Chapter 103: Clinic Underground (2)
The office had a desk in the middle with its surface covered with files arranged in neat stacks. On the sides were filing cabinets lined up against one wall, a single chair sat behind the desk, and no decorations.
Reinhard moved behind the desk immediately, pulling the first file toward him and flipping it open.
He began reading the names of Phantasm Beasts and filled the pages with typed text. Beside each name were values that say "Werefang - 15 souls", "Bear-Terror - 42 souls", and "Tonothus - 38 souls."
The list continued, dozens of entries documenting species and their corresponding soul counts.
Reinhard’s eyes widened slightly in understanding. These numbers represented the approximate souls each beast could produce once killed.
Not their danger ratings, but their value as sacrifice material, which was unlike the other files in the storage room, which displayed how much was required to summon.
Could these beasts be the true sacrifice? The thought formed with horrible clarity. Or a backup plan to make up the 100,000 souls needed to summon the Beast from the Throne of Myth?
It made a lot of sense.
No one would believe Phineas had gathered so many beasts and kept them underground. The logistics alone seemed impossible without detection, but here they were, caged and cataloged, their deaths already calculated.
Then another thought struck him, making him pause mid-page. What if they aren’t meant for sacrifice? What if they’re meant to kill the people in Phane City?
Reinhard’s mind painted the scenario with vividness. These cages open simultaneously before dozens of enraged Phantasm Beasts flood into the city streets. Civilians who aren’t Beast masters are being forced to face these Phantasm Beasts that are designed to hunt and kill.
If Phineas could delay the city guards through sabotage, misdirection, or direct conflict, then the death count would rise exponentially.
Reinhard closed his eyes, and the imagination became too real. Werefangs tearing through market crowds, Bear-Terrors smashing through buildings, and Tonothus stampeding down streets packed with families.
The blood pooled on cobblestones while screams echoed through the city, and people were trying to escape.
Reinhard slightly shivered as he bit his lip softly, forcing the images away, and continued examining files.
Another folder caught his attention, this one was thicker than the others, marked with a red label. He pulled it free and opened it across the desk to see that it was a report. Technical language filled the pages, describing experiments and results with clinical detachment.
Beast Blood Injection Trials read the header.
Reinhard blinked in surprise before he furrowed his brows in confusion. He began reading properly to see what exactly the purpose of this would be.
The research documented using beast blood injected directly into human subjects. Early trials had focused on regeneration purposes, such as using blood as a healing agent rather than medicine. The results showed certain beast species’ blood worked exceptionally well with specific people.
The researchers theorized compatibility related to a person’s Beast Spirit or the potential spirit they can get. In addition, Beast Masters who’d formed a connection to their Beast Spirit had altered physiologies with their bodies being similar to their bonded spirits than to baseline humans.
This made them more receptive to beast blood generally, but especially blood from species related to their spirits.
Further testing revealed that closer blood-to-spirit matches produced dramatic effects. Small cuts mended within minutes, and even bone fractures healed in days rather than weeks.
As if the person was being injected with the beast’s own regeneration.
The report continued into speculation. Could beast blood amplify strength? Grant special abilities? Perhaps Six-Eye Spider blood would improve perception and danger sense. Kodama blood might grant purification abilities or environmental awareness.
If true. The report concluded. Inquisitors could gain abilities beyond their Beast Sigils and spirits. Multiple augmentations from different beasts could create warriors of unprecedented capability.
Reinhard fell silent, his mind turning over implications.
The benefits were undeniable. He thought of Joseph, pierced by bark, bleeding out, saved only by Martha’s timely intervention. Beast blood could have mended those wounds in minutes by increasing his regeneration, and not only that.
It would have made Joseph stronger so that he could survive longer, not just him.
It could make other Beast Masters stronger and help them survive the Monster Zones better.
The use of Phantasm Beast Blood would be a medical advancement with revolutionary potential.
"The only issue is what’s needed to reach this result..." Reinhard muttered, his voice barely audible even to himself. "Large amounts of experimentation and abuse of patients... Like all medical research."
The room shook.
Reinhard’s head snapped up, his body tensing as he felt the vibration. It came through the floor, through the walls, accompanied by a sound between a roar and a scream.
Then the scream of a person rang out before a body smashed through the office wall.
Reinhard raised his arms as the stone walls burst out before the debris sprayed out, and some landed on him. A body flew across the office like a rag doll, crashing into shelves that collapsed under the force.
Files scattered with some being coated by the blood of the corpse, and papers flying through suddenly dust-filled air.
Reinhard’s frown deepened before he turned and left through the hole created by the body’s passage, stepping carefully over twisted metal and broken stone.
Reinhard eyes widened.
A Phantasm Beast stood in the center of the underground facility.
It was tall and thin, its form stretching perhaps eight feet in height but impossibly narrow. Its skin was swirling in darkness, with lines of red and orange glowing beneath that darkness like cracks in cooling lava.
It had crimson-black spikes rising from its head and emerging from the swirling darkness in irregular patterns. Then there were the Purple, blue, and faint gold vines wrapped around those spikes and stretched down its form.
At its center, where a chest would be on a humanoid form, was a single bright red eye. The eye was massive, easily the size of Reinhard’s head, and it glowed with intensity that illuminated everything it gazed upon in crimson light.
Its arms were long and jagged, ending in clawed hands where silver armor-like plates gleamed with metallic sheen. The same sharp silver shapes covered its legs, resembling bones more than armor.
At its feet lay the body Reinhard had followed down. The young man’s form was twisted with blood spreading in a growing pool, and his eyes closed.
The Phantasm Beast didn’t move initially.
It only stared as its single red eyes illuminated the area. Then slowly its claws flexed before a drop of red fell from one fingertip to the ground with a soft drop.
The eye shifted, its crimson gaze finding Reinhard.