Beyond Human: The Experiment Who Became a Monster

CHAPTER 4: Dead

Azrael continued screaming, the agony stretching what felt like an eternity to him, even though barely a minute had passed. The torture showed no signs of stopping. It felt as though his body was being torn apart from the inside, every nerve screaming in protest as the pain grew increasingly unbearable.

"His heart rate is rising rapidly. The pain index has just crossed 40%," Doctor Kay reported, his eyes fixed on the readings displayed on the machine.

Doctor Shaw's expression remained indifferent. "Keep going. It's still not enough. We need to determine the limits of human endurance, especially in someone who hasn't awakened any abilities."

Doctor Kay hesitated for a brief moment before nodding and continuing to operate the machine.

"What do you mean, the limits of human endurance?" Doctor Zho demanded, unable to contain himself any longer. "If you push him that far, even if he somehow survives, he'll be left permanently crippled, both physically and mentally. How can you do this to a child?"

Doctor Shaw paid him no attention. His gaze remained fixed on Azrael, whose body continued convulsing violently against the restraints. Not even the slightest trace of sympathy could be found in the doctor's eyes.

"Pain index has exceeded 65%. Cellular destruction has begun," Doctor Kay reported.

"You have to stop this!" Doctor Zho shouted. "Cellular destruction has already begun! We now know how much his body can withstand before it starts breaking down. Isn't that enough?"

"You're right," Doctor Shaw replied calmly. "We've established the threshold at which cellular destruction begins. However, we have yet to determine how long the human body can endure once that process has started."

Doctor Zho froze.

"You don't mean..." His voice trailed off as his eyes widened in disbelief. "You never intended to stop, did you?"

He stared at Doctor Shaw as the horrifying realization sank in. "This is no longer an experiment. It's murder!"

Doctor Shaw's expression immediately turned cold. "I'd advise you to watch your words, Doctor Zho. Making accusations of that nature without evidence could have serious consequences for you."

He took a step toward the other doctor, his voice turning cold.

"I've worked at this facility for over thirty-five years, and everything I've done has been for the advancement of humanity. I'll overlook your outburst this once, but if you ever compare me to a murderer again, I won't take it lightly."

Doctor Zho fell silent, unable to find it in himself to argue any further.

The frightening thing was that Doctor Shaw genuinely seemed to believe in what he was doing. In his mind, Azrael's suffering was simply the price of progress, a necessary sacrifice for the greater good of humanity. No matter how cruel his methods were, he had convinced himself that his actions were justified.

But Doctor Zho couldn't accept that reasoning. He could no longer bear the sound of Azrael's screams or stand by and watch the boy slowly succumb to the experiment. His hands clenched at his sides before he finally made a decision.

Without another word, he removed his lab coat and walked out of the room.

Doctor Shaw didn't even spare him a glance, much less make any attempt to stop him. His attention remained fixed on the experiment.

Azrael continued screaming for over thirty minutes. By now, his voice had grown hoarse from the strain, and his eyes were bloodshot, with tears streaming down his cheeks.

His gaze shifted desperately between Doctor Kay and Doctor Shaw as he begged them to stop. Yet neither of them paid him any attention. It was as though his cries of pain were nothing more than background noise.

"Why?!" Azrael suddenly screamed, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Doctor Shaw. His voice was ragged, almost unrecognizable, as he glared at the man responsible for his suffering.

"Why are you doing this to me?!"

Doctor Shaw regarded him indifferently. "You wouldn't understand, even if I explained it to you," he replied calmly. "But the pain you're experiencing now could save countless others from suffering the same fate in the future."

"Pain index has exceeded 90%. Heart rate is gradually dropping. Cellular destruction has reached 75%," Doctor Kay announced, his attention fixed on the readings displayed on the machine.

"Impressive," Doctor Shaw remarked, a hint of satisfaction entering his voice. "I didn't expect him to last this long, especially given how frail he looks. At least we won't have to repeat the experiment with another subject."

He studied Azrael for a moment, seemingly impressed by his endurance.

"Perhaps there's something in him after all. He's not entirely useless." A faint smile crossed his face before he muttered under his breath, "It's a shame he inherited so little of Ravenna'spotential."

A few more minutes passed before Doctor Kay's voice rang out again.

"Pain index has reached one hundred percent. Cellular destruction is complete."

The instant those words left his mouth, Azrael's screams gradually faded. His trembling body slowly grew still, and the desperate movements of his limbs ceased.

His eyes remained open, but they no longer focused on anything. The light that had once filled them was gone, leaving behind only a vacant stare that seemed to reflect the unimaginable agony he had endured.

For a brief moment, the room fell silent.

"Dead," Doctor Shaw remarked, showing no apparent concern for the boy whose life had just been extinguished through more than thirty minutes of unimaginable torture. "Well, his death wasn't entirely in vain. We've made a new discovery."

He turned toward Doctor Kay, his expression as composed as ever.

"Based on our previous experiments, we believed the human body could only withstand a pain index of seventy-five percent before reaching complete cellular destruction. However, this experiment has shown that it's possible for the body to endure pain levels far beyond that threshold, even reaching one hundred percent before cellular destruction is complete."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"Doctor Kay, make sure you update the records with the results of this experiment. That will be all for now. We can proceed to the next phase."

His gaze shifted briefly toward Azrael's lifeless body.

"Oh, and have someone dispose of his body.”