"Kai, even if you scream until your throat breaks, this fact is unchangeable that you'll be my faithful puppet very soon."
"It will take some time for the 'Gene Evolution Serum' to start working, and to pass the remaining time and relieve my boredom, let me tell you a story— a story that will be the very last secret you'll hear today, Kai.
"You don't have to thank me, Kai~ That will be my reward for you, as you have proved yourself to be a useful experiment and a loyal puppet after…"
Dr. Edward's evil smirk crept over his face for a long time as he secretly relished Kai's rare outburst; a flicker of amusement crossed his pudgy face, albeit it really didn't suit him.
He truly liked his display of anger and the full pack of worries that Kai held for him to be his puppet!
He liked it so much!
[Author's inner struggle: 'The heck I have written such a twisted character, A pure evil Machoistic! (>_<) (シ_ _)シ' ]
The truth is that in his heart, he has been fairly dissatisfied for years.
No matter what method he used to break his will or what kind of torture he brought upon him, he never wavered!
Aside, when Kai saw him kill experimental subjects during genetic tests or indulging in his hobbies before him, Dr. Edward never succeeded in bringing out any reaction or a shred of emotion.
In truth, Kai's emotions always overtook him for others, and at least in the past eleven years, he never saw him crying or begging for himself.
To say it is his first time seeing Kai becoming a beast for himself.
[Author's sincere thoughts: 'I really shouldn't have done this, guys, please bear this Jinx for a few more chapters' (シ. .)シ - Apology x3 ]
"D..Da..re! Dare! Y..ou! To kill me!
Under relentless provocation and haunted by thoughts of his dark future, Kai struggled to find his voice, but finally uttered it in a low yet deep tone, while giving Dr. Edward a chilling and frenzied glare.
He could accept his death, even if he was unwilling— but never! Never! He refused to be a mindless slave or puppet.
No less of someone as detestable and hateful as him, no! a literal demon! Like Edward!
"Haha— Ah, Kai, my dear Kai. I've always wanted to see this face of yours, filled with anger, hatred, and, of course, fear."
"Fear that, and you'll become my loyal puppet…' whistle— You know, today, for the first time in years, I felt truly satisfied. It was all worth it."
Dr. Edward's shrill laugh echoed as he moved closer to Kai.
As he stepped forward, Dr. Edward pointed toward the corner of the room where a mysterious bird statue stood upright.
With fervor, he exclaimed, "Kai! Look! Do you ever wonder why that statue is placed here?"
Although anger burned his reasons and despair weighed on his heart, Kai's gaze instinctively landed toward the mystical bird statue.
In truth, Kai always felt a strange intuition, a gut feeling that the mysterious bird was no ordinary legend or folktale.
He knew well enough that someone like Edward would never believe in such stories.
Only what they saw with their own eyes could make them truly believe.
As for why this statue is placed here, he really has no clue.
Given its carefully engraved characteristics and the mysterious aura it exuded, it was hard to believe such an existence could be anything but a fleeting illusion.
Dr. Edward watched Kai gazing at the statue, and a sense of satisfaction filled his heart—not because Kai followed his instructions unconsciously.
Instead, he finally felt that his achievement would become a groundbreaking phenomenon, with Kai surely serving as its living testament.
"I've even named that bird—do you know what it is?"
Its name is 'Starlight Sound Bird.' Honestly, it's the most beautiful raptor I've ever seen, and so its magical abilities are solely unique to it."
But before I share more about this handsome birdie, let me reveal a secret most people are unaware of," Dr. Edward said with a light chuckle, glancing at Kai, who was silently studying the mysterious bird with confusion and a hint of curiosity.
"More than thirty years ago, an unpredictable change swept through our world," Edward said, his gaze momentarily distant, as if reminiscing about a distant past.
Then, he continued calmly, "Earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, and even heavy thunderstorms and snowfall appeared across different regions of the New Dawn Continent—sometimes simultaneously, and often without warning."
Most of the kingdoms, along with the New Dawn Federation—the continent's greatest power—discovered that not only these natural phenomena, but also some mysterious event took place in the following years, and that was even more unsettling.
Even Kai, nearly half-conscious, struggled to lift his head.
Though he said nothing, his eyes were firmly fixed on the back of Dr. Edward.
Whether he will die or is destined to become a puppet, something he utterly refused to accept; still, he was determined to hear what this mad demon had to say…
It wasn't because he believed him or thought he needed to hear something new before losing consciousness.
Rather, he was simply certain that what was being said was important—something connected to the miserable life he'd endured for more than a decade.
Dr. Edward didn't look back; his gaze remained fixed on the mysterious bird statue as he asked, "What do you think those strange events were, Kai?"
[Author's inner thoughts: Daheck, bro, how would he know? It's something only the author knows, you know, and God knows! (>ω^) Wink x3]
Hearing the question, Kai only offered a contemptuous look, as if to say that none of this concerned him and that he simply couldn't care less.
[Author's note: 'It truly has nothing to do with my little Kai—your honor, he's innocent!' (っ´ω`)ﾉ(╥ω╥) Comforting x3.]
Still, deep within his heart, Kai knows one thing for sure: those mysterious events, that enigmatic bird statue, and the genetic experiments all point to a very vague yet clear answer, and it is something he does not dare to believe.
Regardless of Kai's thoughts, Dr. Edward continued speaking at length until he was heartened. It was as if he wasn't recounting the events for Kai, but for himself.
"That year, I remember it clearly, near the end of June, on an evening when I was immersed and working on a new gene-enchanting culture method, I received shocking news directly from the Imperial family…
This news was not merely the findings of the Kingdom of Lusreia or its neighboring countries, but it was a direct transmission from the highest authority of the Central Affairs Assembly of the New Dawn Federation."
As the heart of the entire New Dawn Continent, the New Dawn Federation undoubtedly possesses a unique culture and distinct power divisions.
The highest authority is not the Federation's President, but the Central Affairs Assembly.
It comprises ten core elders, each of whom wields immense power and prestige within the Federation and beyond.
Setting aside the matter of the federation for now, Dr. Edward didn't delve into details about the Assembly with Kai. Instead, he continued with his story:"It all started when they discovered the corpse of a strange lifeform in the Dead Marshlands to the south.
That creature was three meters tall, with a lean yet muscular build. Its body was covered in red pigment, and thick black hair grew from its head down to its neck, resembling a natural mane."
"It wouldn't be wrong to say this creature looked menacing, yet from another perspective, it appears to be an intelligent race."
"Their leather garments suggest a basic sense of social structure and innovation, setting them apart from wild species—much like the Afdir tribes of the ancient Calamity Forest in the Southeast Domain."
"They named it the Red Demon!"
Soon after, the Federation uncovered numerous strange animal species and the bodies of giant insects. What was even more intriguing was that every time they found them, all were dead or slain."
"Who killed them, or what was the exact cause, the secret behind it is still unknown.
After all, given the Federation's overwhelming power, they have no obligation to elaborate if they don't want to." Stopping here, even Dr. Edward displayed a sense of awe and trepidation.
As a core member of the kingdom's scientific and political hierarchy, he was undoubtedly privy to many secrets lurking within this vast, boundless Federation—secrets that for ordinary people were nothing more than myth.
Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Yet, it was as if a stone had fallen into a mirror-like lake, and chaos had rippled outward from the disturbance."
"And finally, when the royal family sends me a comprehensive report on this matter, right after three months, our Kingdom of Lusreia also detected suspicious activity of strange creatures. But unlike the Red Demons or giant insects we had encountered before, what we discovered were traces of an entirely different kind of life forms…