Chapter 63: The Kera Protocol
Deep beneath the surface of Sector 1, far away from the prying eyes of the Academy, lay a cold, sterile underground laboratory. The air was thick with the smell of ozone and chemicals.
In the center of the room stood three massive glass capsules, filled with a bubbling, translucent liquid. Inside each capsule was a human—two males and one female—floating in a state of suspended unconsciousness. Their upper bodies were bare, covered in a web of glowing wires that pulsed like veins. Metallic interfaces were bolted directly into their skulls, feeding data into a flickering monitor nearby.
On the back wall, a jagged, dark logo was etched into the steel: KERA GROUP 6.
Six figures stood in the shadows, their eyes fixed on the test subjects. In front of them stood their leader, Spero. He was a striking figure with light, shiny purple hair and eyes that shifted between dark and light purple like swirling galaxies. He wore a sharp white shirt, black tactical pants, and a heavy dark leather coat that seemed to absorb the dim light of the lab.
"So... they are dead," Spero said, his voice smooth but cold.
His right-hand man and top student, Vero, stepped forward. "Yes, Mr. Spero. We sent them to gather intel, but they failed their mission. Hima intercepted them and... eliminated them personally."
Spero let out a low, dark chuckle. "Actually, that is good news. It's better that she killed them. If they had lived, they might have leaked our identity or this location under interrogation. Their deaths have secured our silence."
Spero turned his gaze back to the three humans in the capsules. "And what is the status of these projects?"
"The brainwashing is 100% complete, sir," Vero replied, checking a tablet. "We have successfully injected the Artificial Vane into their systems. Their bodies are adapting. All that's left is the final blood infusion to stabilize the core."
"Then move faster," Spero commanded, his purple eyes glowing with a sudden intensity. "The King could move against us at any moment. I've heard rumors that the Academy is spiking their Vane Potions with experimental drugs. It makes their Vaners powerful and fresh in the short term, but it's a ticking time bomb for their bodies."
Spero paced in front of the glass tanks. "We need our own superhumans, and we need them now. We've faced nothing but failure for the last two years, but not this time. Our target is the King. If the reports are true and he has reached Level 2 or 3, he is a threat to everything we've built. We must end him before he ends us."