Chapter 48: CH 048: Beast Crystal (MR 2)

Chapter 48: CH 048: Beast Crystal (MR 2)At the time when the hybrids had surrounded him and transformed into their full beast forms, a sudden notification had flashed above Dave’s eyes. [A group of transformed hybrids has been discovered. Do you wish to tame them?] [They will be added to the list of tamed beasts. And like normal beasts, they can be controlled and given commands] Dave’s eyes widened as he processed the message. This was an unexpected opportunity, and a good one at that. The chance to tame these powerful hybrids would be a game-changer. His mind raced with possibilities, but the excitement quickly turned to frustration as he considered the limitations. His energy points were too low to tame all five of them. The most he could manage was three. But even that option was now out of reach. The five-minute duration for his powers was over, and his abilities has been nulled. His window to tame them had closed as he would have to wait for another thirty minutes, after the beast attack had ended. With a heavy sigh, Dave realized there was no choice but to surrender. His powers and abilities were gone, and fighting now was a lost cause. With that, he was taken along with Eric and Ella into a large building, the entrance marked with the words ’White Laboratory’ in bold letters. The imposing structure loomed in front of him, but Dave’s thoughts remained clouded by the missed opportunity. They were led into a sterile, small room, where each of them was roughly strapped to a chair. The metallic clink of the restraints echoed in the silence as the men left, their heavy boots fading away down the corridor. Only one man remained, stationed outside the door as a guard. Ella shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes darting nervously between Dave and Eric. The tension in the room was palpable. "What do you think will happen to us?" Ella’s voice broke the silence, her words laced with concern. Dave glanced at her, offering a reassuring smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "We’ll be fine. Trust me," he said, his voice steady despite the uncertainty gnawing at him. He couldn’t help but feel the weight of the situation, but the second wave of the beast attack was upon them. He hoped, no, he knew that White and his men would be interrupted, and soon they’d find a way out of this. Minutes later, the door creaked open, and there he was White, the doctor who had orchestrated their capture, now strolling into the room as if it was just another day at the office. He looked almost too calm, too collected, for someone in the middle of an operation like this. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he said, his voice dripping with insincerity as he pulled up a chair. He settled into it with a casual ease, positioning himself directly across from the three students. He studied them for a moment, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling mix of curiosity and detached interest. "Don’t take this the wrong way," White continued, his voice smooth, almost friendly. "I’m not a bad guy. I’m just helping you. If the experiment works, you won’t have to live your lives in fear anymore. No more running, no more hiding." Dave couldn’t help but scoff at the doctor’s words. His smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Who said we needed your help?" White’s expression didn’t change, though his eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was trying to gauge how serious Dave really was. "Believe me, if you step out into the center of the city, you won’t survive. You’ll wish you had taken this opportunity I’m offering now." Dave leaned forward, his tone sarcastic but laced with defiance. "Oh really? Are you sure about that?" White’s lips curled into a small, almost pitying smile. "Well, young man, if you don’t believe me, then don’t. But when the experiment succeeds, you’ll see just how right I was." His voice was thick with conviction, as if he truly believed what he was saying. But Dave wasn’t buying it. There was something off about White, about his whole operation and Dave wasn’t going to let himself be manipulated. Not now, not ever. Not that he needed his help in the first place. Dave’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing as he pieced together the strange and unsettling details White was providing. "This experiment of yours ,does it involve merging humans and beasts together?" he asked, his tone cautious but probing. White chuckled, a low, almost amused sound. "Not exactly beasts," he said with a sly grin. "But what keeps them alive, their life force, the crystals in them." "The mother crystal?" Eric interjected, unable to hold back his curiosity. White’s eyes glinted, a knowing smile playing at his lips. "Ah, no. This one’s different. Not everyone knows about this, but I’ll tell you since you’re already my captives." He leaned forward slightly, eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. "I’m probably the only one who knows of its existence." He paused, savoring the moment before revealing more. "It’s called a beast crystal. A smaller version of the mother crystal. In fact, a large enough concentration of these beast crystals could theoretically form a mother crystal. But here’s the thing, the mother crystal seems infinite. It can keep producing billions of beasts, each with a beast crystal of their own." The words hung in the air, but Dave could feel his stomach knot. The concept of the mother crystal, an unending source of life for these monstrous creatures was more disturbing than he had imagined. Ella, always quick to catch on, spoke up. "So, how do you get these beast crystals? How do you even obtain them?" Dave had been on the verge of asking the same thing, but he was glad Ella had spoken first. White’s eyes brightened, almost gleeful as he answered. "That? Oh, it’s simple. You kill a beast, carve its heart out, and bam! There it is, the beast crystal. Isn’t it just so amusing?" He laughed to himself, clearly pleased with the simplicity of his gruesome discovery. "I sometimes wonder how I was able to make such a brilliant discovery. I must be a genius, huh?" Dave was silent for a moment, absorbing everything White had just said, his thoughts turning inward. He had learned more about the beasts, about the world’s twisted reality, and about White’s sickening obsession. It had confirmed what Dave had already suspected: he need to explore the rest of the world, which further convinces him that he won’t be going back to the base, not after everything he’d been through. White stood up suddenly, breaking Dave’s train of thought. "Well, kids, I’ll see you later. I’ve got a few things to take care of." His voice was casual, almost too casual. "Don’t worry, the experiment won’t be happening anytime soon. You’ll have time to get used to your new accommodations." He gave them a little wave before walking toward the door. Before White could leave, Dave leaned forward, his voice steady but carrying an edge. "You should probably get ready for what’s coming," he said, meeting White’s eyes with an unwavering gaze. "I just hope your lab’s fortified enough for it." White paused, his expression momentarily flickering with confusion, before shrugging it off. He gave Dave a strange look, one that held a mix of amusement and curiosity, but then simply turned his back and left. "Strange kid," he muttered to himself as he closed the door behind him. The room fell silent again, and the trio were left alone, tied to their chairs, their future unknown, but the fire in Dave’s eyes remained, they were going to escape very soon.