Dr. Edward paused, thoughtful, as if the entire picture unfolded before him, then continued softly, "Our first discovery was made deep within the Uguai Rainforest."
Uguai Rainforest is the largest in the Kingdom of Luseria, extending into the borders of several neighboring kingdoms.
It forms part of the vast Ancient Calamity Forest and Mountain Range, which spans the northern and eastern domains of the New Dawn Continent, primarily leaning eastward.
The forest is home to many ancient, rare, and endangered species—plants, animals, birds, and millions of insect varieties—that cannot be found anywhere else on the entire continent.
"Our kingdom uncovered the first traces of a gigantic tiger in the peripheral zone of Uguai Forest—specifically, a black tiger!"
"But this creature was unlike any ordinary tiger species…"
Not only was it towering and formidable—standing nearly five meters tall and stretching around seven meters in length, including its tail, but it also possessed an astonishing trait: amazingly, it could spit fire!"
"Fire! Yes, you heard me right, Kai! Can you even imagine that?" Dr. Edward's voice carried a mix of excitement and awe.
But it didn't end there. As he took a few eager steps forward, his excitement grew, and he struggled to contain his emotions.
From his voice, it is fairly evident that he is trying his best~
"At first, I was filled with doubt—it's hard to believe that a biological life form could possess such extraordinary abilities!"
"Nevertheless, it didn't take long for us to be convinced by the undeniable evidence before our eyes."
"During a military scout mission, we caught a glimpse of that powerful entity, captured in recordings by a unit of soldiers. Unfortunately, all those soldiers perished, leaving behind nothing but a handful of ashes—not even the charred corpses!"
Taking a deep breath, Dr. Edward steadied himself and spoke calmly: "Second instance, we discovered some strange flowers deep within the Uguai Rainforest—several meters tall. What was even more astonishing was that these plants were carnivorous. Not only could they digest animals and plants, but they also had large vine spurts that could be actively controlled to perform simple actions, like whipping or wrapping around their prey."
"The royal family attempted to send additional expeditions into Uguai Forest, but as they pressed deeper into the inner circle of this vast forest, unforeseen issues arose. These complications forced the expedition to be temporarily suspended."
"In addition, we spotted a White Wolf on the Vast Eastern Plains, which moves like the wind and is unpredictable. We only caught a fleeting glimpse of it, as it was too far from the kingdom to get a clear view."
"Finally, there was that mystical bird cloaked in starlight, often seen soaring over the Highest Pass in the Northern Mountains, as if surveying its newfound territory. Remarkably, it was no other than the one our military forces had slain and brought back for research—here, in this laboratory."
"It all began thirty years ago. Soon after, we uncovered dozens of similar incidents across the continent, but all of it was kept secret…"
Kai listened intently, his face impassive, yet his eyes betrayed a flicker of awe and shock upon hearing it all.
Seeing Kai's speechless face and eyes filled with shock and wonder, Dr. Edward recognized the same reaction he had once had.
Precisely because he was driven by shock and wonder, he pushed his research to the extreme.
After thirty years of relentless improvement, he finally succeeded in creating the 'Gene Evolution Serum.'
He believed that in today's world, no one matched or equaled his research and results.
It wasn't arrogance, but a confidence rooted in decades of relentless dedication.
Although he knew long ago that the New Dawn Federation had succeeded in gene experimentation, even creating a regiment of super soldiers, those soldiers could never compare to his final achievement!
What he cultivated was not merely a super gene, but an entirely new genetic factor, combined with the DNA of that mystical bird. From this, he developed the serum he had just injected into Kai.
It took seven years solely to prepare and cultivate the newly created gene factor.
Unlike ordinary gene upgrades, where external genes are integrated into the main genome to induce mutation and trigger the body to develop those gene factors, this process was vastly different.
His engineered gene serum worked entirely differently.
Instead of patching, it assimilates and fuses seamlessly into the organism's genes, enhancing them with supernatural traits without destroying or altering their original structure.
Thus, his research is remarkably advanced by current standards, as it does more than merely strengthen genes—it drives evolution itself!
In short, his gene evolution serum produces Supernatural Ability Users!
Naturally, his research has its shortcomings.
Firstly, it is time-consuming, partly due to outdated technology.
While the equipment in his lab is among the most advanced in gene enhancement currently available, numerous improvements are still needed—some of which might take centuries to achieve, as per the current state of technological advancement.
Another issue is that, aside from a single injection of this serum—which takes seven years to cultivate, finding a body capable of bearing this genetic evolution is no easy task...
Over thirty years, he had experimented on thousands of bodies, and until now, only one had proved suitable—Kai.
The reason he plans to complete this gene fusion on Kai first, not himself, is precisely because his own body is not capable enough.
After all, when it comes to power, who wouldn't want to be strong enough to wield supernatural abilities? But reality is often harsh and unforgiving.
His body simply couldn't withstand the gene fusion, so when he found Kai more than a decade ago, he was thrilled beyond words!
Though Kai's physique was impressive, he chose to use various torturous methods to make his body and will stronger and ready to combat the aftermath once the gene fusion and evolution began.
Once Kai became a supernatural user, the dose he received allowed him to control life and death with ease.
Now, the only thing left is to harness the puppet's full potential!
Now, a question arises: how to achieve that?
It's pretty simple, actually; once Kai's genes and body have evolved, he can cultivate his gene and transplant it into his own body.
Since the genes come from closely related species, there's little risk—much like breeding two different fish of the same genus, which results in a blend of both.
However, attempting to cultivate genes from a fish and a duck would certainly be a fantasy~
That's why, once Kai undergoes this evolution, he will acquire a golden egg-laying goose!
He can simply cultivate as many gene evolution serums, and he himself can finally leap the gate and transform into a dragon from an ordinary fish…
Naturally, once he achieves all this, he will surely dispose of Kai.
He would never allow an uncontrollable element to remain by his side!
Who knows—if in the future Kai regains his memories or if something goes wrong and he turns berserk, it would be like having a ticking bomb placed right beside him at all times.
"Sigh! Huff!~"
Letting out a long sigh and drawing a deep breath, Dr. Edward once again refocused on his ultimate soldier, which it took years to form.
"Kai, honestly, since you'll be losing your rationality soon and going to serve me for years after. Let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart."
Kai, on the other hand, barely came out of his confusion and shock.
He had never imagined, not even in his wildest dreams, that this world still harbored such hidden secrets…
Yet, everything was laid bare before him. He sensed there was more to it, but for now, he was incapable of thinking clearly.
Edward took a few steps forward, observing Kai's sorrowful face and the trickling blood, forming a small puddle.
His expression remained neutral as he spoke: "Thanks to you and those unfortunate experimental subjects, I've completed this research. It took time, but as a token of my gratitude, I'll be sure to remember your sacrifices."
"Each of you, especially you, Kai, is worthy of my remembrance. I, the Great Edward, the father of the New Era's gene ability users, will not forget your sacrifices, that's my promise!"
Meanwhile, before Kai could fully process what he had heard, Dr. Edward bombarded him with such a sorry and fake emotional speech...
All Kai could feel in that moment was a deep sense of revulsion—sick of seeing this man's face, no... this demon's face.
"No m..matter ww..what you ha..ave to say for us," Kai spat a mouthful of blood, yet his voice, trembling at first, increased gradually, "i..t..s, it's worthless—meaningless to me, and to those you've murdered. If there's anything I want to see now, it's your gruesome death! You bastard!" His words, initially difficult to form, soon sharpened into a clear, fierce roar.
His sudden roar not only took Dr. Edward by surprise but left him momentarily stunned as well.
In truth, his current condition felt strange; he found it difficult to process the exact issue with his body.
The pain had intensified, reaching another level, while a strange warmth spread through him.
At the same time, cool air seemed to flow intermittently through his veins, cycling through his body in a specific rhythm, forming a complete cycle.
He could now clearly feel the pain, especially in the areas that had been numb—those parts were now hot, itchy, and sore.
What was even more astonishing was that his consciousness remained sharp and alert, allowing him to perceive every minute change coursing through his body.