Experiment Log: Test One
Subjects: One and Two
Status: Both have been administered the Blood of Ace. Currently restrained and unconscious.
Subject One: Male, 5'11", black hair, gray class uniform.
Subject Two: Male, 6'2", dark blue hair, gray class uniform.
[00:04:13] – Observation Start
Subject One's eyes snapped open. His irises flickered faintly with residual silver as he inhaled sharply, coughing once. Disorientation set in almost instantly. His gaze darted around the dim containment room before locking onto the restrained form across from him—Subject Two.
A faint blue aura shimmered around Subject Two's body, subtle but steady, like steam off cold metal in sunlight. Subject One's gray eyes narrowed. Instinct flared before thought.
"Where… am I?" he muttered, voice dry, strained.
Subject Two stirred. His eyelids twitched before pulling back to reveal pale, luminescent eyes. His breathing quickened, a low hum resonating in the air around him—possibly due to the aura.
"Who are you?! Where are we?" he demanded, voice cracking with confusion and latent aggression.
Subjects are exhibiting immediate cognitive recovery post-injection. Elevated Essence readings detected in Subject Two. Subject One appears more grounded, less affected externally, but remains alert and reactive.
Further observation required. Sedation protocol on standby.
[00:04:37] – Containment Shift
Without warning, a hydraulic hiss echoed from the walls. The restraints snapped open with a metallic clang. Both Subjects collapsed to the floor like puppets cut from strings.
"What the fuck?" Subject Two grunted, catching himself on his forearms as the blue aura briefly flared.
Subject One rose calmly, brushing dust from his sleeves. His gaze never left Subject Two. Silent. Calculating.
Then a voice—calm, almost polite—spoke through a speaker embedded in the west corner of the room. It echoed with synthetic sharpness, reverberating off sterile metal walls.
"Hello. I'm sure you have many questions. Like, Where are you? What happened to you? Why were you chosen? Don't worry—everything will be answered… in due time."
Subject Two scrambled to his feet, fists clenched, eyes darting.
"What the hell do you want from us?!" he barked at the ceiling.
"Your task," the voice continued, unfazed, "in order to gain more information, is simple: Be the last one standing. You have thirty minutes. If neither of you succeeds… both will be terminated."
A red light flickered on above the exit. The clock began counting down:
29:59
The room fell silent.
Subject One's fists slowly clenched. Subject Two took a cautious step back.
Test One has officially begun.
[00:05:21] – Combat Initiated
Countdown: 28:39
Subject One stood completely still. The countdown ticked on. He exhaled through his nose, and a faint crack-crack sound followed—subtle at first, then sickening. His right arm twitched violently before his skin split open near the elbow.
From the tear, jagged white bone erupted outward, coiling around his arm like a gauntlet. His fingers warped—phalanges stretching, hardening into claws.
"He's mutating," Subject Two whispered. "No—he's doing that on purpose…"
Subject One's chest expanded unnaturally as ribs twisted under his skin and pushed outward, forming a bony mantle over his collarbones and shoulders—like armor. His eyes remained locked on Subject Two, unblinking.
Subject One Ability Detected: "Bonecall"
— Status: Initial Manifestation
— Pain response: Controlled
— Structural shift: 23% skeletal surface exposed
"You expect me to fight you like a dog?" Subject Two growled, aura flaring blue again. "What the hell did they inject into us?!"
Subject One finally spoke—voice gravelly, detached.
"Only one of us leaves. So move… or be broken."
Without waiting for a reply, he charged.
Subject Two barely reacted in time—his aura sparked like static as he dodged sideways, sliding across the smooth metal floor. Subject One's bone blade arm slammed into the wall behind him, embedding deep into steel plating. Sparks burst. The entire chamber shuddered.
"You're insane!" Subject Two shouted.
"No," Subject One hissed, yanking his bone weapon free. "I'm awake."
[00:06:04] – Combat Escalation Detected
Subject Two's Essence reading is spiking. Full awakening likely imminent.
Subject One: 41% skeletal adaptation. Subject shows no signs of slowing, despite visible bleeding from several rupture points.
Continue observation.
[00:06:12] – Subject Two Awakening Confirmed
Essence Resonance: Stabilizing
Pulse Step – Momentum Manipulation via Footfalls
— Tier: Mobility, Precision, Kinetic Redirection
Subject Two's stance shifted—heels lowered, knees bent, and then—CRACK. A shockwave burst from beneath him as he vanished, slamming against the far wall and rebounding mid-air with a single sharp kick off the surface.
He struck the ground and rebounded again—zigzagging across the chamber in a blur of controlled momentum. Light-blue trails of residual force burned into the air for a heartbeat.
Subject One twisted his body mid-swing, his spine cracking audibly as his ribs flared open into a defensive bone cage—just in time to intercept a flying knee from Subject Two.
BOOM.
The impact launched Subject One backward, slamming him against the far wall. Fragments of bone cracked and splintered, but reknit almost instantly. Blood trailed from his arms and shoulders, but he stood—snarling.
"You're fast…" he muttered. "Let's see how long that matters."
His legs shifted—shin bones protruding into forward spikes like claws from a beast's leg. He launched forward, body low like a predator, arm-armor forming into jagged bladed edges.
Subject Two gritted his teeth and stomped—once, twice—gaining traction.
"Don't blink," he whispered to himself.
Then—Pulse.
Subject Two disappeared again, this time appearing behind Subject One mid-strike, redirecting the stored momentum to deliver a high-velocity roundhouse kick to his ribs. But—
CLANG!
Subject One's ribs had shifted mid-strike into a defensive inward spiral, absorbing the impact. Subject Two stumbled slightly from the ricochet.
Subject One pivoted instantly—using the moment of recoil to swing his bone-arm into Subject Two's flank. The blade grazed him, carving through his uniform, drawing blood.
"You're not untouchable," Subject One growled.
"Neither are you," Subject Two snapped, panting. "You're slower than your armor thinks."
[00:07:03] – Combat Proficiency Increasing
Subject One: 56% skeletal adaptation. Left femur showing signs of calcium stress. Bleeding increasing.
Subject Two: Step chaining improved. Minor laceration left flank. Momentum efficiency ~72%. Adrenal response surging.
Analysis: Lethal potential confirmed for both subjects. Observation continues.
Countdown: 22:57
[00:08:22] – Combat Escalation Detected
Countdown: 21:38
Subject One exhaled slowly, blood dripping from a gash across his cheek. Bone protrusions cracked and retracted into his arms with a sickening snap-pop, replaced by more streamlined, blade-thin growths along his knuckles. He crouched low—legs thickening, reinforced—and launched himself forward.
Subject Two anticipated the charge. He struck the ground with a three-step pattern:
Left—Stabilize. Right—Load. Heel—Redirect.
He vanished in a flash of kinetic recoil, reappearing above Subject One in midair—his heel glowing with spiraling blue energy.
"Fall—"
Subject One grinned, and his spine bent backward unnaturally, arching him like a scorpion. Four rib-bones shot outward like spears just as Subject Two descended.
The impact was chaos.
Subject Two kicked downward into the spiked defense—BOOM—and redirected mid-strike, pushing off one of the rib-spears and flipping backwards. The spear pierced his leg just shallow enough to avoid crippling him, but deep enough to sting.
Subject One rolled, kicking off the ground—his arms flexed, and a second set of bone limbs erupted from his back, jagged and curved like mantis claws. They swiped, carving gouges into the floor.
Subject Two didn't hesitate. He began chaining Pulse Steps in a spiral—moving so fast his afterimages flickered in a circle. Each stomp built kinetic charge, and suddenly—he stopped.
"Redirect."
He clapped both feet together and blasted forward like a railgun, condensed force tearing through the air toward Subject One.
Subject One dug in—his arms crossed, bone layering over bone until they formed a near-seamless shield dome over his torso. The moment Subject Two struck—
CRACK—CRUNCH—
The dome shattered outward, exploding bone in all directions, but it absorbed the momentum. Subject One staggered, coughing up blood, but he was still standing.
"Better..." Subject One muttered, flexing his arm. "Still hurts like hell."
Subject Two panted, clutching his bleeding leg.
"You're learning fast," he said. "Too fast."
Subject One smirked. "You sound worried."
Suddenly, Subject One inhaled sharply. His chest expanded and then—
BOOM.
A wave of razor-sharp bone splinters exploded from his back, spiraling outward like a living shrapnel bomb. Subject Two kicked off the wall just in time, but a shard grazed his cheek.
Subject One Adaptation Achieved: Splinter Surge
Subject Two Skill Update: Pulse Brake – Mid-air Redirection with 3-Step Cancel
Subject Two rebounded and landed clean, crouched low, now surrounded by scattered bone debris. His eyes narrowed.
He began to stomp—a different rhythm this time.
Step. Slide. Grind.
He wasn't charging now—he was drawing kinetic lines across the floor.
Subject One paused—realizing he was standing in a field of leftover bones and blue chalk-like trails from Subject Two's movement.
"Not fast enough to escape?" Subject One taunted.
"Didn't plan to," Subject Two replied.
He stomped one more time—and all the trails ignited at once.
Kinetic Field Triggered.
The scattered bones exploded upward, caught in redirected shockwaves. Shrapnel spun like a cyclone—his own weapon, crafted from Subject One's body.
Subject One crossed his arms and grew a bone shell in a blink, crouching low. Still, a few shards tore across his back and leg—blood spilled.
"This pain... it's making me faster," Subject One said, standing. "You'll run out of breath before I run out of bones."
Subject Two spat blood, grinning through it. "Then come take me, monster."
[00:10:36] – Combat Efficiency at 79%
Calcium Reserves: 61%
Momentum Capacity: 73%
Psychological Threshold: Rising
Recommendation: Extend test. Subject evolution in real-time exceeding projections.
[00:12:48] – Combat Peak Reached
Countdown: 17:12
Psychological Restraints: Cracking
The chamber was now a blood-slicked arena. Bone fragments littered the floor like caltrops. Blue shock-scars webbed the walls, and the scent of iron and marrow clung to the recycled air.
Subject One knelt, panting. His left arm was mangled—bone overused, fractured from both reinforcement and shattering defense. One of the secondary limbs had snapped at the joint, dangling like a broken branch.
He stared across the field at Subject Two, who was leaning against the far wall, chest heaving, eyes unfocused. His right leg trembled—still bleeding from the earlier impalement. One foot tapped weakly against the ground, trying to gather energy. It sparked, but didn't launch.
"Slower," Subject One muttered. "Losing steam."
Subject Two spat blood. "Still fast enough to bury you."
Suddenly, Subject One lurched forward—not running, crawling at first, then stumbling into a sprint, dragging bone across the floor as his ribcage reformed into a pointed battering ram.
Subject Two inhaled sharply—then pulsed. His body twisted and spun sideways as he redirected himself midair, grazing past the charge. But he wasn't fast enough.
Subject One pivoted, slamming a bone-covered shoulder into his side, cracking ribs.
"Gah—!"
Subject Two crashed into the wall, slumping down, eyes wide, gasping.
[Subject Two – Critical Vital Signs Detected]
Rib fractures: 4 confirmed
Internal bleeding: moderate
Pulse momentum: unstable
Subject One stood over him, swaying—half his face now unrecognizable, a bone mask having fused to his skull in a desperate armor adaptation.
"This isn't personal," Subject One rasped. "I want answers too."
He raised his arm—what remained of it—a jagged, bone-forged blade forming from his elbow to fingertips.
Subject Two blinked. His vision blurred. His limbs were numb. One foot tapped weakly.
Step.
Step.
Redirect.
His eyes snapped open.
Suddenly—BOOM.
One last desperate Pulse Step. He launched himself directly upward, slamming into Subject One's arm and pushing it aside at the last second. The bone-blade scraped across his shoulder, opening flesh to the bone, but missing his heart.
Subject Two landed behind him, but collapsed to one knee, coughing violently. Blood splattered the floor.
Subject One turned slowly, arm trembling, and raised it again—until his legs gave out. His bones retracted suddenly, failing to maintain shape. He collapsed beside Subject Two.
Both were still. Broken. Bleeding.
"I'm… not done," Subject One muttered, crawling forward.
"Neither… am I," Subject Two replied, tapping his heel against the floor in ragged, dying rhythm.
[00:13:57] – Emergency Override Pending
Subject One: Critical Calcium Levels – Heart stress increasing
Subject Two: Internal Bleeding Spreading – 40% lung capacity
Survival Odds (if fight continues): 11%
Admin Override Suggested.
— Terminate one.
— Save both.
— Let them finish.
Awaiting decision…
[00:14:03] – External Override Engaged
Command Input: E.X.T. Termination – Mode: Contain & Preserve
"End it."
The voice cut through the low hum of monitors and biotrackers—sharp, feminine, and cold as a scalpel. I didn't look away from the screen. My fingers hovered over the [EXECUTE] key, trembling slightly. Blood data flashed across the screen in red: bone stress fractures, hemorrhaging lungs, Essence instability spiking.
They were minutes away from killing each other.
"End it, Nurtrilthe."
Sharper now. Less suggestion, more order.
I exhaled. My hand fell. Click.
A low hiss sounded in the testing room as thick purple gas vented through the ceiling and floor. The room was immediately bathed in violet fog, obscuring the bodies of Subject One and Two. Their movements slowed. Muscles relaxed. Eyes fluttered shut.
A few seconds later, their vitals began to stabilize.
Sedation confirmed. Life signs preserved. Containment successful.
I turned slowly, eyes lingering on the now-blacked-out observation screen, and faced my supervisor. She stood with her arms crossed—dark uniform, badge pinned over her chest, hair swept into a tight braid like a noose.
"We could've learned more," I said quietly, almost to myself.
The room was silent for a beat.
Then she scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. But they exceeded expectations." She waved a hand lazily, like it was all beneath her now. "They both belong among the others, don't you think?"
I didn't answer. Not right away.
Through the wall, I could almost still feel the pressure of the fight. The rage, the desperation. Something primal in both of them. Something that didn't want to be contained.
They'd been chosen. Not just to survive—but to become something else.
"Yeah," I said at last. "They do."
The doors to the testing chamber slid open with a pneumatic hiss. Two guards in black stepped inside, boots echoing faintly against the scorched floor. Without a word, they dragged One and Two out—bloody, unconscious, breathing.
I watched them go, my eyes lingering on the blood-slick floor, the flickering remains of the arena's energy fields.
"Will they be assigned to the same class?" I asked, voice low.
"Most likely," my supervisor said with a shrug, already turning away. "Though I doubt they'll stay together. Too much overlap. Should be interesting."
She paused at the threshold.
"Oh—and Nurtrilthe," she added, almost as an afterthought. "Word from the top. You're leading a class soon."
I turned to look at her fully. "When?"
She just smirked. "Soon enough. Good luck."
With that, she walked off, her footsteps fading down the corridor.
I stared at the wreckage a moment longer. The scent of blood dancing in the air. "Lucky me," I muttered, and walked out.