Chapter 14

Xyros Corporation Internal Briefing Room – Undisclosed Location

Dim lights buzzed overhead. A massive screen displayed a looping feed of the crater from the previous night—the aftermath of Jerry's battle. Heat signatures, seismic spikes, and molecular scans flooded the display.

A man in a white coat paced the front of the room. Tall, lean, with silver-framed glasses and a cybernetic brace over one arm. His ID tag read:

Dr. Elias Verin – Head of Applied Xenobiology, Xyros Corp.

Edward Xyros sat in silence at the far end of the table, fingers steepled under his chin. Around him, agents, analysts, and security leads watched as Dr. Verin began.

"Let's not waste time," the doctor said. "We're officially confirming the entity responsible for last night's incident falls under what we classify as a Class-A Aberrant Apex—potentially evolving toward a Category Zeta."

Someone scoffed. "Zeta? That's theoretical."

"Was," Verin said coldly. "Not anymore."

He tapped his tablet. The screen flickered, and a diagram appeared—The Monster Classification Hierarchy.

MONSTER CLASSES:

● Class D – Ferals

Animalistic, low-intelligence mutants.

Usually created through failed Abyss exposure or ecosystem corruption.

Threat level: Local. Easily neutralized.

● Class C – Ravagers

Semi-intelligent, hostile creatures.

Often display pack tactics and elemental mutations.

Threat level: Moderate. Requires organized response.

● Class B – Chimeras

Hybridized monsters with unpredictable evolution.

Capable of adapting mid-fight.

Threat level: High. Recommend advanced fireteams.

● Class A – Aberrants

Individuated monsters with intelligence.

Can mimic, learn, and corrupt. Some exhibit psychic traits.

Threat level: Critical. Potential citywide devastation.

● Class S – Apex Entities

Unique monsters with full domain control (fire, gravity, shadow, time).

Sentient, strategic, often biologically immortal.

Threat level: Catastrophic. Nuclear response authorized.

● Category Zeta – Unclassified/Anomalous

No consistent biological or energetic signature.

Reality-distorting presence.

Possibly connected to Neovoid Events.

Threat level: Undefined. Global extinction-level risk.

Verin looked around the room.

"Now ask yourselves—what does it mean if a human is mutating into one of these?"

The room went still.

Edward Xyros finally spoke. "You believe it's a hybridization?"

Verin nodded. "It's not like the others. It killed the Ravagers with controlled brutality. No berserk state. No energy leak. Its Echo Signature was self-contained."

He paused. "That means intelligence. Training. Restraint."

Edward's voice turned razor sharp. "Can we track it?"

"Not easily. It suppresses its own Echo, masking its presence." Verin hesitated, then added, "There's only one other subject in history who could do that."

The implication hit the room like a dropped hammer.

Edward's jaw clenched. "Project Abyss Core. Subject Zero."

Verin nodded. "And he vanished over a decade ago."

Blackridge High – Present Day

Jerry sat at the back of biology class, staring at the diagrams of plant cells on the screen as his own cells buzzed with monstrous energy. The classroom lights flickered—not enough for anyone else to notice, but enough to make Jerry tense.

He couldn't focus. Every shadow seemed to shift. Every sound felt amplified.

A primal hum had started in the back of his skull ever since the battle—a low, vibrating hunger. He hadn't eaten in a day. Nothing tasted right. Everything smelled wrong.

Across the room, Emily Xyros watched him. She hadn't said much since the morning. Her eyes kept drifting to the twitch in his fingers. The tension in his jaw.

As class ended, Jerry rose too fast—knocking his desk slightly. The teacher glanced over, startled. Jerry muttered an apology and bolted into the hallway.

He ducked into an empty bathroom, gripping the sink with trembling hands.

"I'm losing it…"

His reflection in the mirror flickered—just for a second—showing eyes that weren't his. Monstrous. Hungry. Ancient.

Then a knock at the door.

"Jerry?" It was Emily's voice.

He closed his eyes, swallowing the echo in his throat.

"Yeah," he lied, "just... not feeling great."

"You sure?"

He forced a laugh. "Guess I need more sleep."

Behind the wall, his hands crackled faintly with Abyssal energy. He couldn't keep hiding it forever.

Elsewhere – Observation Room, Xyros Corp

Verin watched footage from the school's security cams. He zoomed in on Jerry's face—paused the frame.

Then he compared it to an old file. Grainy footage from years ago. A younger man—eyes glowing the same violet hue, face half-consumed by monstrous black matter.

Verin sighed. "Like mentor, like monster…"

(To be continued...)