Chapter 1: Awakening the Beast

Pain. Sharp, searing, all-consuming.

That's the first thing I feel when my eyes flutter open. I'm not dead. Again.

The ceiling above me is metallic, cold, and sterile. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting harsh white light on everything. I can feel the sting of freshly closed wounds, muscles tightening with unfamiliar strength, and the slow trickle of cold liquid in my veins—a serum that has no business being inside a normal human body.

My name is… well, it doesn't matter anymore. It's been lifetimes.

In this one, I'm Lieutenant Leon Kane, a soldier serving in a government black-ops program called Project Ascend. But here's the catch: this isn't my first rodeo. I've lived before. Fought, bled, died, and repeated. My soul has hopped between bodies like a damn passenger switching trains at every station, and every time I come back, the memories stick.

But this? This is new. I don't recall signing up for superhuman experiments in my past lives.

I move to sit up, and that's when the wave hits me.

System Online.

Initializing Evolution Protocol...

Synchronization: 100%. Welcome, User.

My body jerks as data rushes into my brain like a flood. It's like unlocking hidden potential in a video game—except it's real. Strength, agility, perception—everything feels sharper, faster, more… alive. My senses extend beyond what a normal soldier should have. I can hear the thud-thud of my own heart, the hum of electrical circuits in the walls, and the distant steps of guards patrolling outside.

The system's voice hums again in my head, robotic and emotionless.

Primary Stats Loaded: Strength – 50, Agility – 45, Stamina – 60

New Trait Unlocked: Cellular Regeneration (Level 1)

Experience to next evolution: 500 XP

"Well, this escalated quickly," I mutter to myself, a sarcastic chuckle slipping past my lips. If the universe thought it could surprise me, it was mistaken. When you've been reborn over and over, you stop expecting miracles. But evolution? That's intriguing.

I clench my fists, watching the sinews under my skin ripple like steel cables. Every nerve in my body sings with potential, as if waiting for an enemy to crush. I could snap a man's neck without effort now. No, scratch that—I could probably tear a person apart bare-handed if the situation called for it. And somehow, I know exactly how far I can push myself without breaking.

There's power here. A lot of it.

I can work with this.

My thoughts snap into place—cold, calculated, realistic. Power like this is dangerous. Not because it corrupts (that's childish nonsense). No, power is dangerous because it makes you a target. If you flaunt it, someone bigger and smarter will find a way to put you down. And in my experience, those bastards always come when you least expect it.

The door slides open with a hiss, breaking my train of thought. Two men in black tactical gear march in. One of them is carrying a stun baton, the other a clipboard. They look at me like I'm a science experiment about to bite their hands off.

"How do you feel, Lieutenant Kane?" the one with the clipboard asks, voice neutral but laced with caution.

I raise an eyebrow. "Like someone strapped a rocket engine to my spine and hit the launch button. What the hell did you put in me?"

The guy with the clipboard smirks. "You'll find out soon enough."

I don't like that answer. It stinks of secrecy and manipulation—things I've seen a hundred times before in different lives. If there's one constant across lifetimes, it's that people in power always have plans. And those plans rarely favor the people they use as pawns.

The system pings again.

New Mission: Survive Project Ascend. Completion Reward: 500 XP.

Optional Objective: Neutralize Hostile Forces – 150 XP Bonus.

So, it's going to be one of those days. Lovely.

Clipboard Guy gestures for me to follow. "Come with us. The Commander wants to debrief you."

I swing my legs off the bed, testing the strength in my limbs. My boots hit the floor with a heavy thud, and the vibration travels through me like a second pulse. It's intoxicating—the raw power, the promise of what I could become if I survive long enough to evolve.

I don't trust these men. Hell, I don't trust anyone. But I've learned that playing along, at least for a little while, gives you the upper hand. So, I stand, dust off my uniform, and follow them out without a word.

The hallway we walk through is endless metal—sterile, cold, and quiet. Too quiet. My instincts scream that this isn't just some military installation. There are layers here. Secrets buried under concrete and classified files. If I had a nickel for every time a government played God with something they didn't fully understand, I'd be drowning in money across lifetimes.

We stop in front of a reinforced door, and Clipboard Guy taps a keycard to open it. As it slides open, I get my first look at the man in charge.

Commander Briggs is waiting on the other side, a hulking figure with scars lining his face like battle trophies. His cold blue eyes lock onto mine, assessing, calculating. I've met men like him before—leaders who view soldiers as disposable tools.

"Lieutenant Kane," he says, leaning back in his chair. "You're about to become the most dangerous asset we've ever created."

"Asset?" I repeat, voice dry with just the right hint of sarcasm. "And here I thought I was just another guinea pig."

Briggs doesn't smile. "You're not. You're the prototype. The first of many. And whether you like it or not, you're going to win wars for us."

The system pings again.

New Trait Unlocked: Cold Calculus (Level 1) – Increased Combat Logic Under Pressure.

I suppress a smirk. Looks like the system understands me better than these clowns.

"Here's the thing, Commander," I say, locking eyes with him. "I'm not a hero. I'm not interested in saving the world or winning wars for people who'll toss me aside when they're done. I'm a realist. I do what I have to, survive how I must, and evolve however I can. If you want me to play your game, I'll need something in return."

Briggs arches an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

"Freedom," I say flatly. "When this is over, I walk away. No strings attached."

The Commander studies me for a moment, then nods slowly. "Deal."

Liar. But that's fine. I'll play along, just long enough to see where this goes.

New Objective: Survive the Experiment – Ongoing.

As they escort me back to my quarters, I feel the serum still working, shifting, evolving me from the inside out. And beneath the surface, something primal stirs—a hunger for strength, for power, for survival at any cost.

I've lived too many lives to waste this opportunity. Evolution is a dangerous game, but it's one I intend to win.

Because this time, it's different. This time, I have the system on my side. And unlike before, this time… I'm not going down without a fight.