Chapter 162: What They Created
The moment Subject Seven started running toward me again, something inside my mind changed.
The fear that had been sitting in my chest since the moment Victor arrived… faded.
Not completely.
But enough.
Enough for something else to rise in its place.
Focus.
The strange silver energy still flowed through my arms, pulsing like a second heartbeat beneath my skin.
For the first time since the Ascension Chamber, I understood it.
Not fully.
But enough to know it was mine.
Subject Seven roared as he charged forward again.
His footsteps cracked the pavement beneath him.
Behind him, Victor watched calmly.
Like a man watching a performance.
Testing his experiment.
Testing me.
My hands clenched slowly.
“You want a demonstration?”
My voice came out lower than usual.
Stronger.
The energy flared brighter.
“Fine.”
\---
Subject Seven reached me in seconds.
His fist flew toward my face again.
Faster this time.
Stronger.
But my body moved before my brain finished thinking.
I sidestepped him easily.
His fist slammed into empty air.
The ground cracked where he landed.
Before he could react, I grabbed his arm.
The moment my fingers touched his skin—
The silver energy surged.
Violently.
Subject Seven’s entire body lifted off the ground.
Callum’s voice echoed from somewhere behind me.
“Okay that’s new.”
With a simple twist of my arm, I threw him.
Not a small throw.
Not a stumble.
I launched him.
The massive soldier flew across the road like a rag doll.
He crashed through a streetlight.
Metal bent like paper.
He rolled across the asphalt before slamming into one of the black vehicles Victor’s men had arrived in.
The vehicle flipped onto its side.
Dust filled the air again.
Silence followed.
Aidan stared at me.
“…remind me never to annoy you again.”
\---
Victor, however, looked fascinated.
Not surprised.
Not angry.
Fascinated.
He clasped his hands behind his back again.
“Magnificent.”
Dominic finally tore free from the electric net trapping him.
The massive black wolf snapped the wires apart with raw strength.
Electric sparks crackled across the ground.
Elena rushed toward him immediately.
“Dominic!”
The wolf shook his head slightly before rising again.
His golden eyes shifted to me.
And for a moment…
Even Dominic looked unsure.
Not afraid.
But surprised.
Callum walked closer slowly, rubbing the back of his head.
“Okay Roxanne…”
He looked at the crushed streetlight.
“…what exactly did they put in you?”
I swallowed.
“I don’t know.”
But that wasn’t entirely true.
Because the energy inside me felt familiar now.
It felt like…
Instinct.
Like something that had always been there but had been locked away.
Until the chamber forced it open.
\---
The rubble across the street shifted again.
Subject Seven rose from the wreckage once more.
His breathing was heavier now.
Blood ran down the side of his face.
But he still smiled.
Victor nodded approvingly.
“Good.”
“Again.”
Callum groaned loudly.
“Oh come on!”
Aidan shook his head.
“They built him like a tank.”
Subject Seven charged again.
But this time—
Dominic moved.
The black wolf lunged forward.
His massive jaws snapped shut around the soldier’s shoulder.
The sound of tearing fabric and breaking bone echoed across the street.
Subject Seven roared.
But instead of falling…
He grabbed Dominic’s neck.
And lifted the giant wolf into the air.
Elena gasped.
“Dominic!”
Callum muttered.
“Okay that guy is definitely cheating.”
Subject Seven slammed Dominic into the pavement.
The ground cracked.
The wolf snarled viciously.
Before the soldier could strike again—
I moved.
\---
The silver energy surged as I ran.
I grabbed Subject Seven by the arm again.
This time, I didn’t throw him.
I punched him.
The moment my fist connected with his chest—
The power exploded outward.
A shockwave ripped through the street.
Windows shattered.
Cars shook.
Subject Seven’s body flew backward again.
But this time—
He didn’t get up immediately.
He slid across the road before crashing into a brick wall.
The wall collapsed completely.
Dust covered everything.
Callum stared in disbelief.
“…yeah.”
“We’re definitely on her side.”
\---
Dominic slowly rose again beside me.
The massive wolf shook dust from his fur.
His golden eyes met mine.
For a moment…
Something passed between us.
Recognition.
Not of fear.
But of change.
Because Dominic knew it.
He could feel it.
I wasn’t the same Roxanne anymore.
And neither of us knew exactly what that meant.
\---
Victor clapped slowly.
The sound echoed across the silent street.
“Well done.”
His voice carried genuine admiration.
“You’re adapting faster than expected.”
Aidan glared at him.
“You sound proud.”
Victor shrugged.
“Of course I am.”
His eyes remained locked on me.
“She is exactly what we hoped for.”
Elena stepped forward angrily.
“She’s not your project!”
Victor tilted his head slightly.
“That depends on your definition of ownership.”
Callum whispered to Aidan.
“I vote we throw him into traffic.”
Aidan nodded.
“Thirded.”
\---
Victor continued calmly.
“You see… the Ascension program was designed to combine the strengths of every supernatural species.”
My stomach twisted.
“What?”
He gestured toward Dominic.
“Werewolf strength.”
Then toward me.
“Human adaptability.”
His eyes gleamed.
“And something else.”
Callum frowned.
“What something else?”
Victor smiled faintly.
“Something ancient.”
Aidan’s expression hardened.
“What did you do?”
Victor ignored him.
His gaze stayed on me.
“Your body survived the fusion process.”
He paused.
“That has never happened before.”
I felt the power pulse again beneath my skin.
“What fusion?”
Victor answered simply.
“Energy.”
“Genetics.”
“And a very old force that predates both wolves and vampires.”
Silence fell again.
Even the soldiers looked uneasy.
Elena whispered.
“That’s impossible.”
Victor shrugged.
“And yet here she stands.”
\---
Across the street…
The rubble shifted again.
Subject Seven staggered back into view.
This time slower.
His body clearly damaged.
But still alive.
Callum stared in disbelief.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
Victor nodded.
“Remarkable durability.”
Dominic growled beside me.
Subject Seven wiped blood from his mouth.
Then he smiled again.
Victor looked at me once more.
“Finish it.”
The words echoed in the quiet street.
My chest tightened.
“What?”
Victor’s voice stayed calm.
“This is the final stage of the test.”
He pointed at the soldier.
“Destroy him.”
Callum blinked.
“…that escalated quickly.”
I shook my head.
“I’m not killing him.”
Victor sighed.
“Compassion.”
“How disappointing.”
Subject Seven suddenly charged again.
Dominic lunged to intercept him.
But I stepped forward first.
Because something inside me had already decided.
If this was Victor’s test…
Then I would end it.
My hands lifted slowly.
The silver energy surged brighter than before.
Stronger.
Hotter.
Subject Seven reached me—
And swung.
But this time I didn’t dodge.
I caught his fist midair.
The moment our hands touched—
The energy exploded again.
Not outward.
But inward.
Straight into him.
Subject Seven froze.
His glowing eyes widened.
Cracks of silver light spread across his skin like lightning.
Callum whispered.
“Uh…”
“That doesn’t look good.”
The soldier’s body trembled violently.
Then—
He collapsed.
The silver light faded instantly.
Subject Seven lay motionless on the ground.
Not dead.
But completely unconscious.
Victor’s smile widened slowly.
“Perfect.”
Dominic shifted back into human form beside me.
His voice came out rough.
“What did you do to him?”
I stared at the soldier.
“I don’t know.”
But Victor did.
His eyes burned with excitement.
“She didn’t just overpower him.”
He paused.
“She shut him down.”
Aidan frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Victor looked directly at me.
“It means…”
His smile deepened.
“She can control the energy inside other enhanced subjects.”
Callum blinked.
“…that sounds like a big deal.”
Victor nodded.
“Oh, it is.”
\---
Then something unexpected happened.
Victor turned away.
Back toward his vehicles.
Aidan shouted.
“You’re leaving?”
Victor glanced over his shoulder.
“For now.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“You don’t get to walk away after this.”
Victor chuckled softly.
“You misunderstand.”
His eyes shifted back to me one last time.
“This was never an attack.”
“It was an evaluation.”
My stomach dropped.
“Evaluation?”
Victor nodded.
“And you passed.”
Callum groaned.
“I hate tests.”
Victor continued calmly.
“The Council now knows exactly what you are.”
A cold chill ran down my spine.
“And what am I?”
Victor’s answer came quietly.
“The first Ascended.”
Silence filled the road.
Then he added something that made my blood run cold.
“And now…”
His eyes darkened slightly.
“Everyone will want you.”
The black vehicles began pulling away.
Victor stepped inside one.
But before the door closed, he spoke again.
“We will meet again soon, Roxanne.”
The door shut.
The convoy drove away.
Leaving us standing in the destroyed street.
Among broken cars.
Collapsed buildings.
And unconscious soldiers.
Callum finally exhaled.
“…so.”
He looked at me carefully.
“Anyone else concerned about the part where the entire supernatural world might start hunting you now?”
Dominic stepped beside me again.
His hand brushed mine.
His voice was quiet but certain.
“Let them try.”
But deep inside…
I had a terrible feeling.
Victor hadn’t come here just to test me.
He had come here to announce me.
And that meant something far worse was coming next.