Under the watchful eyes of the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars), the laboratory staff moved swiftly, diligently performing the initial preparations.
First, they extracted the bloated, unidentified Celestial Dragon from the nutrient solution, secured him to the experiment table, and cleaned off the mucus covering his body. Then, they drew a syringe filled with the Universal Gene Solution and conducted a final inspection.
Soon after:
"All preparations are complete, Dr. Vegapunk!"
A staff member in a lab coat approached, saluted, and reported.
"Understood," Vegapunk replied with a dismissive wave, signaling the person to wait. He turned to look up at the glass window above.
"Proceed," Said the long-mustached elder of the Gorōsei, gesturing with his hand.
"Understood!"
Nodding solemnly, Vegapunk donned a gas mask, concealing his face behind its dual lenses, and picked up the large syringe.
"Huh? Where am I?"
At that moment, the Celestial Dragon, no longer under the effects of anesthesia, stirred awake. Blinking at the silver-white mechanical surroundings, he looked disoriented.
His confusion quickly evaporated as he spotted Vegapunk standing before him, holding an enormous syringe.
"You... who are you? What are you doing?!"
Looking around in a panic, he suddenly screamed: "You! I know you! What's going on here? I am Saint Ulysses Priestley! I'm your master!"
Unlike most Celestial Dragons, who could hardly recall the faces of others, Priestley was among the "learned" few who recognized government scientists.
"Saint Priestley, please calm down," Vegapunk said, stepping forward. Watching the lab staff shiver under Priestley's angry shouts, he attempted to explain: "There's been an issue with your health, and we're treating you right now."
"Nonsense! Who gave you that right?!" Priestley roared, his body jiggling with rage.
"Call the Gorōsei at once! I am perfectly healthy! Get away from me!"
Faced with Priestley's obstinate refusal, Vegapunk sighed helplessly and turned back.
"Do it!"
The long-mustached elder's face darkened. These individuals had previously aligned themselves closely with Orrick. Now, despite efforts to save their lives, they dared to hurl insults. Did they think the Gorōsei were easily intimidated?
"Yes, sir!"
Priestley followed Vegapunk's gaze and froze in shock.
"You... you all?"
Before he could finish, a sharp "thud" was followed by an ear-splitting scream that seemed to shake the heavens.
"Aaaaahhhh!!!"
Rowen couldn't help but scratch his ear, his expression turning odd.
"He's in his forties or fifties, but he's crying like a child? If I didn't know better, I'd think they were slaughtering a pig!"
However, the others weren't as nonchalant. Vegapunk, with a serious expression, pushed the syringe's plunger and injected the Universal Gene Solution into the veins.
Withdrawing the syringe, he swiftly instructed: "Quick, bring the nutrient solution! Everyone else, monitor the devices closely and report any anomalies immediately!"
This was the first experiment, and its success or failure would have a significant impact on morale.
"It hurts! It hurts so much! You lowly scum! I'll have you all killed and fed to my Pocci!"
Pocci, a bull terrier-like sea beast known for its savage hunting instincts, was kept as a pet by Priestley.
Hearing this, the long-mustached elder sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration.
"How disgraceful."
Even though they were supposed to be allies, this behavior was truly appalling.
On the experimental platform below, the Celestial Dragon writhed incessantly. However, his movements were more akin to a child throwing a tantrum than someone in pain.
Tears and mucus dripped down his flabby body, creating a ghastly scene on the platform, made all the worse by his pale, unclothed skin.
Fortunately, the researchers remained unfazed. With the Gorōsei backing them, they buried their fears of Priestley's threats and focused entirely on monitoring the devices, waiting for the gene solution to take effect.
"Heartbeat normal, blood pressure normal!"
"The gene solution is being attacked by the parasitic virus— it's counterattacking!"
Suddenly, a shout drew everyone's attention.
Caesar's spirits lifted, and he hurried over. "Let me see!"
The Universal Gene Solution was his brainchild and the ultimate proof of his superiority over Vegapunk. Naturally, he was deeply invested in its results.
At this moment, on the tri-colored display screen, the blue zone symbolizing the gene solution showed no signs of aggressive action after entering the bloodstream.
This was another reason for using Rowen's cells.
As long as they weren't provoked and the energy supply was controlled, these cells remained highly inert.
This phase didn't last long. The parasitic entities within the Nether River Virus quickly detected the foreign liquid and pounced on it to feed. Acting instinctively, they secreted new organisms to replace what they consumed.
However, this act of aggression angered Rowen's cells. Instantly, they combined, pooling their energy to repair damaged cells. Upon detecting threats everywhere outside, their behavior shifted rapidly from "healing" to "devouring."
It was as if their status had been challenged; what started as defending their territory turned into a blazing conquest.
"The gene solution is devouring the parasitic virus! It's forming a microbial mat on the inner walls of the blood vessels and spreading!"
"What about blood pressure?!"
"It's up by 20 mmHg but still within normal limits!"
Hearing this, Caesar exhaled in relief.
So far, everything has been consistent with prior experiments. Rowen's cells were extremely dominant— any provocation would trigger a ferocious counterattack.
And they were invincible.
Even in the face of such life-threatening, unknown viruses, the cells remained unmatched, gradually consuming their adversaries bit by bit.
Scientists tend to have a detached attitude toward experimental materials.
But the fact that this subject was a Celestial Dragon, with the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) observing from above, added immense pressure.
Fortunately, no mishap occurred during the initial stage. Otherwise, Caesar might have had to reconsider how to ensure his survival.
"No matter how many times I see this, it's absolutely incredible!"
Vegapunk turned to look at Priestley, now lying miserably on the table after his futile outbursts. Despite the fierce cellular battle raging within his body, Priestley himself felt no pain.
If Rowen experienced worse pain from healing than from his injuries, Vegapunk mused, he might genuinely question his existence.
His admiration extended not only to Rowen's cells but also to the Nether River Virus.
Both entities shared the same ultimate goal— serving their host's survival. The key difference was that one aimed for "healing," while the other sought "domination."
As time ticked by, Priestley, realizing resistance was futile, fell asleep on the table.
Meanwhile, chaos reigned within his body. The Nether River Virus, having parasitized him for so long, had infiltrated every corner—even the cerebrospinal fluid teemed with its tiny entities.
The affronted Rowen cells, relentless in their aggression, spared no mercy.
After clearing the virus from the bloodstream, some remained to aid in repairing ruptured vessels. The majority, however, pressed their advantage, invading muscles and organs through capillaries, continuing their assault.
Wherever they went, nothing was left alive.
Seeing this, Vegapunk wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
"It worked… more or less."
While Rowen's cells lacked the replication capability of the Nether River Virus to replace bodily fluids, they compensated with sheer energy reserves. By stimulating the host's body to secrete what was needed, they could compress processes that would ordinarily take months or years into mere minutes.
Combined with the steady supply of external nutrients and water, the red zones in Priestley's body—representing the virus—were gradually consumed, soon disappearing entirely.
"Did it work?!"
The Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) crowded around the observation window, their curiosity and tension evident.
Sensing their gazes, Vegapunk turned, ready to speak.
But the next moment…
"Wū wa!!!"
Priestley, who had been peacefully asleep, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of clotted blood. The viscous, dark-red fluid stretched into thin threads in midair. Among the expelled matter were not just clots but also pulsating strands of blood and flesh.
"What?!"
Everyone was stunned by the sudden turn of events, frozen in shock.
But Priestley gave them no time to react. After coughing up the blood, his eyes bulged with terror.
His bloated body began to shrink at a speed visible to the naked eye. His taut skin turned wrinkled, and age spots typically seen on the elderly began to appear.
---
Seeing this, Vegapunk immediately understood what was happening.
He roared: "Stop the nutrient supply! The self-healing cells are raging out of control!"
(End of Chapter)
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