handful of dry sand.He tried to move his right hand. Something restricted his movement. A soft metallic clink echoed. Medical handcuffs. Adrian forced himself to sit up, ignoring the nausea churning in his stomach.His eyes caught a blue folder on the silver nightstand beside the bed. With his free left hand, he reached for it. His fingers trembled violently as he opened the documents inside.Durnevra Medical Corp – Confidential."Genetic Compatibility Report," Adrian read the title softly. His eyes widened when he saw the large label in the top right corner of the document.Subject B-02: Organ Reservoir."Reservoir?" he muttered. His voice cracked. "What is this supposed to mean?"He turned to the next page. A photo of his face was there, side by side with

Adrian tried to move his fingers, but a surge of agonizing pain struck again, causing him to jerk so violently that his metal gurney let out a sharp, piercing screech.Pain... let this pain remain, he thought, his heart seething with a burning vengeance. Don't let this pain fade, so that I will always remember what you all did to me today.Outside, the faint sound of fireworks echoed from a distance. The Durnevra family was likely celebrating their heir's recovery under the beautiful night sky. They had no idea that in this stifling basement, the seeds of their destruction had just begun to sprout.Adrian’s eyes, once filled with tears, now flew wide open in the darkness. There was no longer a glimmer of hope left in them. There was only a cold, profound emptiness."I will return," he whispered into the darkness, his voice no longer sounding like that of a pitiful nineteen-year-old boy. "And when I do, you will all beg to die by my hand."Suddenly, the heart monitor in the corner of t

"They've already thrown me away," Adrian whispered. "They took my kidney as if it were their right. They left me to die alone while they went on vacation. Why should I hold onto any love for people who don't even consider me alive?""So, you accept?""Why only filial love?" Adrian asked defiantly. "Why not just take all my emotions?""Patience, Adrian. This Altar is thirsty, but it does not swallow everything at once. Great power requires continuous sacrifice. Today, it is your affection. Tomorrow, perhaps your senses. The day after, maybe your most precious memories. Can you afford to pay a price that will only keep growing?""As long as I can see them crawling at my feet... I'll pay anything," Adrian answered firmly. "Do it. Take the love. I don't want it anymore."The blue screen in front of him glowed blindingly bright. A virtual needle made of light pierced directly toward Adrian's chest. He felt no physical pain, but he felt a powerful yank, as if roots were being forcibly rippe

Adrian leapt out through the shattered glass window, landing smoothly on the asphalt of the underground parking lot. He moved quickly toward the back gate, dodging the sweep of patrol lights that were beginning to flood the hospital’s front lawn.That night, the world felt different to Adrian. He no longer felt the cold, no longer felt fear. The void in his chest provided a terrifying tranquility. He slipped through narrow alleys, moving away from the city center toward a neglected industrial district.A few hours later, as dawn began to peek over the eastern horizon, Adrian stood atop a crumbling, half-collapsed old building. The sharp morning wind played with his messy strands of hair.[ STATUS: ESCAPE SUCCESSFUL. ][ ALTAR ENERGY: 45%. REST RECOMMENDED. ]Adrian stared at the blue folder in his hand, the one he had stolen from beside his bed the folder that labeled him as Subject B-02. With a slow movement, he tore the papers into small pieces, letting them scatter in the wind."Th

The small bell above the door of the Black Crow Bar chimed weakly, swallowed by the low thrum of bass vibrating through the smoky room. Adrian stepped inside, pulling his hoodie lower. The pungent smell of tobacco and cheap alcohol filled the air, but to his numb tongue, it all felt like hollow vapor."Aris?" a stout man with a jagged scar across his cheek waved from a dim corner. That was Silas, the information broker who controlled the communication lines of the Gray District.Adrian sat in front of Silas without a word. His cold eyes scanned the bar, noting every exit and the number of potential threats."You look like a lost college kid, boy," Silas chuckled, pouring a yellow liquid into a glass. "Are you sure you want to play here? One and a half million dollars can vanish overnight if you make the wrong move.""I didn't come here to drink, Silas," Adrian replied flatly. His voice sounded like the scraping of metal. "I came to buy a network. I need access to Durnevra Corp’s black