Chapter 468:Escape.

Chapter 468: 468:Escape.

A human body floated within the pale blue preservation fluid... or rather, something that had once been human.

The subject possessed the torso and face of an adult man, but thick dark scales covered portions of his neck and shoulders. One arm had been replaced by a grotesquely enlarged limb resembling that of a predatory beast, while the other ended in elongated claws. Patches of coarse fur grew along his abdomen, and several bony protrusions extended from his spine.

His legs were different sizes; one appeared almost human while the other resembled the hind limb of a large reptile.

Timothy just blankly stared at it.

The subject’s eyes were closed and his chest remained motionless. A small monitor beside the tank displayed a flat line.

[Subject Status: Deceased.]

[Integration Stability: Failed.]

[Multiple Beast Characteristic Rejection Detected.]

Timothy’s expression became complicated. He knew the experiment and remembered the arguments surrounding it.

The researchers had believed that combining multiple beast characteristics directly into a human body could create something far more powerful than ordinary Contractors.

Something capable of overcoming the limitations imposed by conventional beast tattoo integration.

But every attempt had ended in failure. The human body rejected the modifications since different beast characteristics fought against one another; organs failed and bones mutated uncontrollably.

Subjects either died during integration or became unstable creatures that could no longer be considered human.

And yet the project had continued.

Timothy looked at the dead subject.

"Was it worth it?" He whispered.

There was no answer, he hadn’t expected one. He lowered his gaze, then turned away.

He had to leave now.

A faint scraping sound came from the darkness near the destroyed containment chambers.

He stopped, his breathing slowing as he listened.

Nothing.

Then...

SCREEEEEECH.

Something dragged across the floor. He slowly turned as a massive shadow moved behind the broken equipment. Two glowing eyes appeared, then a third, all focused on him.

Timothy’s face drained of color.

"No..."

A creature emerged from the darkness.

It stood nearly four meters tall, its body resembling a monstrous combination of several predatory beasts. Thick black armor covered its shoulders, while elongated forelimbs ended in claws that scraped against the concrete. Its spine protruded through portions of its back, and several muscular appendages moved independently along its sides.

Its head was the worst part; a broad, distorted skull, multiple rows of teeth, three eyes and a jaw that opened far wider than any natural creature’s should have.

His ability activated instinctively.

[Molecular Analysis Activated.]

Information flooded his perception.

[Biological Classification: Unknown Mutated Organism.]

[Estimated Combat Rank: 6.]

[Multiple Beast Characteristics Detected.]

[Structural Stability: Abnormal.]

[Warning! Subject exhibits extreme aggression.]

[Warning! Biological composition cannot be fully resolved.]

He staggered backward.

Another Rank Six.

It was staring directly at him, its gaze filled with animalistic hunger.

The creature growled, the sound travelling through the laboratory.

He took one step backward, then another.

"Easy..." He quietly said.

Its claws scraped against the floor.

"Easy..."

The creature lowered its body.

Timothy’s eyes widened.

"Oh, hell."

It charged, shooting through the destroyed laboratory’s faster than anything it’s size should be able to do.

He turned and ran.

The beast struck the table behind him, reducing it to twisted metal and shattered equipment.

He raised his free hand.

[Molecular Reconstruction Activated.]

The floor behind him erupted as its molecular structure shifted, forming a thick wall of compressed concrete and reinforced metal.

The creature hit it and the wall exploded.

Timothy screamed, sprinting toward the security door without even looking back. The case struck his leg with every step but he couldn’t care less.

Behind him, the beast roared and started towards him.

He reached the doorway,and slapped the emergency closure panel. The enormous door began descending but it was too slow.

He threw himself through the opening before the creature lunged. Its claws struck the descending door and metal screamed as it bent.

Timothy rolled across the floor and the door slammed shut.

For half a second, silence returned, then something struck the other side.

BOOOOOOM!

The entire corridor shook.

Timothy scrambled to his feet.

"NO!"

Another impact followed and the reinforced door bent outward.

He ran.

Behind him, the laboratory’s containment systems began failing.

[Critical Structural Failure.]

[Emergency Evacuation Required.]

[Self-Destruction Sequence Initiated.]

[Facility Destruction In: Five Minutes.]

Timothy’s eyes widened.

"FIVE MINUTES?!"

He ran faster.

The journey back to the eastern launch chamber was a blur of collapsing corridors, falling debris, and increasingly desperate attempts to keep the creature behind him.

He used Molecular Reconstruction repeatedly. He collapsed ceilings, reinforced doors, sealed passages, and once, when a smaller mutated beast emerged from a ventilation shaft, he altered the structure of the metal beneath its feet and impaled it with several sharpened supports.

The creature died almost instantly.

Under ordinary circumstances, the display of power would’ve been impressive but Timothy barely noticed.

His breathing had become ragged, blood ran from his nose, his energy reserves were falling rapidly and the enormous Rank Six mutation was still pursuing him.

He could hear it behind him. Sometimes close, sometimes farther away but always coming.

"Open the chamber!" he shouted into his communicator.

"Doctor, the launch system is preparing."

"OPEN IT!"

"Please remain calm."

Timothy laughed hysterically.

"I swear, if I survive this, I’m going to personally strangle every single one of you!"

The eastern launch chamber appeared ahead. Its enormous blast doors were beginning to open.

Beyond them stood a compact emergency escape pod mounted inside a vertical launch tube.

He nearly cried.

"There!"

He sprinted toward it.

The floor shook and asection of the ceiling collapsed behind him... Then the creature roared.

Timothy didn’t look back and threw himself through the blast doors.

"Close!"

The doors slammed shut.

Something enormous struck them and the entire chamber trembled.

He stumbled toward the pod. Its hatch opened automatically.

[Evacuation Authorization Confirmed.]

[Passenger Identity: Dr. Timothy Serion.]

[Experimental Case Authentication Required.]

He shoved the case into the designated compartment.

[Authentication Successful.]

[Launch Sequence Initiated.]

He climbed inside, the hatch closed and restraints locked around his body.

He stared at the ceiling, his breathing uncontrollable.

Then the launch chamber shook again. A deep metallic groan echoed through the structure.

The creature was breaking through.

"Launch..."

[Launch Sequence: Ten Seconds.]

"Launch!"

[Nine.]

Timothy squeezed his eyes shut.

[Eight.]

A terrible impact struck the chamber.

[Seven.]

The lights flickered.

[Six.]

Timothy began laughing, not because anything was funny, but because he couldn’t stop.

[Five.]

"Come on..."

[Four.]

The outer blast doors began opening.

[Three.]

A deafening roar echoed from somewhere beneath the launch platform.

[Two.]

He gripped the restraints.

[One.]

[Launch.]

The escape pod shot upward.

An enormous explosion erupted beneath it and the research facility collapsed into the mountain, sending a massive cloud of dust and debris rolling across the surrounding forest.