"What is this? WHY DO YOU POSSESS MY BROTHER'S FACE!" Micheal bellowed in fury, straining against his restraints with such force that for a brief moment, it appeared they might give way, yet they remained steadfast, keeping him firmly locked in his position.
'Hmm, even with the inhibitors that possess triple the power of those of his friends, he's still able to exert such strength. Interesting,' Dr. Grey thought, his expression intrigued as he calmly observed Michael's agitated movements.
"What could be more wonderful than reuniting two long-lost brothers? Isn't that just the most incredible feeling?" Dr. Grey smirked, stepping forward with his arms outstretched toward the brothers.
"He's not my brother," Michael growled at Dr. Grey, who chuckled in response, finding Michael's threat amusing.
"Sometimes I feel so alone, even though I got my home, just sitting on my throne, tryna find my own zone, thinking about my life, how much I've flown, how much I've grown, only to end up as a clone, if only I had known, when I picked the microphone, I would end up at the cornerstone, staring at my gravestone, now I see in monochrome..." Yoshi transitioned into rap mode, delivering verses that plunged the group into a deeper state of bewilderment. Yet, Micheal became motionless upon hearing this, as memories from the past surged forth, transporting him back several years.
"Wait, how do you know this?" Micheal's voice had diminished to the point where it resembled a whisper.
"Did you really think I would forget the first rap you wrote?" Yoshi responded, a broad smile brightening his expression.
"You guys can see him too right?" Micheal asked in a hurried tone, glancing at his teammates who nodded slowly, their minds clouded with confusion, unable to think clearly.
"You deceitful traitor! I wish I had taken your life myself!" Bai erupted suddenly, drawing everyone's gaze, his eyes brimming with fury. He was astonished that Yoshi had staged his own death, deceiving his teammates, such deception.
"Cry as much as you like, Bai; it's the only thing you're good at." Yoshi, now revealed as Liam, turned to Bai with a smirk and remarked.
"I understand that you are likely experiencing significant emotional turmoil, and that's perfectly normal. Encountering your former partner, whom you believed to be deceased, is undoubtedly a challenging situation to navigate." Dr. Grey let out a sigh, shaking his head with a feigned sense of sympathy.
"What? Emotional turmoil? Emotional turmoil? How I long for the freedom to confront you directly. You psycho-sociopatic villain, what is it that you truly desire? What is this all about? How can any living being derive joy from the slaughter of thousands? You simply take pleasure in manipulating people's minds, don't you? Crazy psycho, you're probably the one who killed those people and hanged them up." Hei's eyes glowed with a fierce red, revealing the intense anger he was holding inside. He despised the way Dr. Grey took pleasure in their suffering; it was a trait typical of an egocentric serial killer.
"Hahaha, those individuals brought this upon themselves; one was a molester and the other a pervert. Now you understand why I felt the need to handle the situation on my own." Dr. Grey smirked and addressed Hei, who responded with a growl of anger.
"You seek answers, and that's precisely what I'll provide. You deserve to know the truth before the plan begins, so let's begin with Michael. I am certain that the most pressing question on your mind is how your brother is alive. Allow me to explain" Dr. Grey inhaled deeply and exhaled before he began to speak. He pulled out a chair and sat down, while Yoshi stood beside him like a sentinel, an action that elicited a pained expression from Michael. Could this truly be his brother?
"When the apocalypse struck, I chose to visit the prison where your brother was incarcerated. Imagine my astonishment upon discovering him as the sole survivor, having endured a mutant attack. With nothing but his human strength, he fought valiantly and defeated the mutant rat, despite sustaining life-threatening injuries in the process. When I discovered him, he was clinging to life by a mere thread, sustained only by his sheer willpower. All others in the prison were eliminated, which is why the public received that report; only a select few were truly aware of the events that transpired. I was tasked with creating the ideal soldier, and I accomplished that. I then deployed Yoshi as a spy to penetrate the government. This allowed me to access classified information, which I used to devise my strategy. Once everything was in place, I maneuvered behind the scenes to have him integrated into your team, ensuring I was informed of every development," Dr. Grey elaborated, eliciting expressions of disbelief from the team as they turned to Yoshi, who had been an undercover agent all along.
"That's how you had a clear understanding of our movements at every turn. When he staged his death, you anticipated our journey to the facility and knew the precise path we would follow. This foresight allowed you to launch an ambush with the army of scrapers, creating the illusion that we were under constant surveillance, which prevented us from devising a counter-strategy, fully aware that you were monitoring us." Micheal shook his head, turning his gaze away from his supposed brother, struggling to comprehend how Liam could have ended up this way; the Liam he remembered would never act like this.
"Bingo, as perceptive as ever. Your next question is likely to be how I have acquired such extensive knowledge. It's quite simple, but to clarify that, I need to begin from the very start. I have been here for an extensive period, witnessing countless civilizations fall into dust while others emerge from the ground. I have observed both the good and the bad aspects of this world, seeing people at their best and their worst. I have had ample time to comprehend what my purpose is." Dr. Grey remarked with a broad smirk that accentuated his razor-sharp teeth.
"Purpose?" Henry inquired, sensing that there was something sinister that Dr. Grey was withholding.
"Indeed, my purpose. Centuries ago, I made my entrance onto this planet. My place of birth underwent a transformation that resulted in its destruction. Only nine of us survived. In our quest for a new habitat, we arrived on Earth in the year 500789E, which corresponds to 1300 A.D. in human years. Dr. Grey took a moment to create a dramatic pause, and he achieved just that. He noticed the team's expressions shift, particularly after they heard the year.
"Are you really suggesting that you have existed on this planet for 724 years?" Hei's voice trembled as he posed the question, his eyes growing wide with disbelief.
"An average Valerian has a lifespan of 500 years." Dr. Grey leaned in and spoke softly.
"Valerian?"
"Yes, my race is known as Valerians, Hailing from the planet Valerion. We are a race of super-abled beings, possessing abilities that humans can only dream of. Each Valerian has unique abilities tied to their sub-race. My own ability allows me to shift my consciousness into another body, which is one reason for my lengthy life span. The eight remaining Valerians each have distinct powers: one can transform his skin into any material he touches, another can manipulate light and darkness, another controls the balance of yin and yang, water and fire, and one is a direct descendant of the Lightning Cat—one of the most formidable beings in our history—capable of wielding multiple abilities, controlling minds, and mimicking the powers of others. That was Karina's gift. At this point, it should be clear what I am implying. Dr. Grey proceeded, casting a look at the expressions of each team member as he voiced his thoughts. The team quickly grasped the deeper meaning
of his words.
"What do you mean?" Racheal inquired, her mind refusing to comprehend the message conveyed by Dr. Grey's words.
"Haha, I believe you grasp my point. Upon our arrival on this alien planet, we spent nearly a century acclimating to our new surroundings. During this time, we observed the inhabitants as they lived their lives, witnessing the journey from infancy to old age and eventual death. It became clear to us just how fragile humans are; a simple illness could decimate hundreds, and a single day without food could render them even more vulnerable to an early demise. We watched as they waged wars against one another over land, sustenance, and power, reflecting the very forces that led to the downfall of our own world: greed, jealousy, pride, and arrogance. This relentless desire to dominate, this affliction that resides within the hearts of humans, is the same affliction that brought ruin to my people. For years, I observed with sorrow as humans relentlessly inflicted pain upon one another. My kin and I remained in the shadows, hoping to witness a transformation in their behavior, yet it never came; instead, the situation only deteriorated. Differences were established based on skin color, with some prioritizing themselves over others, resulting in a hierarchy. The privileged stood at the top while the underprivileged remained at the bottom, treated like animals, as slaves." Dr. Grey continued his narration, and as he spoke, his tone became increasingly agitated; by the time he reached the end, there was a noticeable hint of anger in his voice, and his eyes betrayed the emotions he felt.
"My apologies for my earlier agitation; let's proceed. As we observed humanity descend into despair, with arrogance and pride overtaking the hearts of many, I came to understand my purpose. I have been dispatched to rescue humanity from its own foolishness. I conversed with the other survivors, and while some aligned with my perspective, others disagreed, arguing that we should not interfere with nature and allow time to take its course on humanity. Out of the nine of us, four sided with me, while four opposed the plan, marking the moment of division. A significant argument ensued, as our side sought to purge the evil, while the opposing faction preferred to maintain the status quo. Ultimately, the four dissenters departed, vanishing like ghosts. The remaining members chose to proceed with the plan, leading us to initiate Operation Ouroborus, named in honor of our ancestor and founder, the Ouroboros Dragon. We carefully devised our plans and set them into action; naturally, the time we have spent on this planet enabled us to attain prominent positions in society."
"With my ability as well, I was able to immerse myself in the minds of some of the greatest thinkers throughout history, analyzing, planning, and strategizing to determine the most effective approach to our plan. Then I uncovered the S-Gene within the V-cell; it was a dormant gene that needed a trigger for activation. I dedicated years to researching how to activate it, but nothing proved successful. I even guided Hooke to make the 'first' discovery of the cell, a finding I had already made years earlier. I made that move believing that humans might perceive something I overlooked, but it proved futile; they lacked the insight I needed. I realized I was alone, as the others were preoccupied with their constructions, preparing for a moment of significance. This was in the 1800s, and it was then that I uncovered what had eluded me all along: the human mind held the key."
"The subconscious mind of humans holds tremendous power that has been suppressed as a defense mechanism. The human body is unable to contain the full potential stored within the S-gene; if this true power were to be unleashed, it would lead to self-destruction. Therefore, the mind restricts much of its true capabilities to ensure its own protection. Certainly, there will always be a counterpart; just as there is black, there is white. The human body has also established a fail-safe mechanism, designed to unleash its full potential when faced with any threat to its existence. What was that? Emotion." Dr. Grey paused once more, observing the expressions of understanding on the faces of the team; they were gradually grasping everything he was conveying.
"Emotions served as the catalyst I had been seeking all along. Reflect on moments in the past when you felt unstoppable; those instances were marked by intense emotions—excitement, anger, sadness, guilt. Each of these feelings ignited the release of the body's complete potential. In moments when potential must be unleashed, the body releases adrenaline throughout to mitigate immediate side effects and strain, allowing a person to utilize that moment to escape their situation. Subsequently, the pain returns, striking like a cold bucket of water. This explains why pain is not fully felt during a fight, why a woman can lift a car off her children in such a state, and why a man can bend steel with his bare hands. Intriguing, isn't it? Understanding this, the subsequent challenge was how to concurrently sway the thoughts of individuals globally. The inquiry became: how can I induce a profound emotional strain in every person on the planet simultaneously?" Concluding his speech with a question, Dr. Grey's eyes shimmered with a peculiar, playful glint.
"Hold on, don't tell me" Micheal began to speak, but his voice faltered at the end, as a chilling thought crept into his mind.
"Yes, you are absolutely correct," Dr. Grey replied, a grin spreading wide across his face. When paired with his piercing eyes, the expression gave him an almost sinister appearance, reminiscent of the grim reaper.
"You...started....the.....apocalypse." Racheal spoke, ensuring each word was pronounced clearly through gritted teeth, her anger evident in the veins that coursed across her face. Dr. Grey bore the weight of responsibility for all those she had lost; at that moment, a singular thought consumed her mind: 'KILL HIM.'