The Black Site – Facing the Monster

The air inside the chamber changed.

It wasn't just cold—it was unnatural.

A deep, guttural growl echoed from the darkness, reverberating off the steel walls.

I kept my grip on Gregory, steadying him as I slowly turned my head toward the source.

Then—I saw it.

Project Orpheus – The Abomination

A massive containment unit stood at the far end of the chamber, its reinforced glass cracked, green liquid seeping out.

Inside… something was moving.

The moment my eyes locked onto it, a message flashed in my mind—

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[System Alert: Unknown Entity Detected]

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The glass shattered.

A hulking figure stepped forward, its body twisted and unnatural, veins pulsing with a sickly red energy.

It wasn't human anymore.

This… was Project Orpheus.

Gregory's weak voice barely made it out. "S-Samuel… it's not… human anymore…"

I could tell.

Its skin was torn and reformed, muscle fibers shifting like something alive underneath. Its eyes glowed, unnatural and filled with rage.

I smirked, setting Gregory down gently. "Stay put. I'll handle this."

The creature snarled, its elongated claws scraping against the floor.

Then—it moved.

BOOM!

It lunged at me, faster than something its size should have been. I barely had time to activate Void Step, appearing behind it just as it smashed through the reinforced steel walls.

The entire facility shook.

I clenched my fists, my Abyss Gauntlets humming with power.

"Alright, big guy. Let's see what you've got."

It turned, its body twitching unnaturally—then it roared.

The sound alone cracked the ground beneath us.

Then, it charged again.

This time, I didn't dodge.

I met its charge head-on, slamming my fist into its claw.

The impact sent a shockwave through the room.

The monster stumbled back, but I didn't stop.

I followed up—Void Stepping behind it, my foot driving into its spine with enough force to send it crashing into the floor.

But it wasn't done.

It twisted unnaturally, its arm stretching as if its bones were liquid, swiping at me with monstrous speed.

I raised my gauntlets, blocking the strike—only for the force to send me skidding backward.

I grinned, my eyes flashing.

"Not bad."

I exhaled.

"Breath of Destruction."

A black-red energy wave erupted from my mouth, hitting the beast directly in the chest.

BOOOOM!

The entire chamber exploded outward, flames consuming everything.

As the smoke cleared, the creature was still standing—but barely.

Its body was falling apart, unable to regenerate fast enough.

I stepped forward, flexing my fingers. "You had your fun. Now it's my turn."

With a final Void Step, I appeared above it, my gauntlet-clad fist raised.

"Die."

I slammed my fist down.

BOOOOOM!

The creature's body collapsed inward, the ground beneath it shattering.

Its roar turned into a weak gurgle—then silence.

I straightened up, breathing steadily.

It was over.

I turned back to Gregory, who was watching with wide, disbelieving eyes.

I smirked. "Let's get out of here."

Lifting him onto my back, I Void Stepped out of the destroyed Black Site.

As we stepped out of the collapsing Black Site, I took a deep breath, inhaling the cold night air.

The distant glow of fire from the destroyed facility lit up the dark sky behind us, but I didn't spare it another glance. Mission accomplished.

Gregory was alive, and I had destroyed Project Orpheus.

But before anything else—there was something I needed to make clear.

I lowered Gregory to the ground, keeping my grip firm on his shoulder as I stared him down.

"Listen carefully, Gregory."

His breathing was shaky, his body still weak from whatever hell they put him through. But his eyes met mine, filled with a mixture of fear and awe.

"W-what… was that? What the hell are you, Samuel?"

I smirked. "You don't need to know."

Then, my expression darkened.

"Whatever you saw tonight—my powers, that creature, the way I fought—you will hide it from everyone."

I let my aura flare slightly, just enough to make him feel the weight of my words.

He gulped, nodding quickly. "I-I understand."

I studied him for a second before releasing my grip. "Good."

Because if he even thought about leaking this information…

Well, let's just say his disappearance would be more permanent than last time.

Gregory winced, trying to adjust himself, but he was too weak. His body had been pushed past its limits—the beatings, the stress, the experiments they ran on him.

I sighed, cracking my neck. "You're lucky I'm feeling generous."

I took a seat beside him, placing my hands over his chest, and activated my Heavenly Ashura Technique.

A golden-red energy pulsed from my hands, flowing into his body.

His bruises began fading.

His broken bones slowly realigned.

His internal wounds sealed themselves shut.

His body jerked slightly as the energy surged through him, but I kept the process smooth, letting his system adjust.

After a few minutes, I withdrew my hands, exhaling. "That should do it."

Gregory slowly sat up, flexing his fingers, his pain completely gone. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"I… I feel normal again. No—better than normal."

I smirked, lighting another cigarette. "Don't get used to it."

Because I didn't heal people for free.

Now… It's Time for Answers.

I leaned back against a nearby rock, staring at him as I took a drag.

"Now that I saved your ass, Gregory… It's time for you to talk."

He gulped, nodding.

"I'll tell you everything."

Gregory sat there for a moment, his breath steadying, the reality of what had just happened still sinking in.

I flicked some ash from my cigarette, my eyes locked onto him. "Start talking."

He swallowed, rubbing his face before speaking.

Step One – What Was Project Orpheus?

"Project Orpheus…" Gregory exhaled sharply. "It wasn't just some experiment or secret operation. It was about creating something. Something beyond human."

I narrowed my eyes. "Creating what, exactly?"

Gregory hesitated before continuing.

"Super-soldiers. But not just any kind. They were experimenting with genetic enhancements, artificial evolution—turning men into monsters."**

I scoffed. "And you got yourself involved in this why?"

He looked away, ashamed. "I didn't know what it was at first. I thought I was just investing in a high-end medical project. But by the time I found out the truth…" His hands clenched. "It was too late."

Step Two – The Syndicate's Role

I leaned forward slightly. "And who was behind it?"

Gregory hesitated. "The Syndicate. But not just them."

I raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

He exhaled. "It was a joint operation—powerful figures in the government, military, and underground organizations. They weren't just creating weapons. They were trying to build the next dominant species."

My jaw tightened. "And you were supposed to be their test subject?"

He nodded slowly. "They wanted me to be part of it. I refused. That's when they locked me up and started… experimenting."

I clenched my fists. "Tch. Bastards."

No wonder they didn't kill him immediately. They wanted to break him first.

Gregory's voice dropped lower. "But Samuel… there's something worse."

I arched an eyebrow. "Worse than a facility full of monsters?"

He nodded, his expression grim.

"Project Orpheus wasn't the first of its kind. There are other sites. Other experiments. And one of them… succeeded."

A sharp silence filled the air.

My smirk faded slightly. "Succeeded? You mean they actually created something stronger?"

Gregory swallowed. "Yes. And from what I heard before I escaped… they call it Project Hades."

I took a slow drag from my cigarette, letting the words settle.

Project Hades.

A name that reeked of something worse.

I exhaled the smoke, my eyes flashing with something between excitement and irritation.

"Well then…" I muttered, standing up. "Looks like I have more work to do."

Gregory looked at me, still shaken. "Samuel… you don't understand. If what I heard is true, Hades isn't human anymore. It's something else. Something unstoppable."

I smirked, cracking my knuckles. "Then it looks like I finally found something interesting."

With that, I turned toward my Maserati, my mind already set on the next move.

The Syndicate made a mistake.

They thought they could play god.

Now?

I was going to show them what happens when they mess with the real monster.