Became a Failed Experimental Subject Novel - Chapter 51

I stiffened at the realization that I had been fighting not an ordinary monster, but an experimental subject, and I bristled my fur, heightening my vigilance. The second experimental subject after Goo Seoryong, but this one was distinctly different from Goo Seoryong.

…This one was closer to a monster.

[Was that just now the human tactic called a ‘ring’? Using multiple abilities simultaneously to make countermeasures impossible is similar to us.]

[…You are.]

[Number 444.]

[Numbers?]

The creature, identifying itself as 444, began to circle me slowly on the grass. Very little information I had learned through conversations with researchers and experimental subjects in the lab: Romania, Alphabet, Numbers share the experimental subject’s sequence. I, CXI, was G3, meaning… the 38th experimental subject after Goo Seoryong, who was the 73rd. The creature in front of me was the 333rd experimental subject since I was created.

[Did you escape the lab?]

[Escape? Are you perhaps mistaken, thinking you escaped the lab on your own? You were a failed experiment, scheduled for disposal. And… I came here to devour you.]

Suddenly, Goo Seoryong’s words when she first saw me flashed through my mind. Asking if the lab sent me to kill her. To think it was actually true… Slightly surprised, I raised my abilities, refuting 444’s words.

[You don’t look like you’re capable of that.]

[Of course, devouring you alone is, unfortunately, impossible.]

That’s why there were two, but with one fighting Starlight right now, it would be 444 who died, not me. Yet, another monster identical to 444 appeared next to the seemingly relaxed 444.

[With two, it’s possible.]

A powerful illusion, strong enough to fool a monster? Or a clone? I wished it were so, but unfortunately, the other one vibrated its monster core. Clones made with abilities don’t have cores. A third one. This one was also a Disaster-class monster.

[There was another one.]

[But… how did they set up a trap with the humans?]

[Did you open your mouth because you were curious about that?]

[Curious? Is this what curiosity is? I see, I am curious.]

[Curious? Curious, curious?]

Snap, snap. The grass they walked on slowly froze, turning into blades of ice. The two monsters, with the blades embedded in their tails, grew the size of their ice thorns with crack, crack.

[Why were we exposed? We avoided being caught by more than one surveillance camera.]

[You weren’t exposed by surveillance cameras.]

[We even made sure only one presence was detected.]

[Your stealth was not a mistake. The alarms always rang for only one.]

[It didn’t even communicate with humans, CXI. Did it devour a telepathy ability or something?]

[CXI can devour abilities. Unlike us, it can devour any ability it wants.]

Boom! Boom! The Disaster-class monsters, now two again, exploded black smoke and encircled me. Two Disaster-class monsters. The disadvantage was mine again. Judging that moving rashly was unwise, I subtly raised my abilities.

[Thanks to you, we threw 404 as bait, just as planned.]

[404 doesn’t matter if it dies! Bait!]

[With this, there are no more human disruptors.]

[What the researchers say is always right! CXI joined hands with humans!]

As they circled faster and faster, swish, swish, the sound of their footsteps on the frozen grass continued, and the ice thorns grew larger. The residual abilities embedded in the ice stiffened my senses. A siege laid by two monsters, seemingly mimicking the ‘ring’ technique that the Espers had just used against me.

[But why? Why don’t you follow a monster’s instincts?]

[Why? How? Curious.]

[Curious, indeed.]

[Curious.]

With those words, the two monsters showed amused expressions filled with anticipation, resonating their monster cores. In the distinct coupling of monsters cooperating to kill prey, the figure-eight overlapping circular waves cracked the frozen thorns.

[If I devour you, I’ll know.]

[Devour CXI! Succeed!]

Chachachang! Thorns hardened to be tougher than steel by abilities scattered into the air, becoming a blade mist that assailed me. I, cloaked in the opposing ability of flame, raised a scorching curtain to block the mist and used telekinesis to bind 444, who had charged at me. Just a brief restraint. The moment I was about to bite the creature, another one appeared from behind me, exploding smoke, and dropped down.

CRACK! At the sound of tearing space, I released 444 and leaped into the air. The creature left fluttering claw marks in the air and licked its claws. This one… it was fast, much faster than 444.

[My apologies for the late introduction. This is 499, my younger sister.]

[Introduction? If you don’t introduce yourself, you’re a failure! Monsters who don’t listen are failures! Hello, I’m 499!]

[…I am CXI.]

[Thank you! CXI?]

The one called 499 sat with its two legs together and politely bowed its head. After returning the greeting in a strange atmosphere, 499 bent its upper body and charged straight at me.

[Kill CXI!]

Zzzzzzzzt! With a sound like a bat’s cry, 499 tore through space and approached. The repair of the torn space, then the instantaneous acceleration using the space that filled the void. As I pulled back, the creature continued its pursuit, and I used the ability of Thunder Tiger. Instantly, I transformed into an energy body, transcending the limits of speed that physical beings could reach. I was a violently fluctuating bolt of lightning for only a flash, for an instant. Just before I silently pierced 499, 444 opened up space.

Whoosh! The moment I passed through the spatial portal, the ground and sky swapped before my eyes. CRASH! I fell to the ground with a delayed thunderclap, regenerating my tingling body as I glared at the two monsters watching me.

[Thunder Tiger’s ultimate move? Do you get exhausted after using it once?]

[It’s useless, CXI. You are no longer the strongest experimental subject.]

[Spatial manipulation is the best ability! Attack and defense are both the best!]

As they said, the core of their abilities seemed to be spatial manipulation. It was an excellent ability for both offense and defense, capable of opening wormholes to divert all abilities and physical attacks, and even tearing space itself to inflict damage. Unlike me, who changed abilities depending on the opponent, they seemed capable of handling all situations with just this one, if used well.

[I will become the strongest experimental subject by killing you! By devouring the cores of two Disaster-class monsters!]

[Brother will eat me? Protect me…? Eat meee!]

Boom! Leaving black smoke behind, they used their spatial warping ability. The two monsters instantly arrived before me, baring their claws. As I slipped into the shadows to avoid the attack, ice-cold blades of ability raked across my body. The ice shard blades clung to me, not falling off easily, and froze my body solid. I immediately enveloped myself in flames to shed them, and then 499 spread its sound-manipulating ability.

[It’s fire! Put out the fire!]

[Hahaha! Come on, struggle more!]

Whoosh! A special low-frequency wave spread, distorting the shape of the flames. Was the sound ability meant to block my communication and phoenix ability? All their abilities seemed designed to counter mine.

[Let the game of tag begin! If you’re caught, you’re meat!]

They continued to chase me as I swam through the darkness of the earth, relentlessly tearing space around me. I dodged attacks while simultaneously trying to figure out a way out of this situation. If it were just one, I could easily win, but dealing with two was too much. The best option was to make it 2-on-2 again. If I stalled for time, waiting for Starlight to hunt one down and then come for me… Would they have a counter for that? They said that giving one monster to Starlight was part of their plan. If I were in the same situation, trying to avoid an unpleasant enemy and devour one target, I would flee again and look for an opening. The way to create an opening was, of course, human hunting. If I couldn’t deal with these two now, the events of the past few days would repeat.

So, how?

At that thought, I changed direction, a single method flashing through my mind. If they had always been watching me, it might be useless, but then they wouldn’t have sent only three Disaster-class monsters. A gamble. Perhaps it would worsen the situation, but it was worth a try.

[It’s useless if you’re trying to buy time, CXI. 404 has the highest regeneration among the 400 series. It can withstand all of W-City’s Espers for more than twice the time it would take us to hunt you down.]

[Calculations! Accurate! Data! Data? Collection!]

CRACK! Releasing my incorporeal form, I burst from the ground and soared through the sky using the Thunder Tiger’s ability. Even though it was Thunder Tiger, I could use abilities consecutively because I wasn’t the Thunder Tiger. Flash, rumble! I landed precisely at my target point with a clap of thunder.

[Grrrr…]

[Second one! How? Curious!]

On the charred ground, 499 was the first to arrive before me as I regenerated my tingling body once more. While fleeing, I realized that the range of their spatial manipulation ability wasn’t very far. It was natural for 499, with its superior ability, emission speed and inherent monstrous physical capabilities, to arrive first. A very brief moment until 444 followed. It would be good to target 499 during this gap, but… well. With a different method in mind now, I wasn’t really inclined to do that.

[Oooooooooh!]

[…Nya?]

I raised my head high and let out a loud roar, simultaneously vibrating my monster core. Wooong, wooong… A gentle yet thick ripple spread, and 499, exposed to the undulating wave, tilted its head.

[What? CXI, not an attack.]

[What an absurd creature, CXI.]

444 arrived behind it, growling fiercely and blocking 499. It was understandable, as they must have felt the monster resonance I had just spread.

[What confidence! Did you think if you courted it, it would go wild and try to mate with you?]

[Mate?]

What I had spread was a mating call. 499 was bewildered, and 444 frowned. It misunderstood that I was trying to entice 499 to my side. However, where I landed was Sector 4.

“Oh? It doesn’t look like our kitty was flirting with that one, does it?”

Click-clack, click-clack, the sound of heels gradually transformed into a heavier thud, thud of footsteps. White scales, flowing hair, a flicking bifurcated tongue, a sturdy tail. Goo Seoryong licked the poison from her fingertips and said, “Hello, honey? You look troubled.”

The one I called was W-City’s other Disaster-class monster. At Goo Seoryong’s humanoid form, the two monsters couldn’t hide their shock. Seeing their expressions, I curved my lips into a smile. They didn’t know Goo Seoryong.

[You are… what?]

[What? Human? Monster?]

“Oh? Do I look like a monster? When I’m this pretty?”

[Experimental subject…? Human, human? Pretty!]

“Oh, this kitty here has some taste, doesn’t she?”

Goo Seoryong paused, halted before the two wary monsters, then snapped her fingers and spun around in place.

“But Black Cat? Isn’t this a bit much? They’re two, you’re one… It’s obvious they outnumber you, isn’t it?”

After her significant remark, Goo Seoryong turned her body towards the monsters again and slowly approached.

“I’m more interested in that ‘lab’ place that synthesizes monsters with humans than Black Cat, you know? How about it, guests from the lab? If I help you catch Black Cat, will you introduce me to the lab?”

[Hehehe! How ridiculous, CXI… abandoned?]

[Abandoned? Mom?]

The two monsters’ mocking laughter. Goo Seoryong, who had turned from her spot to face me, her back to them, poised her claws as if ready to pounce on me at any moment.

“Hey, you two over there? You’re the ones the lab sent to catch Black Cat, right? You didn’t escape like Black Cat, did you~?”

[Heh heh… I’m not like that stupid one.]

[Orders from the lab! Catch Black Cat.]

“Oh, really~?”

The moment they answered Goo Seoryong with voices laced with laughter, Goo Seoryong snapped her white tail with a WHIP! Clack! Clack… Clack… The sound echoed in the air. Goo Seoryong approached the two monsters, who were still warily watching me, with leisurely steps.

Thump. Goo Seoryong dug her fingertips into the necks of the two monsters and, in response to their laughter, spoke with a chuckle.

“In other words, you’re idiots who prioritize human orders over monster instincts♥”

[Ugh…?! You, you bitch!]

[Eh…? Ah!]

SWISH! Startled by Goo Seoryong, who had her hands dug into their necks, the two monsters used spatial manipulation to tear through the air. The torn space was not in the center where Goo Seoryong stood, but directly in front of each other’s necks.

[Aaaagh! 499, what are you doing!]

[Heuk…! Brother? Brother?!]

“Ahahahahaha! Information gathering complete~!”

Whoosh. With a laugh, Goo Seoryong kicked off the ground and landed next to me, licking the blood and venom from her fingertips.

“As expected, I knew this would happen if monsters who followed the lab’s orders appeared. To make monsters obey commands, you have to weaken their mental resistance, right? This is a bit… much, I guess.”

As the two, injected with venom, lost focus in their eyes and gasped for breath, Goo Seoryong snapped her fingers again, clack.

“Their bodies are Disaster-class, but their minds aren’t even Disaster-class level, are they?”

[Wh-what is this…! Ugh, gasp…!]

[Eh? Th-this… what is it? Curious, curious…?]

“That~? Hmm, well, what kind of drug it is, or what kind of ability, probably isn’t that important, is it?”

Goo Seoryong continued to snap her fingers, clack, clack, showing one finger to me behind her.

“What’s important is that it’s going to get harder and harder to deal with our darling here, right?”

A beckoning gesture, and then her fingertip pointed at the two experimental subjects.

“Ddeunddeun-ah? Bite.”