At a secret base in Yokosuka Port, Kanagawa Prefecture.
An American serviceman with a lieutenant general's insignia on his shoulders, a hooked nose, and a brooding gaze stood surrounded by heavily armed guards and researchers in white coats, observing the laboratory through thick bulletproof glass.
"General William, these are the results of phase three of the Artificial Superhuman project: the superhero 'Wolverine.'"
Inside the laboratory, whose entirely white decor and layout resembled a hospital room, a teenage girl in blue-and-white hospital clothes sat at a table like a puppet, her black eyes vacant and unfocused.
"Ding, ding, ding-"
The room's broadcast began with a series of monotonous, unnatural metallic tapping sounds. The girl's pupils dilated in a conditioned reflex, and a little life came into her face.
"Angelica, you can begin the demonstration."
A low, resonant male voice came over the broadcast.
The girl nodded. With her right hand, she picked up a wooden board about a foot square and one centimeter thick from the table, then pressed the index finger of her other hand against it.
"Pfft!"
A bone claw shot out of her fingertip and pierced the board.
Then she slashed downward, cutting the board in half effortlessly, like a hot knife through butter.
Finally, the bone claw retracted into her fingertip, leaving the skin and flesh completely intact.
"General William, phase three has succeeded!"
The gray-haired project director, who looked like a respected elder, spoke with pride on his face.
"That's it? It's less useful than a fruit knife."
General William frowned, looking dissatisfied.
The Type A codenamed Wolverine, which could manipulate its bones, had bone armor that even heavy weapons could not penetrate, while the bone spikes it fired could easily pierce steel plates tens of centimeters thick.
Compared with that creature, the test subject was