The Author's POV

Chapter 260

"So, is this what you wanted to show me?" Xavier's eyes squinted slightly.

His sharp eyes glossed over three individuals as he looked at them from top to bottom. Halting his steps, he raised his brow and pointed towards one specific individual. One whose face was riddled with scars.

"…he is?"

"That's 876"

Joseph replied.

"…876?"

Frowning slightly, Xavier licked his teeth underneath his lips.

"Just where have I heard of h—Ah!"

Smacking the palm of his hand with his fist, Xavier finally remembered.

"He's the one that came into our headquarters on fire?" Looking at Joseph, he asked. "That's him? What happened to his face? I thought that the extent of his injuries only amounted to burns, where did the scars come from?"

"That…I'm not too sure myself. I've never asked." Joseph replied with a bit of embarrassment.

He was too busy developing his serum and testing it on the other subjects that he didn't even bother questioning 876 about his past. In all honesty, he didn't particularly care about his past. He only cared about his research.

"I see…so how is he?"

Puffing up his chest, Joseph pridefully said.

"Well, as a matter of fact, he is my most successful subject."

There were also two other successful subjects 091 and 654, but compared to 876, they were still lacking. Even then, Joseph introduced them to Xavier.

"These here are 091, and 654. Although they may be a little lacking compared to 876, they are still very capable."

Alternating his eyes between 091 and 654, Xavier's eyes finally landed on 876. His eyes flashed with interest.

"Oh? So you're saying that out of the thousands of subjects you had, he's the most successful subject?"

"Indeed."

"Okay." Xavier nodded his head.

—Shap!

Dropping his jacket on the ground and unbuttoning the buttons of his sleeves, he calmly walked towards the middle of the training ground. Stretching his neck, he looked at Joseph and said.

"Alright, show me."

"Huh?"

"…what, did you not hear me? I said show me."

"S-show you what?"

Joseph was starting to get flustered. Turning his head and looking in the direction of where Xavier was looking at, he became even more flustered.

"W-wait, are you trying to fight him?"

876 was his treasure. His most successfully subject. There was no way in hell, he would ever let him go near Xavier.

Ignoring Joseph, Xavier continued. "Don't worry, I'll suppress my strength to his level…D rank was it? I'll fight him at that level"

"Bu—"

"It's not a request. It's an order."

Cutting Joseph off, a cold glint flashed Xavier's eyes. A chill ran down Joseph's spine.

"Joseph, I'm here on behalf of the higher-ups. All you did was show me three individuals. That is not nearly enough to convince me that you're worth investing in. I'm not here to play games? I'm here to see what you've actually done. If I'm not satisfied by the end of this, you can say goodbye to your project. Think carefully."

"Ah…"

A defeated sound escaped from Joseph's lips.

Despite his status, he was but a mere researcher. He couldn't really go against the higher-up's order. Especially since he couldn't fight back either. His only option was to give in.

Weakly staring at Xavier, he nodded his head.

"Understood. But please don't kill him."

Pleased, Xavier laughed out loud and reassured. "Hahahah…who do you think I am? There's no need to worry, I'll hold back a lot."

"That would be great."

A forced smile appeared on Joseph's lips.

'It's precisely because I know who you are that I'm saying this.' he cursed inside of his mind.

Xavier was notorious for his sadistic mindset. If his switch was flipped, only God himself would be able to stop him from going on a sadistic rampage.

Thus.

"No weapons."

Joseph said after mustering all of his courage.

As long as Xavier did not use a weapon, 876 may have a chance at surviving.

"…what?"

Stopping himself mid-stretch, Xavier looked at Joseph.

"What did you just say?"

Clenching his fists, Joseph repeated.

"I said no weapons allowed in this spar."

"..."

a brief moment of silence, staring at Joseph, an amused smile appeared on

so you're afraid I

he found it quite amusing. Raising his hand,

if he can land a single hit

by the fact that Xavier had agreed to his request,

"You're being serious?"

"I am."

head, Joseph looked at 876 and ordered. "Go and fight

"Understood."

monotonous tone. Almost robotic. Under everyone's eyes, he moved towards the center of the

apart from Xavier,

to him. Yet, despite

"HoHo, this looks interesting."

out loud. Staring at the youth opposite to

he

you may

"Understood."

Joseph

'Please don't die.'

would go down the drain. Although 091 and 654 were both capable, they needed a lot more time to develop unlike 876 who was

Alas.

Xavier's threatening pressure, Joseph could only raise his hand

"Ready, get set…go!"

—Bam!

rooted on the same spot.

what you can

arrived before him. Planting his right foot on the ground, he twisted

"Oh? Not bad."

kick flew past him. The force of the kick was so strong that Joseph, who was standing quite far from

of the kick, Xavier

—Swoosh! —Swoosh!

knees, palms, fingers, every single part of the body, 876 used. For the past few months, he had been trained every day to fight hand-to-hand combat.

said that because of that, he was now

Unfortunately.

—Swoosh!

"Huaam…boring."

someone that was much stronger than him. Even if his rank was suppressed, his fighting experience was leagues above

at Joseph who was

you've been working for the past few months? Honestly, I'm

guard could've performed as well as 876. There was nothing really special about him. At least nothing worth investing that much money

get this over

Xavier grew tired. The faster this ended, the more time he had

was simple, in actuality it was anything but simple. If one looked closely, a

—Swoosh!

punched, a cold glint flashed 876's eyes. Turning his body ever-so-slightly, he tensed his abdominal muscles similarly punched out. A whistling sound arose and the air

"Hu—!"

—Pa!

Kracka—!

connecting with Xavier's face resounded across the room, alongside it was the sound of bones

cheek slightly, Xavier's face twisted savagely.

876, Xavier's eyes paused towards

"No wonder…"

right hand loosely hanging, 876 was no longer in a state where he could fight. His left hand at the moment was completely shattered. Even then, the goal

he purposely injured himself for the sake of hitting

that such a thing wasn't possible, but staring at 876 before him, he had to

still.

—Bam!

his

"ohu.."

Xavier's fist hit landed, a small groan escaped from 876's mouth. Though his face didn't change, because of how strong the punch was, the air was knocked out of him as he fell on his

—thud!

are

the side, Joseph flusteredly

"Shut up"

tremendous pressure bore down on him paralyzing

that reason is

Kracka—!

hand on 876's shoulder, the sound of bones breaking echoed across

"..."

surprise, as he broke 876's shoulder bones, he made no sound. He acted as

I see it for myself,

Kracka—!

the other one. Yet again, 876 showed no reaction.

been

"Y-yes."

"I see."

Xavier heard, Joseph's research

a problem since they shouldn't really care about anything else. Why keep a secret when you no longer feel the need

his attention back to

"What's your name?"

moment of silence, 876 replied.

smacked his head lightly. "Sorry, let

"..."

not respond. Xavier's

got your tongue? I'll ask again, who were you before

"..."

again, 876 did not respond. Turning around, Xavier

you sure

longer under Xavier's pressure, Joseph nodded

"Yes. It should work"

isn't he

Joseph thought for a moment before responding "There's a possibility that he

a part of

was in when you brought him to me? There's a

Xavier made a small sound. "Right. That

was in when he first saw him, Xavier had a look

you remember anything about who you were before? Your parent's name? Your

exchange, Xavier did not have much hope. He was only asking as a formality. He didn't really particularly care about 876's previous identity, but what he wanted to know was where he had

and each ring was extremely precious as it would directly teleport someone into the headquarters of the Monolith. He needed to know how he had gotten

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