Secret chapter: ███ ██████████ ███ ███ ███████

   Far away the hidden beneath layers of stone and secrecy, there existed a place untouched by sunlight. It was an underground labyrinth where the air itself seemed to hum with unnatural life.

   At its heart stretched a colossal laboratory. The laboratory was unlike anything ordinary eyes should witness. A cavernous hall stretched endlessly, lined with rows of glass tubes. Each tube was filled with murky liquid, and within them floated grotesque figures. Some twitched faintly as if dreaming; others hung suspended in eerie stillness.

    At the very center stood a man. He wore a white lab coat. His hair was an untamed mess of silver strands that framed a narrow, pale face. While humming an oddly cheerful melody, he adjusted the pieces of a large structure he was building.

   “Master,” came a voice from the shadows.

   A hooded man emerged silently, kneeling briefly in respect before speaking. “I brought the report.”

   “Mm. Then say it.” The man in the lab coat did not look away from his work, carefully aligning two crooked rods.

   “The assassin shared information about our connection to the Silverbane family, just as planned. Because of that, the Silverbane family has been destroyed beyond recovery. Of course, we already secured all necessary data before the police reached their mansion.”

   The scientist chuckled. “Glad to hear it. Dealing with Magnus became a nuisance long ago. At least he proved useful in his final moments—as a test subject.”

   “Agreed. The Hydra he turned into, looked as close to the real deal as I’ve ever seen. But… is it okay to leave it in the hands of the Vermillion Clan?”

   “It’s fine. Magnus’s brain became a mince the moment the transformation stabilized. He won't tell them anything. Besides, the serum he took was a failure. They’ll learn nothing from it.”

   “I understand,” the hooded man said quietly, lowering his head. “That concludes the report.”

   “Wait,” the man interrupted, finally stepping back from the model. “Can you help me for a moment?”

   The hooded man tilted his head. “Did something happen?”

   “This structure… don’t you think it’s leaning slightly? To the side, I mean.”

   The hooded man stared at it briefly. “…Perhaps a little to the right.”

   “Ha! I thought so too. Give me a hand here.”

   The hooded man obeyed. Together, they shifted one of the larger supporting beams into place, the model creaking ominously as if alive. As they worked, the scientist’s voice cut through the silence again.

   “Tell me. What do you think of that boy?”

   The hooded man hesitated, then replied, “He has grown stronger. Though much of it… might be thanks to Naberius technology aiding him.”

   A sharp laugh echoed through the hall. “As I thought. Naberius support is essential for this project to succeed. I was right to entrust that boy to Zephyra’s care. He is our hope after all.”

   He leaned closer to the model, running his hand across its jagged frame. “But it isn’t enough. Not yet. He needs more challenges, more pain. Only through struggle will his true potential be unleashed.”

   The final piece clicked into place with a heavy clang. Both men stepped back.

   The hooded man exhaled softly. “…I will probably never understand Master’s sense of style.”

   The scientist, however, smiled with the delight of a child unveiling a masterpiece. The finished model towered over them, a grotesque creature. A serpentine neck twisted upward, ending in a dragon’s maw, while feathered wings jutted awkwardly from its back. Clawed limbs like those of a lion sprouted from its torso, but its tail slithered like a centipede, lined with eyes that blinked independently. It looked... as if it was alive...

   The man adjusted his coat, eyes glimmering with manic joy.

   “I look forward to your growth,” he whispered. His grin widened as his voice rose into reverence.

   “My Dear Heracles.”