They stepped through the tal doorway and entered another long corridor. This one felt different—cleaner, colder, and strangely newer than the rest of the facility.
The lights overhead weren’t broken or flickering.
They were bright.
Stable.
Purposefully kept alive.
The Knight looked around. "He maintains this area."
Asher nodded. "ans we’re close."
The air slled sharp—like chemical coolant and burnt circuits. The entire hallway humd with power, a low vibration that traveled through their boots.
Asher walked forward with calm steps.
"He’s expecting us," he said.
The Knight tightened his grip on his sword. "Good. I’m ready."
They reached a wide chamber door sealed with a glowing red lock. A scanner flickered and projected a ssage:
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.
LEVEL OGA ACCESS REQUIRED.
Asher stared at it for one second.
Then he punched the lock panel.
Sparks flew. The tal bent inwards and the light died instantly.
The huge door slid open with a loud groan.
"Easy," Asher said, brushing off his knuckles.
The Knight just shook his head.
Inside was a circular room filled with screens—dozens of them—showing footage from every part of the facility. Every fight they had, every corridor they crossed, every trap they survived... all recorded.
In the center of the room stood a large tal column with wires running up into the ceiling. Panels blinked with red warnings. Data stread across the screens.
But the Venos man wasn’t there.
Only his voice echoed from speakers all around the room.
"You’re predictable," he said, voice filled with disgust. "Breaking my lock like a caveman. Walking straight into my command room."
Asher didn’t look bothered.
"Where are you hiding?" he asked.
"You’ll know soon enough," the man spat. "But first... watch."
One of the screens lit up, showing a path deep below the facility. A massive gate was shaking, reinforced with layers of security locks.
Sothing behind it was moving.
Banging.
Scratching.
Growling.
The Knight stepped closer. "What is that...?"
The man’s voice grew darker.
"My insurance. My final creation."
Another screen showed a countdown initializing.
60... 59... 58...
Asher raised a brow. "You’re letting sothing loose."
"Oh, not sothing," the man hissed. "Soone."
The Knight turned sharply. "You created another machine?"
A low laugh filled the room.
"No. A machine can’t hate. A machine can’t suffer. A machine can’t be taught pain."
His voice rose, trembling with twisted pride.
"This one is alive."
The growling behind the gate got louder.
The tal shook harder.
Asher crossed his arms calmly. "So you kidnapped soone. Forced them into your experints."
"Yes!" the man shouted. "Because that boy has what I need—rage. Enough rage to kill you."
Asher’s eyes narrowed.
"Show him."
The screen switched.
And they saw it.
A teenage boy strapped into an armored harness, eyes glowing red with injected rage-serum. His body was reinforced with tal plating, wires dug into his spine, liquid energy pumping through tubes attached to his arms.
His face was twisted in agony and fury.
He scread—loud enough to rattle the speakers.
The Knight stepped back, horrified. "That’s... that’s a person!"
"Oh, he was useless before," the Venos man said coldly. "Weak. Helpless. Now? Now he’s perfect."
The countdown reached:
10...
9...
8...
The Venos man whispered:
"When that gate opens, he will tear you apart with his bare hands."
Asher looked straight at the screen.
"You’re a coward," he said plainly. "You hide behind children."
The man’s voice cracked with rage.
"I AM A GENIUS! AND YOU—YOU ARE A THIEF WHO RUINS EVERYTHING!"
3...
2...
1...
The facility shook violently.
The enormous gate slamd open.
A roar exploded through the speakers—violent, broken, filled with pain.
The boy stepped out, eyes blazing red.
His voice was distorted, barely human:
"...kill... kill... KILL..."
The Venos man laughed.
"Face my Berserker," he said. "And die."
Asher stepped forward, calm as ever.
"Knight," he said quietly.
"Yes?"
"Stay behind ."
The Berserker charged.
And Asher moved to et him.
The Berserker sprinted down the corridor like a wild animal released from a cage, but his speed was far from natural. Every step thudded with chanical force, every movent powered by the venom-red liquid pumping through the tubes buried in his spine.
His scream echoed through the hallway—raw, broken, and burning with rage:
"KILL—!!"
Asher didn’t flinch.
He stepped forward once, grounding his feet.
The mont the Berserker reached striking distance, he swung a fist straight at Asher’s head—fast enough to break stone.
Asher raised one hand and caught the punch.
The entire corridor trembled from the impact. tal tiles cracked under their feet.
The Knight’s eyes widened. "He stopped it... with one hand."
Asher looked at the Berserker’s shaking arm.
"You’re strong," he said. "But not in control."
The Berserker roared and threw his other fist.
Asher shifted just slightly, letting it brush past his shoulder. The punch smashed through a steel panel behind him, leaving a crater-sized dent.
The tubes on the boy’s arms pulsed brighter, and he lashed out with a flurry of punches—fast, chaotic, filled with pure fury. Each strike sounded like a cannon going off.
Asher blocked them calmly, redirecting the hits with small movents of his wrists and elbows.
"No rhythm," he murmured. "Just pain."
The Berserker scread again and lunged with a wild charge, trying to tackle Asher into the wall.
Asher sidestepped and tapped the boy’s back with his palm.
Just a tap.
But it sent the Berserker stumbling forward, crashing into the reinforced corridor wall hard enough to crack it.
He spun back around imdiately, no sense of injury—only rage.
The Knight stepped forward. "Should I—"
"No," Asher said without turning. "He’s too unstable. Don’t get close."
The Berserker ran again—faster this ti, serum boiling through his veins. His muscles swelled, plates shifting and heating from overload.
He jumped—trying to slam both fists down on Asher’s head.
Asher lifted a single arm and blocked the hit with his forearm.
The ground beneath them shattered into a spiderweb of cracks.
The Berserker scread inches from Asher’s face, fury blasting like heat.
Asher stared back, unbothered.
"I know you’re still in there," he said quietly. "Fight it."
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