章 3: The Bio-Nanotech System

The darkness was silent and still, but it was better than light, as it cast away the gloom and fear, the burden of life, like a child in the bosom of his mother.

But this never lasted, as the shoving began. Khan opened his eyes, welcoming himself to the darkness surrounding him.

The darkness was illuminated with gigantic dark-colored crystals that covered the entire space as far as he could see.

He drifted past thousands of these crystals, as he slowly stretched his hand to the side to feel the crystal, and then he was immediately pulled away…

"Hey kid, why don't you act like the good boy that you are and pass over the plate of food…"

A group of four over-robust kids stood in front of a small kid, clad in nothing but a torn-apart singlet and underwear, with a single plate of food in front of him where two crumbled pieces of bread could be seen.

"But you took everything for the past three days. Let me take this one, just this one…"

"Hey, do you think we're some beggars?" The leader of the gang said with a childish, sinister smile as he grabbed hold of the plate in front of the boy before slamming it on his head.

The sharp glasses of the plate dug into his head causing blood to stain the scanty golden hair.

"What kind of human even possesses golden hair and eyes in the first place."

"He must be an abyssal creature who can transform into a human, haha…" The underlings thundered out, but the boy sat down, his gaze soulless as he looked at the crumbs of bread on the ground and his hands slowly reached out.

STEP!

A gigantic foot slammed on the bread, crushing it as the entire group laughed out loud.

"If I don't have it, do you think you can…" The fat boy said with a sinister smile.

"This is a lesson for you kid. I'm guessing you'll do right tomorrow, won't you…" The leader of the bully said as the group moved away with loud mocking laughter.

"Why…" A gentle whisper echoed out from behind them.

"Huh?"

"As he went mad, haha?"

"Why? Because in this world, there's no place for the weak like you. In due time, you'll be dying soon.

So why waste so much food that'll in the end be for naught, why not let the strong like us have it…" The fat boy said as he dragged the head of the boy upwards, but the last thing he saw was a splash of red that covered his entire vision followed by the shrill scream of his underlings…

Khan snapped his eyes open as his hands slowly left the crystal. But the pull on him never stopped, as it kept dragging him forward.

Arriving before another dark crystal, Khan reached out, touching its glassy surface.

"He's a monster, he's a monster…" The shrill voice of a woman rang out, in front of her were three officers clad in dark red uniforms.

A figure soon emerged from the door of the orphanage home, revealing it to be another one clad in the uniform but with a small figure in his hands.

"He has been secured…." The officer said, giving a nod to the others.

"Don't worry, mam, you can forget about him ever causing any trouble again…" The other officer reassured them as they entered the van, which soon moved out of the place.

"We've secured him, sir, we'll arrive at the Death Ground in less than five minutes…" One of the officers whispered gently to the communicator in his hands.

"Good. Bring him over and make sure none is behind your tail…"

Khan's eyes once again snapped open as he drifted past the crystals arriving before another one, his hands reaching out for it.

It was a training ground where hundreds of young children around age fourteen could be seen sitting across the place in a circular format, leaving a space where two kids could be seen.

One of them was on his feet, his face torn apart brutally with finger marks, while his right eye was snapped close, blood dripping down it like a waterfall.

The other was on the ground, his face bloodied and bashed in.

A middle-aged man slowly walked towards the battle stage, he arrived behind the boy who was standing and pulled out his katana from his waist, handing it to the golden-haired boy.

"Remember, Khan. There's no place for the weak in this world. There's no love, no pain, no fear, no joy. There's only a single word, survive.

The strong will survive, while the weak will forever get buried beneath their feet."

The man, covered In a mask in the shape of a demon's face, said as the boy called Khan held tightly the katana in his hands.

Two older kids moved out from the group as they raised the boy on the ground, positioning his neck beneath the golden-haired boy.

"Only the strong will survive, while the weak will forever get buried beneath their feet…" The boy whispered as he raised his blade, taking in a deep breath before…

RIPPPP

Khan's eyes snapped open as he drifted past the crystal. Looking around him, there were hundreds of such dark-colored crystals, reaching a number that would be impossible to count…

Looking at his past, his eyes held no remorse, sorrow, or pity, they were just completely emotionless.

The shoving force seemed to be unending, and he finally got tired of the memories, but his eyes suddenly brightened as he saw a dim crystal in the distance.

But what drew his attention was the color of this crystal. Unlike the others, it wasn't dark-colored but actually gold!

Khan immediately forcefully changed his direction, as he inched closer to the golden-colored crystal with all his strength, his hands touching its warm surface…

A large room, with tiles that shimmered with a beautiful golden light on the ground, while the ceiling was incredibly high, with a large chandelier at its top.

Khan could hear the slight murmur tunneling from beyond the room, making him quickly run through as he inched closer to where the sound was common from.

There was no door to exit the place, but this didn't hinder him as there was a small opening present, just enough for him to see through with a single eyeball.

Then he saw it, it was like some type of basement in the place and Khan could see a small strange piece of equipment that looked like some type of basket.

From within the basket was the slight murmur of a child, and Khan stood there numbed on hearing that voice.

That Was Him!

The baby was laughing and muttering some things Khan couldn't understand, but he could see its hand extending from the tub and pointing towards a particular place, snapping and closing as if signaling for a person to come.

But Khan was unable to see that, the single hole never permitted it. But he could hear the feminine sobs and then a voice.

"They said you weren't worthy of a name.

They said you were never part of our race, even with your golden hair and eyes, it's still for naught with no sign of ability to cultivate Cosmic Energy. Your strange body is just too weak for that…" Khan stopped there for a second as he looked around the room trying to find some sort of exit, but there was none, making him extremely disappointed, he quickly focused back on the hole when he heard the talk begin.

The baby continued muttering words, his hands snapping and closing as if signaling for a person to come.

But Khan was unable to see that, the single hole never permitted it. But he could hear the feminine sobs and then a voice.

"They said you weren't worthy of a name. They said you were never part of our race, even with your golden hair and eyes, it's still for naught with no sign of ability to cultivate Cosmic Energy.

Your strange body is just too weak for that…" The sob began as a single line of tear escaped Khan's left eye, but even he was oblivious to that.

"But I'm happy you can't.

At least no one would care if you're gone from this world.

At least, unlike us, you'll be able to escape the cruel hands of fate and power that tighten its hold on us here with every passing second…" Khan stopped there for a second as he looked around the room trying to find some sort of exit, but there was none, making him extremely disappointed, he quickly focused back on the hole when he heard the talk begin.

The baby continued muttering words, his hands snapping towards where the voice was coming from.

"I've seen your intent. But I can't. I'm a failure of a mother who has grown so strong my natural aura will eradicate you from existence.

But now, throughout the entire Takamahagara and the Nine Planes of existence. You're the one I love the most, Khan…" Khan's heart broke into a thousand pieces as his emotionless eyes quivered thousands of times, something trying to forcefully show in it.

"Khan, the universe is huge, and the worlds are countless, I don't know where you'll be transported to. However, I'm sure it is a place where you'll be able to avoid his hands and his fate.

I want you to live a peaceful life, away from death, away from sadness. I want you to love and be loved. To be grateful for the life that you have been given…"

"I…"

"But if there truly comes a day when your body could harness Cosmic energy. I know one with this bloodline would never be content with living a simple life. Therefore, I'm leaving with you this necklace, at least you won't be like a headless fly…." Khan watched as he saw a small golden-colored necklace float over and appear in the boy's hands.

A circular golden rune suddenly appeared beneath the ground where the tub was as it slowly came to life, revealing bursts of golden energy.

The ground slowly changed, and soon it was in the shape of a revolving golden vortex with the tub slowly dripping inside it.

"I love you Khan and one day, I truly wish I could see your face again…"

The tub soon dipped completely into the vortex and everything soon returned to normal except for the sobs of the woman who grew louder with every passing second.

-- -- --

Khan's eyes snapped open, looking at the gold-colored crystal.

His hands moved towards his face as he swiped and saw the tears in his hands.

"Is…is this, emotion?" Khan never muttered before as shocked as he was now, but his attention away once again diverted towards another golden crystal as he tried rushing towards it, but a shocking absorbing force burst out through the entire place, its aura pulling him away from the space as everything faded away.

-- -- --

Khan slowly opened his eyes only to be welcomed by a golden-colored notification panel.

[Congratulations, the Host has successfully fused with the system.]

[Congratulations, Host has awakened The Bio-Nanotech System]