The Author's POV

Pain.

An immeasurable amount of pain engulfed my entire being.

Slipping in and out of my consciousness I felt my whole body burn. Every part of my body was engulfed by flames.

At some point, I had lost track of time. Perhaps only minutes and seconds had passed, but for me, who was being burnt alive, such moments felt like an eternity.

Before long, my body hit something hard and cold. But, being in the state I was in, my mind wasn't able to process what was happening around me.

Instinctively, I just rolled around, trying to get rid of the flames engulfing me.

"Ah...ah..."

Whilst slipping in and out of my consciousness, mustering every bit of my last strength, I swallowed something that I had put inside of my mouth beforehand.

After that, despite all of my struggles to remain conscious, the world turned dark.

***

"Have you got anything?"

"No, his facial features are too deformed. We can't get a proper read on his identity."

'What's going on? Who's talking?'

Awakening my somber mind was the sound of two people conversing. Though I tried to focus my mind on what they were saying, my mind was too muddleheaded to be able to comprehend anything. In fact, I found it hard to even think properly at the moment as everything felt dull and slow.

"Hmmm, what about after we heal him?"

"That's possible, but it may take a couple of months for him to fully heal from these injuries. Almost half of his body is burnt. Perhaps if we use a high-grade potion, but..."

"No, we definitely can't do that. It'll be a waste of money. We can just wait a couple of months. Anything else?"

"For now no. All we know is that he suddenly appeared in the hall with third-degree burns all over his body. I'm more surprised by the fact that he's still alive."

"Were there any items on him?"

"No. Given the state he was in, there's a high chance that all the items he had got destroyed. From the looks of things, he must've survived some sort of explosion. He had no clothes on him when he appeared, and even the ring he had on him was badly damaged."

"...I see, alright, you may leave."

"Understood, call me if you need anything, professor."

Minutes after the conversation ended, slowly opening my eyes, I was met with an unfamiliar white ceiling. A bright white light entered my vision constricting my pupils slightly.

Turning my head slightly, I found myself laying atop a cold metal table with wires attached all over my body. My body was numb.

"Oh, you've regained consciousness?"

A voice suddenly called out for me.

Turning my head towards where the voice came from, an old man with a white lab coat appeared in front of me. With an amused smile, he studied me from top to bottom.

"How peculiar..."

He muttered.

Under his observant eyes, I felt like a lab mouse. Insignificant.

'Who are you? Where am I?'

"Ghaaa..fhhiuuu"

The words that I wanted to speak did not come out. Instead, a zombie-like sound escaped from my lips.

"Ah, I wouldn't recommend you to speak right now."

The old man said whilst a chuckle escaped from his lips.

'Where am I?'

"Huaagh..."

Unable to comprehend what he was saying, I once again spoke. The same zombie-like sound escaped from my lips.

"Tsk. What is it with you patients? Whenever I say something, you end up doing the exact opposite of what I tell you to do"

The old man grumbled.

you, bring me a

old man yelled at one of the people in the room. Lifting my head slightly, I spotted a man wearing a white coat and

"...yes!"

was being, he was most likely his assistant. The assistant quickly rushed

with a mirror. Taking the mirror, the old man

you can't understand what I'm saying, I'll just show

turned the mirror

be...is

"huagh...guhhhg..."

marks all over my face. The clear white skin that I used to have was no longer there as my face was now dyed red with pus

I looked horrendous.

that I wanted to ask, but as if something was stuck in my throat, only hoarse sounds

"hgugha...haefa"

then that I slowly started to recall what had

ring that I had taken from professor Thibaut a couple of months back, I desperately channeled all of my mana into

was to teleport me to the

I successfully managed to teleport myself to the Monolith, by the time

me to understand what had happened. Having teleported

current technology, recovering your face shouldn't be too hard...but, unfortunately for you, the higher-ups aren't willing to fork out the money needed to heal you quickly, so it might take a bit

by my reaction, the

man introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, my name is

"!"

his name, my mind instantly cleared

subjects, I'll be seeing you in a bit.

Joseph Sharp.

that worked in the Monolith. He along, with a couple of other famous scientists was responsible for an extremely important project

super soldiers

were given. They were soldiers that felt no emotions nor pain, almost like robots. Each soldier ranked from

years from now and were responsible for many tragedies. They were so

"You."

thoughts, Joseph called out to

"Yes!"

a small

"...how much?"

his state, I guess 2mg would be enough for

"Understood."

Joseph smiled. My

I'll see you soon,

his way out of the

me out of

"ghuuuaa!!!"

almost instinctive. Even though I survived, I was now in a

used to create the super soldiers. It was a liquid that eroded someone's mind, essentially turning them into brainless

"ghuu!!"

I had in my body, I tried to get out of the binds that were locking me, but it was

much I

I was truly powerless.

from my mouth as the air was knocked out of me. Though I

"Shut up."

assistant glared at

silent whilst I'm doing my

strange blue liquid inside of it. Squeezing the bottom of the syringe,

"Perfect."

turned his attention back to me. Opening my eyes wide, I struggled even

'No! Anything but that!'

"Ughhh! guauhhhah!"

not going

in my direction. Whilst he did that, with his

"hmmm...hmmm!"

a good

that the assistant had already put the syringe

—Squeeq!

liquid inside of my body, my

'No...help.'

"ghh..."

***

—Fffwhheeu! —Fffwhheeu!

Joseph's brows

"Hmm, another failure."

at a patient from a large glass window, Joseph took out a

a single dose," Joseph muttered, scratching the back of

Yet another failure.