Chapter 189 — Goat Trials & The First Visible Boost
S.C. 1512 — Early Morning
Hidden Island — Livestock Yard
The fog thinning around sunrise made the air feel colder than usual.
Ren stepped into the livestock yard carrying a metal case of chilled vials.
Zemo walked at his side like a silent shadow.
Inside the fenced area, three goats stood chewing lazily on hay.
Strong, sturdy animals—good for early large-animal testing.
Leo approached, stretching his arms. "Morning, Boss."
Kiro nodded behind him, notebook ready.
Bram leaned on the fence, watching the goats with a suspicious squint.
Makino, who had brought breakfast for the workers, stood off to the side. She wanted to see this test too.
Ren opened the metal case.
Inside, eight glass vials rested neatly in cushioned slots.
Strengthening Serum Alpha — Large Animal Doses
(Micro-adjusted, higher volume, no herb irritants)
Ren held one vial up to the morning light.
Clear green-gold. Stable. No sediment.
"Let's begin."
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1. Selecting Subjects
The goats were separated:
Subject G1 — adult male, 44 kg
Subject G2 — adult female, 37 kg
Subject G3 — young male, 31 kg
Healthy, well-fed, easy to monitor.
Bram handed Ren the smaller injection needles.
"Ready whenever you are."
Ren nodded.
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2. Dosage & Injection
Ren approached G1—
the largest goat, calm and muscular.
He placed his palm on its shoulder, letting it feel his presence.
Zemo sat in front of it, staring with calm, dominant eyes.
The goat stopped moving.
Ren injected the dose at the base of its neck.
G1 flinched lightly, then relaxed.
Kiro noted,
"Subject G1 — 1.8 ml dose. Reaction: mild startle. No distress."
Ren repeated the process for G2 and G3, adjusting the dosage by weight.
All three goats remained stable.
Makino watched closely.
"They really take it better than I expected."
Ren nodded slightly.
"The formula is mild. Their bodies can adapt quickly."
---
3. First Stage — Heart Rate & Breathing
They monitored the goats for fifteen minutes.
Results:
• Slight increase in heart rate
• Slight warmth in limbs
• No agitation
• No shivering
• No breathing trouble
All normal.
Ren smiled faintly.
"So far, same as the rabbits."
Leo relaxed visibly.
Bram sighed in relief.
Makino held the clipboard for Ren.
"Next stage?"
Ren nodded.
"Movement test."
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4. Second Stage — Movement & Coordination
Kiro opened the gate to a small running lane—
a rectangular fenced area with soft ground.
G1 trotted forward first, then broke into a playful jog.
Bram blinked.
"That's… pretty lively."
G2 followed, hopping lightly over a log.
G3, the youngest, sprinted for no reason whatsoever.
Leo shouted, "Oi! Calm down!"
The goat did not calm down.
Ren watched intently.
Stronger leg push.
Smoother gait.
Higher responsiveness.
He took notes:
• Increased energy
• Faster acceleration
• No aggression
• Balance improved
Makino smiled softly.
"They look happy."
"They feel relief," Ren explained. "Their bodies run smoother now."
---
5. Third Stage — Strength Test
Bram dragged over a heavy wooden crate—
twice the size of a goat.
"Let's see this," he said with a grin.
He placed the crate twenty centimeters from G1.
G1 sniffed it.
Then—
pushed.
The crate slid across the dirt with a sharp scrape.
Leo's jaw dropped.
"G1 isn't that strong normally…"
Ren nodded.
"About 15–20% increase."
G2 tried next—
pushed the smaller crate easily.
G3 attempted the big crate…
and pushed it slightly before losing interest and eating a leaf.
---
6. Feeding Response
Ren placed two feeding trays:
• normal hay
• enriched hay (extra minerals, iron-rich plants)
All three goats walked straight to the enriched tray.
Leo raised a hand.
"That means the serum's working?"
Ren nodded.
"The body instinctively seeks nutrients once its absorption rate increases."
Makino bit her lip, eyes thoughtful.
"So… the children who take this serum… their malnutrition heals faster?"
"Yes."
Simple answer. Honest.
---
7. Minor Unexpected Result
As they continued observing, G3 suddenly sneezed.
Bram panicked. "Again?! Like the rabbit?!"
Ren checked it quickly.
Breathing normal.
Nose normal.
Pulse steady.
Ren scratched its head gently.
"It's the dust from the enriched hay. Not the serum."
Makino laughed softly.
"Bram, you worry too much."
Bram crossed his arms.
"Someone has to!"
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8. Afternoon — The First Clear Boost
By late afternoon, the goats showed more visible changes:
• smoother muscle contraction
• slightly stronger kicks
• increased endurance
• less fatigue
• faster recovery after exercise
G1 even jumped over a half-height fence that it normally didn't clear.
Everyone stared.
Leo whispered, "That… was impressive."
Ren nodded.
"But still within natural limits. Good."
He didn't want unnatural monsters.
He wanted healthier animals.
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9. Sunset — Reflection
As the sun dipped behind the trees, Ren finished the last set of notes.
Zemo lay near the goats, guarding them like part of the herd.
Makino handed Ren water.
"So… success?"
Ren looked at the goats—stronger, healthier, calmer.
"Yes."
Kiro packed away the tools.
Leo closed the pen gate.
Bram yawned and stretched.
Makino smiled warmly.
"You're helping more than you think, Ren."
Ren didn't answer.
He simply watched the goats one more time, thoughtful.
A small step.
But a meaningful one.
Tomorrow, they would test stamina and recovery.
And after that—
More trials.
More improvements.
Quiet, steady progress.
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End of Chapter 189