Chapter 132: The “Right” to Power (Please Subscribe)

"If I transplant Titan tissue, will I become as strong as they are?"

Tokita Niko—or rather, the youth currently known as Baitang Jing—expressed his curiosity at the opportune moment. He had taken to referring to these gargantuan beasts collectively as "Titans."

"Strong?" Kureha Shinogi’s expression was an enigmatic smirk. "Their transformation is far beyond what a simple word like 'strong' can describe."

"The eyes of an eagle, the hearing of a bat, the vibration sensitivity of a spider, the thermal vision of a rattlesnake... I told you, didn't I? Titans are the ultimate apex of the biological evolutionary chain, and these abilities naturally manifest in the human body once the fusion is complete."

"But I imagine it isn't perfect?" Baitang Jing crossed his arms, watching the battle between Wakatsuki and Kure Raian through the observation window.

Wakatsuki Takeshi, with his naturally good-natured disposition, had entered the fight with the intention of subduing Raian. He should have used his superior strength—amplified further by his beast-form—to apply a joint lock and restrain him immediately. Instead, his strikes were becoming increasingly vicious. His beast-like claws were balled into fists, hammering down on Raian with blow after heavy blow. Even his usually calm, steady expression had twisted into a savage, ecstatic snarl.

"Spot on. You have a keen eye," Kureha praised him. "This is the manifestation of 'qualification'."

"To the pathetic human race, Titans are god-like beings. Even within their shredded flesh, the wild, bestial nature is enough to shatter an ordinary person's self-awareness. At present, only top-tier martial artists, fighters, or the elite among professional soldiers can revert to human form after their initial transformation. Yet, when they enter combat and their limbs undergo beast-fication, their personalities inevitably become violently feral."

"Even so, compared to the failures, this is the 'qualification' to step onto the path of the superhuman."

"Does this involve the psychological realm?"

Baitang Jing nodded. No wonder Wakatsuki had said this was something "current science cannot touch."

"Then, what about those on the ground floor...?" Baitang Jing asked cautiously.

"Yes. They succeeded in the physical fusion, but mentally, they became pathetic lunatics... no, they aren't even lunatics. They are just mad dogs," Kureha said coldly, as if he didn't view the test subjects below as beings once human, but merely as slabs of meat for his experiments.

*A cold-blooded man.* Baitang Jing had gauged the doctor's character well.

"Wakatsuki’s implant is only that small. It can't compare to Raian’s, can it?" The youth gestured toward Wakatsuki, who was currently beating the beast-formed Raian into the ground. "Then why is his advantage so obvious?"

Raian shrieked, his jagged, thorny body scraping against Wakatsuki during their struggle. Yet, even against a body capable of slicing through steel, Wakatsuki’s skin—untransformed—only sparked upon contact. Then came another crushing flurry of heavy blows!

Kureha, likely sensing the outcome was clear, walked away from the window and poured himself a glass of water at his desk. "The secrets of the Titans remain profound, Baitang. For now, we can only assume that the body's transformation stems from a certain energy within the Titan's flesh. It acts as a catalyst, or a key."

"What matters is triggering the body's change and its subsequent autonomous development. Whether the 'catalyst' is large or small, whether it is blood or skin, is irrelevant."

"Wakatsuki’s surgery was performed half a month ago; his current physical development is the most advanced. He can suppress a first-time transformer without even needing to shift his limbs. On the contrary, you should be surprised by Raian’s durability." The doctor leaned against his desk, sipping his water comfortably. "To be honest, modern science can only open this door; what lies beyond is anyone's guess."

"Oh? So, this power doesn't necessarily require further experimentation to continue growing?"

"Researching how to eliminate side effects and improve success rates is enough to give the scientific community a headache for a century. The lifespans of the 'Big Bosses' are the problem that needs urgent solving. Who has the time or energy to push for further human augmentation experiments? If you're a martial artist, you'll have to rely on yourself." Kureha tapped his desk, his tone teasing. "Who knows? Perhaps in the end, even humans will be able to breathe fire? Haha."

*That's the line I was waiting for.*

Standing before the observation window, the corner of Baitang Jing's mouth curled into an imperceptible arc. If the path forward were dead-ended, this would have been nothing more than a tedious experiment. A powerhouse built solely on surgery? He had never heard of such a thing.

But if this were a path to strength with no limits... things would get interesting. Just imagining those former powerhouses breaking through the boundaries of humanity in the future made Baitang Jing feel an unparalleled sense of exhilaration!

The help needed to resolve future monster disasters, and the opponents he would clash with in the future, would all start from this very path.

"Can you schedule my surgery for today?"

Baitang Jing said without turning back. This crude and immature system was naturally inferior to the "Dragon Blood Secret Arts," but it would serve perfectly as a cover for his own power.

"Hm?" Kureha looked up at the youth’s back. He remained completely unshaken. "Opportunities this precious are rare. Why do you think you have a chance?"

"Wakatsuki brought me here to observe for this reason, didn't he? You need more successful samples for your research."

Inside the isolation chamber, the battle was drawing to a close. The blue skin and bone spurs on Raian were receding. His once tireless assault had slowed to a halt.

The youth stepped away from the window, sat down opposite Kureha, and looked him straight in the eyes.

The doctor with the pale red hair froze, the water glass halfway to his lips. As their eyes met, a pressure as tangible as a physical weight slammed into him. It felt... exactly like the first time he had faced the flesh of Godzilla!

It was merely a slab of meat on an operating table. He was a doctor who had handled tens of thousands of human bodies, yet before that mere flesh, he had involuntarily stopped, holding his breath. He felt as weak and ridiculous as a rabbit being stared down by a tiger. It was as if he had instinctively placed himself at the bottom of the food chain.

The body’s survival instinct—even in a state of drowning, at the final moment of life, it would gasp for air uncontrollably. And on that day, under the intimidation of that flesh, he had only been saved from suffocating himself when someone shook him awake! It was as if his own survival instinct had decided that dying on the spot was preferable to facing that mass of flesh!

The steady hand that could perform surgeries even in the midst of a battle now caused ripples in the water glass.

The person before him was not some brat who relied on talent to get ahead before Godzilla reached the shore.

*He is a monster in the flesh!*

Kureha received a stern warning from the depths of his soul.