"I won't ask again, what does the Syndicate want with the Gene Matter Serum?"
Jackson remained on his knees, clutching his arm tightly. He glanced up at the Shadow Vigilante, his eyes filled with hate and resentment.
Night Hunter didn't blame him, after all he knew the feeling. He as well watched his loved ones go through the same fate Carlos did — caught in the crossfire. But there was a difference between the two.
Jackson brought it upon himself, while Mason was just a victim. So he refused to take the blame for Carlos's death, not while he tried to save a life.
"Night Hunter..." He gritted his teeth, and stood slowly to his feet.
"Not so fast, no matter how freakishly strong you are, you saw what my blade did to your arm. You're defenseless, I suggest you stand down and tell me what I want to know." Night Hunter demanded, pointing the sharp blade forward.
"Night Hunter..." Jackson reached into his pocket. "Because of you... Our operations were altered, stopped, and we lost three men despite their affiliations. Because of you, we were forced to take drastic measures, and now."
He brought his hand out of his pocket, holding a small vial with a red liquid as it's content. "Because of you, I had to bury my best friend. I don't care anymore, I don't care if it's not compatible with me. Carlos."
"What is that?" His attention turned to the small vial in his hand.
"Carlos... Don't worry, I'm sending the bastard who killed you to you... Then I'll join you." He threw the vial into his mouth.
"No!" Night Hunter spun the blade once more, and released another energy slash that sliced off his hand. But by then, it was already too late.
The vial shattered within his mouth, so did the glass, but it didn't seem to affect him. As he swallowed the vial's content, his eyes turned blood red. He held his stomach tightly, shrieked uncontrollably, then his body trembled greatly and his mouth began to foam.
Night Hunter stepped back, unsure of what was happening. "W—what..."
Then it all stopped.
Jackson's body remained immobile, motionless, almost as if he was dead. Night Hunter approached him slowly, this was his only lead so far, he couldn't let him die.
Then.
Jackson shot up to his feet with a loud roar. It created a shockwave that hit Night Hunter straight on, hurling him out of the house through the hole in the walls created by the plasma beam.
"Shit!"
[Summoning Dual Specter.]
The Dual Specter materialized in his hands, and he fired a grappling hook towards the roof of a building, yanked it hard, and managed to break his fall before anything fatal could happen.
He dropped to his knees, pulled the line back, and looked up at the gaping hole in the building. A thunderous roar erupted again, and in the next instant the weakened wall gave way, blasted apart by a tremendous force. Chunks of stone and steel burst outward, hurtling straight toward Night Hunter.
"What!?" He flipped backward with perfect timing, barely avoiding the storm of sharp debris. His hands caught the ground first, and with a quick push, he swung his body up and landed firmly on his feet. "That was close.."
The noise attracted Jackson's neighbours, and they all swarmed out one by one.
"What was explosion!?"
"It came from Jackson's house!"
"Oh my God, is he okay!?"
Most of his neighbors were friends with him, after all his identity as a member of the Syndicate was confidential. So they had no idea who he truly was.
His neighbors ranged from several ages, some in their mid 20s and 30s, and some in their late teenage years.
"Hey... Hey hey hey! Isn't that the Vigilante that's been trending all over social media!?"
"Y—Yeah! It is! It really is!! What's he doing here!?"
They all pulled out their phones, taking instant selfies and videos of him, unaware their lives were in great danger.
A massive shadow leapt from the ruined building, crashing down in front of Night Hunter. The force of its landing shook the ground, kicking up a thick cloud of dust that swallowed its figure whole.
As the dust cleared, what stood in front of them wasn't human, not by a long shot.
"W—what is that!?" One of his neighbors screamed, falling to her butt. Most of them were paralyzed by fear of the unknown. And who could blame them?
"Hava... W—What is that?" Night Hunter especially was paralyzed by fear of the unknown, even he couldn't explain what stood in front of them. "Is that... Jackson?"
Whatever stood in front of him, it had an enormous, twisted body, shoulders broad and hunched with raw muscle. Thick veins bulged across its skin like cords ready to snap, glowing faintly under the surface.
Its eyes burned blood red, set deep in a face twisted between human and beast. Jagged skin stretched tight over its frame, giving it a monstrous, unnatural look.
"Night Hunter..." The monster stepped forward, its voice distorted, making him sound more of a monster than human. "I'll kill you myself!"
It lunged forward, both hands raised high before slamming down toward Night Hunter with crushing force. At the last moment, Night Hunter dove into a swift roll, narrowly slipping out of reach of the devastating strike.
"Hava, what was in that vial he took moments before he turned into that?"
[I do not have the accurate answer to your question, but with his transfiguration, and his last words before his metamorphosis, my calculated guess. The Gene Matter Serum.]
"The Gene Matter Serum!?" It was hard to believe, after all the results of the Gene Matter Serum were corporate agencies greatest assets — superheroes.
"Wait... His last words? You mean this is the result if not compatible!?"
[I do not have an accurate answer to your question, but judging by his metamorphosis, my calculated guess, most likely.]
"Tch, you and your calculated guess. Charge the Azrain Excalibur to full power."
The rotor spun rapidly in the Excalibur, cloaking the entire blade with a red energy.
"Go Night Hunter!"
"Destroy that abomination!"
The neighbors cheered him on, watching from a distance.
"W—what!? Are you all mentally okay!? Get away from here now if you don't want to -"
ROOOOOAAARRR
The mutated creature lunged forward once more, with both hands raised high before slamming down toward Night Hunter with crushing force again.
This time, Night Hunter shifted aside with a quick sidestep, then sprang upward with his enhanced strength, soaring above the creature's head. Spinning his body in a full circle midair, he brought the energy-cloaked blade around, aiming it straight for the monster's back.
"I'm sorry... Jackson."
SPLURRT!
The blade penetrated his back easily, but Jackson was unfazed, almost as if the blade in his skin posed no threat to him.
"What!?"
[Master, I've ran a full analysis of the mutated human, his body is regenerating itself at a rapid speed, and it's strength and speed are spiralling out of control.]
"What are you telling me..."
[Master, he regenerated before the blade pierced him, and after the blade pierced him.]
Basically, despite having no injuries, he regenerated. His bodily functions were increasing each passing second. For instance, if he could move at 20mph at 1:20, at 1:21, he can now move at 23mph.
"What...?"
The creature's fist slammed into Night Hunter's back, and the sheer force sent him hurtling through the air, crashing into a building with a bone-shattering force.
Night Hunter dropped to the ground, immobile, nearly unconscious. He was still breathing, but whatever strength he had to hold on to his consciousness, the mutated creature blew it out of him.
"Night Hunter..."
"H-he's not moving!"
The neighbors all panicked, pushing each other asides as they ran away in various directions. They had nowhere to go, after all this was their home, but now that the only people left to defend it was down, they really had no choice but to flee.
"Don't run!" The mutated creature shouted to one of the girls who recorded everything.
She stood frozen, her eyes wavering. Her refusal to comply could mean her death, after all the mutated human proved his strength and speed.
It approached Night Hunter, picked him up and turned to the girl. "Make sure you record this." It said in it's distorted voice, and the girl immediately complied.
"Is this the man you all put your hopes and trust in? Just because he stopped a few ordinary humans? Pathetic!" He hurled Night Hunter's body across the streets, then approached him slowly, each step echoing through the neighborhood.
"Tonight. I'll do what many have failed to do, I'll kill the shadow that lurks in the night!"
It stood over Night Hunter, and raised it's fist in the air. "Go apologize to Carlos for taking his life."
It's huge fist descended down at him, like a meteor from space.
Then.
[Several injuries has been detected.]
[A broken back has been detected.]
[Initiating Nano Regeneration.]
[There are obstacles preventing Nano Regeneration.]
[Nano Regeneration failed.]
[The User's brainwaves has been reduced.]
[The User has lost consciousness.]
[Activating failsafe measures.]
[Video Recording has been terminated.]
[Activating one time dormantgear.]
[Dormant gear — Azrain Battle Armor has been activated.]