Chapter 64Yoren looked at the data on the bracelet.

  "This is..."

  "Yes, it's a real-time monitoring device customized specifically for you," Hemer expined. "Even if you leave here, you’ll be able to track the progression of your oripathy and the timing of your critical cycle."

  Yoren’s face lit up with excitement.

  This thing was incredible.

  Individual Strength: 81. That was the real-time reading. Since he hadn't drawn out the bck power, his strength was at the level of an ordinary person. With this device, he could monitor his current state, track his daily progress, and observe any changes over time.

  At the same time, the bracelet also tracked the fusion of Originium in his blood. If his condition deteriorated rapidly, he could take immediate action instead of being caught off guard by a sudden attack.

  Yoren gave Hemer a thumbs up. "This is great. Hemer, you're really thoughtful."

  While admiring the device, another thought crossed his mind. He asked, "How durable is this thing? What if it breaks? Maybe you should make me a backup."

  Hemer frowned slightly. "Backup? Do you think this is easy to make? Once you wear it, it connects to your nervous system through your skin, and every piece of data has to be calibrated. Do you have any idea how much effort my team put into making just this one?"

  "Uh, okay."

  "Besides, it's not that easy to break. The material is highly durable—waterproof, heat-resistant, and capable of withstanding strong impacts. In a regur battle, it won’t break, even if you try."

  Yoren smirked. "Tough as a turtle, huh?"

  And so, he obtained a device that would allow him to monitor the changes in his body. Even without Hemer by his side, he could now keep track of his condition.

  With this, the original purpose of coming to Rhine Life was fulfilled.

  His oripathy had been stabilized, and he now fully understood the abnormalities in his body. More importantly, he had grasped the nature of the Bck and White Twins and their cyclical rules.

  Hemer sipped her coffee, then gave Yoren a rare smile.

  "Although it’s a little te to say this, I still want to thank you properly, Yoren. Thank you for saving Ifrit in Mandel City. And thank you for cooperating with our research—it’s been invaluable to the progress of the Fme Demon Project."

  Yoren exhaled, feeling a weight lift off his chest. Just like Lin had said, maybe this was fate.

  He smiled at Hemer. "You're welcome."

  Hemer stretched zily, as if finally relieved of a burden.

  "Alright, you’re free now. If you want to take Snowsant with you, I can arrange transport to a nearby city. I can even request funding from the higher-ups. Just let me know what you need, and I’ll do my best to help."

  "Thanks, but I’m not in a hurry."

  "Good. Not everyone knows where they’re headed next. Take your time. Let me know when you’ve decided."

  "Got it."

  Hemer was a good person—sharp, reliable, and far tougher than she looked. At the same time, she was fiercely loyal.

  As Yoren turned to leave the boratory, something came to mind. He stopped and looked back at Hemer.

  "By the way, how's the experiment on Ifrit going?"

  "We've made huge progress."

  A confident smile appeared on Hemer’s face.

  "The changes in your body have given us a new approach to fusing the Fire Demon Stone. So far, our success rate is looking very high."

  "And if it fails..."

  "It won't fail."

  Hemer's gaze was unwavering. "The Fme Demon Project will succeed. I'll be overseeing the entire process. The fusion method is already stable—we just need to refine a few calcutions before we begin."

  Yoren wasn’t an expert in experiments, nor did he fully understand the differences between the Fme Demon and the Bck and White Twins. He had survived his own ordeal, but he couldn’t offer any useful advice.

  Still, judging by Hemer’s confidence, she wasn’t taking any unnecessary risks.

  This was Ifrit’s life at stake. If there was even a shred of uncertainty, Hemer wouldn’t move forward.

  "Alright, Hemer. I wish you success—and I hope Ifrit will be safe."

  "Thanks."

  Some things couldn’t be changed by force.

  Even without his direct interference, the future that had already pyed out in another reality might shift due to the butterfly effect.

  So, Yoren chose to believe in Hemer. He believed she would make it work.

  As he stepped into the corridor, he ran into someone.

  It was Ifrit.

  The fiery little girl had her arms crossed and was scowling, clearly irritated by something.

  When their eyes met, she widened hers.

  "What are you looking at, baldy?"

  "Huh?"

  Anything else, fine—but bald? That was crossing the line.

  Yoren grabbed her shoulders and pointed at his glossy bck hair. "Look closely. My hair’s grown back."

  To emphasize his point, he shook his head dramatically.

  Ifrit gave him a deadpan stare, then muttered, "Tsk, still ugly."

  "What did you just say?!"

  Before Yoren could react, a small piece of candy was shoved into his hand.

  Ifrit looked away, her voice quieter than usual. "Uh… this is for you. Thanks... for saving me back then."

  Yoren and Ifrit crouched in the empty corridor, chewing bubble gum like a pair of street thugs.

  Staff passing by only dared to steal quick gnces before scurrying off.

  Pop!

  Yoren’s bubble burst first.

  Putting the gum back into his mouth, he asked, "Ifrit, do you like it here?"

  She mumbled through her chewing. "It's okay. I've been here ever since I got my memories back."

  Yoren tilted his head back, gazing at the ceiling. "Don't you hate the people in white coats?"

  "They're annoying when they stick me on a b table."

  "Then why stay? Haven’t you thought about leaving?"

  "Never really thought about it."

  Yoren turned to look at her. "Why?"

  "Because Hemer is here. If I left, she’d be sad."

  Yoren wasn’t surprised by that answer. He continued. "What about Saria? You don’t seem to like her much."

  "No."

  "No?"

  "Actually, I like Saria a lot. But I always see her and Hemer fighting, and... it kinda scares me."

  Yoren chuckled.

  He reached out and patted her head, only for her to swat his hand away.

  "Don't touch me, you baldy!"

  June 5th, Rhine Life Science Experimental Base No. 4.

  Everything was as peaceful as usual.

  Until—

  Boom!

  A thunderous explosion shattered the tranquility.

  A hundred-meter-wide pilr of fire erupted from underground, tearing through the sky.

  Deep crimson fmes swallowed Experimental Base No. 4 like the maw of an abyss.

  What happened that day would be forever sealed within Rhine Life’s cssified archives—a secret no future generation would ever be allowed to know.

  June 5th, Rhine Life Science Experimental Base No. 4.

  Late at night.

  "Bang!"

  A thunderous explosion shook the underground facility, sending violent tremors rippling through the entire base.

  "Ouch!"

  Yoren was jolted awake, thrown from his bed onto the cold metal floor.

  “Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!”

  The deafening arm bred through the corridors, red emergency lights fshing in chaotic rhythm. The ground beneath him quivered with a relentless force.

  Something had gone terribly wrong.

  Scrambling to his feet, Yoren didn’t waste a second. He didn’t bother with slippers, only grabbing the scarf from his bed before bolting out of his room.

  The hallway was bathed in crimson light, the sirens screaming danger into his ears.

  "Bang!"

  Another violent tremor rocked the structure, sending Yoren stumbling onto his knees.

  A door creaked open nearby. Snowsant, wide-eyed and trembling, peeked out of her room. The shaking had knocked her to all fours, her expression filled with raw fear and confusion.

  “Snowsant!” Yoren called, gripping the wall for support. “Come here! Now!”

  "Big windmill!"

  Snowsant instinctively crawled toward him, clutching his waist tightly.

  "What's happening? This is terrifying!"

  "I don't know either!" Yoren gritted his teeth, scanning the corridor.

  The fourth floor of the base was usually deserted, yet now, arms bred, lights fshed, and not a single person was in sight. Something felt deeply, disturbingly wrong. Was it an earthquake? An attack?

  He couldn't afford to hesitate. They had to get out.

  Yoren pulled Snowsant up.

  "Hold my hand—we’re leaving."

  She nodded, her grip tightening around his fingers.

  They sprinted toward the stairs, the tremors making every step unstable. But as they ran, Yoren felt something unnatural. The base, constructed almost entirely of reinforced metal, was heating up—fast.

  His fingers brushed against the wall.

  A sharp burn.

  The air thickened, rippling like a mirage. The temperature climbed with arming speed.

  “Squeak, squeak, squeak!”

  From the ceiling, nozzles extended and released a translucent green gel. Not water—something denser. A fire suppressant, most likely.

  There was no time to dwell on it.

  Reaching the stairwell, Yoren spotted Aina rushing up, a canister in hand.

  She skidded to a stop, eyes locking onto him and Snowsant. Without hesitation, she raised the device and sprayed them with a cool, misty vapor.

  Yoren coughed. "What the hell—"

  "Fireproof and heat-resistant coating. No time to expin! Get downstairs! The first-floor exit is open!" Aina’s voice was sharp with urgency.

  Nodding, Yoren grabbed Snowsant’s hand and charged down the stairs, Aina close behind.

  The heat intensified, faint tongues of fme licking at the walls.

  "Where is everyone?!" Yoren shouted over his shoulder.

  "The staff evacuated! White Owl was the st to leave, taking critical data with him."

  "What about Homer?"

  "Dr. Homer’s in the underground b. Saria went to get her. She should be out by now."

  The moment Yoren heard 'underground b,' a shiver ran through him.

  The violent tremors. The sudden heat. The fmes appearing out of nowhere.

  No.

  A terrible realization dawned on him.

  They reached the first floor, where the scorching air was unbearable. Waves of heat blurred his vision.

  Yoren acted on instinct, wrapping Snowsant’s face with his scarf to protect her lungs from the searing air. He hoisted her up, shielding her as they raced toward the exit.

  Breaking through the final passage, the night air hit him like ice water. The cool breeze of the desote Buda region cshed sharply against the inferno behind them.

  His eyes, stung by heat and smoke, cleared in the open air.

  They ran.

  Hundreds of meters ter, Yoren colpsed to his knees, setting Snowsant down.

  He turned back.

  Base No. 4 loomed in the distance, steam billowing like a monstrous machine about to rupture. Its metallic structure glowed under the moonlight, pulsing with heat, an enormous pressure cooker on the verge of explosion.

  Yoren gasped for breath, staring in disbelief.

  "What the hell is going on?!"

  Around them, researchers sat in clusters, their white coats smudged with soot and debris. Some were shaking. Others whispered in hushed, despairing tones.

  "It failed…"

  "Base No. 4 is lost."

  "We should have known. No experiment that defies nature ever succeeds."

  Yoren's heart pounded as dread sank in.

  The Fme Demon Project.

  His head snapped toward Aina, his voice ced with urgency.

  "Homer—where is she?!"

  "Boom!"

  A deafening explosion ripped through the night, turning the sky into a hellish dawn. A hundred-meter-wide column of fire erupted from the earth, swallowing Base No. 4 whole.

  The heatwave smmed into them like a tidal wave, melting everything in its wake. The inferno roared like a vengeful beast, consuming the facility in seconds.

  Yoren fell back, his mind unable to process the sheer scale of destruction.

  This was real.

  This was happening.

  A piercing scream shattered the night.

  "AHHH! NO!!!"

  Yoren's breath caught in his throat. He turned toward the sound.

  The fire’s glow illuminated the figures nearby.

  Saria stood beside Homer, silent, her head bowed, her expression dark.

  White Owl clutched a bundle of salvaged documents, his face unreadable, though his uneasy eyes betrayed him.

  And then there was Homer.

  Kneeling. Her hands cwing at the dirt. Her clothes scorched, her face streaked with soot and tears.

  She was screaming.

  "AHHHH!!! IFRIT!!!"

  Her voice, raw with agony, was swallowed by the raging inferno that had once been Base No. 4.