Chapter 3 Experiment

It had been a week since the kidnapping incident, and I was lying in my bed at the orphanage, receiving care either from Seele, Bronya, and big sister Cocolia.

Now, I'm currently looking at my arms. "I didn't know that I broke both of my arms," I muttered, unable to feel either of my arms while lying down.

"Hahahaha, Liliya! Look at Aron, his cheeks are all puffed up," I heard Rozaliya's annoying laughter as she pointed at me, making fun of my swollen face from the beating I got from the kidnapper.

"Let's go back there and give them a beating as revenge," Liliya said with a serious expression, but I knew they only wanted to do it for fun.

Rozaliya was a short girl with long, slightly spiky pink hair and bangs swept slightly to the right, along with light blue eyes. She had an energetic and outgoing personality, often prone to exaggerating her experiences and creating false stories. Her personality was in stark contrast to the more calm and collected Liliya.

I knew that she cared deeply for her friends, but her tendency to get involved in situations and her airheaded behavior often led to trouble. 

Just like me, she tried to help dress my legs, but I didn't need it in my legs, I needed it for my arms. 

However, she accidentally applied too much pressure and ended up breaking my legs instead.

I couldn't help but wonder just how strong those girls had been to break my legs with a bodage.

However, instead of healing, my injuries seemed to be worsening. Thanks to a certain pink-haired girl, I guess.

"Sigh, I'm in heaven and hell," I muttered, looking out the window with a smile, enjoying the rare snowy scenery. 

In the Philippines, there's no snow like this.

"Bronya said she would want to take care of you, but she has some business with Cocolia, so," Liliya said with a serious expression.

Liliya is a short girl with long, straight light cyan hair, bangs slightly swept to the left, and purple eyes.

She is generally calm and level-headed, often correcting Rozaliya by revealing the actual events of her stories, which are usually the opposite of what was said. 

Liliya typically acts more seriously than her elder twin and is perceptive when it comes to seeing through false acts. 

She believes in mutual protection between siblings and is willing to go to great lengths to protect Rozaliya's life, even if it means risking her own.

Such a wholesome sibling bond, mine was like a shit to the point of making me think of punching my sis in the face.

"Heh, so this is what boys are supposed to be?" I heard the arrogant voice and turned to see a girl with short hair.

"I thought boys were supposed to be stronger than girls, but I guess not," she taunted me with her words, though her attempt to provoke me were ignored by and thanks to my annoying sense of humor.

This girl was Sin Mal, known for her long, flowing, ethereal hair, primarily white with accents of pale blue and purple. Her eyes were a striking shade of crimson red.

The one word I could use to describe her was 'sadistic.'

"Haha... What made you think that all boys are strong?" I chuckled, and she shot me an annoyed glare.

"You really find this amusing, don't you?" She asked, clearly irritated.

"Well, life's full of surprises, and you're one of them," I replied, noticing that my smirk was getting on her nerves.

"You're not what I expected from a boy," she sneered.

"What, did you expect a knight in shining armor?" I continued with my smirk, further annoying her.

"Hah, far from it. But maybe someone who'd take things more seriously," she sighed, surprising me with her concern. It was quite unexpected coming from someone with her reputation. What's next, will I'm gonna turn into a slime?

I hope I didn't jinx it.

"Life's too short to be serious all the time, don't you think?" I changed my smirk into a my usual smile.

"You've got a point there. But don't let that humor get you in trouble," she warned, making me wonder if she was an imposter. What happened to the sadistic Sin?

"Don't worry, I'm trouble-proof," I joked. Did I just jinx myself again?

"We'll see about that," she left with those words, and I was left in the room, just as shocked as my twin.

_ _ _ 

Watching Seele getting scared about something that only she can see made me wonder what's going on her but I'm happy that she can consult me about this matter.

It only means that she trusted me.

But my first reaction was is she getting crazy or getting PTSD from the sudden killing spree of Bronya.

But no.

She was scared of something that looks like her but have different color and eyes.

"Honestly, Seele, if something lives inside your body without taking over, it means she's a good person. But if she says mean words to you, even if she thinks it's for your own good, it means she's a tsundere," I said honestly to Seele.

Due to her kept running to me in tears, had become bothersome.

However, Seele is cute, so I don't mind it, even though it's not healthy for her to rely too much on me.

"Thank you for your kind words, Big Brother Aron," Seele said with a happy smile, hugging me tighter.

*Knock, knock.*

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Aron? It's me, Cocolia. Can I come in?" she asked, and I gave her permission. Once she entered, she looked at me and nodded.

"It looks like you've already healed," she said, as if she wasn't surprised that I had healed my broken bones and wounds in just one and a half weeks.

Just as I mentioned, I had already healed after one and a half weeks. Even I was surprised that I recovered that fast.

"Seele," Cocolia called out to the girl who was clinging to me and looking back at her with a questioning gaze. "Can you leave us alone for a moment?

Seele looked at me, then at Cocolia. "I'll come back later, big bro." After saying that, she left the two of us with a big smile.

I looked at Cocolia with a questioning expression, and then she smiled at me and said, "I want you to read this and give me your honest opinion, but it's okay if you refuse." She handed me a paper with the title "Project X."

"In usual cases, the Honkai virus infects normal human bodies." She explained while I was reading the paper.

"However, there are exceptional cases, like you children, who are resistant to the Honkai infection and can even control it to a certain degree."

I looked at her with a questioning gaze because I didn't remember controlling such a thing.

"I see, you didn't notice it. Your physical body's resistance to Honkai energy was very high, and you are using it without knowing it to heal yourself."

"I see." I could tell by her serious expression and the emotions I felt from her that she was telling me the truth.

But the main reason she was telling me this was that I've been chosen to become an experimental subject.

"Are you going to use Bronya and the others too?" I didn't want to know this, but I had to ask.

"Yes, they will, but I'm not going to force them, nor you," Big Sister Cocolia said.

"I accept." Although I knew this would be painful, I come to understand how dangerous this world is, and I needed to do something to become stronger, even if it meant abandoning some of my humanity.

As long as I don't abandon my morality, I'll be fine.

"I appreciate your honesty, Big Sister Cocolia," I replied, folding the paper and handing it back to her.

"I understand the risks, and if this can help make me stronger and contribute to a safer experiment for the girl's, then I'm willing to be a part of Project X."

Cocolia nodded, her expression a mix of relief and determination. "I also suggest you to say you're farewell to the others and make sure you don't have any regrets."

Her advice stuck within my head, and I knew I had to stay to Seele and the group.

It felt a bit scary, but I needed to make sure I wouldn't regret my decision and that they understood why I was doing this.

_ _ _

(No one pov)

Aron smiled as he played the game with Bronya, her head resting comfortably on his lap. They were both deeply engrossed in the game, trying to beat the level they had been stuck on for a while.

Seele, sitting nearby, watched them with a warm smile. "You two make a great team," she commented.

Aron chuckled, trying to keep the mood light. "Yeah, we're getting there, slowly but surely."

Bronya raised an eyebrow, teasingly. "Are you sure you're not just holding me back, Aron?"

Aron pretended to be offended. "Hey now, I'll have you know that I'm the secret weapon of this team!"

Seele giggled, enjoying their playful banter. "Well, I'm just happy to see you all getting along so well."

As they continued to play, Aron couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for keeping the truth about the experiment from them.

_ _ _

The day of the experiment arrived, and Aron found himself in a sterile, well-equipped laboratory. Cocolia, the professional, was there to guide him through the process.

"You've shown incredible resilience, Aron," Cocolia said, her voice a mix of admiration and concern. "But this experiment will push your limits, and it might not be easy."

Aron nodded, his resolve unwavering. "I understand, Big Sister. I'm ready."

The experiment began, and Aron could feel the Honkai energy around him, its raw power surging through his body. He clenched his teeth, enduring the pain as he focused on controlling the energy, just as Cocolia had explained.

Days turned into weeks, and Aron's progress was remarkable. He was harnessing the Honkai energy, strengthening his abilities, and learning to control them like never before. His body was pushed to its limits, but his determination never wavered.

During his recovery periods, Aron often thought about Seele, Bronya, and the others. He missed them and wished he could share his progress with them.

One day, as the experiment reached a critical phase, Aron felt an immense surge of power within him. He could sense that he had achieved a breakthrough, and he could hardly contain his excitement.

Cocolia, observing his progress, smiled with satisfaction. "You're doing well, Aron. Your resistance to Honkai energy is proving to be a valuable asset to our cause."

As the experiment reached its critical phase, Aron concentrated all his energy and willpower to harness the Honkai energy around him. However, something unexpected happened. The energy surged uncontrollably, and Aron's body couldn't withstand the strain.

Cocolia's expression turned from satisfaction to alarm as the equipment in the laboratory began to malfunction. Aron's body was engulfed in a blinding, chaotic light, and he felt himself losing control.

'What is this? It hurts.'

[Skill acquisition confirmed.]

[Pain Resistance Acquired.]

[Continuing...]

'It hurts. A blood?' Aron thought, looking at his arms with his bones showing and blood flowing from them. 'A human would die if there isn't enough blood. This is bad.'

[Constructing a body that does not require blood.]

[Successful.]

"It's so cold, it's so hot," Aron muttered as he saw Cocolia running towards him with tears in her eyes. "Big sis, tell Bronya and Seele that I love them. Of course, it's included for you."

[Elemental Resistance Acquired.]

[Continuing...]

The last thing he heard was Cocolia's voice, filled with worry, shouting his name.

Then, everything went dark.

Aron's consciousness seemed to drift in a void, a space devoid of time and reality. He had no sense of his own existence. It was as if he had been torn apart by the overwhelming power of the Honkai energy.

'I should become a sage this time,' he thought, thinking of studying more.

[Confirmation Complete.]

[Acquired Unique skill "Sage."]

'No, becoming a sage wasn't my goal. I should become a great sage,' he thought, pondering his goals.

[Confirmation Complete.]

[Acquired Unique skill "Sage" Evolving.]

[Successful... Unique skill "Sage" Evolved into "Great Sage."]

But then, something extraordinary happened. Aron felt a strange sensation, as if he were being reassembled, piece by piece. He could sense a new form taking shape, and his awareness began to return.

When Aron opened his eyes, he found himself in a vastly different world. He was no longer in the laboratory, nor was he even in the same universe. Instead, he had been reborn as a peculiar entity - a hollow slime.

His body resembled a translucent, blue slime with a single eye, and he had a strange but comforting feeling of power coursing through him.