NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Chapter 4
Zedd replied calmly, "So I've finally been found out, huh."
One guard uttered, "You, one of the most prodigious students in the academy—how could you have done such a thing?"
Zedd replied, "So I guess I will have to kill you and use you as a test subject as well."
Kayden gritted his teeth and furiously uttered, "So you admit it, then. This is all your doing, Zedd. But why? What exactly are you up to in here?"
Zedd replied, "It's research. I am trying to get rid of the constraints and limitations of the human body."
"And for that, you sacrifice your own instructors and fellow classmates?" the warden uttered.
Zedd casually removed his gloves, stained with the blood of his latest test subject, and locked eyes with the instructors, guards, warden, Kayden, and Murray. His piercing blue, icy eyes sent shivers down their spines; they almost felt like they were being frozen.
Finally, Zedd spoke up, "I want to break through the limits of the human body—survive without unnecessary things such as eating or drinking, and function for days or weeks straight without getting tired. And if I ever lose a leg or an arm, I can just create a new one with synthetic tissue, attach it to my body, and within a few days, it would function like it had always been there."
The instructors, guards, warden, Murray, and Kayden's eyes widened in horror. They fell dead silent, each consumed by conflicting emotions—fear, anger, disgust, and hatred, all directed at Zedd.
A few minutes later, Murray broke the silence and stuttered, "Z-Zedd... what? What—" He could barely speak but managed to say, "You... your mind and soul are twisted. You're not human—you're a monster with no regard for human life."
Zedd didn't flinch at all and replied, "Maybe I am. I'm trying to achieve something that has been impossible until now, and I am very close to success. I've completed 70 percent of my work."
Murray, Kayden, the instructors, and the guards drew their weapons—katanas, swords, kunai, shuriken, bombs, and rifles—all aimed at Zedd, ready to attack if he made a single move.
Zedd grinned, an evil smirk spreading across his face. "What are you all planning to do? Kill me? I bet none of you have the balls to do it."
Zedd pulled out a detonator from his pocket. He had anticipated this confrontation and made every preparation to escape. The entire laboratory was rigged with bombs. He triggered the explosions, and soon the whole academy building was engulfed in chaos—fire, smoke, debris, and collapsing structures.
Using the chaos as cover, Zedd ran as fast as he could. He didn't look back at the destruction he had caused. Having spent weeks studying the layout and geography, he headed straight for the gates. The guards stationed there saw him, but before they could react, Zedd sliced them in half in the blink of an eye. He kicked open the gates and disappeared into the forest, running without pause.
Meanwhile, the sound of explosions, fire, and collapsing debris woke everyone in the dorm building. Students, instructors, and guards rushed toward the academy, trying their best to control the situation. Thankfully, Kayden, Murray, the instructors, guards, and the warden who confronted Zedd only suffered minor burns and cuts from the explosions.
The other students and staff who arrived at the scene were horrified. On the second floor, they found Zedd's makeshift laboratory filled with chemicals, mutilated bodies, and grotesque remains of their classmates and instructors. The sight was too much for some—students collapsed in shock, and even trained guards vomited on the spot.
Despite the chaos, most were still unaware of who was behind the attack. Finally, a female classmate asked Kayden, "Kayden, what is going on? What's with all these explosions? And this... this gruesome scene? Who could have done such a thing? These mutilated bodies are our classmates and instructors!"
Kayden, stuttering, replied, "Z-Zedd. This is all Zedd's doing. He did this. His mind and soul are twisted. He's become obsessed with breaking human constraints and limitations. For that, he did this—he lured our classmates and instructors and used them as human test subjects."
The girl's eyes widened in disbelief. The other students, instructors, and guards, overhearing Kayden's words, were horrified. Zedd, one of the most prodigious students in the military academy, had done this. They couldn't believe it, but seeing the expressions on Kayden, Murray, and the instructors' faces confirmed the truth.
Silence fell over the group. Then, everyone began working together to clean the debris, control the situation, and stabilize the academy building, which was 69 percent damaged and on the verge of collapse.