Beyond Human: The Experiment Who Became a Monster

CHAPTER 2: The Strongest Variant

For a brief moment, the boy remained still, as though struggling to comprehend what he had just heard. Then, slowly, the glimmer of hope in his violet eyes faded.

His shoulders slumped, and he lowered his head. Whatever little life had returned to his violet eyes disappeared, leaving behind the same emptiness that had occupied them before.

However, this time, the despair seemed even deeper. He had hoped that this time would be different. After all the tests, examinations, and repeated disappointments, he had still clung to the possibility that one day he would finally awaken his powers and become a Variant like everyone else.

Now, even that fragile hope had been taken away from him. It was as though the quiet flame that flickered in his heart had been quenched.

Seeing his reaction, Doctor Kay let out a quiet sigh.

"You don't have to take it so hard," he said, attempting to offer some consolation. "Even if you can never become a Variant, you can still be useful to this facility. Perhaps you can even contribute to something that benefits humanity as a whole."

The boy however, offered no response. He neither looked up nor acknowledged the doctor's words. It was difficult to tell whether he had heard him at all or simply lacked the will to respond.

Doctor Kay watched him for a few seconds before shaking his head.

He had expected this reaction. After all, for a boy who had spent years hoping to awaken his powers, learning that he might never achieve that dream was bound to be devastating.

Still, there was little point in saying more. Consolation wouldn't change the results, and neither would encouragement. Besides, the boy's future had already been decided. Whether he understood it now or later made little difference.

Doctor Kay turned toward the personnel who had accompanied him and gestured toward the bed.

"Get him up and take him to the prepared room."

"Understood, Doctor."

Two staff members immediately stepped forward.

One took hold of the boy's arm while the other moved to his opposite side, helping him rise from the bed. He offered no resistance, nor did he ask where they were taking him.

With his head lowered and his expression vacant, he simply allowed them to lead him out of the glass chamber.

His white hair swayed gently with each step, while his violet eyes remained fixed on the floor. He had come to the facility hoping to become someone extraordinary, just like his mother. He wanted to gain enough power and influence to investigate the circumstances surrounding her mysterious disappearance.

But now, that dream seemed nothing more than an illusion, one he would never have the chance to turn into reality.

...

Knock! Knock!

Inside a spacious office, a middle-aged man dressed in a black military uniform was holding a meeting with two other individuals when a sudden knock on the door interrupted their discussion.

The man frowned slightly before speaking.

"Come in."

Creak...

The door opened, and a man dressed in a white lab coat stepped inside. It was none other than Doctor Shaw.

He bowed slightly toward the middle-aged man in the military uniform, paying no regard whatsoever to the other two occupants.

Recognizing the newcomer, the man's frown eased somewhat. He glanced at the two individuals seated across from him and gestured toward the door.

"Leave us."

Neither of them questioned his decision. They rose from their seats and promptly left the office, closing the door behind them.

Only after they were alone did Doctor Shaw approach the desk. "General, the boy's final test results are out."

General Conrad leaned forward slightly, a trace of anticipation appearing in his eyes. "How were the results? Did he awaken any powers?"

Doctor Shaw shook his head.

"Unfortunately, no. He failed to awaken any powers once again. At this point, we can safely conclude that he's defective and will likely never awaken."

The anticipation in General Conrad's eyes faded. He leaned back in his chair, his shoulders sagging slightly as disappointment settled over his face.

Doctor Shaw watched him in silence.

Even after more than four years of overseeing the boy's case, he had never understood why General Conrad took such a particular interest in him. There was nothing remarkable about the boy's condition, as there were cases of other people within the facility who had also failed to awaken their powers upon reaching the appropriate age.

If anything, the boy was even frailer than most ordinary children his age. Yet General Conrad had insisted that they continue monitoring him for years, seemingly convinced that something extraordinary would eventually happen.

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Doctor Shaw decided to voice the question that had lingered in his mind for years.

"General, if you don't mind me asking, why are you so interested in this boy? His condition isn't particularly unusual. There are others who have failed to awaken their powers as well, yet you've continued to place your hopes in him for over four years. It's almost as though you expected him to awaken an extraordinary ability."

General Conrad remained silent for a moment before releasing a deep sigh. "Doctor Shaw, have you ever heard of Ravenna Whitmore?"

Doctor Shaw gave him a strange look.

"I doubt there's anyone on Gaia who hasn't heard of her. Even children who know little about the world's history are familiar with her name and achievements." He paused briefly before continuing. "It's just unfortunate that she disappeared without a trace four years ago."

"Yes..." General Conrad murmured. "Ravenna Whitmore. The strongest Variant in human history."

His expression grew solemn as he continued.

"She awakened as a triple SSS Rank Talent, with affinities of Psychic manipulation, Spatial manipulation, and Ice. An achievement that has never been replicated before or since."

Doctor Shaw nodded. Ravenna Whitmore's achievements were well known throughout the world. Her abilities had placed her at the absolute pinnacle of humanity, making her disappearance one of the greatest mysteries of their time.

However, he still couldn't understand what any of that had to do with the boy.