?[Status Report: Kang Eun-Woo]
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?Blood Quality: A- (Evolved)
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?Blood Quantity: B
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?Blood Manipulation: D
?“I can't believe it...” Eliana muttered, taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes. “Your quality just increased. A biological leap like this... just after one month?”
?“I'm also surprised about it,” I admitted, staring at the 'A-' symbol. “But actually, how rare is it?”
?“Rare?” Eliana scoffed. “I've never heard of anyone improving their blood quality from B to A in a century, let alone a month. That's not just rare, Eun-Woo. It’s unprecedented.”
?“Unbelievable. Even starting with B+ Quality from the very beginning is extraordinary.” Eliana’s gaze made me feel like I was a rare bird with eccentric feathers being studied in a zoo.
?“Thanks, I guess…”
?Eliana composed herself and adjusted her glasses as she leaned back against the console. "Honestly, the situation is starting to feel less like biology and more like... divine intervention.”
?“Divine intervention?” I frowned. “Why would you say that?”
?“Think carefully,” she said, her voice serious. “When you were weak, broken, and starving, you experienced a sudden burst of strength. And afterwards, a physiological evolution that should have taken years happened in seconds.”
?She looked at me meaningfully.
?“Aren't you exaggerating?” I asked, skeptical. “I mean, yes, it sounds impressive when you put it like that. But could they really have the power to do something like that, even if they were S-Rank?”
?“S-Rank?”
?Both Eliana and Vaughn froze. They exchanged a quick, unreadable glance. It wasn't confusion—it was something else. A shared secret.
?"What?" I asked, looking between them. "Isn't the person who transformed me one of the S-Ranks? That's the highest rank, right?"
?Silence filled the room. The hum of the servers seemed to get louder.
?“...No, you're right,” Vaughn said suddenly, breaking the tension. He walked closer and put a heavy hand on my shoulder. “Whoever it is, they have to be an S-Rank. Or a freak of nature.”
?He squeezed my shoulder, his grip firm.
?“Still, I haven't seen anything like this in decades.”
?“Wait... for decades?” I caught the slip. “Didn't you say that you were an Enforcer for 15 years?”
?Vaughn blinked, realized his mistake, and then smirked.
?“Yes. I was an Enforcer for 15 years. But you know... before that, I was a Hunter just like you.”
?I did the math in my head.
?“15 years of experience as an Enforcer... and before that as a Hunter... Vaughn, how old are you, exactly?”
?First, he stared blankly at my face. Then, a wide, predatory grin spread across his face, showing all his white teeth.
?"How old do I look?"
?I scanned his face. No wrinkles. Sharp jawline. Maybe a few grey hairs that looked more like a fashion statement than aging.
?“Don’t know. 40?”
?“Ahahahaha! 40, huh?” Vaughn threw his head back and laughed, the sound booming in the small lab. “Well, you're at least 60 years late with that answer.”
?“60? Then you…” My jaw dropped.
?“Exactly,” he said, flexing his biceps theatrically. “I'll be reaching 109 this year. Not bad for a centenarian, right?”
?I stared at him. Then I turned my head slowly towards Eliana, my eyes filled with a new kind of terror.
?“Ahh...” Eliana smiled awkwardly, twirling a lock of blonde hair. “This year I'll be 43, I guess.”
?43... She looked like she was in her early 20s. Maybe a grad student. And she is 43?
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
?And Vaughn... That guy isn't just a boss. He's a living fossil. An antique.
?Jin, Hana, Claire, Mina... suddenly, everyone I saw here took on a different light. They weren't just teenagers or young adults. They could be ancient beings playing dress-up.
?I slowly turned back to Vaughn. My posture changed. My shoulders slumped, and I clasped my hands together respectfully.
?“What are you doing?” Vaughn asked, raising an eyebrow as I approached him with solemn steps.
?I bowed a full ninety degrees.
?“Please forgive all my disrespect up until now. I didn't know you were such an Elder, Sir Vaughn. I should have treated you with the reverence due to your... advanced age.”
?The room went silent for a split second.
?Then, a vein on Vaughn's forehead bulged, pulsing in time with his irritation.
?BONK.
Its hurts.
A vein on Vaughn's forehead bulged, pulsing in rhythmic irritation beneath his sunglasses.
?"Don't you dare treat me like a geriatric patient, kid. Or I'll bury you before your graduation."
?"My mistake," I replied, raising my hands in mock surrender, though a smirk played on my lips. "I forgot the elderly get cranky when they miss their nap."
?Vaughn didn't laugh. He cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing like gunshots in the sterile hallway.
?"Since you've got a shiny new grade on your report card, let's see if it actually means anything. Or if it's just a display error."
?Behind his grinning face—showing way too many teeth—his true intentions were clear. He didn't want to train me. He wanted to humble me.
?He grabbed my collar and dragged me toward the combat room. I looked back to see Eliana giving me a small, pitying wave.
?"Try not to die!"
***
?Five minutes later, I was back in the lion's den. Specifically, the same reinforced gym where Vaughn had broken my ribs a few weeks ago.
?I stood across from him, watching him loosen his tie.
He looked dangerous. I knew he was dangerous. But looking at him now... with my senses sharpened by the A-Rank blood... he looked different.
?I was face to face with a lion in its den, armed only with my bare hands.
?But looking closely... this lion was a 109-year-old historical relic. His mane was graying, his claws probably brittle. Wouldn't it be... offensive to actually hurt him? Like vandalizing a museum piece?
?Yeah, I nodded internally, convincing myself. That’s the only reason I won't go all out. Not because I can't beat him. But out of sheer respect for the elderly.
?"You're thinking something incredibly stupid, aren't you?" Vaughn asked, his voice low.
?"Not stupid. Just... considerate," I replied, scratching the back of my neck. "Look, Vaughn, I'm really not in the mood. After everything with Hana, and then getting lectured by you despite being the victim... my motivation is kinda at zero."
?Vaughn stared at me. His eyes scanned my posture, judging whether my reluctance was fear or arrogance.
?"Alright, Princess. If you're not in the mood..."
?He took a step forward.
?"...let me enlighten you."
?"Oh, come on. It sounds li—"
?BOOM.
?There was no telegraphing. No wind-up. Just like before, Vaughn's fist materialized in front of my face.
?The impact sent me flying. My feet left the mat, the world spun, and I crashed back-first into the reinforced wall five meters away.
?Thud.
?I slid down to the floor, shaking my head to clear the dizziness.
?"You..." I groaned, rubbing my cheek. "Don't you have any warrior's pride? Sucker punching a student mid-sentence?"
?"Warrior pride is for corpses," Vaughn said dryly, checking his knuckles. "And look at you. You're still talking."
?I blinked. I touched my face.
It hurt like hell, sure. But nothing was broken. My jaw was intact. My teeth were all there.
?A month ago, that punch would have put me in a coma. Now? It was just... a punch.
?My durability hadn't just increased. It had evolved.
?A sudden surge of adrenaline rushed through my veins. The lethargy vanished, replaced by a burning excitement. If I could take a hit from Vaughn and stand up... maybe I could actually fight him.
?I jumped to my feet, bouncing on my toes. I clenched my fists, a wide, eager grin spreading across my face.
?"Okay," I shouted, dropping into a fighting stance. "I get it now. I'm sturdy. Alright, old man! Now I'm really fired up! Let's see what you've got!"
?I waited for him to attack. I waited for the second round.
?But Vaughn just... sighed.
?It was a deep, weary sigh of a man who suddenly remembered he had better things to do. The dangerous aura around him evaporated instantly.
?"Pass," he muttered, turning his back on me.
?"Ehh?" I froze, my fists still raised. "Wait, what do you mean 'pass'? I'm ready now!"
?"Exactly. You're too eager. It's annoying," Vaughn waved dismissively over his shoulder as he walked toward the exit. "I came here to wake you up, not to indulge in a shonen protagonist training montage. It’s exhausting just looking at you."
?"You can't just leave after punching me in the face!"
?"Watch me. Go find Jin if you want to burn off that energy. I'm going to get my coffee."
?The door hissed shut behind him, leaving me standing alone in the gym—pumped up, uninjured, and completely ignored.
***
The world was sideways.
?It took me a moment to realize why. My cheek was pressed against the cold, wet concrete. The smell of copper was overwhelming—so thick I could taste it on my tongue.
?Kzzzt.
?"Team 9! Report! What is the status of the perimeter?"
?The voice crackled from the radio lying a few feet away. It was sitting in a growing puddle of crimson. My crimson.
?Kzzzt.
?"Damn it, is anyone there?! Report!"
?I tried to move. A sharp, blinding agony shot up from my waist, or where my waist used to be. I couldn't feel my legs. I couldn't feel anything below my ribcage.
?But I had to answer. Protocol... I had to follow protocol.
?"Ghhrr..."
?A wet, gurgling sound escaped my throat. I dug my fingers into the blood-slicked floor, dragging my torso forward inch by agonizing inch.
?Just... a little... closer.
?The radio light blinked red. A lifeline in the dark.
?My trembling hand reached out. My fingers, slippery and numb, fumbled with the device before finally clamping down on the talk button.
?"C-Control..."
?I coughed, spraying speckles of red onto the black plastic.
?"Target... target has broken containment..."
?"Team 9? Is that you? What about the suppression unit?" the voice on the other end demanded, panicked.
?I looked up. My vision was tunneling, fading into a staticky gray. But I could still see It disappearing into the shadows of the tunnel.
?"Target lost..." I wheezed, forcing the air out of my collapsing lungs. "The whole team... we are..."
?I wanted to say dead. I wanted to say run.
?But the darkness was faster.
?My hand went limp. The radio slipped from my grip, clattering against the concrete.
?Kzzzt.
?"Team 9?! Repeat! Team 9!"
?Click.
?Silence.