594 Sia [6]: Roxanna

When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a huge glass tube.

I tried to stand up, but my hands won't listen. They are heavy like they're tied to some logs.

My legs…

I was lying on my back and thankfully, I could barely stretch my neck to see my legs.

Or I would've thought I lost my legs. Because I couldn't feel anything.

I tried to move my hands, my feet, my back, anything. But except for my neck, I was paralyzed.

So, I channeled my gravity power in an attempt to stand and break out of this glass tube, but—

'Huh?'

I…I couldn't channel my gravity power. It rested like a sleeping giant, ignoring my pleas to awaken.

I tried and tried. But I got no results.

Even my mind power wasn't working. I couldn't even use something as basic as mind sense.

I looked around in dread and I couldn't even cower in fear.

It was only then it fully hit me.

I was kidnapped and sent to a crazy place where my life had no security.

'Why did he do that…'

The face of my best friend's father flashed in my mind. All the respect I had for him is blown to smithereens and the only thing I felt towards is was utter disgust.

To sell off his own daughter's friend…

Just how cruel is he?

Sarah's face also flashed in my mind and I worried about her safety from that monster of a father.

'Kuh!'

The back of my palm suddenly stung like a layer of my skin was peeled off.

"Ag—" I shouted at the sudden pain, but the sound was cut off in my throat.

My throat was burning. Burning like I swallowed burning coal.

Water!

I strained my neck and looked around.

A large white room came into view. There were all sorts of weird wires connected to the glass tube I was in. There were holograms displaying numerous graphs and advanced machines performing special processes.

It had no water of course. Not a single drop as far as I can see.

But what I saw caused me to stiffen. The burning pain in the throat and the stinging pain from my left hand seemed to have vanished.

Except they didn't, my mind was just too surprised by what I saw that it temporarily sidelined the pain.

Even though I wasn't a research student, I knew a bit or two about the stuff in the room. In case Varian didn't awaken, I was ready to look into the research on the side and try to help him out.

So, I know about the value of this room more or less.

The wires connected to the glass tube I was in are highly advanced sensors that are constantly monitoring hundreds of parameters.

All my biological indicators, the aura activity, and the movements of my own gravity and mind power.

The holograms depicted various graphs. I couldn't understand all of them, but the ones I did indicated they were studying my genes.

The advanced machines—gene analyzer, aura sequencer, gravity controller, and mind jammer.

A chill shot down my spine and I shivered.

This…

This is the ultimate lab of an aura-geneticist.

No, it wasn't just that.

I looked at the figure slowly forming in the hologram.

A sense of fear and rage enveloped me.

This is the ultimate lab to study me!

"Clap! Clap! Clap!" Applause resounded in the white lab and the silhouette of a woman appeared at the room's entrance at some point.

The light didn't reach that part of the room and I couldn't see her except for a long white coat over her black shirt and trousers.

But with her face hidden, that woman was like one of the fanatic scientists in the horror movies I watched with Varian.

"What a wonderful piece!" She hummed as she stepped into the light.

Her red eyes glittered with malice, while her green hair that looked like poisonous vines swayed with each step she took, and her smile… was one truly befitting a psychopath.

"W-Who are you?" It was a stupid question, but that's the first thing that came to my mind.

I didn't know this woman. I never harmed her. Nor did I commit a heinous crime against humanity.

Then why would a scientist who was capable of working in one of the topmost labs want to experiment on me?

"Now, don't play all innocent, alright?" She chuckled and tapped on a hologram a few times.

"…" I tried to move my fingers again and this time, my body actually started to move!

I was secretly delighted but didn't let it show on my face. I could also feel my gravity power slowly coming back into my control.

I didn't use it yet, of course. Since I'm being monitored, I needed to do it all at once or I'd be stopped.

The woman didn't seem to mind my silence and continued.

"Sarah Albert."

My body stiffened. An ominous premonition rose in my mind. Did she come to save me and got captured as well?

If she knew I was kidnapped, she'd surely do it…because I'd do the same for her.

As I held my breath in fear, the devil-like woman looked me in the eye and continued with a sadistic smirk.

"Don't worry, Sarah is safe. I really can't touch her with my authority."

I sighed in relief. While a part of me was happy for her, another party was devastated by my own condition.

"If I could, I'd have gotten Sarah too." The woman shook her head like it was a pity.

I wanted to kill her, but not yet.

While I looked at her with fiery eyes, I secretly checked my legs and realized I could feel them again.

Just a bit more…

"Remember your Siarah team's mission two weeks ago?" The woman smirked at me.

My hands were also movable now, but I froze in place.

A terrible thought appeared in my mind and my face paled.

"Aha!" The woman clapped with a delighted expression and tapped her comm.

A hologram popped up and showed a picture.

It was in the grasslands of the dungeon 'Amica'. Sarah lay on the ground with severe injuries. I knelt beside her, rested her head above my lap, and put my hand above her mouth.

In the picture, my eyes were closed and a painful expression was visible on my pale face. At the tip of my finger, a single drop hung, about to fall into Sarah's mouth.

"How?!" My mind went blank as I stared at the woman in fear.

Sarah was seriously injured and we ran out of the healing potions. So, I helped her, even though it drained me.

The consequence was something I wasn't aware of. Sarah's talent skyrocketed! Her progress in just the past two weeks made more headlines than the number one genius of the academy, Bryan!

This further damaged the prestige of the Xander family, whose best genius Charles was still only a peak level 4.

But knowing the risks if word got out, Sarah and I decided to keep it an absolute secret.

But this woman...

I looked at her with hatred, but now my gaze also had a hint of caution and…fear.

"I'll dig out all your secrets." She said in a blunt tone. "How you were able to raise Sarah's talent. Are you even human or not. I have a lot of questions and you'll exist to provide me those answers."

I took a deep breath and channeled my gravity power.

"Why?"

The woman raised a brow. "Of course, to use you to further my ambition. Oh and for my nephew too."

When she mentioned her nephew, the woman's stern expression softened.

I used that opportunity to jump onto my feet, channel my gravity power and break the glass tube but—

Kaa!

It didn't even flinch!

"Ahahaha!" The woman threw her head back and laughed. She clutched her knees and seemed to have a hard time standing straight.

I didn't stop my tries. With my complete strength, I tried to increase the gravity on these glass tubes and tear them apart.

But.

Kaa!

I failed.