Tyrant

Tyrant

How powerful was a Pit Lord's blood? Just look at how fierce the Old Horde's orcs had been. After downing a cup of green blood, those guys first blew up Draenor, then nearly steamrolled Azeroth. If Gul'dan hadn't dropped the ball at the crucial moment and taken two clans off to play grave robbers, they might have succeeded. Whether they could have taken down the Night Elves was unknown, but humanity would definitely have been finished.

"What is this?" Howitzer stared suspiciously at the small bottle on the table. This little thing can let twenty-odd people fight a reinforced battalion of the US Army? Could it be some kind of bioweapon? Throw it on the ground and turn all the soldiers into zombies?

"This is the latest medicine developed by our Umbrella Corporation." Evenson delivered the excuse he had prepared long ago. "We call it Tyrant, or T-serum for short."

"Fine. Then what does this so-called T-serum do?" Howitzer pressed.

"Enhancement. It can greatly enhance numerous human abilities—strength, endurance, reflexes, resistance to damage, recovery, and so on." Evenson gave a detailed introduction to the serum's capabilities. To make it more convincing, he added, "Our company derived it from Dr. Erskine's formula."

"You have the formula?" Howitzer was stunned. He knew all too well how valuable Dr. Erskine's formula was. Dr. Erskine had used his genetic serum to create Hydra's great man, Red Skull, and then created Captain America, who buried Red Skull and Hydra. For Hydra, it was truly both success and ruin at the hands of Erskine.

"Of course not. We merely derived it from Steve Rogers's blood sample and genetic composition," Evenson denied.

That makes sense, Howitzer thought. Dr. Erskine was personally ordered executed by Red Skull back then. He died suddenly and left behind no formula at all. The remaining serum was also destroyed by that assassin. Any future research would have to rely on Captain America's blood samples for derivation. As for how this so-called Umbrella Corporation obtained Captain America's blood sample, that's anyone's guess. But if they could get a blood sample and knew my identity, they must have considerable power. They might even be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Hydra. After this, I'll have to investigate them thoroughly.

Pulling his thoughts back, Howitzer began asking about the serum's effects. "How effective is it?"

"Seeing is believing. Find someone to try it, and you'll know." Evenson indicated that anyone could talk big, and even data reports could not compare to a direct visual impact.

"Fine. What do you need? I'll have the laboratory prepare it immediately." Howitzer was instantly interested. Seeing was believing, after all. If the results were good, there might be hope for his Obelisk.

"What do I need? Hmm..." Evenson deliberately pondered for a moment before saying, "I need a healthy adult, preferably a man."

"No problem." Howitzer agreed. Isn't it just a test subject? There are plenty here. All I need to do is shout downstairs and ask who's willing to sacrifice himself for the organization. No one would dare refuse. "What else?"

"Then pull out the stopper and drink it." Evenson picked up the bottle and gave it a shake.

"That's it?" Howitzer asked blankly, still waiting for more.

"That's it," Evenson confirmed.

Now Howitzer was truly dumbfounded. It was that simple and crude? No gamma rays, no electrocardiogram or brainwave scans? Just tilt back one's head and gulp it down? That was far too convenient. Was this kid messing with him?

It was no wonder Howitzer was suspicious. The human enhancement experiments of the past had been massive undertakings. First, there had to be a huge laboratory, not to mention all kinds of equipment. Then forty or fifty people in lab coats would be running around frantically—one measuring heart rate, another checking blood pressure—while military brass and government officials observed.

And now? Nothing was needed. Just drink straight from the bottle. Those who knew might say this was human enhancement, but those who didn't would think someone was committing suicide by poison. The difference in style was simply too enormous.

"I'm not a researcher. That really is how T-serum is used." Evenson immediately passed the buck. Pit Lord blood really was taken orally. It wasn't like he had invented it. If anyone had objections, they could go ask Gul'dan.

Howitzer picked up the bottle and examined it carefully before deciding to give it a try. After all, it was only one person's life. He had personally conducted far too many live experiments in the past. Consider it a sacrifice for science.

Howitzer stood up, picked up the bottle from the table, and looked around at the six bodyguards in the room. "Who is willing to accept this gift?"

These bodyguards were all utterly loyal to Howitzer and the people he trusted most. At certain times, he even entrusted his own life and fortune to them. That was why Howitzer would use them for the experiment. If it failed, he would merely have to train another bodyguard. But what if it succeeded? He had to ensure that the Super Soldier was someone absolutely loyal to him and someone he could trust.

Sure enough, as soon as Howitzer finished speaking, the six bodyguards stepped forward in unison without the slightest hesitation, declaring that they were all willing to offer themselves.

"Rome, you do it." Howitzer selected the one among them whom he trusted most.

Rome walked over after hearing his name called. Howitzer handed him the bottle. "Drink. This is your destiny."

That sounded familiar. Evenson raised an eyebrow. He looked at Howitzer. So you've directly cast yourself as Gul'dan? Then he looked at Rome. Then you're Hellscream. Why don't you put a G in front of your name? Wait, no. If one of you is Gul'dan and the other is Hellscream, then who is Mannoroth, the one who got cleaved to death by an axe? Damn, it can't be me, can it?

Fortunately, this wasn't 6.0. While Evenson was lost in wild thoughts, Rome had already walked to the middle of the office with the bottle in hand. He pulled out the stopper with one hand and shouted, "Hail Hydra!" Then he tilted back his head and drained the bottle in one gulp.

With a clatter, the bottle fell to the floor. The instant Rome finished drinking, his body began to tremble, and a rattling sound came from his throat. Then he dropped painfully to his knees. The trembling turned into violent convulsions, and beastlike roars escaped his mouth. His muscles visibly began to swell at a rapid pace. Before long, his shirt was ripped apart by his quickly expanding body.

With a roar, Rome tore off the tattered remains of his shirt. Only then did everyone discover that his skin was beginning to darken. Strange green stripes spread across his body amid the crackling of bones, while segmented bone spikes actually sprouted from his arms.

After roughly two minutes, the violent transformation finally began to subside. Rome rose to his feet, breathing heavily. He was now nearly seven and a half feet tall, his skin blackish-gray and covered in green stripes, his eyes crimson. His muscles—especially his upper body—had swollen to an absurd degree. He was as broad as two grown men, and with those bone spikes on his arms, his sheer build alone was enough to make anyone's legs tremble.

"Tyrant. That is the name of this enhanced being," Evenson said slowly as everyone stared at the transformation in stunned disbelief.

Here's the bonus chapter. Feel free to reward me generously.