"Did you see that!? That looked like another strand of Virus! Another species, perhaps?" Elena said with starry eyes, looking back at the scene and to you.
"Are you sure those aren't just monsters?" (Y/N) asked. Trying to push her away from pursuing his kind.
The guards arrived and told the people to get inside their homes immediately. You can see the fear in their eyes, but they acted bravely for the people.
"Are monsters just getting bolder?" A guard asked.
"Back then, no monster even dared to come near the walls, now there have been lots of attacks." Another guard agreed, looking up.
The two went inside after eavesdropping on the Guard's conversation. He was a bit confused that Elena didn't even question why the targets were those who bullied her earlier.
"Well... I don't think they are, but let's get our hopes up! What if they really were a new species of Virus?" Elena said, sitting on the couch.
"But don't fret, (F/N). I actually have many leads. Here." She said, giving (Y/N) a notebook.
He flipped it open and started to read. This girl has a ton of leads on Viruses... most of them are unbelievable. But one stood out the most.
"Hey Elena, what about this one?" (Y/N) asked, pointing at the entry on the book.
"That's the Cemetery Incident. It happened recently but was foiled by an adventurer." Elena elaborated. Clenching her fists in... anger?
"The Guild said that it was common necromancy, but I saw some of their employees carry these weird green vials." Elena pondered. (Y/N)'s mind spiraled.
"The green flu?" He asked.
"I think so... but I don't think the perpetrator used it. If they did, I don't think the adventurer could've dealt with the zombies easier." She mused. (Y/N) let her speak, having not much evidence to start making assumptions himself.
"Where do you think those green vials are now?" (Y/N) asked. This green vial must be in his hands immediately for the safety of his race and for empowering his ever-growing army.
"The Guild has it, but I remember hearing about them sending it out to Re-Estize for further analysis." Elena answered. She clenched her fists once again, (Y/N) was slowly taking notice.
"Well, it's been fun, Elena. But I have to go now. Good luck in your studies!" (Y/N) faked, changing into a nervous tone as if he knew something he shouldn't.
Elena just smiled at him and waved goodbye. The Scientist turned around with a sly smirk.
Just as he expected, after taking one step out the door, he felt a sharp pain from his back that crawled out to his stomach. He stared down with a smile. Sharp claws protruded from his body.
"It's bad enough that stupid necromancer shrugged my Virus aside, and the Guild acquired it. Now we have little heroes like you snooping." Elena hissed before laughing maniacally.
Elena's smile quickly disappeared as (Y/N) chuckled. Unable to turn his body to properly talk to Elena, he turned his head one hundred eighty degrees and smiled at her.
"Inferior!" (Y/N) laughed. Elena's eyes widened, seeing the man laugh at something most would be screaming in pain at.
An arm mutated from (Y/N)'s back and copied Alcina Dimitrescu's signature claws. They were longer and more refined than Elena's crude weapons.
The claws struck, cutting Elena's clawed hand. The girl stumbled back in shock, grabbing her amputated arm in pain. (Y/N) stared at her, becoming more and more disappointed by the second.
"Your species don't even have minimal regenerative properties. Even some of our weakest can best you." (Y/N) scowled. He pulled the girl's clawed hand out his back and dropped it on the floor.
"Creator. It seems some adventurers tracked our Novistadors. They haven't suspected a thing yet, but they're becoming suspicious. Shall we kill them?" Osmund Saddler reported.
"Looks like my Subjects have run into trouble. I won't waste time trying to deal with someone like you." (Y/N) said harshly, raising his foot to crush the girl's heart.
"No! Please! We have a use! Our powers come in different variants! I'll show you we're not inferior!" Elena shouted, her eyes wavering in fear.
"Your species will have a use. Just not you." (Y/N) said. He stepped on her chest and slowly tried to crush it, but the girl was much more durable than she let on.
"The Green Flu! It's unstable! Only I can control it! If you kill me, you'll have a hard time managing it!" Elena shouted. (Y/N) stared at her for a second, trying to find a lie in her statement.
He softened his gaze and took his foot off her chest. (Y/N) kneeled down and grabbed the amputated hand while Elena sat down, breathing heavily.
"Give me your arm." (Y/N) requested. Elena slowly stretched her arm out, but The Scientist slapped it away, "The other one." He firmly said.
Elena shakily raised her amputated arm. (Y/N) grabbed it and pulled, making the girl yelp in pain. He connected the two and used his other hand to attach it with the Mold.
Elena stared in wonder, moving her mutated hand. All feeling has returned as if it wasn't cut in the first place. (Y/N) stoop up and glared at her.
"Go! Show me you belong to be with us." (Y/N) said. Elena sat there still in awe, "Quickly! I'm an impatient man." He sneered.
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Both sat upon a tree branch, looking over the village (Y/N)'s subjects built, "Prove to me you're not a lost cause. I want you to kill that group of adventurers, but first, I'm going to show you the time to beat." (Y/N) chuckled.
He pointed to another part of the forest, "There is another group of adventurers. Their task is to watch the back entrance of the village." (Y/N) continued.
"Also, they're gold ranked. You'll be taking the one on the back, but here, let me show you what you're up against." (Y/N) said, gesturing Elena to watch closely.
"Bring out one Ganado, Saddler." (Y/N) ordered.
The front gate opened, surprising the three adventurers. The Ganado slowly walked towards. The knight of the group laughed, seeing his enemy wobble towards them.
"Cocky..." (Y/N) observed.
The knight tried to impress the two female adventurers with him. He dashed to the Ganado and thrust his sword through its stomach. (Y/N) started counting.
The knight grinned, staring at the unmoving Ganado. It suddenly opened its eyes and swung its fist. The knight had no time to dodge, and the fist collided with his head. The sheer force of the swing made the man's head explode.
"Whoa! Too gory for what I was expecting." (Y/N) commented while Elena watched in shock.
The Ganado pulled the sword out of his stomach and used it as his weapon. The archer crouched and pulled back the bow. She released it, and the arrow went flying.
It hit the Ganado straight at the forehead, but it didn't even pierce deep enough to kill it. The Ganados eyes shot towards the archer in anger. It pounced and caught her.
"She's dead." (Y/N) laughed.
The Ganado grabbed her head and squished it. The spellcaster screamed, seeing her friend get her head squished to mush.
The spellcaster grabbed her staff, "Thunderlance!" She chanted. Thunder shot from the staff and hit the Ganado. Immunity is one powerful skill.
The spellcaster's eyes widened, seeing the Ganado undamaged. Her shock led her to death as the Ganado thrust the sword it acquired, piercing her chest.
"Eighteen seconds. You think you can beat that?" (Y/N) smirked. Elena was in awe.
'This? This is the weakest they have? It took out three Gold-ranked adventurers in eighteen seconds!' She thought, her hands were shaking.
"Better hurry, Elena. The scream alerted the other team." (Y/N) said. The other team consisted of an assassin, another knight, and a spellcaster.
'I need to beat that time. This might as well be our only chance at survival.' She thought, breathing heavily before jumping down to confront her targets.
Elena's fingers sharpened, but they didn't grow. (Y/N) carefully watched as Elena pounced at breakneck speeds to the spellcaster and started clawing her guts out.
Elena's jaw suddenly unhinged, and she puked out an acidic substance at the two remaining adventurers. While the two were preoccupied, Elena's right arm mutated.
"She has more mutations than I thought." (Y/N) applauded, a bit surprised at the scope of the Green Flu.
Elena ran towards the heavily armored knight, using her mutated right arm as a battering ram. She hit the knight and brought him with her before colliding with a tree and killing him.
The rogue successfully got the sticky acid substance off him, but a long tongue wraps around his body. Elena, using the long mutated tongue, brought the rogue to her before snapping his neck.
"Fifteen seconds. You almost lost." (Y/N) chuckled, dropping down beside her. Elena removed all her mutations and breathed heavily.
"Breathe, Elena. You survived. Congratulations!" (Y/N) commended, patting the girl on the back.
"Now, before I lead you into your new home, we have a rule. Don't ever reveal we still exist. Now, retrieve the vials the Guild has acquired. I'll be waiting for you here." (Y/N) ordered. The last thing they need is a clumsy member that will accidentally reveal their existence.
"Just like you did, Creator?" Deborah interjected.
"Shut up, Deborah! I never gave you permission to eavesdrop!" (Y/N) smiled. This girl is becoming too much like him. He looks around, seeing an infected crow on one of the trees.
"Clever girl." He shook his head as the crow flew away.
(Y/N) walked inside the village the Ganados built. Not bad, beautiful medieval houses, and a stone church directly in the middle.
"How may I serve, Creator?" Bitorez Mendez kneeled, a bit on edge meeting the Creator personally.
"Bring me to wherever your secret hideout is on this village." (Y/N) commanded. Bitorez bowed once again and led him inside the church.
Bitorez walked to a nearby pew and pressed a button, opening a hidden entrance on the altar that led underground.
'Just like the one on Resident Evil 6, except the entrance is far easier to open.' (Y/N) grinned, feeling nostalgic as he remembered playing as Leon on Resident Evil 6.
The underground was like a castle, with beautiful brick walls and finely sculpted statues. It isn't furnished, though... but it still is a feat in one day for slow Ganados.
"Where are our Novistadors hiding?" (Y/N) asked. Bitorez gestured to the many holes on the wall.
"It leads directly to the Hive they have started building." Bitorez answered, "They also have quick access outside since most of the wells dotted around the village are connected to the Hive." He continued.
"Good work!" (Y/N) commended. He looked around, "Where are the others? Your associates?" He asked.
"Creator?" Saddler and Salazar kneeled. Behind Salazar are his two Verdugo guards, who didn't kneel.
Salazar glared at his guards, but (Y/N) dismissed it, "Well, I won't be staying long. We have a new recruit." (Y/N) announced, surprising the three Subjects.
"Creator. The Ganados are telling me someone is outside the walls demanding to meet you." Bitorez relayed, hearing reports from the Ganados through the Hive Mind.
"I think that's her. Follow me. We'll meet her personally." (Y/N) said. The four went up the church and closed the secret entrance.
Bitorez commanded the Ganados to open the gates, and they complied, "Elena, I'm certain you acquired what you were tasked to get?" (Y/N) asked with a smile.
"Yes." Elena said, giving (Y/N) the vials of Green Flu... albeit reluctantly.
"Good work, Elena." (Y/N) commended, "Gentlemen, this is our new member. And she is your superior!" (Y/N) declared.
Elena was beyond surprised. From how (Y/N) belittled her strand of Virus, she thought she'd be placed at the lowest of the low. The three Subjects glared at Elena, but no words were spoken.
"Now, I require the three of you to finish this village. I'll return once I get Elena situated back on our Kingdom." (Y/N) ordered. The three knelt down and left to go continue their work.
"Are you ready to see your new home?" (Y/N) asked giddily. As much as he hated being assassinated earlier, Elena is still family and will be treated as such.
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"It seems Elena has already joined another faction..." A hooded man said, pondering as he sat with his associates.
"Like that weakling would be much help anyway." A girl laughed, drinking blood-red wine from a wine glass.
"I will not let you speak ill against my sister, Cateline!" Another man growled at the girl. He smashed his fist on the table in anger.
"Your sister betrayed us! If it were me, I'd cast you out too!" Cateline giggled, teasing the man.
"My sister left because of your nonstop berating! Now you blame her for joining another faction!" Elena's brother argued, his hands shaking in anger.
"Stop arguing, Cateline, Allen." The Hooded man interrupted, "Let's stop talking about Elena for a while and more about the man who took her in." He continued.
"That is the first time I've seen that man." Allen answered, crossing his arms.
"Cateline?" The hooded man asked.
"No. Though I would like to meet this stranger." Elena grinned, swirling the wine glass.
While the meeting was still ongoing. The doors opened, revealing another member.
"Harran, what have you discovered?" The hooded man said.
"My Night Hunters have some information about the man. I've been following him for some time now." Harran answered, bringing a smile to the hooded person.
"He is just another Virus just like us, enhanced regenerative abilities, an array of mutations, and shapeshifting capabilities." The man added.
"And what about his minions, Harran. Does he have a base or something?" Cateline asked, curiosity peaking.
"It's no mistaking. This man has a whole kingdom in his hands." Harran admitted, surprising those in the group.
"Though I have no other information, my Volatiles were vanquished even before they get close to the walls." Harran continued, glaring in anger. The hooded man was displeased.
"What about my sister? Where is she now?" Allen asked, practically shaking the man in worry.
"She is safe for now and is on their way to the main base of the man. Though I doubt she'll be safe for long." Harran answered. Allen sat down and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"What is our plan, Mercer?" Cateline asked. A new competitor has risen, and it looks like he's not a pushover.
"We need to fortify. What Harran did was highly dangerous, going after an enemy without telling us!" Mercer glared as Harran looked down in regret.
"Fortify your walls. Increase your Infected, and make sure your further actions aren't noticed!" Mercer ordered, glaring at Harran.
"And make sure to relay this to our other members who unfortunately couldn't join us today." Mercer added.
"I am once again reminding you, be cautious. That man Harran just saw is highly dangerous." Mercer warned for one last time before leaving the room.
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(Y/N) laughed, joking around with the Baker family. They were the first ones to welcome Elena with open arms. The others did... but it needed a bit of scolding for them to accept that someone they deemed weaker is their superior.
"Looks like you are having fun." (Y/N) said. Elena smiled at him, enjoying the hospitality of the Baker Family.
"It's just... the last group I was in wasn't this accepting." Elena blurted accidentally. She covered her mouth.
"Still hiding something from me, Elena?" (Y/N) asked, hearing clearly what she just said.
"No, sir." Elena said, trying to lie even though she was already caught.
(Y/N) let it slide for now. It's rude, ruining the Baker family's hospitality. He decided to press on later once he was alone with Elena.
While the conversation continued. A loud bustling noise erupted from outside. (Y/N) tried to ignore it, but the uproar was loud. The family could see the irritation on (Y/N)'s face. Marguerite tried to calm him down, but it was too late.
"What the fuck is going on out here! Can't you see that we're celebrating the acceptance of a new..." (Y/N) shouted before his lips shut completely.
Kneeling In front of him were Devorah and Heisenberg. Behind them were J'avos and Lycans. In the middle of them was a Virus, unknown, different, unique.
"Creator. We're sorry to interrupt the celebration, but we found this thing snooping outside the walls." Devorah reported.
It was weird, inhuman. These look more like beasts with it's exposed bones, muscles, and mandible jaws. (Y/N) stared at it and noticed something.
"Devorah, come closer." (Y/N) ordered. Devorah reluctantly walked closer, "Show me your right shoulder." He asked.
Devorah moved for her Creator to get a better look. Her shoulder had a chunk bitten out of it.
"It's not healing, Creator." Heisenberg said in worry, walking closer as he inspected Devorah's wound.
(Y/N) cursed and picked up the dead unknown Virus by the neck. A droplet of green phlegm dropped onto (Y/N)'s hand.
"Acid." (Y/N) said, seeing it burn through his skin, but his power made him possible to heal it.
He grabbed Devorah and pressed his hand onto her shoulder. She winced in pain as (Y/N) healed her.
"How many were there?" (Y/N) asked Heisenberg.
"Three, Creator. All were killed immediately." He answered. (Y/N) nodded.
"Good." (Y/N) raised the dead Virus for his Subjects to see, "We're on high alert! Kill on sight, never capture any of these creatures." (Y/N) ordered.
"We can't risk it. I doubt we're the only ones gifted with the Hive Mind." (Y/N) said to his Subjects.
"Now. Where are the other two?" (Y/N) asked. Devorah's shoulder was fully healed. She thanked her Creator and escorted him.
"I need to make an antidote to these creatures' vile." (Y/N) mumbled.
"And, we're going to have a long talk after this, Elena."
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Heyyo! This is chapter 20.
I know this is extremely late. I'm sorry and I have not abandoned this story yet. Thanks to those who are still with us even though my updates are less frequent than how I did back then.