“What the…?” Michael’s jaw dropped in disbelief as soon as he stepped into the corridor.
The others quickly gathered beside him.
Each of them had a similar reaction to what they saw.
The basement beneath the Overlord’s estate was a laboratory.
A vast laboratory — perhaps even larger than the mansion grounds above.
Rows of glass tubes stood tall in neat lines, each one big enough to hold a person, though whatever things had been inside them were not people.
And they were long gone.
Some tubes were smeared with strange iridescent stains as if something had melted against the glass.
There were also separate rooms with reinforced iron bars resembling prison cells. And judging by the claw marks on the interior walls, these cells were meant to hold something captive that shouldn’t have escaped this place.
Kang breathed in sharply. “They were… experimenting on Spirit Beasts here.”
Of course.
It was so obvious now.
A few days ago, when Michael and Lily had followed a police officer into a back alley, they found numerous documents about many secret projects conducted by the Overlord.
One of those projects was constructing a network of underground tunnels beneath the city.
In those documents, Michael had also found rough blueprints of some laboratory facilities.
Back then, he had no idea what relevance those blueprints held, so he ignored them.
But now, in hindsight, he realized he should have guessed the existence of something as cliché as a lab for running experiments on monsters.
Shaking his head, Michael stepped further into the lab.
It was a large facility, and exploring every inch of it would take them hours.
Alexia walked up to a control panel and ran some fingers along its dust-coated surface.
Then, her hands brushed against something else.
A leather-bound journal.
“I found something,” Alexia announced for everyone to hear before picking up the journal and tossing it in Michael’s direction.
Michael caught it with one hand and immediately began reading through its contents.
“Entry 23: Subject-09 has begun self-cannibalizing. The Overlord insists we proceed. If we can’t stabilize the beast, he demands we terminate it and salvage its ‘core.’ However, he refuses to stop the experiment.”
“Entry 42: The containment breach was inevitable. Subject-12’s growth rate exceeds projections. Three handlers were lost. The Overlord authorized termination. But the creature… it learned to escape. Tragic as it is, it’s a sign of success. The beasts can learn. And so, they can be controlled.”
“Entry 103. The results were far better than any of us could’ve expected. Subject-Omega and Alpha passed the test. The experiment is deemed successful.”
After going through a few more entries, Michael let out a shaky breath.
He wasn’t stupid. He had expected something like this… but not this!
Not on this scale!
Michael knew the Overlord had somehow been controlling the Spirit Beasts. He was the one orchestrating all those attacks, after all.
But he thought it was because the Overlord had an artifact or a high-tier Card, something powerful but conventional.
But this?
This was something far worse.
The Overlord hadn’t enthralled the beasts with magic or some ancient relic.
He had used technology.
His scientists had created an orb-shaped device — small enough to be implanted in young Spirit Beasts.
Once implanted, that orb would fuse with the creature’s mind, warping its thoughts, reshaping its instincts.
It wasn’t simple control. It was complete and utter domination.
Spirit Beasts were corrupted creatures from the Spirit Realm.
And they were all driven by their insatiable hunger.
It was in their instincts to devour the living.
They craved the Essence of pure beings.
They desired human flesh.
But with this device, the Overlord had rewritten that instinct and reshaped their thoughts.
The beasts were no longer just mindless predators.
They were his obedient puppets.
Now, this kind of power wasn’t unheard of.
There were a few Awakened in the world capable of enthralling Spirit Beasts with their innate powers.
These people were known as Beast Tamers.
They weren’t very common. Only around ten of them were known in the entire world, and none of them exceeded [A-rank].
Yet even the weakest among them were highly sought after by clans and organizations.
Some of the most powerful factions in the world fought to recruit them.
Because Beast Tamers were valuable.
Why?
The answer was simple.
In higher ranks, Spirit Beasts naturally outclassed humans of the same level.
A Greater Spirit Beast, for example, was the equivalent of an [A-rank] Awakened in terms of raw Essence and power.
But even then, the beasts would almost always be stronger if we’re strictly talking about attack potency and overall strength.
The only reason humans could stand against those abominations was because of their high adaptability and versatility.
After all, even a low-ranked Awakened could use ten Cards that’d grant them different kinds of powers.
And while Spirit Beasts had monstrous strength and unnatural durability, their abilities were limited.
Most lower-ranked beasts didn’t possess any magical powers. They had supernatural physical traits, but that was it.
As they grew stronger, they developed more abilities.
But even Greater Spirits — though powerful — lacked the sheer versatility that an Awakened could gain by using different types of Cards.
That was the key advantage humans had.
Now, imagine an Awakened — someone who could use Cards to wield unique abilities — while also commanding a legion of Spirit Beasts in battle.
That was why Beast Tamers were so highly regarded.
But they weren’t invincible.
Since none of the living Beast Tamers were above [A-rank], the most powerful beast they could tame was a Greater Spirit.
So, even the strongest among them wouldn’t last much longer against a [S-rank] Hunter.
And that was precisely why the Overlord’s experiment was so terrifying.
Because unlike the natural-born Beast Tamers — whose powers had limits — he had created something without any.
Michael continued reading the journal.
“Entry 116. Subject-19 shows signs of aggression. The orb has fused too deeply with it. The Overlord insists we increase the dose of the stabilizing serum. The beast is adapting.”
“Entry 123. We’ve confirmed the orb’s secondary function. It can accelerate the Spirit Beasts’ natural evolution, causing them to grow and learn at an exceptional rate. This is no longer about controlling them. It’s about creating new kinds of monsters. Perfect weapons for the Overlord’s army.”
Michael felt a cold chill seep into his bones.
These weren’t just experiments.
They were revolutions.
The Overlord wasn’t simply taming Spirit Beasts — he was making something new.
Something far worse.
That was what made his experiments truly terrifying.
A normal Beast Tamer could only control creatures up to their own rank. The moment a Spirit Beast grew too powerful, it would break free and turn on its master.
But the Overlord had found a way around that.
By implanting the orb in an Infant Spirit Beast, he could bind its mind from the very start.
And as the creature grew, becoming a Greater or Ancient… maybe even an Unholy beast, it would never escape the Overlord’s control.
It didn’t matter how strong it became. The Overlord would always have his leash around the beast’s throat.
Not even natural Beast Tamers could do that.
Because their power had limits. The Overlord’s didn’t, since he wasn’t using any power at all. He was using technology.
Then there was also the matter of intelligence.
Spirit Beasts weren’t truly intelligent — not like humans. They were driven by instinct, by hunger, by an overwhelming desire to consume and destroy.
Only the strongest — Ancient or Elder Spirits — developed intelligence, and even then, it was limited.
Some Unholy Beasts could even speak, but they were still ruled by their bloodlust.
But the Overlord…
He had changed that.
His technology didn’t just bend their minds. It evolved them. It gave them intelligence and let them keep it.
And worse — it allowed him to control it.
He wasn’t just creating monsters.
He was breeding soldiers.
Creatures smart enough to understand his complex orders, but stripped of the will to resist him.
Beasts powerful enough to tear cities apart, yet bound to his command.
This…
This wasn’t just a war machine.
This was humanity’s first true weapon of mass destruction since the nuclear bomb.
Michael shuddered.
And judging by the heavy silence that followed, he wasn’t the only one who had that thought.
From behind, Lily finally spoke, her voice low, almost trembling.
“This isn’t just about control,” she whispered. “The Overlord wants to… breed an army. One that never stops growing. Never stops evolving. An army only under his control.”
A weight settled over them. The kind that made breathing feel difficult.
Michael exhaled, then clenched his fists.
“We need to inform the Academy about this as soon as possible. We need to stop him,” he said.
He tried to keep his voice firm despite the dread curling in his gut. “We can’t let the Overlord create more of these… things. This kind of power shouldn’t be in the hands of someone like him.”
Alexia let out an exasperated sigh. “Yeah, Mikey, that’s real heroic. Very brave. I’m so moved.”
Michael frowned. “Alexia. What–”
“No, seriously, bravo.” She gave a slow, sarcastic clap. “But I think we’re skipping over a pretty major issue here.”
Everyone turned to her, confused.
She rolled her sightless eyes like she was babysitting a bunch of dimwitted children.
“Guys!” She pointed at the empty tubes. The vacant cells. The shattered glass. “It’s clear that the big bad Overlord is making an army of super-monsters. Cool.”
Her expression darkened. “But where the fuck are they?”
Before anyone could answer, a low hum filled the room.
A projector flickered to life, and a bright blue hologram crackled into existence at the center of the lab.
It was the Overlord.
Or, well, his live holographic video projection.
Wearing a tailored black suit that matched the color of his hair, he was sitting in a throne-like chair, one leg crossed over the other, and an amused smile plastered on his face.
“Cadets,” his voice was smooth as it resonated from the speakers embedded in the facility. “I want to applaud your persistence, but really — I’d much rather see you die.”
Alexia scowled. “Come down here and say that, dumbface!”
The Overlord ignored her. “You haven’t seen my creations yet, have you? They’re crude for now, but I love them like my children.”
Michael calmly stepped forward. “Where are they?”
Lord Everan tilted his head slightly. “Oh, I’ve already unleashed them onto the city. Well, most of them.”
Michael’s blood ran cold.
“You sick bastard!” he roared. “Why?! Why are you slaughtering your own people?! You should be protecting your citizens, not be the reason they die!”
The Overlord didn’t respond immediately.
He just kept staring at Michael. His expression was unreadable as he let out a wistful sigh.
“I don’t expect you to understand, child,” he said. “After all, what do you even know about the world we live in? Nothing… you know nothing.”
Michael blinked, bewildered. “What the hell are you talking about?! I know killing innocent people is an unforgivable transgression!”
“Oh? And you think the man you’re working for is so pure?” The Overlord raised his voice. “You think he hasn’t killed anyone? I’ll have you know, he’s just as much of a criminal as me — if not more!”
Michael frowned. “Huh? What man? We’re not working for anyone!”
“Silence!” The Overlord’s tone sharpened. “You think I’m a fool, you peasant?! I know the High Priest put you up to this! He told you about my lab, didn’t he? He gave you the intel, didn’t he?!”
Alexia turned toward Lily, utterly baffled. “Is this guy insane?”
Michael was about to say something, but before he could, the Overlord started speaking again.
“It doesn’t matter,” Lord Everan said as he snapped his fingers. “The High Priest will die today. And so will you.”
As soon as that happened, Lily’s eyes widened. “Guys! It’s a trap—”
However, before anyone could register her warning, the lab rumbled violently.
Behind the hologram, a massive titanium door groaned open, revealing a dark, yawning tunnel.
At the same moment, heavy shutters slammed down over every exit, locking the group inside.
Kang snarled. “Of course, this place was a trap.”
The Overlord chuckled. “Be honored, peasants! You’re in the presence of my two most powerful children. I take pride in these two… Subject-Alpha and Omega.”
The tunnel began to echo.
There were a lot of different noises. Scraping. Clicking. And a wet, guttural growl that reverberated through their bones.
The Overload snapped his fingers one more time. “Oh, and don’t even think about escaping, Cadets. Even a Greater Spirit Beast couldn’t claw its way out of this fortified facility. Now — goodbye, and may the Mother of Death have mercy on your souls.”
His laughter rang through the speakers once again before his hologram fizzled out.
And then… something stepped out of the tunnel.
A hulking mass of grotesque flesh.
It was moving on all fours, and its elongated spine was arched unnaturally high.
Dark skin stretched taut over its rippling muscle, pulsating with unnatural veins that glowed faintly beneath the creature’s flesh.
Jagged bone jutted from its back like sharp spikes. Its fingers — if they could be called that — ended in elongated, hooked talons that scraped against the floor, carving deep gouges into the metallic ground.
Then it lifted its head.
Six milky eyes rolled in different directions before snapping forward, locking onto them with mindless hunger.
A thick, black tongue slithered between its jagged fangs, dripping acidic saliva that hissed and sizzled where it landed.
And then the beast growled again.
It was a deafening sound that clawed at their ears and rattled in their skulls, instilling a primal sense of terror.
The sound alone made Alexia stumble back as her face twisted in pain.
Michael gritted his teeth, fighting the nausea curling in his stomach.
And then the second beast emerged from the tunnel.
It was smaller, but sleeker. Built for speed.
These things didn’t move like animals.
They moved like executioners.
Kang activated his Origin Card, looking slightly panicked instead of condescending for the first time. “We need a plan. Now.”
Michael’s grip tightened around his longsword.
The shutters were sealed.
There was no escape.
They had no choice.
All they could do was… fight.
The first beast let out an ear-piercing screech, while the second one pounced forward, closing the distance in a blink.
And then—
All hell broke loose.