Under the dim light of the oil lamps, the shadows cast by the Vespers danced across the walls of the underground laboratory.
In the center, the cylindrical tank of the Blood Baptism Liquid bubbled softly, releasing a dense vapor tinged dark red. The temperature was now stable.
Ethan turned his head toward Ye Han, his expression unreadable.
"You'll go first," he said in a neutral tone.
Ye Han nodded and stepped toward the tank. Two other Vespers, stationed on either side, were already waiting to assist him during the immersion. Once the D-Compound was administered, the initial loss of muscular control would make voluntary movement difficult.
Ethan looked down. With steady hands, he extracted the D-Compound using a metallic syringe.
The other six watched in complete silence, their faces tense and expectant. They knew their turn would come soon.
In front of Ethan's eyes, AION's visual interfaces unfolded:
[Body temperature: 37.1 °C. Heart rate: 68 bpm. Brain activity: normal. Neuromuscular monitoring: ready.]
Ethan raised his voice, addressing the others:
"Listen carefully. This applies to all of you," he said, his gaze passing over each of them before settling on Ye Han.
"The AGS protocol will rewrite the body's internal structure. It will be extremely painful."
The seven nodded with serious expressions. No one spoke.
As he approached Ye Han with the metallic syringe in hand, Ethan's mind drifted, silently reviewing everything.
He turned to Ye Han and asked if he was ready.
"Ready, Commander."
Ethan held the metallic syringe high, observing for a moment the faint glow of the D-Compound under the light. Without hesitation, he inserted it precisely into Ye Han's vein and pressed.
"Injection administered. Begin," he murmured.
Within seconds, Ye Han was held by the two assigned Vespers and led to the tank, where he was submerged.
The following minutes mirrored the pattern observed in the first experimental subjects.
Ye Han's muscles began to contract violently, twisting as if something were trying to tear him apart from within. The veins on his neck and arms bulged, pronounced, while his eyes, fully bloodshot, remained fixed.
But he didn't scream.
He only clenched his jaw, teeth grinding from the tension, as the dry sound of bones readjusting echoed beneath the bubbling of the liquid. His skin sweated profusely, soaked, as though his insides were burning with an invisible combustion.
Ten minutes.
Fifteen.
Twenty.
At the twentieth minute, AION's indicators began to stabilize: heart rate steady, brain activity within parameters, blood pressure decreasing. The liquid in the tank was fully absorbed.
Ye Han's hands clutched the edge of the tank tightly, his shoulders rising with frantic breaths. He panted like a wild animal, eyes still open, shining with a new intensity.
But he didn't faint.
Ethan approached, his gaze fixed on Ye Han, still clinging to the edge of the tank.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
Ye Han slowly looked up. His breathing was heavy, but his gaze was focused.
"Strong…" he said, voice rough, hoarse. "Too strong."
He paused, as if processing what he was feeling for the first time.
Ethan observed him closely. The changes were evident: his muscle definition had intensified, but not grotesquely. His posture was firm, his movements controlled, as if every fiber of his body responded with precision. Beyond physical strength, he radiated something different: presence.
Ethan nodded, satisfied.
[AGS: SUCCESS CONFIRMED.]
The message appeared in his visual interface, projected by AION.
Without another word, he turned to the remaining six, who waited in silence.
"The next one," he ordered calmly.
One by one, they stepped forward.
One by one, they crossed the threshold of transformation.
The next day, after initial recovery, the seven presented themselves before Ethan, aligned in silence. Each wore the new combat uniform, the result of joint work between Yuan Kai and Ethan.
Their bodies were covered by a dark tactical trench coat, made from chemically treated leather of demonic beasts. The material was fire-resistant, tear-resistant, and flexible even under extreme conditions. Within its folds, almost imperceptibly, grenades and ammunition were secured to the modular belt.
The helmet had been completely redesigned after multiple failures reported in previous versions. It was no longer a simple helm. The new model, inspired by old Stahlhelm designs, now offered full protection without sacrificing visibility or mobility. No face was left exposed. Everyone wore a dark balaclava under the helmet, and over it, a facial mask made of black steel plates, precisely assembled to fit the face. Only a narrow slit allowed vision.
The torso was covered by a segmented black steel plate, the thickest piece of the ensemble, designed to absorb direct impacts. They knew that the chest and back remained the priority targets, so both areas received additional protection, even under the trench coat.
Arms and legs were protected by articulated steel segments, designed not to interfere with movement but to resist cuts and blows. The heavy armored boots combined steel with demonic leather, capable of withstanding brutal impacts or crushing bones in close combat.
Only V-12's gear presented subtle differences. His uniform had been modified to prioritize stealth over defense: lighter, with fewer plates and a slimmer profile. His helmet was covered with a dark tactical mesh that blurred his silhouette and completely concealed his head, eliminating any reflection or recognizable shape from a distance.
V-12's uniform marked the future standard for sniper units. Lighter, aerodynamic, and optimized for stealth, its design prioritized full mobility over armor. In the future, Ethan planned to standardize this type of uniform for specific roles within Astralis's army.
However, for now, only the Vespers had access to the gear made from demonic beast leather. The regular army — which already had recruits in training in the city of Stella — would use uniforms made of reinforced fabrics, combined with internal black steel plates and a basic outer vest. Their gear would not have high-level protection. Demonic beast leather remained a scarce resource.
According to AION's analysis, this leather presented properties that surpassed even rudimentary Kevlar: superior tensile strength, heat dispersion, and impact absorption. There were no technical means yet to manufacture more advanced synthetic materials, but a combination of treated fibers and black steel would suffice for conventional units.
Ethan observed them from head to toe. His expression was neutral, but a slight smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
"Let's begin the tests," he ordered in a firm tone.
The group was on the surface, in the Omega Zero training area, a wide field with obstacles, targets, and uneven terrain. Following Ethan's instructions, the seven deployed without breaking formation. What followed was a brutal protocol: strength tests, endurance, accuracy, hand-to-hand combat, reaction, and tactical maneuvers. Each circuit was designed to push the human body beyond its known limits.
AION monitored every variable in real time. The data left no room for doubt:
[Performance Report: Vespers Sequence 1
• Muscle strength: 4.1x – Peak output: 902 kg
• Speed: 4.0x – Sustained sprint: 56.0 km/h
• Endurance: 4.1x – Recovery constant under duress
• Estimated reaction time: 39 ms
• Neuromuscular coordination: Peak synchronization
• Impact absorption capacity: ~7,300 N before trauma threshold]
The data far exceeded the capabilities of an enhanced average human. With an improvement of more than four times in all key parameters, Ethan had no doubt: a single strike at full power could be devastating.
With peak force close to a ton, the kinetic impact of a Sequence 1 could knock down standard concrete walls and reduce them to rubble. Even a reinforced wall wouldn't emerge unscathed; it could fracture, develop structural cracks, or lose large sections of material.
Note: Just to clarify, the previous D-Serum presented a temporary 3x enhancement, but it's not the same, not to mention it wasn't permanent, and it was difficult for anyone to get used to the momentary boost and make the most of it. Also, the enhancement was based on 3x an average human, not as good as the new AGS. Just to clarify.