"Aren't you Experiment 01?"
At that question, everything stopped for me—everything except my thoughts.
What should I do? I'm not supposed to be exposed yet.
I could kill him here and now… but the cameras would catch it and trigger alarms.
I needed to reach a specific storage room before my cover was blown.
As my thoughts raced, an amused smile appeared on the guard's face.
"Hahaha… why that reaction? I was just joking."
He placed the cap back on my head and continued,
"How could an experiment be walking around in a guard's uniform?"
He gave my shoulder a light slap as he headed toward the elevator.
"See you later, little friend," he said, waving as the elevator doors closed behind him.
I remained frozen in place.
For a brief moment, I thought he truly hadn't recognized me.
But I quickly crushed that pleasant illusion.
I turned and started running down the wide corridor.
Doors lined both sides, each with labels indicating their contents.
I read them while running:
"Chemical Materials."
"Clothing."
"Food Supplies."
I ignored them all and kept running.
Then I found what I was looking for.
"Weapons and Explosives."
The moment I read those words, I stopped in front of the door.
I pulled out the access card I had taken from one of the guards and scanned it.
The door opened.
I went inside.
---
At the same time — inside the elevator
The guard who had just met Caius stood inside, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Damn it… I almost died back there."
He had already realized it was Experiment 01.
After all, how could anyone fail to recognize that monster?
He had witnessed some of 01's battles and knew he wouldn't last even a single second against him.
It was also obvious that 01 had somehow disabled the chip—otherwise, he wouldn't be walking around disguised as a guard.
So instead of throwing his life away meaninglessly, he pretended it was a joke and escaped into the elevator.
He quickly pulled out his communicator, pressed the call button, and said,
"This is Guard 015. I have encountered Experiment 01 heading toward Sublevel Seven. He was disguised as a guard, and it appears the chip has been disabled."
After a few moments, a calm voice replied,
"We have received your report, 015. We have also detected loss of contact with the two guards assigned to escort him. Additionally, the chip appears to be in a shutdown state."
"Is he out of control now?" the guard asked.
"Yes. However, there is no need to panic. We can still track the chip's location. A suppression unit will be dispatched to contain him quietly."
---
Caius' POV
I moved through the weapons storage room, which contained everything imaginable.
Swords. Spears. Pistols. And much more.
But I didn't have time to choose carefully.
Near the entrance, several storage rings were displayed inside a glass cabinet.
I grabbed one at random and slipped it onto my finger.
Then, quickly, I picked up two swords and stored them inside the ring as I moved deeper into the room.
Eventually, I found what I was truly looking for.
A set of timed explosive charges—powerful enough to breach reinforced doors and kill even third-rank Awakened.
Unfortunately, there weren't many.
I took all of them and stored them in the ring.
There was one more item I needed.
A cold metal sphere, about the size of my palm—a signal jammer.
It could disable cameras and various systems.
Without hesitation, I placed three of them into the ring.
I grabbed several other items that might be useful, then headed toward the exit.
My goal was simple: reach the teleportation gate and escape this place—while ensuring that all data related to me was destroyed.
The latter was impossible.
I couldn't freely roam the facility destroying every lab and computer.
So there was only one option left.
Erase this place entirely.
To do that, I needed to reach the power reactor—similar to the nuclear reactors of my previous world, but hundreds of times more powerful.
And I had to do it without them realizing where I was going.
I exited the storage room, thinking calmly.
By now, they likely knew I was out of their control.
They would try to suppress me quietly.
I walked down the corridor at a steady pace.
It was obvious they were watching my movements through the cameras—and the chip in my pocket.
But it didn't matter.
The power reactor was three levels below.
The teleportation gate was five levels above.
The corridor was eerily silent, the only sound being my footsteps as I approached the elevator.
I took a deep breath.
My lips curled into a smile.
"It's time to start the show."
---
Control Room
Inside a room filled with screens displaying every corner of the facility, multiple personnel monitored the feeds.
Among them stood one man.
On his chest was an identification badge labeling him as Head of Surveillance.
He rested a hand on his chin, deep in thought, as he watched a screen showing what appeared to be an ordinary guard walking toward an elevator.
But he knew better.
That person was not a guard.
He was an experiment.
The most dangerous one of them all.
"01," he murmured.
He knew him well—after all, he had observed him for years.
He had watched him grow from a weak child into what he was now.
A monster.
Speed. Strength. Intelligence.
He surpassed everything.
Even his body had adapted perfectly to the serums injected into him.
He was the experiment closest to perfection.
They had known this facility wouldn't be able to contain him forever.
They just hadn't expected that day to come so soon.
They still didn't understand why he had gone rogue—or what he wanted.
They had already confirmed that he killed the two guards assigned to him, as well as the doctor's assistant.
For some reason, the chip refused to respond, though it still transmitted his location.
"He was always obedient… why now?" the head muttered.
The moment they confirmed he was out of control, they dispatched their strongest suppression unit.
A team composed of the best assets they had.
Two beginner third-rank Awakened.
Three advanced second-rank Awakened.
At this very moment, they were inside an elevator moving directly toward 01's location.
The head of surveillance pressed a finger to his communicator.
"This is Control. He is approaching the elevator. When you arrive, he will be right in front of you."
"Understood. We will suppress him immediately," a confident voice replied.
The head had no doubt the team would succeed.
Finally, 01 reached the elevator doors.
And then—
The screens flickered.
The image distorted.
Then disappeared completely.
---
Outside the elevator
Kaios activated the signal jammer.
Then he pulled out one of the explosives.
Sensing the five individuals inside the elevator with his ability, he knew he had no chance in direct combat.
He placed the bomb directly in front of the elevator doors.
Through his perception, he felt their souls descending.
He calculated their arrival time.
Then set the timer.
Fifteen seconds.
Without hesitation, he ran in the opposite direction.
The numbers on the bomb began to change.
9…
8…
7…
4…
3…
2…
At that moment, the elevator doors opened.
Five figures stood there.
A heavy pressure radiated from their bodies.
They were ready to engage their target immediately.
But all they saw—
Was a small bomb at their feet.
One glance at the timer made their hearts drop.
0
In the next instant, a violent explosion shook everything.