C690
One year in the Drakka fortress and another in the Tower of Stories.
During the two years of his captivity, Hedo received almost VIP treatment, with occasional personal visits from the clan leaders, including Kelliark himself.
Except for the fact that he was imprisoned, Hedo was treated almost like an honored guest.
This was due to the treatment Kelliark gave Hedo.
He wanted to turn Hedo into a Zipple without resorting to mind manipulation, if possible.
No matter how much mind manipulation developed in the future, he believed that the moment it was added, Hedo’s value would diminish.
Of course, Hedo did not respond to Kelliark's sincere efforts.
Kelliark even released Hedo from his restraints, allowing him to leave freely.
He even promised not to take revenge as long as Hedo didn’t join the Runcandel.But Hedo did not leave.
"You refuse even when I offer you freedom. Is that what you mean?"
Kelliark understood what had driven Hedo to such despair.
Furthermore, he did not know that the outside world was a hell that Hedo could neither comprehend nor blend into.
Instead, Hedo had perfectly adapted to the senseless days spent in prison.
There had been no better state in his life until then.
"...It's a pity. Since you have also refused, you will be transferred to the Experimentation Hall. However, even there, if you change your mind at any time, you can request to speak to the person in charge. If you want to have a conversation with me."
And so, Hedo was transferred to the "12th Experimentation Hall," located near the Sota Desert and the White Night Tower.
At that time, the administrator of the 12th Experimentation Pavilion was an individual named "Ibunshi," who had earned infamy among the experimental subjects for being a human known for using experiments as a form of torture.
"Hello. When you were in Drakka and the Tower of Stories, it seemed like you were favored by the god of the human world. But here, I am your god unless that person personally descends here. Hm... I'm a bit unsure about how to treat you. Should I please you according to your personality, or should I be moderate in consideration of the patriarch?"
It was the first time Ibunshi spoke to Hedo.
However, Hedo did not even acknowledge his words.
"I prefer the latter. Although you are an experimental subject favored by the god of humans, it would not be wise to treat you too lightly. Let's start with something mild and outdated, like a beating." ꭆ
From that day on, Ibunshi physically abused Hedo every day.
It was impossible to injure a Warrior with the criminals' club, let alone a superhuman.
However, at that time, Hedo's body was not the same as in his prime due to long periods of fasting.
He looked like a weak giant, and with the restrictions limiting his strength, he was no different from an ordinary Warrior.
Hedo never resisted.
He did not even scream.
It wasn’t that he didn’t feel pain at all, but there was no need for him to show any sign of suffering.
"Subject 118! You’re used to pain, aren’t you? Let’s see if your snout doesn’t open again today."
Ibunshi was clearly mad.
He saw Hedo’s lack of response as rebellion and focused more and more on the resulting discomfort, forgetting that Hedo was an experimental subject sent by Kelliark.
In other words, he began to overstep the limits he had set for himself.
The intensification of torture and starvation turned Hedo into a lifeless being in an instant.
The once formidable entity that ruthlessly tore apart the monsters of the Black Sea and defeated the challengers seeking Cyron had been completely destroyed.
His limbs had withered like dry branches, leaving him immobile, and the organs that generated aura were permanently damaged and no longer functioned.
Gradually, the only sign that Hedo was still alive was the faint groan that barely escaped his paralyzed tongue.
Ironically, when the situation reached that point, Ibunshi showed signs of panic.
"What madness... What have I done! Can’t it be fixed?"
"I'm sorry, Sir Ibunshi. Subject 118 cannot be revived without the Numerus Legacy. Besides, at this rate, he will die soon. We should inform the superiors..."
"Inform? You dare speak of informing? It’s not Subject 118 who will die, but you. How dare you... From this moment, you are Subject 145."
"Sir Ibunshi? No, please!"
Ibunshi took measures to prevent Hedo's condition from being reported to the superiors.
He demoted those who knew about the torture to experimental subjects and did everything possible to keep Hedo from dying.
However, since Hedo himself had no will to live, there was no chance of his condition improving.
Moreover, if an audit were conducted, it was only a matter of time before the situation came to light.
Ibunshi spent his days restless, consumed by anxiety.
'When I first received Subject 118, I only received one specific instruction. If Subject 118 requests to see the patriarch, listen to him. Grant his wish. He never did, so it wouldn’t matter even if I killed him, right? Even if I reported his death during the experiment... No, it can’t be. The patriarch will punish me personally.'
Preventing Hedo's death was impossible.
In the end, after much deliberation, Ibunshi chose to blame someone else in the experimental facility.
Specifically, he targeted someone else in the facility who could not be taken lightly: the only subject he could not treat recklessly.
'Subject 109... Let's make it look like Sandra Zipple killed him.'
Subject 109, the experimental number assigned to Sandra.
At that time, no one in the 12th experimental facility referred to Sandra by her number.
Although she was an experimental subject, she was a pure-blooded Zipple, and all the researchers in the facility treated her like a lady, as if she were their superior.
Of course, beneath that consideration lay hatred and mockery.
Just because she was a pure-blooded Zipple, she couldn’t be treated recklessly. She was nothing more than an annoying pet in the laboratory.
She constantly caused accidents while wandering freely around the facility, but she couldn’t be abused like the other subjects.
That was Subject 109, Sandra Zipple, at that time.
"Ibunshi! I heard you were looking for me. Did a new treat arrive?"
"Oh, milady. Have you arrived?"
"A treat has arrived!"
"Ha ha, of course, a new treat has arrived. Have you heard of sugar?"
"Sugar?"
"It’s a powder that tastes very sweet when you eat it. Here... Oh, if you eat it like that... It's an indecent act."
"It’s sweet! What do you mean by indecent?"
"Well, I suppose you don’t need to know. And a new toy is also prepared."
"A toy too? Is it my birthday today?"
"Every day is your birthday, milady. However, there is something you must be careful about."
"What?"
"You must not kill it like you did with the previous toy. So twisting its neck or stabbing it with something is not allowed."
Sandra had already undergone some living golem transformations, so she possessed incredible strength for a five-year-old girl.
She had inadvertently killed some subjects with that strength, but it was more an accident caused by Ibunshi and the researchers playing pranks than by her own intent.
"Go ahead, stab it, milady. Yes, if they don’t show enough pain, that’s what you should do." Sandra followed those words without hesitation.
Her innate temperament was peculiar, but the 12th experimental facility was her entire world. Since the formation of her ego, she had only seen, heard, and learned things within the facility.
This time, Ibunshi wanted to take advantage of Sandra's frog aspect.
He thought the typical mischievous nature of children, in which they do the opposite of what they are told, could be useful.
"Remember, milady, you must never, ever hit or kill anyone. Just pet them and love them."
"Love? What’s that? What’s it supposed to mean? Tell me in a way I can understand, don’t talk like an idiot!"
"...Hmm. Maybe pet his head, have a conversation... or even endure a little when you’re upset. Something like that. Now, the toy is waiting. Shall we go?"
That was the first meeting between Hedo and Sandra.
"Hello, Subject 118?"
Of course, Hedo did not react, and Sandra ended up defeating him on the first day.
Therefore, this time, Ibunshi felt his choice had been excellent.
However, the problem was that Hedo did not die despite Sandra's frequent attacks.
On the contrary, Hedo managed to regain some strength, albeit slightly.
Though he couldn’t move his body and could only groan, he occasionally uttered words or complete phrases.
This contradicted the expectations of those who believed he could never recover without the Numerus Blood.
"Hey, are you dead or alive? If you’re dead, stay dead, but if you’re alive, answer me. I always try to play with you alone."
"Get lost..."
"Argh, you make me so angry! I should rip your mouth off and twist your neck... No, I’ll endure it. Because I have to love you! But I’ll punch you twice. No, three times! Are you dead? Still breathing. See you tomorrow!"
Such bizarre days continued. As time passed, Ibunshi became more anxious about this situation.
'It’s getting to the point where I feel like Subject 109 is mocking me, as if she’s winning and I’m about to die. Subject 118 is more resilient than I thought...'
When such thoughts occurred to him, Ibunshi decided to lock Sandra and Hedo in Isolation Room 118 completely.
He planned to keep Sandra confined until the stress of being trapped led her to kill Hedo before finally releasing her.
'Now, Subject 109 will truly finish off Subject 118. If that happens, even the superiors won’t be able to investigate properly.'
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"...I have never heard a more vile story in my life, Tower Guardian."
Jin wanted to ask. How could he remain loyal to Zipple after experiencing such things?
But then he realized that his loyalty was not to Zipple but to Sandra Zipple.
"Everyone has their nightmares. Now I don’t even know if those days were a nightmare. Maybe... if time had continued as it was, the lady might have killed me in the end, as intended back then."
Since Hedo was here now, it was clear that plan had failed.
Just a few days after he and Sandra were isolated together, the 12th experimental facility was attacked by Runcandel.
"The one who attacked the 12th experimental facility at that time was the Black Panther, your mother."
"Rosa?"
The day she attacked, the 12th experimental facility was completely ruined.
All data was discarded, and the researchers and Magicians who remained in the laboratory couldn’t resist Rosa until reinforcements arrived from the main headquarters.
During that time, when the entire wing was about to collapse, vibrating as if it would crumble at any moment, Sandra screamed while holding the fallen Hedo in her arms.
"She said I didn’t need to worry because she would protect me."
I will protect you.
It was the first time Hedo heard those words since he was born.
In his past life, where he traveled between orphanages, the Black Sea, underground prisons, and experimental halls, he had never heard such a natural statement.
His life was never taken for granted.
He didn’t know what or how she would protect him from, but Hedo suddenly felt the need to keep living.
He decided that he would live for that strange girl.
That day, Hedo stepped onto the path of humanity, leaving behind the life of a beast.
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