"What is going on?" Aldred tried to activate his magic, but he couldn't do it. He closed his eyes to sense his unlimited mana, only to find out that he had none.
"My mana… It used to be an entire ocean of them."
He then tried to enter his Divine Dimension, but that resulted in nothing as well. He tried everything, but nothing worked as if he had turned into an ordinary person.
The captain had had enough. "Stop. Perhaps there is an explanation for why you are able to survive in space. Stay here. Someone will talk to you later."
The captain opened the door and left without looking back.
Aldred clicked his tongue. "Dang it! Why is my power gone? Is it because I am in a different universe? Maybe the universe here works differently? No, the unlimited mana given by the gods should work in every universe. But that should also apply to the divine dimension. Wait, what about the system?"
Aldred recalled that the system was still active, proved by the fact that it translated the languages here for him.
"Okay, at least I still have the system." Aldred looked around the room and sighed as he sat down. "Hopefully, I can return. I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to everyone. They must be so worried that I am gone so suddenly."
After a few hours of waiting, a man in a uniform entered the room. "Mister Aldred?"
"Just call me Aldred."
"The Captain has reported about you. Because of your unique situation, we cannot actually do anything except to conduct some experiments on you. Please understand because we cannot risk a disguised demon among us."
"Sigh… Alright, fine. Do whatever you want." Aldred was fine with being experimented on. If he were in their position, he would do the same. Those demons were nasty as hell. Not only were they three times larger than humans, but they also possessed resilient physical strength and speed. Even just one demon could destroy an important facility or eliminate key members in this city if the guards weren't careful.
"Please follow me," the man said before turning around about to open the door.
Aldred followed him. He did not say a word during the walk; instead, he looked around the city. He passed by a square where rows of citizens, young and old, practiced their combat skills. Instructors barked insults, the air resonated with the clash of blades and exploding gunpowder.
He watched as a group of adolescents engaged in a mock skirmish, their moves precise and coordinated. Entering a sprawling armory, Aldred was greeted by a vast array of weapons and equipment neatly organized along steel racks. Citizens in military attire inspected, cleaned, and maintained their arms with meticulous care. The walls were adorned with rows of shields, suits of armor, and rows upon rows of rifles and energy weapons.
As he passed the armory, Aldred saw a foreboding and heavily fortified complex. Its towering gothic-style architecture was imposing and eerie, with spires that seemed to reach for the heavens. Barbed wire, forbidding iron gates, and watchtowers surrounded the complex, making it nearly impossible to intrude.
"This is The Sanctum of Experimentation. It's where we conduct experiments on demons, supers, and humans."
"Ummm, I know I agreed to experimentation, but something tells me to change my mind."
The man firmly glanced at him. "You cannot refute this decision. Remind yourself that you are still a threat to us. If you want to prove otherwise, then you will have to agree to some rounds of testing."
Aldred sighed and nodded. He hoped that he did not lose his resilient physical prowess to endure the experiments.
The iron gates sprung open. Their speed was unimaginable for a construction of such size. A couple of guards with cold expressions began following from behind as they entered.
Aldred followed the guard into a dimly lit chamber deep within the Sanctum of Experimentation. The air grew heavy and oppressive as he entered, and a palpable aura of malevolence hung in the air.
"KAKKK!!!"
A sudden grotesque scream reverberated along the steel walls.
In the center of the chamber, a massive stone circle adorned with arcane runes dominated the floor. It pulsed with an eerie, faintly crimson glow. Encircling the circle were tall, iron-wrought containment cells, each one housing a grotesque and twisted creature. These were demons, captured and bound through dark rituals and powerful wards.
Some figures in mysterious robes and glassy masks covering their faces pointed their palms towards the demons and chanted weird incantations.
Aldred couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight. The demons writhed and hissed, their forms shifting and contorting within their cages. Their otherworldly powers were undeniable, as tendrils of shadow lashed out at the protective wards, only to be repelled with a blinding burst of light.
"Are those supers?" Aldred asked.
"Yes, they are supers with the power of light and soul. They are the ones capable of controlling and containing demons effectively compared to other types of supers."
Researchers clad in ornate robes moved cautiously around the containment cells, scribbling notes in ancient tomes and adjusting the mystical symbols that adorned the chamber's walls. They spoke in hushed tones, invoking incantations to maintain the fragile balance between control and chaos.
After the researchers finished their notes, they nodded towards the supers below, who then pointed both of their palms towards the demons.
The demons roared for one last time and exploded with a burst of light. Their organs splattered over the thick glass wall in front of Aldred.
The man watched the stain slowly dripping down from the glass wall and said: "Let's hope you really are human. If not, then you might suffer the same fate."
"Right…" Aldred took in a deep breath as he walked along with them as they went deeper into the complex.
That was when he realized something. 'Wait a minute, my father and mother are not human. My father is a demon king while my mother is a vampire.'
Aldred was terrified at finally realizing that.
'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What do I do now? That goddamn spaceship is still on this planet. That thing could obliterate me within seconds.'
Aldred had cold sweats forming on his forehead as they entered a room.
There were a bunch of people there. Most of them seemed to be scientists in white robes. There were guards within the room as well with their energy guns.
"Cleone, Salamander, Shinari. Come here," the man spoke.
The three of them approached the man. "Yes, sir! What orders do you have for us?"
"The three of you will stand guard in this room until we finish an experimentation to check if this person is human or not." The man pointed at Aldred.
"Hello. My name is Aldred. Nice to meet you."
"Cleome Stormbringer," a tall striking lady said as she grabbed Aldred's hand and electrocuted him.
"Ouch."
"Hahaha!" Cleome laughed.
"I am Salamander Ironheart." The massive, heavily armored warrior said and grabbed Aldred's hand with his huge mechanical arm. His face was obscured by a helmet adorned with glowing crimson eyes, making him an imposing presence.
"I am not a super, but I
make machines to make up for my strength." He grabbed a nearby shield and activated his energy blade before slicing the shield in half. "I hope I don't have to use it on you."
Aldred let out a dry laugh.
Someone then tapped on Aldred's shoulder from behind. He turned around, surprised that someone managed to sneak up on him.
It was a lithe and agile woman in dark and stealthy attire. She smiled and waved at him. "Hello! I am Shinari Diascia."
Shinari vanished and appeared behind Aldred in an instant. "As you can see, I can teleport and sneak up on you easily. So don't even think of running away. Hihihi." She laughed while coquettishly covering her lips.
"Right…" Aldred said, but inside his head, he was screaming like crazy. There was no way he could get out of here.
Aldred even tried to analyze the strength of these people using the system, but nothing came out.
A scientist pulled the door to a glass chamber. "Come inside, Aldred. This won't be long or painful if you are human, of course."
Aldred's expression turned sour. "Okay."
