The Suddenly Appearing Lizardman

The people gathered around could not help but marvel as they watched the young man speak eloquently from atop the display stand.

In fact, anyone who had played Morality and Rule of Law could quickly recognize the Pulse Gun from earlier and the Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter on the stand.

But it was only a game, and not everyone played it. Even though it was hugely popular in the gaming world, not every player would play it, especially considering computer specifications and financial constraints.

The Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter drew the attention of technical agents from various companies, though it received far less enthusiasm than the Atomic Gun.

Compared to it, the Atomic Gun was truly groundbreaking research.

For the rest of the event, technical agents from every company gathered around Merlin's booth. Before long, his hands were stuffed with business cards.

Seeing the area around them gradually empty out, the other teams participating in the exhibition could only temporarily abandon their own booths and join the crowd around Merlin's display.

Meanwhile, in the men's restroom, Peter sat on a toilet with his backpack in front of him. He unzipped it and took out a vial of green medicine.

The light passed through the green medicine, casting a hazy green glow across his excited yet resolute face.

Seeing Merlin, who had once been just like him, shed his cowardice and despondency to become increasingly confident and mature had deeply affected him.

And since his idol was the superhero Spider-Man, he too wanted to become a superhero and earn everyone's admiration.

So throughout the holiday, he had been researching cross-species genetic medicine. In the end, he found a direction in Lizard genes and created the Super Serum now in his hand.

Though the medicine was still immature, remembering the humiliation from earlier made him unable to wait any longer.

"Phew... Come on, buddy. You can do this." He took a deep breath and encouraged himself before resolutely plunging the syringe into his arm. The green Serum traveled through his subcutaneous tissue into his muscle fibers, gradually beginning to alter the genes of his cells.

"Gah!" Peter's pupils abruptly widened, slowly turning into cold vertical slits, while green keratin grew across his skin at a visible speed.

Bang! At that moment, the restroom door was suddenly slammed hard.

Flesher and his two companions had arrived in the restroom at some point, angrily discussing the embarrassment they had suffered earlier.

"Fuck!" Flesher slammed his hand against the nearby stall door and cursed furiously.

"I don't believe that guy will keep carrying that toy gun around forever!" his white companion said through gritted teeth, clearly planning to find another chance to get revenge.

The black boy, Ternard, looked hesitant before speaking up. "Maybe he'll have a wrench or hammer or something."

Flesher and the other boy: "..."

"Shut your mouth!" Flesher glared at him, then took out a cigarette and put it between his lips.

Click. A flame sprang up, but he seemed to sense something and suddenly went rigid.

"What's wrong?" The two companions waiting for a light looked at him in confusion.

Flesher slowly turned his head toward the stall door beside him and quietly asked, "Did you... hear something?"

"A sound?" The other two immediately fell silent and listened carefully.

Drip. Drip... Roar... The sound of dripping water mixed with low growls in the silent restroom.

Bang! The stall door was suddenly smashed off its hinges. Then, a Lizardman nearly three meters tall, covered in green skin, slowly stepped out of the stall.

Its cold vertical pupils immediately swept over the people present.

Flesher and the other two instantly went pale.

It was getting late, and the Tech Expo was gradually drawing to a close. After taking back the Atomic Gun from the reluctant Milen, it was about time to wrap things up.

The students and teachers began leaving one after another, while the participating teams started packing up their exhibits.

"This is so boring. Watching a band perform would've been way better." Gwen and Hannah helped Merlin pack up the booth as Gwen complained.

"How about we go to my place later, get Peter, and have some barbecue for a late-night snack on the balcony?" Merlin asked with a smile as he put the Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter into its case.

"Barbecue at your place? I don't remember you ever grilling anything. You aren't planning to use us as free labor, are you?" Gwen looked at him suspiciously.

"I wasn't asking you. I was asking Hannah." Ignoring Gwen's teasing, Merlin turned to Hannah.

At school, she had always seemed like an unnoticed background figure, and no one knew much about her family situation.

Hannah, who had been focused on packing, raised her head. Seeing both Gwen and Merlin looking at her, she hesitated before brushing aside the loose hair on her forehead and nodding.

"Okay!"

Just as Gwen was about to say something else, a terrified cry suddenly rang out through the exhibition hall.

"Help!!! There's a monster in the school!"

Gwen reacted instantly, as if she sensed something, and looked gravely toward the hallway leading into the main hall.

In the hallway, Flesher and his two companions ran toward them in terror and panic, glancing back from time to time as though something horrifying was pursuing them.

Bang! A green claw suddenly gripped the wall around the corner, and a dull crash echoed through the hallway.

Then, a green Lizardman whose head nearly touched the ceiling suddenly charged out from around the corner. A cold, frenzied aura radiated from its body as its icy pupils fixed tightly on Flesher and the other two ahead.

"Ahhhhh!!!" The people who had yet to leave the exhibition hall immediately screamed and ran toward the exit.

Fortunately, the Tech Expo was already nearing its end, and not many people remained in the hall, so there was no need to worry about a serious stampede.

"Gwen!" Merlin came back to his senses and instinctively called out, only to discover that she had vanished at some point.

After entering the hall, however, the Lizardman suddenly changed direction for some reason and chased after him.

"What the hell? Why are you chasing me?" Merlin was momentarily bewildered as he watched the Lizardman that had been pursuing Flesher and the others suddenly turn toward him.

"Hannah, leave with them first. I'll hold it off here for a while." Thinking that Gwen had definitely gone to change clothes and would probably return soon, he made his decision.

"No, we're leaving together!" Hannah said, forcing down her fear.

"I don't know why it has its eyes on me. I don't have time to look after you." Merlin pulled out the Atomic Gun, put an arm around Hannah's shoulders, and spoke seriously.

Just as Hannah was about to say something, Merlin suddenly remembered something and added, "Right, don't say anything like 'take care' when you leave."