---

Sensing the dense, heavy signature of Compound-X saturating the air, Kael-X's instincts screamed caution. He eased back, choosing not to start trouble—at least not yet.

These primitive beings… hehehe, he thought, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint, almost amused smirk.

"Get the intramuscular injection with the neurotoxin, and a little mayanium," one of the lab attendants commanded. His tone carried the calm authority of someone used to giving orders in dangerous situations.

At once, four attendants moved in sync, each carrying trays of equipment—long steel syringes, small vials of shimmering liquid, and a set of crystalline containers.

The commanding attendant reached for one syringe. Its needle was unnervingly long, made for deep muscular penetration. He drew out a measured amount of a translucent green fluid—the arsenic-based neurotoxin—and stepped closer to Kael-X.

With clinical precision, he pierced the flesh of Kael-X's right arm. The needle slid in, but the effect was unexpected—rather than flowing freely into his bloodstream, the fluid spread only within the muscle tissue, trapped in layers like oil on water.

Crystals of Kael's unique blood composition shimmered faintly at the point of entry.

[ IDENTIFYING TOXIN… ARSENIC NEUROTOXIN DETECTED… CONVERTING TO ABSORBABLE FLUID… ABSORBING… ]

The mechanical, emotionless voice of his internal system echoed within Kael-X's mind.

"It seems there's no reaction," the attendant muttered. "Let's try mayanium. If even the polonium neurotoxin fails, perhaps mayanium—or a combination—will succeed."

He swapped the syringe for another and filled it with mayanium—Compound-X in its refined liquid state. The moment the needle touched Kael-X's arm, the reaction was immediate. His deathly pallor began to fade. The once-lifeless glint in his eyes returned, a faint electric shimmer dancing across the irises. His dry, dull hair regained its deep ocean-blue sheen.

[ ENERGY LEVEL: 5% (CRITICAL)

HOST ENERGY: 16% (DEPLETED)

INTEGRATION: 89% (INCOMPLETE) ]

'Activate epinephrine,' Kael-X commanded silently.

[ ACTIVATING EPINEPHRINE ]

The heart monitor and life-support machines erupted in a storm of rapid beeps.

"A building amount of adrenaline?" one attendant asked, confusion creeping into his voice.

Another suddenly realized the danger. "Pin him down!"

But the warning came too late.

In less than a blink, Kael-X vanished, leaving only an explosion of afterimages rippling through the air. Even the afterimages moved too fast to be tracked. By the time their eyes caught up, he was gone.

When the lab regained some order, a fresh wave of panic swept through them. All the mayanium—every vial, every stored crate, even the raw ore embedded in the facility's underground vault—was gone. Vanished. No fingerprints. No traces. Security cameras showed only blurred streaks of crimson light.

Meanwhile, Kael-X was already miles away. He'd struck gold—or something far more valuable. Compound-X was worth more than any precious metal.

He stopped at the mouth of a cave. The entrance breathed cool, mineral-rich air, but as he reached out with his abilities, nothing unusual happened.

Venturing deeper, he found the walls lined with blue stalactites and red stalagmites, their faint bioluminescence casting a surreal glow. The air carried an oddly pleasant, almost addictive scent, but Kael paid it no mind.

Then—

Ding!

[ ENERGY LEVEL: 100%

HOST ENERGY: 76%

INTEGRATION: 100% ]

"That means everything's been absorbed," he muttered, tossing aside a handful of faded stones and empty vials.

[ STATUS

HOST: KAEL-X

GENETIC VARIANT: SPEED-SPATIAL ATTRIBUTE

PRIMARY FUNCTION OVERRIDE

SECONDARY FUNCTION OVERRIDE

ZULEK SYSTEM OVERRIDE

UNLOCKING SYSTEM PANEL… ]

"Zulek, huh? I am finally free… at least for a while."

Now fully recovered, Kael-X's appearance was striking. His long blue hair flowed down to his shoulders, the front strands veiling his eyes in an almost deliberate mystery. He wore nothing but a high-tech pair of boxers—functional, but not exactly fit for public appearances. Even on Zypheron-5, he wouldn't walk around dressed like this.

"With these slowpokes, I'll just zoom in, kit up, and be gone. Augustus, where am I?"

[ SCANNING… CONNECTING TO GEOGRAPHICAL SATELLITE… BYPASSING… CURRENT LOCATION: OGOF LLYN DU, ALYN GORGE, DEE VALLEY, NORTH WALES, WAL— ]

"Shut up. Take me to the nearest clothing store and download this world's language pack."

[ DONE. ENGLISH AND FRENCH TRANSMITTED. ]

"Nearest clothes store?"

As if his system had already calculated the route, his body moved before the question was finished. In a streak of red light, he was gone.

---

Mantas Menswear – Dee Valley, North Wales

A soft drizzle misted the small town's cobblestone streets as Kael-X slowed his pace outside a quaint corner shop. Mantas Menswear was a blend of old-world charm and modern practicality. The exterior walls were painted a warm sandstone yellow, weathered slightly by the Welsh rain, with a polished oak sign above the door bearing the store's name in bold, black serif letters. A hanging flower basket swayed gently in the breeze beside the entrance.

Through the large front window, mannequins stood dressed in neat rows of tailored jackets, winter coats, and casual knitwear. The glass was crystal clear, reflecting the muted grey skies above and the flickering glow of a vintage streetlamp nearby.

Inside, the shop was a curated blend of practicality and style. Dark wooden shelves displayed neatly folded trousers and shirts, while racks held everything from rugged work jackets to sleek, city-ready blazers. The faint scent of cedar wood mixed with fresh fabric softener filled the air. Warm lighting cast a golden hue over the polished floor, making the place feel more like a personal tailor's workshop than a generic retail outlet.

The owner—a man in his late fifties with a kind smile and silver hair—stood behind the counter, adjusting the lapel of a charcoal suit jacket on display.

For Kael-X, it was just a store. A means to an end. But to the locals, Mantas Menswear was a landmark—a reliable place to find clothes that would last through both Welsh winters and formal dinners.

---

Outside, the drizzle had turned to a light rain.

A lone figure emerged from the shop—a man in an oversized orange hoodie and matching baggy trousers. The hood was pulled low, shadowing his face entirely. His hands were buried in the front pocket, his gait unhurried, almost lazy.

But under the calm exterior, his senses remained razor-sharp, his muscles coiled and ready. Even now, with fresh clothes concealing his otherworldly presence, Kael-X moved like a predator strolling through a forest—silent, controlled, and unreadable.

The shop door swung shut behind him with a

soft chime, and without a glance backward, he walked away, disappearing into the quiet Welsh streets.

---

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