Triune: The broken path
Chapter 36: Specimen Z-10

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Specimen Z-10

Kael had regained consciousness when he had already slaughtered half the villagers, yet he still continued, killing them all and devouring their remains. During this time, he gathered clothes to wear after leaving the river, using towels to dry off before dressing himself.

Afterward, he put on a fine set of clothes, draping a dark robe over his back (check the character’s picture section for a more graphic depiction).

Kael exuded an elegant yet mysterious aura, radiating a dark and unsettling vibe.

"Orb of Void..." Kael muttered.

Understanding a concept wasn’t easy, but he had firsthand experience of what it truly meant. The hunger, the immense surge of power—it was intoxicating, almost identical to the feeling he got from absorbing chaos energy when war, torture, or any form of destruction took place.

"I wonder what the concept of Nothingness will feel like..." Kael grinned.

He had noticed something—wielding these concepts influenced him. He didn’t become a mindless beast, no. But he had grown darker, unrestrained by any moral boundaries—not that he had many to begin with.

"Off to the Middle Lands... this boost in strength was worth it."

Kael checked his stats.

[All-Seer]

Name: Kael

Rank: Awakener (Middle)

Concepts: Void, Nothingness, Chaos

Abilities: Void, Nothingness, Chaos Body, Hollow, Hunger, Chaos Whisperer, All-Seer

The "small incident" had proven beneficial—his rank had increased, placing him at the middle stage of the Awakener realm.

He could feel the raw power coursing through him.

Kael smiled as he picked up a twig, closed his eyes for a moment, and then lightly moved his fingers.

Crack.

The twig snapped instantly.

"The increase in strength is palpable."

In this realm, if one couldn’t destroy a planet, they couldn’t truly harm anything. This confirmed that kael , at low and middle Awakener rank, could likely obliterate multiple planets. However, he also noted a significant drawback—speed was drastically reduced due to this realm’s immense gravity.

"If the weakest beings in this realm were to visit a normal planet, how overwhelming would they be?"

On his journey, Kael encountered various beasts. The strongest among them were at the Evolved Realm. He even witnessed a Legendary Realm beast. Yet, despite their intimidating presence, they were all far weaker than he had expected.

Kael found himself growing bored. He continued exploring at a slow, leisurely pace until he finally reached a ravine.

There, several other beings had gathered, observing the deep chasm.

He noted another detail—this realm had a significantly longer day and night cycle. The sun must be absolutely massive.

Right now, it was night. Five enormous moons loomed in the sky, each likely terrifying in size.

"I wonder when I’ll learn their true scale," Kael mused. But for now, that wasn’t his priority.

Around him, the gathered figures were chatting amongst themselves. Their ranks were unremarkable—the strongest was at the Middle Awakener stage like him, while the weakest was at the Low Awakener stage.

One thing stood out—he was the youngest among them.

And the others took notice.

"What’s a kid doing here?"

"Yeah, I’ve been wondering the same thing."

"Hahaha, is he looking for his father?"

Some laughed, others mocked him, while the rest minded their own business.

Suddenly, a red mist rose from the ravine. Everyone turned their attention to the change.

A peculiar property of this realm—if one was an Awakener, the red mist would act as solid ground, allowing them to walk across. But for anyone below that rank, stepping forward would mean falling to their deaths.

Everyone watched cautiously—everyone except one person.

Kael walked forward, unfazed.

"Is this kid brain-dead?" someone muttered.

He wasn’t the only one who thought that. Many expected Kael to plummet into the depths.

But to their shock, he strode across effortlessly.

The crowd fell silent.

After all, Kael was only ten years old. The Realm of War chose Awakeners at random, but the odds of a mere child awakening were incredibly low.

On the other side, Kael analyzed the experience. The sensation of walking on the red mist, as though it were solid ground, was fascinating—but it was already in the past.

Because what he saw ahead left him stunned.

Rats.

Not just any rats—these creatures stood as tall as humans, possessing six arms and two legs. Their fur bristled with sharp spikes.

Kael’s mind reeled.

[All-Seer]

Name: Rastatus

Rank: Awakener (Low)

Concept: Bite

Ability: Double Bite (Inflicts two consecutive bites on a target)

At first glance, they seemed weak.

But Kael wasn’t so sure.

A concept-based ability like Bite could be dangerous.

He took a cautious step back, preparing to attack.

ROOOAAARR!

One of the Rastatus twitched its nose, sniffing the air before turning its gaze toward him.

And then, hundreds of them followed suit.

Kael was vastly outnumbered.

"Well... let’s see how this goes."

And with that, the battle began.

*****

Hours Later...

The other figures Kael had encountered earlier finally crossed the red mist, stepping onto the other side.

What they saw made their blood run cold.

Hundreds of Rastatus corpses lay scattered across the ground.

Their bodies had been ripped apart in the most gruesome ways imaginable—organs strewn about, limbs missing, the scene a grotesque massacre.

"Who the hell is that kid...?" someone whispered in disbelief.

******

Kael finally arrived at his destination.

It was a sight straight out of a futuristic vision of humanity—towering structures, bright neon lights, and spaceships soaring through the sky.

Some ships were merely hundreds of meters long. Others were massive, stretching to sizes beyond comprehension.

And now—he was surrounded.

"Drop your weapons and kneel on the ground!"

Kael glanced around.

Dozens of figures stood before him, clad in thick, robotic armor. Their weapons, sleek and advanced, were aimed directly at him.

[All-Seer]

Name: ???

Rank: ???

Concept: None

Abilities: ???

Kael frowned.

"Huh... are they strong or not?"

For now, he complied, lowering himself to the ground and raising his hands.

"Goodnight."

A sudden impact struck the back of his head.

His vision blurred.

And then—darkness.

****************

Inside a secret facility, a woman in a lab coat adjusted her gloves before turning to the nearest guard.

"Has the specimen been captured?" she asked.

"Yes, he’s in the tube, awaiting your arrival," the guard replied. The woman nodded and walked forward.

Ting...

The door slid open, revealing a futuristic laboratory. Supercomputers lined the walls, running simulations and recording data on the various creatures contained in large tubes. Scientists in white lab coats observed their specimens with curiosity. As soon as the woman entered, they stepped forward and bowed.

She was the leader of their experiment.

"Where is it?" she asked.

An elderly researcher stepped forward and pointed toward a massive tube in the corner. "Over there."

The woman walked over, the other researchers following closely behind. When she reached the tube, she frowned.

"Such a giant tube for this little thing?" she asked, her gaze falling on Kael’s small, ten-year-old body.

"Yes, it was the right course of action. His strength justifies the precaution," the old man explained.

"Alright, what are his stats?" she inquired.

"He’s at the Awakener Realm, middle stage," the researcher answered.

The woman’s eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, and he’s only ten years old. Not only that... he’s from that human race," the man added.

The woman’s expression shifted to one of disbelief, then fascination. "Incredible..." she murmured.

"Wake him up. I need to see his reaction," she ordered with a smile.

One of the researchers nodded and pressed a button on the control panel near the tube.

Kael’s consciousness stirred. His body felt heavy, his mind hazy, and he immediately sensed multiple pairs of eyes on him.

As his vision adjusted, he took in the sight of the creatures surrounding him. At first glance, they resembled humans, but there were distinct differences. They had long ears, only four fingers on each hand, and their males were significantly larger than their females. Their average height was about 1.5 meters, and their skin had a faint green tint.

All-Seer...

Name: ????

Rank: Genetic Warrior, Stage Nine

Concept: None

Ability: ????

Kael’s eyes narrowed in surprise.

The power system he was familiar with revolved around the Awakener Realm, yet these beings followed a completely different one—Genetic Warriors.

His gaze moved over their faces, analyzing their features. Their appearance wasn’t entirely inhuman, and they might even be considered aesthetically acceptable by human standards. Yet their race remained unknown to him.

A sudden realization hit him.

His limbs were bound.

His movements were restricted.

A mask was strapped to his face, supplying him with air.

He was floating in a colorless liquid, encased within a curved glass tube.

His gaze flickered to the scientists standing outside, and a chilling thought crossed his mind.

"White lab coats... chains... a breathing mask... advanced computers... a futuristic lab..."

"Am I a test subject?"

His eyes sharpened as he studied the beings watching him.

"Excellent," the woman mused. "He’s shocked but conceals it well... Immediately analyzing his surroundings and piecing together his situation. Such intelligence for a mere child. Humans truly are dangerous creatures... but unfortunately, we don’t need your mind—only your concept."

Kael remained silent, but his muscles tensed.

"Begin the test."

A researcher pressed a screen, and suddenly, purple waves pulsed into the tube.

"Aaaargh!!!"

Kael screamed in pain, his body convulsing as the energy tore through him.

Outside the tube, the researchers smirked.

Their eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Displayed on the supercomputer’s screen were the results they had been waiting for.

Specimen Z-10

Concept: Nothingness

Age: 10 years

Race: Human

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