Beyond Human: The Experiment Who Became a Monster

CHAPTER 7: First Kill

With the wolf rapidly closing the distance, he instinctively raised a hand to shield himself.

KRAAACK!

A thick bolt of black lightning erupted from his raised palm. Dark arcs of electricity twisted violently through the air as the bolt shot straight towards the charging wolf, leaving a trail of black sparks in its wake.

Awoooo!

The wolf howled in pain as the lightning pierced through its shoulder, sending it stumbling sideways mid charge.

He stared at the scene in disbelief before turning his gaze towards his outstretched hand. Thin arcs of black lightning flickered across his palm, disappearing and reappearing in brief flashes.

"Did I... did I just do that?" he muttered, shifting his gaze between his hand and the injured wolf as he struggled to process what had just happened.

Gradually, the shock and confusion on his face gave way to a wide grin.

"Hahaha! I awakened my powers!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. "I'm a Variant! I can finally become a hero just like my mother!"

However, the moment he said the last part, the smile on his face slowly faded.

A hero? To save them?

His expression darkened as memories of the laboratory flashed through his mind.

The same people who tortured me to death? Why should I become a hero and risk my life to protect them? From now on, I'll use my powers for myself.

He was still lost in his thoughts when the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. An overwhelming sense of danger washed over him, jolting him out of his reverie.

The wolf!

He had almost forgotten about the beast. Although injured, it was far from dead, and it was still an extremely dangerous predator.

The gray wolf was now back on its feet, its emerald eyes locked on Azrael, brimming with undisguised killing intent. Dozens of razor-sharp wind blades swirled around its body, each radiating a terrifying aura.

Azrael's heart sank.

Before he could even think of what to do, the wolf unleashed its attack.

The wind blades shot towards him from multiple directions at terrifying speed, cutting off his possible escape routes.

Azrael's eyes widened as the blades closed in, mere inches from his face. Acting on instinct, he tried to unleash his lightning powers. However, nothing happened. No matter how desperately he tried, his powers refused to respond.

Shit! Am I really going to die here?!

Just as he thought he was about to be shredded by the incoming blades, everything suddenly went dark for a brief instant and he felt an invisible force seize his body, pulling him away.

By the time his vision cleared, he found himself standing in a completely different spot.

Azrael stared around in confusion before turning to look at where he had been standing moments ago. The wind blades continued along their original trajectories, whistling through the air before slamming into the trees in the distance. Their sharp edges sliced through the thick trunks with ease, tearing them apart and sending splinters and chunks of wood flying in every direction.

The wolf appeared equally bewildered. Its emerald eyes darted around as it searched for the prey that had been standing right in front of it moments ago, only to find that it had mysteriously vanished.

"Teleport... I can teleport!" Azrael thought to himself in disbelief.

However, he barely had time to savour the realization before the wolf suddenly snapped its massive head in his direction, its emerald eyes locking onto him once more.

Wind energy instantly gathered around the wolf's body as it lunged towards Azrael, boosting its speed several times beyond its previous limit.

"Azrael's pupils constricted into pinholes.

"Fast..."

In the blink of an eye, the wolf was already upon him, its massive jaws opening as it lunged for his throat.

Just as its fangs were about to sink into his flesh, the lightning that had previously refused to respond to his will suddenly surged around his body. Black arcs flickered across his skin as he instinctively shifted to the side, narrowly avoiding the wolf's deadly bite by a hair's breadth.

At the same time, he thrust out his palm. A bolt of black lightning shot towards the wolf at blinding speed.

At such close range, the beast barely had time to react, let alone dodge. The lightning pierced straight through the centre of its skull, causing the light in its emerald eyes to dim almost instantly.

Thud!

The wolf's massive body collapsed to the ground.

Azrael stared at the beast lying motionless before him, still struggling to believe what had just happened.

He had actually killed it.

As he replayed the encounter in his mind, his thoughts returned to the moment the wolf had first emerged from the trees and attacked him.

He immediately lowered his gaze to his arm that had been injured, only to find dried blood stains covering his skin. However, there was no sign of an injury. The three deep claw marks that had been carved into his flesh had mysteriously vanished, and even the pain he had felt moments ago was nowhere to be found.

Azrael stared at his arm for a moment before his eyes widened.

"Could it be...?"

A moment later, excitement washed over his face.

"Regeneration! I have regenerative abilities!" he exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement. "I'm a triple-awakened Variant, just like Mother!"

Even as he said those words, he found it difficult to believe. Wanting to be certain, he decided to test his newfound ability.

He glanced around, searching for something sharp enough to inflict a wound, but found nothing suitable. Just as he was about to give up, his gaze fell on the dead wolf nearby.

An idea immediately came to mind.

Walking over to the beast, he picked up one of its paws and positioned its sharp claws against his forearm before dragging them across his skin, leaving behind a deep gash.

A slight frown crossed his face as he felt the sting of the wound. However, compared to the excruciating pain he had endured in the facility, it was hardly worth mentioning.