Darkness.
Complete.
Heavy.
The door closed behind Adam.
No light.
No sound.
Nothing.
He didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Only listened.
Then—
A sound.
A breath.
Not his.
Adam's body tensed instantly.
He wasn't alone.
"You entered willingly…"
A voice echoed in the dark.
Distorted.
Unnatural.
Adam's eyes narrowed.
"Show yourself."
Silence.
Then—
A movement.
Fast.
Too fast.
Something slammed into him.
Adam reacted instantly, blocking with his arm—but the impact sent him sliding backward across the floor.
Strong.
Very strong.
His vision adjusted slightly.
Just enough to see—
A shape.
Human.
But wrong.
The figure moved again.
Adam dodged this time.
Barely.
"What are you?" he demanded.
No answer.
Only another attack.
Faster.
More aggressive.
Adam countered.
This time—
He hit back.
Hard.
The figure staggered.
Then straightened.
And stepped into the faint light.
Adam froze.
It was a human.
Or what used to be one.
Eyes empty.
Body unstable.
Skin marked with veins… dark… spreading.
"…experiment," Adam whispered.
The creature tilted its head.
Then smiled.
Wrong.
"You…" it said slowly.
"…are like me."
Adam's expression hardened.
"No."
The creature laughed.
Broken.
Painful.
"You just don't know it yet."
It attacked again.
This time—
Faster.
Stronger.
Adam blocked.
But something changed.
His reaction.
His speed.
His strength.
Everything felt sharper.
Cleaner.
He moved—
And this time—
He was faster.
He struck.
Direct.
Precise.
The creature crashed into the wall.
Hard.
Didn't get up.
Silence.
Adam stood still.
Breathing heavily.
Then—
He felt it.
Not outside.
Inside.
His heart…
Beating differently.
His vision…
Sharper.
His body…
Adapting.
Again.
"…this isn't normal," he whispered.
A light turned on suddenly.
Adam looked up.
The man stood behind the glass.
Watching.
"Impressive," he said calmly.
Adam's eyes burned with anger.
"What did you do to me?"
The man smiled slightly.
"Nothing you weren't meant to become."
Silence.
Then he added:
"This was only the first test."
A pause.
Then—
"Now… you can see her."
Adam's body tensed instantly.
"Open the door."
The door unlocked.
Slowly.
Adam stepped forward.
Because now—
Nothing mattered more.
Not the truth.
Not the danger.
Only her.