This experiment only happened a few months ago. The victims were almost all children, mostly female, usually under 10 years old. Their identities were random—some were slaves, but some were nobles.
Yes, all of them were kidnapped.
The experiment focused on creating a creature capable of reproducing a specific being en masse and uniting them—and that was a highly adaptable monster species.
So to create a being with such reproductive power, what did they do?
"…They mated her with every kind of creature to make her accustomed to it, injected drugs, performed surgeries, modified her body, and most especially… they stripped away her humanity."
All four of them fell silent, then looked at the creature—no, at the girl.
She was still breathing, a liquid dripping from her mouth.
"…you poor thing."
"I can't believe someone would use a dungeon as a hideout for experiments," Aura said.
Then the other three all turned to look at Aura.
"What?"
"Aura, they always choose places like this to hide… No one's crazy enough to pick a place everyone considers 'safe' to conduct experiments," Lily said.
"Actually, there are people like that. You have no idea how differently those mad scientists think," Kai countered.
"But that's the majority."
While the two were talking, Kanna was suspiciously staring at the other creatures in the surrounding experiment tanks.
Then she noticed something inserted into the genitals of those creatures—an tube that ran from the experiment tank and connected straight to the girl.
'No way… Is this how it reproduces?'
Kanna felt deep pity for the girl. Living as nothing more than a birthing machine was horrifying.
"…" All four looked at the girl, then at each other.
"We have to free her. Anyone object?"
"Nope."
"No objections."
"Me too."
So Aura stepped forward, took a deep breath—
—and delivered a devastating punch.
Instantly, the girl's body exploded. Blood sprayed everywhere.
"…" Aura stared at her own fist, then at the other three.
"When we get back, I'm definitely having my family investigate whoever did this," Aura said, making a silent vow to herself.
Kai stared at the pool of blood for a long time, then looked at the creatures in the experiment tanks.
Then at his sword.
It had fully charged—even though there were no hostile enemies around.
…Could it have come from the girl? If so, then he had no other choice.
"I swear I will kill whoever did this. So don't rest in peace just yet—watch."
"Let's go, Kai!"
"Yeah."
…
The four of them ventured deeper into the laboratory until they reached a door.
It led to a very narrow passage—just wide enough for Kai to squeeze through.
"Why do I get the feeling this path is a dead end? Like when people crawl into tiny holes in caves?"
"But there's no other way," Lily said.
"Girl, we've got Gori—I mean Aura here! One punch from her could probably smash the whole dungeon!"
"Kai, I don't like that," Aura bluntly refused.
"Why the hell not?!"
"I just don't like it."
"You— what kind of illogical nonsense is that??"
"Um… Kai… I think she's mad because you called her a gorilla," Kanna whispered as she approached.
"…Oh. My bad."
Sighing, Kai reached into his pocket and pulled out an eye.
"Wait, when did you pick up that gear?" Lily stared at the eye—it belonged to the monster that had been struck dead by the thunderbird earlier.
"Offscreen."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Kai walked forward and channeled a bit of mana into the eye.
Immediately, it shot out a beam of light, illuminating the narrow path ahead.
However… it didn't seem very effective.
The path ahead still looked endless.
"…I think we took the wrong path. Lily, check the map again."
"Kai, it's exactly what the map shows. Just accept it."
"…Ughhhhh fine. Who's going first?"
Lily raised her hand.
"Anyone but you."
"Why?"
"You're weak. Aura should go first."
"You asked who wants to go first, and now you're calling Aura? That's straight-up discrimination."
"Alright look—I was just saying it for the sake of saying it. Everyone knows Aura should go first. No one's crazy enough to let the HEALER walk in front."
Then Aura raised her hand.
"…What?"
"I want to go last."
"Why?"
"I'm a girl. I'm scared of ghosts."
GHOSTS ARE MORE AFRAID OF YOU THAN YOU ARE OF THEM!
"…Give me a clearer reason."
"I don't like going first. If you guys abandon me and leave me alone, I'll be sad."
"And what makes you think we'd do that?"
"Experience."
"…AGHHH, FINE! I'll go first! Happy now??"
Lily and Aura both gave thumbs-up and smiled at him.
He was absolutely sure these two were messing with him on purpose. Earlier Lily wanted to go first, but now she's smiling like she just won. That doctor really played him good.
"Um…"
"What is it, Kanna? Don't tell me you want to fight me so you can go first?"
"No… I just… I want to be the one right behind you."
"…Sure? No big deal."
So Kai went first, Kanna and Lily in the middle, Aura at the rear.
And as expected, the farther they went, the narrower the path became. Eventually everyone had to crouch, then crawl.
"Motherf—! I hate this!"
Kanna stayed quiet, just staring intently at something.
…Why do I feel like Kanna is plotting something?
"Hey, is it just me or does the path feel… slipperier than normal?" Lily asked.
"I feel like I'll slide if I don't hold on carefully," Aura said.
"Really? I don't feel—"
Chuu (hell nah)
"…?" Kai blinked twice, touched his cheek, and looked ahead.
Something pitch-black and humanoid was right in front of him.
"…Do I know you?"
Even though it had no face, he could feel it smiling.
Worse—he felt something wet slithering over his arms and legs.
Like tentacles.
"Nononononononono"
"What's wrong, Kai?"
"GOING FIRST WAS THE WORST DECISION EVER!! THERE'S A PERVERT WHO WANTS TO TENTACLE-PLAY WITH ME HOLY SHIT?!?!"
Instantly, all three girls felt themselves falling freely—leaving Kai behind.
"Ah."
Kai watched the three disappear, then looked back at the thing that was continuously groping him.
"…Hola Amigos, Kimi no dare? Do I say it right?"
Then the mass of tentacles tightened around him, forcing him into a BDSM pose.
"THIS IS THE WRONG FUCKING STORY!! TENTACLES ARE SUPPOSED TO GO AFTER GIRLS, WHO THE HELL USES THEM ON A GUY?!? UWAAAAHHHH!!"
Kai was dragged away by the thing and vanished into nothingness.
***
"I hate you," Reito said straight to Violet's face.
"Why are you suddenly cursing me??"
"You talk too much and you love badmouthing people. Do you think I have the patience to listen to you ramble about your friend Irelia?"
"Now it's just the two of us—what else are we supposed to do but talk?"
"I don't care. You're incredibly annoying. You're wasting my time when I should be looking for Kai."
"Why does everyone seem so obsessed with him? Especially guys like Teacher Tyler, that lightning guy from earlier, and now you," Violet scratched her head.
"Don't insult him. I'll throw you into a black hole right now."
The two kept quite a distance from each other—mostly Violet trying to stay away.
Suddenly, a loud noise came from above.
"?" Both looked up—only to see rock.
Then the rock shattered, and Aura's butt appeared—crashing straight down onto the stone floor.
Instantly, the floor they were standing on cracked and shattered violently.
"What kind of monster is that?!" Reito panicked, preparing to summon a black hole toward her.
Then Lily and Kanna also fell through—and by some strange logic, both landed right on top of Violet.
"Uwah!"
Both girls rubbed their butts in pain, while Violet was flattened into the stone.
"Kanna?!" Reito looked surprised when he saw her.
The group stared at each other, then looked around.
"Oh… Kai got kidnapped."
"…What?" Reito raised an eyebrow at Lily.
"…Uh, it's complicated. Should we go save him?"