"Jie jie jie jie——!!"
A string of maniacal laughter echoed from a room in the research institute. A thin researcher in a white lab coat covered his face, shaking with laughter.
"It won't be long before my masterpiece—the ultimate assimilation steroid, 'Bicep King'—is complete! Once this potion is released, I can finally achieve my dream!! Hahahaha—"
Gah!!
As if someone had grabbed his neck, the man's hoarse, duck-like cackling abruptly stopped.
"Who are you? No—how did you get in?! This is my private research institute, isn't it? Marugori, my brother, where are you?! Come protect me—"
Two figures—one tall, one short—emerged from the darkness. The shorter figure pushed up his glasses.
"Long time no see, Dr. Fukegao."
"You…" Dr. Fukegao's pupils constricted as he came to his senses. "You are… Dr. Genus?"
*BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG—! *
A dull thud—like barbells hitting the ground—came from a distance, followed by heavy footsteps. A sweating, vest-clad strongman sprinted over from a nearby training room.
"Brother! My dear brother! You're alright—Gah!!!"
This strongman looked no different from an ordinary fitness coach. But in the future, he would be an underestimated Dragon-level disaster—a super-giant Monster capable of destroying a city with a single slap.
"Giant Brother."
Green light flowed in Jack's eyes. The nearly two-meter-tall muscular strongman was immediately clutched by an invisible pair of large hands around his throat, floating mid-air. His normally loud voice couldn't utter a single word—only making painful ho, ho, ho, ho sounds.
"Deep breaths. Dizziness is normal."
Jack comforted Marugori—whose head was rapidly turning purplish-red from asphyxiation—his tone benevolent. He smiled and nodded at the two evil scientists, then turned around and led Marugori—restrained and unable to move—back to his training room.
"I don't understand scientific matters, but I'm quite good at physics. I'll have a chat with this muscular young man. You two doctors—you can talk amongst yourselves."
Dr. Genus: …
Fukegao: …Gah?
On this day, the House of Evolution gained two new members.
Compared to Dr. Genus—who pursued evolution while disregarding life—the Fukegao brothers were inherently evil. One of them sought to conquer the world with his talent, by any means necessary. The other dreamed of becoming the strongest man, surpassing all others, viewing human lives as mere ants. All that was missing for them to begin their actions was an opportunity.
But once Jack set his sights on them? Even the most evil villains had to accept their fate and become his employees.
(Dr. Genus, pushing up his glasses: Accepting fate isn't so bad.)
Watching his brother being effortlessly manipulated by that man Dr. Genus had brought—completely powerless to resist—Fukegao quickly submitted.
After all… "Dr. Fukegao, you wouldn't want your dear brother to die right in front of you, would you?"
Fukegao: Qr2
Watching the group's retreating figures, Jack's gaze was satisfied.
The Fukegao brothers seemed to have little value now, but the combination of the elder brother's talent and the younger brother's innate abilities made for a rare super-giant Monster. Once Fukegao's research succeeded, Jack's Hyper Zetton Perfect Form transformation would also be settled. To prevent it from being killed by a passing bald man the moment it appeared in the future, it was better to control them in advance.
"No…" Jack frowned, scratching his chin. "Why do I always think about turning into a little Monster? Shouldn't a Monster as upright, righteous, and awe-inspiring as me turn into light?"
Shaking his head, his figure instantly vanished from the spot.
D City and Z City – Adjacent
In just a moment, Jack was already in the Monster Association.
His figure—transformed by Cell Mimicry—was as small as a speck of dust, merging into the shadows and silently passing through layers of guards to a secluded room.
Inside, another Jack was manipulating a ball of energy, constantly changing it. Gusts of wind, lightning, and flames occasionally emanated from it. Faint energy fluctuations continuously diffused into the air.
This was what Psykos was most satisfied with at the moment. It was rare for Bug God not to cause trouble everywhere but instead stay in his lair, cultivating in seclusion. It seemed he had taken her orders to heart.
Jack: Nothing to say… Loyalty!!
As the main body approached, the clone nodded slightly. The mixed energy ball created by Energy Manipulation in his hand popped and disintegrated like a bubble. Then, his body twisted and contracted, transforming into cytoplasm invisible to the human eye, rapidly merging into the expanding main body as if it had never existed.
Jack stretched his black-carapaced Monster body and strode out of the room, heading toward his territory.
With the previous large recruitment, Jack's subordinates were now numerous and talented. The previous territory hall had been completely renovated—expanded from an ordinary hall into a magnificent underground palace. Very impressive.
The floor was covered with the fur of an unknown giant beast. The walls were inlaid with glowing minerals. The central throne—built from huge stacked bones—was embedded with ferocious giant beast skeletons, emanating a brutal and tyrannical villainous aura.
Jack sat down on the throne, a large sword by his side. At a separate desk, an Armored Gorilla in a suit and tie—whose peripheral vision twitched—immediately reacted with a jolt, respectfully standing up and waiting at his side.
"Lord—you have emerged from your seclusion!"
Jack glanced at Armored Gorilla, who now looked like a professional manager, and remembered that he had already been pulled over to take over the Ox-Head Man's position as chief steward.
(Ox-Head Man: I'm crying my eyes out in the toilet 555!)
With a casual wave, the notebook on the table was enveloped in Psychokinesis and floated up.
"The list of recently completed Association missions, and the roster of the Thirteenth Squad and outer personnel?"
"Lord…"
Armored Gorilla shot a look at Mosquito Girl—still drinking tea and eating snacks by herself—to quickly come and pour tea for the boss. The other side of the throne had been converted into Mosquito Girl's private tea area, with all kinds of drinks and snacks available. According to her, it tasted much better than the artificial blood plasma synthesized by the doctor!
Seeing Mosquito Girl bustling, Armored Gorilla quickly and respectfully explained.
"From the moment I took over the work here, I found that personnel management within the territory was quite chaotic. The captains act independently. The outer members have no fixed organizational structure. Combat power distribution is uneven—it often happens that one squad is beaten by enemies several times their number while a nearby squad with more people sits idle. Efficiency is very low."
Jack raised his hand to take the large teacup brought by Mosquito Girl—who was flapping her wings—and casually said, "So you want to integrate the territory's combat power and change the current situation?"
"Yes, Lord."
Jack drank the scalding hot tea in one gulp, enjoying Mosquito Girl's massage.
"Wolf-level Monsters don't need to be registered. No need to waste time on that."
"Ah?"
"The management method of the House of Evolution isn't applicable to the Monster Association." Jack explained casually. "The Monsters here are accustomed to savage growth. If they survive the killing, they might have a chance to go further."
"I see—so this is the path of primitive evolution…"
Seeing Armored Gorilla deep in thought, Jack raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
"Oh, by the way—I have a task for you."
Armored Gorilla snapped to attention, awaiting his boss's orders.