Chapter 14: Test Subject Zero

The cold air of the Underworld felt lighter than usual, almost as if the weight of years of isolation had finally begun to lift.

However, for Aleph and the others, the sense of relief barely lasted a few hours.

Just as he had promised the night before, Aleph arrived at Svarog's Base early in the morning, accompanied by Stelle, Dan Heng, and March 7th. The metallic structure of the base, usually silent, was more active than usual, with multiple machines operating at the same time.

Svarog awaited them at the center of the facility, his metal frame illuminated by the holographic panels projecting data and graphs into the air.

When the group arrived, the robot wasted no time on unnecessary greetings.

[Welcome.]

His voice echoed with its usual tone—void of emotion or variation.

[I am aware that your primary mission on Jarillo-VI has been completed. However, an anomaly has been detected in the Underworld that requires immediate attention. Even though I have already been repaired, several of the units under my command were damaged after our confrontation, so I ultimately opted to have Clara call you.]

Aleph crossed his arms, feeling that something in the atmosphere was more tense than usual.

"Another problem we have to deal with before we leave?"

Stelle, who already had an apple in her mouth, simply raised an eyebrow without much enthusiasm.

Svarog projected a holographic schematic into the air. It was a map of the Underworld, but one sector was highlighted in a deep red, indicating danger.

[Ten years ago, when the Overworld sealed off the Underworld, multiple facilities were abandoned in the process. Among them was a secret government laboratory in Belobog that housed a project known as Project Nexus.]

Dan Heng adjusted his posture, paying close attention.

"Project Nexus?"

Aleph and Stelle exchanged glances, recalling a time when they visited a laboratory near that area while searching for an alternate route to Svarog.

Judging by the heavy looks on March 7th and Dan Heng's faces, it was obvious they remembered it too.

Svarog nodded slightly.

[Project Nexus was an initiative aimed at creating a soldier adaptable to any situation, capable of wielding power beyond even the strongest and most capable warriors. They were meant to be the main force in the war against the spread of the Fragmentum. Their methods included genetic modification, advanced mechanical integration, and cognitive reprogramming.]

March 7th frowned.

"…That sounds horrible."

[The facility was shut down when the Underworld was sealed. However, the database indicates that the only surviving test subject was placed in indefinite stasis.]

Clara looked at Svarog with a mix of concern—she didn't like where this was going.

"So… what happened?"

Svarog projected new data, displaying an irregular fluctuation in the lab's security systems.

[The lab's containment systems have begun to fail. It's only a matter of time before the subject wakes up.]

Aleph clicked his tongue.

"They're not going to wake up like a normal person, are they?"

[The probability of the subject retaining both mental and physical stability after ten years in stasis is less than 3%.]

Dan Heng closed his eyes for a moment, processing the information.

"So, upon waking up, they're very likely to be hostile."

Svarog nodded.

[Correct.]

March 7th let out a heavy sigh.

"And what's our objective? See if we can save them or…?"

She didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear.

The group fell silent for a moment.

Aleph narrowed his eyes as he examined the projected data.

"What's the subject's name?"

Svarog paused before answering.

[Official designation: Subject Zero.]

Aleph wondered if this "Zero" was what had caused the strange feeling he had the last time they were in that lab.

But he didn't let that distract him.

"Alright. When do we head out?"

Svarog expanded the map and marked a point not far from the base.

[It's close by. About an hour's walk.]

Aleph looked at Stelle and the others.

"Then I guess we have no choice but to go see what's happening."

Stelle shrugged and nodded.

"Mm."

Dan Heng agreed.

"It's better to deal with this before it turns into a bigger problem."

March 7th crossed her arms.

"As always, things can never be simple, huh?"

Aleph smirked.

"Problems add value to life, pinky."

"Stop calling me that, old man!"

As the two bickered, Clara stepped forward, her expression determined.

"I'm coming too."

Svarog looked at her but didn't object.

Aleph observed her for a moment before shrugging.

"Fine. But stay close to us. We don't know what we're going to find in there."

Clara nodded firmly.

"I understand."

******

The group moved through the tunnels of the Underworld, following the map Svarog had provided.

The atmosphere felt different—heavier than usual.

Even if they didn't say it out loud, everyone could feel it.

Something was wrong.

Dan Heng broke the silence.

"This project… why was it abandoned?"

Svarog responded through the communication channel.

[The government of Belobog determined that Project Nexus was not viable due to the high failure rate and instability of the subjects.]

March 7th raised an eyebrow at Aleph.

"Sounds like the typical experiment that goes wrong in movies."

Aleph scoffed.

"Yeah, this is cliché number 32 of 'things that should've stayed sealed.'"

Stelle nodded.

Dan Heng sighed.

"And how many of those things turn out well?"

"…Less than 1%."

"Great."

Finally, after nearly an hour of walking, they reached their destination.

The Nexus Laboratory stood before them.

[Has the test subject already escaped?] Svarog's voice echoed as he adjusted his lens, looking more closely at the entrance, which was completely open.

March 7th scratched the back of her neck, a little embarrassed—it was her who had broken the lock and left the door as it was.

******

The metal doors were covered in rust, with lights flickering erratically.

Time had not been kind to this place… And well, they had fought a battle not too far from here, so it was natural for there to be some leftover damage.

March 7th stayed close to Stelle. She hadn't liked this place the first time they came here, and she liked it even less now.

Aleph silently studied the structure.

For some reason, his instincts were telling him not to go in.

He frowned and forced himself to ignore that feeling.

"Well…" He activated Bufula and created an ice bat identical to Stelle's.

He spun the bat in one hand before looking at the others.

"Time to meet our new friend."

Stelle nodded.

March 7th sighed.

Why did this have to feel so much like the horror movie she watched last night?

Dan Heng tightened his grip on his spear.

And together, they stepped into the lab's corridors.

*******

The air inside the Laboratory was thick, permeated with the metallic scent of aging machinery and the dust accumulated over a decade of abandonment.

The lights flickered with an erratic, intermittent glow, barely illuminating the hallways lined with loose cables and corroded structures.

Aleph, Stelle, Dan Heng, March 7th, and Clara moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing in the emptiness.

"…What a cozy atmosphere," March 7th muttered sarcastically.

"If by cozy you mean 'I'm going to find a corpse any moment now,' then yeah," Aleph replied with a wry smile.

Dan Heng observed the laboratory walls. With Svarog's help, they had managed to enter a deeper area than before.

On the walls, he noticed old engravings with technical inscriptions on biomechanics and genetic adaptability, displayed on what appeared to be whiteboards.

"This place seems to have had some decent research, but not very ethical or effective. No wonder the Project ended up failing," he commented in a low voice. "If the technology had been more advanced, if they had better resources..."

"Yeah, they probably would've had some kind of biomechanical monster army," Aleph murmured.

For some reason, an image of Gepard Terminator popped into his mind.

March 7th frowned at him.

"Could you not make it sound worse than it already is?"

Aleph shrugged.

"Sorry, Pinky. But when you have a secret lab with flickering lights and old machines, it's obvious something bad is going to happen."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Never." Aleph looked at her with all the seriousness he could muster. "Not until you admit that coffee is superior to hot chocolate."

"Hmph! Keep dreaming!"

Stelle, who had been walking a few steps ahead, suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.

The rest of the group also halted upon noticing her tense posture.

"What is it?" Dan Heng asked.

Stelle didn't answer immediately.

She pointed toward a side hallway, where a trail of red flashing light seeped through an open door.

Aleph frowned.

"…Looks like we're not the only ones home."

They approached slowly and stepped through the door.

...

The room they entered appeared to be a monitoring station. Several holographic screens were still active, displaying information about the laboratory's current status.

But what stood out the most was the large cryogenic capsule in the center of the room.

Inside, a humanoid body floated in a translucent liquid.

A man with white hair, multiple cybernetic implants embedded throughout his body.

His skin had an artificial pale tone, as if life had long since drained from him.

Above the capsule, a name was engraved into the time-worn metal:

Subject Zero

Clara stared at the scene with a mixture of awe and fear.

"…He's the last survivor of Project Nexus."

Svarog's voice came through the communicator.

[Confirmed. Subject Zero's biological and mechanical structure is an experimental hybrid, designed for survival in extreme conditions. It is estimated that a minimal amount of Stellaron energy was also infused into him during this project.]

Dan Heng frowned.

"Even knowing what the Stellaron was capable of, they still dared to do this? Looks like a lack of equipment and proper knowledge wasn't the only reason so many died."

Aleph examined the cables connected to the capsule.

Some appeared freshly cut, as if someone had been here before them and deliberately severed them.

"I don't like this…"

Stelle glanced at the holographic screens and noticed a flashing red alert.

She stepped closer and read it aloud.

"Containment system error. Subject status: Awakening."

Aleph's eyes widened in disbelief.

"…Excuse me?"

The screens flickered wildly, displaying lines of code in a rapid sequence.

Dan Heng tensed.

"He's activating."

A mechanical hum filled the room.

The pipes connected to the capsule trembled violently.

The cryogenic liquid inside the chamber began draining rapidly.

March 7th braced herself.

"Tell me we can still stop this!"

Clara rushed to a console, typing frantically.

"I-I'll try to halt the process."

Aleph watched the readings on the screen.

Subject Zero Status: 85%... 92%... 99%…

The glass dome burst open with a hiss of cold vapor.

The man's body collapsed onto the floor, landing on his knees, barely supporting himself.

For a moment, the laboratory was in absolute silence.

Then, the man moved.

His breathing was erratic.

His body trembled, as if trying to readjust after years of inactivity. The metallic parts of his body let out a faint creak.

And then, slowly, he lifted his head.

His eyes opened.

They glowed a deep, intense red, shimmering with an artificial light.

His empty gaze locked onto them.

And without warning…

He attacked.

***********

Zero moved instantly, his body showing no signs of having forgotten how to fight.

His mechanical arm shot forward in an almost inhuman motion, aiming a strike at Aleph.

Aleph barely managed to raise his bat in time to block the impact.

A chill ran down his spine.

His stats—his power, defense, speed—were absurdly higher than the last time he had been here.

Would he have survived a hit like this back then? Aleph found it unlikely.

BOOM!

The sheer force of the blow sent him flying backward, crashing into one of the room's consoles.

March 7th raised an ice shield to block a second attack.

Dan Heng countered with his spear, but Zero dodged with little effort, as if he had anticipated the move.

"Shit, this guy is fast!" Aleph shouted as he scrambled to his feet.

Clara tried to run toward him, but Zero moved with blinding speed, forcing her back with a swing of his mechanical arm.

His attack struck the ground.

Causing a partial collapse.

The entire laboratory shook violently.

The group tried to regroup, but the structure couldn't withstand the impact.

The supports gave way, and the floor beneath Aleph cracked.

Before he could react…

He fell.

*********

"Agh…"

The impact of the fall wasn't strong enough to seriously injure him, but it was enough to leave him dazed for a few seconds.

He shook off the dust and looked around.

He was in a lower chamber, completely wrecked.

Above him, he could see Stelle and the others trying to find a way down to reach him.

But before they could do anything…

Zero landed in front of him.

Aleph tensed immediately.

The creature slowly straightened up, its red eyes glowing in the darkness.

Its movements were strange, somewhat rigid, as if its body was still processing the situation.

Aleph swallowed hard.

He didn't hesitate for a second.

"Burroughs, summon them."

[At your command.]

With that, Centaur and Nappea joined the battle.

Down here, it was them against Zero.

...

Zero's eyes scrutinized him, the lens in his right eye contracting.

For a moment, there was a flicker of recognition in them.

As if…

As if he was seeing something familiar in Aleph.

"…Interesting," Zero murmured in a distorted voice.

His tone was strangely more human.

Aleph was surprised.

"You… can talk?"

Zero didn't respond immediately.

His head tilted slightly.

And then, in a low tone, laden with something Aleph couldn't quite identify, he uttered a single word.

"…Shin Megami Tensei IV? Caelus?"

Aleph froze, his mouth hanging open in pure shock.

And then, Zero laughed.

"…So, you're one too."

***********

The sound of metal grinding against itself filled the room.

Aleph said nothing.

His eyes were fixed on Zero, trying to process what he had just heard.

"So, you're one too?"

Those words filled his mind with questions.

But he had no time to answer them himself.

Because Zero moved.

And the real fight began.

Zero lunged at Aleph with speed far greater than before.

His mechanical fist, reinforced with an unknown alloy, came down like a hammer.

BOOM!

Aleph rolled to the side, dodging the impact by mere inches.

The force of the blow dented the ground, creating a massive crack.

Aleph clicked his tongue.

"Fast bastard."

He sprang to his feet and activated Illusionist.

Instantly, six copies of himself appeared around Zero.

The illusions moved quickly, surrounding him from all angles.

Zero blinked.

Then, without warning, he spun in a sweeping roundhouse kick.

The slicing wind from his movement shattered all the illusions in an instant.

Aleph barely had time to react before Zero charged at him again.

"Shit!"

He raised his bat and blocked a direct hit.

The impact numbed his arms and sent him flying against a wall.

But before Zero could follow up, Aleph activated his magic.

"Bufula!"

A blast of freezing ice erupted from his hand, crashing into Zero.

The temperature in the room plummeted instantly.

Zero was partially frozen, his left arm covered in frost.

But then…

His eyes glowed, and his body adapted to the cold. The mechanical parts radiated heat surpassing that of the ice.

And his flesh… did it absorb the energy within?

The frost on his arm disintegrated within seconds.

Aleph gritted his teeth in frustration.

"He… adapted. Fuck, he's a damn Cyber-Mahoraga, just what I needed."

Zero smirked slightly.

"Good… good. You're not just some amateur."

His voice was hoarse and distorted, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

Aleph got back into a defensive stance.

"Who the hell… are you really?"

Zero tilted his head, producing a metallic creak.

"…Just one of many idiots who tried to change everything."

...

Zero didn't attack immediately.

Instead, he took a step back.

His eyes lost their aggressive glow, and for the first time, he seemed… tired.

Aleph remained in his defensive stance, but he couldn't ignore the slight tremor in Zero's body.

A metallic crunch echoed, and pieces began falling to the floor.

"Heh. This body can't absorb energy as well as it used to."

Zero looked up, staring directly at him.

"Let me guess…"

He pointed at Aleph with his mechanical hand.

"One day, you were at home, probably playing some video game, or maybe you were on a flight… everything went dark, and the next thing you remember is… being here."

Aleph felt a knot form in his stomach.

He didn't answer.

But his silence was enough.

Zero chuckled, though there was no joy in it.

"Yeah… I figured."

He leaned against one of the metallic structures in the room and exhaled slowly.

More pieces fell off, and his exposed flesh began to rot, releasing an increasingly nauseating stench.

"I'll spare you the mystery, kid."

His eyes glowed with a mix of resignation.

"I was a transmigrator too."

Aleph felt his breath hitch for a moment. He had already suspected it from the start of their conversation.

Zero continued speaking.

"I arrived here… I don't even know how many years ago. Maybe ten or more."

His mechanical hands clenched into fists.

"I tried to change the fate of Jarillo-VI. I tried to make everything different. I believed I had helped Cocolia overcome the Stellaron's influence."

He looked down with a bitter expression.

"But I failed."

Aleph gritted his teeth.

"What did you do?"

Zero looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"The same thing you'll do eventually."

Aleph tensed.

"I tried to defy something… far beyond us."

He paused.

"The Aeons."

***********

Aleph felt his heart pounding.

The Aeons.

The entities that dictated the path of every being in the universe.

Those who could define entire realities with their mere existence.

Had he really tried to go against those things?

"What do you mean?"

At that moment, he questioned whether it had been a good idea to ask Dan Heng about that information and review it in the Astral Express's database.

Zero closed his eyes.

"Maybe you haven't noticed yet, but…"

He raised his mechanical arm, which began to spark.

"…Transmigrators and reincarnators like us exist because of them."

Aleph's eyes widened in shock.

Zero continued.

"I don't know exactly how, but I managed to discover something before… they turned me into this. My memories are blurry, as if someone tampered with them, and my body—despite being in optimal condition—keeps failing. But there's one thing I'll never forget."

He looked at his body with contempt.

"The Aeons have been playing with the fates of multiple people. They brought us here, gave us power, granted us the ability to absorb energy, but… for what?"

A chill ran down Aleph's spine.

"Who did it?"

Zero stared at him intently.

"…I'm not sure which Aeons are involved in this, but there's one you must avoid at all costs."

His voice grew graver.

"The Aeon of Exultation."

Aleph frowned.

"…I've never heard of that path."

Zero let out a dry laugh.

"Because you weren't supposed to."

A sudden tremor ran through his body.

Aleph tensed as he saw Zero's mechanical arm deteriorating even faster than before.

His synthetic skin peeled away in fragments.

His eyes gradually lost their brightness.

He looked at Aleph with a weak smile.

"I guess… my time is up. This is the consequence of failure—just falling apart."

Aleph clenched his fists.

"No…"

Zero chuckled softly.

"Come on, don't get sentimental."

His voice began to weaken.

"Just… do me a favor, will you?"

Aleph swallowed but nodded.

Zero looked at him with determination.

"Don't make the same mistakes I did. Don't forget that you saw me—remember that there are more like us out there. Some are firmly on the side of the Aeons, others oppose them with everything they have."

He slowly let himself fall onto the cold metal surface.

"Whatever you do, don't regret your choice. Because whether you like it or not, you're now part of this secret war, kid."

And with his last strength, he whispered one more thing.

"If only… I could see you smile one more time, Claire…"

His eyes went dark.

And Zero stopped moving.

Aleph stood still, his fists trembling.

There were so many things he wanted to ask.

But there was no one left to answer him.

Zero's lifeless body lay on the cold metal of the room.

Aleph said nothing, only stared at the corpse with an unreadable expression.

He couldn't.

He felt his heart pounding in his chest.

His breathing was irregular.

Everything that had happened in the last few minutes—the fight, the revelation, the warning…

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm himself.

"The Aeons are behind this."

That thought wouldn't leave him alone.

Because if it was true…

"Why?"

Why bring people from other worlds?

Why give them powers?

For what purpose?

He had no answers.

Only a promise.

What Zero had told him—he wouldn't forget it.

…

Aleph looked at the mechanical parts scattered around.

The remains of Zero's body were starting to decompose into a foul-smelling liquid.

Wasting no time, he picked up the mechanical pieces one by one.

Each piece was proof of what had happened here.

A reminder that there were more out there.

He remained silent for a moment, then exhaled slowly.

He looked toward the hole he had fallen through.

He needed to regroup with the others.

But…

"I can't tell them the truth."

Some things were better left in the shadows.

Although there was one tiny, minuscule problem.

"I'm terrible at lying!"

Aleph couldn't help but hold his head in his hands. He was confident he could fool March 7th and Clara.

But Svarog, Dan Heng, or Stelle?

This was going to be tough.

************

The debris blocking the entrance was cleared away by Centaur. Aleph was too lost in thought to properly control the power of a Bufula, ensuring it only froze the debris and not the entire place.

When Aleph stepped out of the lab, the others were already waiting at the entrance.

Dan Heng, Stelle, March 7th, Clara, and Svarog turned to look at him as he appeared.

"Aleph."

Dan Heng's voice was the first to break the silence.

Aleph stopped.

Everyone was looking at him seriously.

There was tension in the air.

Clara was the first to speak.

"What happened in there?"

Aleph felt a pang of discomfort.

He couldn't tell them the truth.

Not yet.

So…

He lied as best he could.

"It was… just a defective machine."

His voice was neutral, devoid of emotion.

"The data Svarog read must have been an error. There was no one left inside."

Dan Heng furrowed his brows slightly.

"Just a machine?"

Aleph nodded without hesitation.

"Yes. It had no consciousness. Just a pile of flesh, code, and old metal that kept running for who knows what reason."

March 7th seemed to relax a little upon hearing that.

"Geez, with that name, I was expecting a killer supersoldier or something."

Aleph let out a dry chuckle.

"You're not too far off."

He crossed his arms and looked at Svarog.

"If there was anything dangerous in there, it no longer exists."

Svarog scanned Aleph with his optical eye.

[No anomalies detected in his physical condition.]

Aleph tensed slightly.

For a moment, he thought Svarog would confront him.

But then, the robot averted its gaze.

[Eliminating possibility of danger. Jarilo-VI remains stable.]

Aleph understood the message.

Svarog had noticed.

But he wouldn't press him.

It was Aleph's choice what to do with the information.

And for now, he would keep the secret.

...…

The group began heading back to Svarog's base.

Aleph walked a bit behind the others, lost in thought.

March 7th was busy teasing Dan Heng.

Stelle was quietly eating some cookies.

Clara walked hand-in-hand with Svarog, a thoughtful expression on her face.

And him…

His hand unconsciously tightened around the mechanical pieces hidden in his pocket.

"A transmigrator like me…"

"Someone who tried to change history and failed."

The lights from the streetlamps shone like false stars.

Aleph let out a long, heavy sigh.

"I won't make the same mistakes he did."

"But I won't follow his path either."

Zero had left him a warning.

And he would remember it.

But his path…

He would decide it for himself.

....

The dawn in Belobog brought a new beginning.

With the Stellaron removed and the bond between the Overworld and the Underworld restored, the city could finally move forward.

But for the Astral Express, the journey had to continue.

It was time to depart.

...…

The group arrived at Bronya's office in the Overworld's castle.

She was waiting for them with a serene expression.

"So you're really leaving."

It wasn't a question.

Aleph nodded.

"Yes. Our journey continues."

Bronya was silent for a moment.

Then, she took a step forward.

"I know… but even so, I'll ask you one last time."

She fixed her silver eyes on Aleph.

"Do you really have to go?"

The silence stretched for a few seconds.

Aleph closed his eyes.

"Stay?"

He thought about everything that had happened in Jarilo-VI.

The battles.

The laughter.

The memories he had created with the people of this world.

He thought about Zero and his warning.

Finally, he opened his eyes.

And nodded.

"Yes. I have to keep going."

Bronya sighed softly.

For a moment, it seemed like she would say something more…

But instead, she gave him a small smile.

"I understand."

She crossed her arms and looked at him with a calm expression.

"But remember this, Aleph." She gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "If you ever decide to come back…"

She placed a hand on her chest.

"You will always have a place in Belobog."

Aleph blinked in surprise.

He hadn't expected those words.

Before he could respond, Seele and March 7th interrupted.

"Wow, Bronya, I've never seen you this sentimental."

"Yeah, yeah! Since when are you so good at goodbyes?"

Bronya shot them a glare.

"Do you two want me to personally kick you out of my office?"

Both of them laughed but didn't insist any further.

...

The group left the office and made their way to the Astral Express, waiting for them at the city's outskirts.

As they boarded, Aleph took one last look at Belobog.

Bronya and Seele watched from the castle entrance.

Serval stood at the doorway of her workshop, arms crossed and smiling.

Gepard, sitting on a bench, gave them a nod before returning to the rest of the Guards.

Natasha and Oleg, standing outside a candy shop, smiled as the children of the Underworld waved their hands in farewell.

In the distance, Clara and Svarog also watched in silence.

Aleph closed his eyes for a moment.

And then…

He stepped onto the train.

.....

As the Astral Express took off, the entire city watched it ascend higher and higher into the sky.

From her office, Bronya and Seele followed it with their eyes until it vanished into the clouds.

In front of her workshop, Serval smiled and murmured:

"Good luck, troublemakers."

From the plaza, Gepard leaned on his shield and closed his eyes, sending them a silent thought.

At the candy shop, Clara and the children cheered excitedly as they watched the train disappear into the sky.

Natasha and Oleg, with light smiles, raised their glasses of wine in honor of their friends.

And in the streets of the Overworld, Svarog scanned the sky and stored the data in his memory.

All those who stayed behind had one thing in common.

They wished them the best.

....

Inside the Astral Express, Aleph leaned against a window, watching the planet grow smaller in the distance.

He felt a strange mix of emotions.

Anticipation for what was to come.

And deep inside, a small reminder…

"Don't forget, Aleph."

"Don't forget what you learned here."

Stelle sat down beside him.

"Thinking about something?"

Aleph smiled.

"Yeah. That this train has no brakes."

Stelle let out a small laugh.

"Welcome aboard."

And so…

With an unknown destination ahead, the Astral Express left Jarillo-VI behind.

Their journey was only just beginning.

**********************************************************************************************

I've temporarily run out of ideas for Omakes, so there won't be one this time. Sorry.