Just Extra

A chilly sensation swept through the room, though not overwhelming—it felt like a warm energy subtly encircling them. Minerva and Naviga moved cautiously, scanning for hidden dangers or traps as they proceeded further.

As they approached the end of the room, the floor shifted to a reddish-brown color, similar to the tunnel walls they had traversed earlier.

Here, blue and white magic bulbs attached in grey walls. The white bulbs were particularly concentrated at the center of the grey walls.

Below the white bulbs, racks made of smooth white marble lined the walls. Upon these racks stood peculiar machines, round and encased in laminated glass. Each machine was about 2.5 feet tall and resembled a container tube designed for storing experiments.

Both the top and bottom of these tubes were intricately carved with runes. Inside the tubes, a sky-blue liquid gently swirled, suspending various creatures. One big tube held the body of a monkey, while the others big tubes a snake, a frog, an eagle, and a mouse, each preserved in the strange blue substance.

On the left side of the room, more white marble racks stood, filled with various experimental items such as flasks, test tubes, and beakers.

Among these were black goggles, their glass tinted green. There were also several scissors and small daggers scattered across the racks.

On the right side of the room, an iron bed stood, its four corners bound by chains, each engraved with runes.

Despite the strange assortment of items, the entire room was covered in dust, though curiously, there were no spider webs.

Naviga turned to Minerva and said, "Miss, it looks like an experiment lab.

Also, there are specimens like Fogbound Scurry, Electric Viper, Zephyr Talon, Clayback Frog, and Flame Tail Simian in the big tubes. I don't know what they were researching."

Minerva nodded thoughtfully and responded, "Destroy those big tubes. I want to know what they were researching."

Naviga drew her sword and slashed the five large tubes in swift, precise motions. The tubes were neatly cut down, rolling off the marble racks and crashing onto the ground.

As they hit the floor, the laminated glass shattered completely, releasing the blue liquid contained within. The liquid spilled across the floor, pooling and spreading quickly.

Shards of cracked glass, coated with the blue substance, scattered around, mixing with the spilled liquid and creating a shimmering mess on the reddish-brown floor.

Minerva and Naviga approached the bodies that had been preserved in the shattered tubes. The first one they examined was the Clayback Frog, its body now lifeless.

The frog's brown skin and eyes were indicative of its earth elemental nature.

Known for its ability to manipulate earth elemental as a liquid , the Clayback Frog's venom was infamous for freezing hearts and disrupting veins.

As they scrutinized the body, they noticed an unsettling detail—its legs were no longer its own.

The left leg had been surgically replaced with a chicken-like leg, the texture and structure starkly different from the rest of its body. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that this wasn't a natural transformation but the result of some grotesque operation.

The seams of the alteration were visible, indicating a deliberate and precise procedure that blended two distinct creatures unnaturally.

Ignoring the spilled blue liquid and shards of glass on the floor, they exchanged glances, their faces showing a mixture of confusion .

Naviga approached Minerva and said, "Miss, it seems these monsters were operated on. This frog's leg has been changed with another monster's.

Why don't we look inside the body?" Minerva nodded in agreement.

Naviga retrieved a pair of gloves from her storage space, slipping them on with a purposeful precision.

She heading to the left-side marble rack. From there, she picked up a small dagger and a pair of green-lensed goggles, brushing off the thick layer of dust covering them.

Returning to the Clayback Frog's body, Naviga carefully positioned the frog on its back. The white underside of its stomach bore the marks of a previous incision.

She followed the same cut, her dagger slicing through with deliberate care. As the body split open, black blood oozed out instead of the usual red.

Naviga carefully reached inside, pulling out an organ covered in the blackened blood.

Donning the goggles, she adjusted the zoom mechanism on the side, rotating the dial to focus on the organ in her hand. The microscopic view revealed nothing unusual in the tissue itself.

However, when she turned her attention to the black blood on her gloves, she saw something striking. The blood contained peculiar bacteria that seemed to writhe and shift unnaturally.

It stuck to her gloves with a viscous quality, almost as though it had a life of its own.

"Chip, analyze this blood' she instructed.

After a moment, the Al replied, "Host, this blood contains traces of multiple blood types fused together, as well as unknown herbs or medicinal

substances.

The fusion has altered its blood cells, plasma, and platelets, turning them black and introducing foreign bacteria."

Naviga stepped back from her findings and reported to Minerva, "Young Miss, I believe this creature's blood was artificially modified. It contains multiple blood types and an unknown liquid that altered its composition and color."

Naviga approached the Fogbound Scurry, a small white mouse known for its affinity with mist elements.

As she observed the creature, she immediately noticed something unusual-its legs were not its own. They resembled the legs of the Clayback Frog, sturdy and rough.

"lIt seems every monster here has had parts of their bodies replaced with those of another" Naviga remarked to Minerva.

Minerva nodded in agreement. "This confirms our suspicions. They were conducting extensive experiments here."

Naviga crouched beside the mouse's body, her gloved hands ready for examination. She noticed that, like the frog, the mouse had an incision on its abdomen.

Carefully, she used her dagger to follow the pre-existing cut. Blackened blood began to seep from the opening as she peeled back the tissue to reveal the internal organs.

"Let's see what they've done to you," Naviga muttered, focused on uncovering the secrets hidden within the Fogbound Scurry.

Minerva's expression grew thoughtful. "This could be a key to understanding their experiments. Investigate the next body."

Naviga nodded and moved toward the Fogbound Scurry.

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷