killing

Ethan stood amidst the wreckage of the research lab, his muscles coiled with energy, his body crackling with light. The guards had underestimated him. They thought they had a mere test subject, a failed experiment, a child. But they were wrong.

With a flicker of golden radiance, Ethan moved faster than their eyes could track. The first guard barely had time to scream before a knife slashed across his throat, and Ethan was already onto the next. His Weapon Mastery made every movement seamless, precise, deadly.

"You guys really need better training," he quipped, sidestepping a barrage of bullets. With a swift twist, he used his Light Fruit ability, his body momentarily turning into pure light, allowing the bullets to pass harmlessly through him.

Another flash, another streak of golden brilliance—Ethan was suddenly behind the shooters. He drove his dual knives into their spines, twisting with surgical precision. They crumpled like ragdolls.

The alarm blared, red lights bathing the hallways in an eerie glow. More guards flooded in from all directions, barking orders, raising rifles.

"Oh, more guests? I must be the star of the show tonight!" Ethan grinned, his golden eyes gleaming with mischief. He dashed forward, a blur of light, and slammed his knee into the nearest guard's chest, sending him crashing through a reinforced steel door.

One by one, they fell. Ethan danced between them, his dual knives flashing like fangs of death. He sliced through armor, tore through flesh, dodged attacks with inhuman reflexes. His power grew, his confidence soared. By the time he reached the fourth floor, he had slain over two hundred guards and researchers combined.

As he stood atop a pile of bodies, drenched in the scent of iron and victory, a thought struck him. The function he had unlocked on the sixth day—Devour.

"Might as well see what this does," he mused. He placed a hand on a fallen soldier, activating the ability. A dark mist coiled around the corpse, dissolving into Ethan's skin. A surge of raw power flooded his veins.

"Oh… now this is interesting," he whispered, flexing his fingers as strength coursed through him.

He descended back to the first floor, retracing his path, and systematically devoured every single fallen enemy. With each absorption, he felt himself growing faster, stronger, more attuned to his abilities.

As he reached the final hallway leading to the prisoners, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Man, I should've tried this sooner."

The sight of terrified yet hopeful faces greeted him. The children, aged 8 to 15, huddled in the darkness of their cells, their eyes wide with uncertainty.

Ethan smirked, extending his arms dramatically. "Alright, kiddos. Show's over! You're free now!" He pressed a single button on the control panel, and the cell doors slid open.

A hushed silence filled the room. Some kids stared in awe. Others hesitated, their minds struggling to process what was happening.

"Don't worry," Ethan reassured them. "I'll get you all somewhere safe, somewhere you can actually live without being treated like test subjects."

Their eyes shone with admiration, gratitude. But then—

A noise. A rustle in the shadows.

Ethan's instincts flared. He turned swiftly, knives raised, light energy sparking at his fingertips. Someone was still alive?

He approached the source of the movement cautiously. His eyes locked onto a small, trembling figure hiding behind the debris.

But it wasn't a guard.

It was a girl.

Not just any girl—a mutant.

His grip on the blades tightened slightly as curiosity and caution warred in his mind. Who was she? And why was she left alive?