COVELENT: XenoTrait

Takakura called out, ”...The Serum, Felix.” without turning around.

Felix listened as Takakura calmly explained that, ”stabilizing someone infected with Mark 8 is a big deal. I know many people who would pay top dollar for it.”

Felix said, ”I was able to save Abel because of his input as well.”

Takakura only smiled, saying, ”results mattered more than motives.”

Felix warned quietly, ”Abel will not be treated like research material.”

His tone carried a subtle threat before he finally left the room. The heavy doors shut behind him, leaving Takakura watching with quiet curiosity.

In the underground east wing, Felix entered the containment chamber where tanks of marine life waited under dim lights.

Starfish clung to glass walls, octopuses drifted slowly, and zebrafish flashed through circulating water.

Felix removed his coat and thought, ”it’s time I eat these guys... Unlike Abel, my serum actively rewrites my body, allowing mutation and trait integration.”

As he opened the first tank, water spilled across the floor and a starfish clung to his hand. Felix thought, ”clinging to the person who is going to eat you, huh... bad choice.”

He placed the starfish on a scale and pondered, ”for me to be able to gain a trait from an animal, I have to consume at least one kg of its meat.”

The scale read 500g. Felix grabbed another starfish and placed it on top, and the scale read 1010g. Felix thought, ”oh, so this one is 10 grams heavier.”

Felix grabbed the first starfish and bit into it. Saliva started filling his mouth, and the raw metallic taste of blood filled it. Felix then ate the entire starfish, looked at the one on the scale, and ate it.

Meanwhile, Abel sat in the recovery room, staring at his hands as strength slowly returned to his body. As he pondered,

”I feel faster and heavier at the same time. My muscles are responding more sharply than before.”

”Felix rarely risked himself for others. I feel guilty... I failed to protect Amme.” He clenched his fist. ”I will use this new power so that I can never be a burden.”

He looked at his hand and thought, ”the torn flesh has already sealed completely, leaving only smooth skin behind, and the damaged bone beneath is healed.” Abel realized something important, ”my body heals damage instantly, but it does not rebuild what is lost, so I cannot let myself get damaged to the point of losing a limb.”

Later, Jean observed Abel during light testing. Abel moved quicker than expected, dodging strikes from a training drone without breaking a sweat. Abel thought to himself, ”I’m going to master my abilities, but... I wonder... since everyone has... I’ll see what I can obtain if I do it too...”

”My strength has clearly increased, and impacts that should be breaking my bones only push me back a little... it seems I grow stronger with every battle that I go through... however, my exhaustion comes quickly, which forces me to stop after only a short exchange.”

”Ha... ha... ha...” he exhaled as he tried to catch his breath.

Felix, watching calmly, thought, ”Abel was a prototype of my serum, which gave him enhanced strength, speed, and durability, with limited regeneration meant only to prevent fatal injury. But that growth rate is unique to him... unlike me, Abel will not mutate or evolve through traits. His body has its own growth...”

Deep underground in the west wing, Felix pondered, ”my newly absorbed traits—the starfish, zebrafish, and octopus—I wonder what I should do... hmm, I’m going to put the starfish trait in my genetic code and the other two in my glands so I can mutate them together another time.”

Felix sat down quietly, then his body started to form reddish skin. His teeth became even sharper, and then his body started convulsing. He screamed, ”Ahhhh!” as his body mutated. His eyes widened, then silence hit. Only his breathing could be heard.

”Ah... ah... ahhh... man, I hate that feeling a lot, but now it’s done... there is no going back now.”

Takakura watched through a hidden camera and said, ”yes... yes, that’s what I want... compared to Abel or the others, Felix is the perfect one.”

Elsewhere, in a hidden facility, Amme sat restrained in a dimly lit room.

Amme whispered, ”Abel,” under her breath.