Blood-soaked earth and mangled corpses littered the battlefield—the aftermath of a slaughter that had begun the moment Nemesis emerged from its containment unit. There was a chilling reason why Tyrants stood as the sole guardians of the treasury: these bio-organic weapons were engineered from the cellular level up to be the perfect instruments of death.
"The Strongest Human is putting up a fight," Nico remarked with clinical detachment, lounging in a wooden chair provided by the Baker family. He bit into a crisp apple, its juice running down his chin as he observed the carnage with the calculated interest of a scientist watching lab rats. Lucas had already retreated to the safety of the facility, unwilling to witness the inevitable conclusion.
The soldiers lay in broken heaps across the battlefield, their armor split and bodies twisted into unnatural shapes. The landscape itself had been violently reshaped—deep craters from missed blows, trenches carved by bodies thrown at terminal velocity, and spatters of crimson that painted the once-pristine field like abstract art.
"This dude is completely fucked," Nico muttered, eyes narrowing as he analyzed the fight. "Even martial arts techniques that never existed in Yggdrasil are useless against Nemesis. Fascinating."
The Strongest Human—a title soon to be rendered obsolete—summoned his remaining strength for a desperate overhead strike. His battle axe whistled through the air, imbued with every ounce of power its wielder could muster. Nemesis, eight feet of putrid flesh and ruthless programming, simply raised one massive, gloved hand and caught the blade mid-swing. The shockwave from the impact sent birds scattering from nearby trees, yet Nemesis absorbed the force as though swatting away an insect.
While the behemoth held the axe in place, the Strongest Human attempted to capitalize on the opening—a desperate kick aimed at the monster's stomach. Nemesis's lipless mouth contorted into what might have been a smile as it snatched the man's leg mid-strike. In one fluid motion, the bioweapon lifted its prey skyward and brought him crashing down against the earth with bone-shattering force. Again and again, Nemesis smashed the warrior against the ground like a rag doll, each impact punctuated by a sickening crunch of breaking bones.
"YES! THAT'S HOW IT FEELS!" Nico leapt to his feet, eyes wild with vindication as years of gaming trauma resurfaced. "STARS!" he bellowed in imitation of the creature, remembering countless deaths at Nemesis's hands in Resident Evil 3 Remake.
A soft clearing of the throat pulled him back to reality. Nico turned to see Deborah standing nearby, a ceramic bowl of fresh fruits cradled in her pale hands. Her eyes—still human enough to register confusion—studied him with unsettling intensity. Embarrassment flooded his cheeks as he quickly composed himself, straightening his lab coat and settling back into his chair with an awkward cough.
The battle—more accurately described as an execution at this point—was reaching its conclusion. The Strongest Human dangled from Nemesis's grip, his once-proud armor shattered and leaking vital fluids. His vaunted martial arts had proven as effective as throwing pebbles at a tank. The warrior's chest heaved with labored breaths, each inhalation a testament to his extraordinary constitution—most would have died minutes ago.
"Nemesis! Over here!" Nico called, raising his hand like a teacher seeking attention. "Deborah, be a dear and bring that chair over." The infected woman nodded obediently, her movements unnaturally fluid as she positioned the second chair beside Nico's.
The Tyrant's single functional eye locked onto Nico. With a wet growl that bubbled up from its malformed throat, it hurled its broken plaything directly at the scientist. Nico sprang to his feet, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet as he tracked the human projectile whistling toward him.
With reflexes that betrayed his viral enhancements, Nico snatched the warrior from the air by his throat, his fingers digging into flesh that somehow remained intact upon impact. A dark chuckle escaped his lips as he deposited the broken champion into the waiting chair.
"Why did you make me do this?!" Nico leaned in close, his voice dropping to a theatrical whisper. Flecks of spittle hit the warrior's bloodied face. "You're fighting just to test your might? THINK, Strongest Human! THINK!" The man could only gurgle in response, blood bubbling from between split lips. Nico sighed dramatically and settled into his chair, eyeing the self-proclaimed champion with contempt. "All this—your entire kingdom wagered—just to prove your power. And what did it get you?"
"So... 'Strongest Human,' huh?" Nico's voice dripped with mockery as he repositioned his chair to face the broken warrior directly. "Not so strong now, are we?"
"Just... kill me already," the man rasped, each word triggering a fresh cascade of blood from his pulverized internal organs. Behind them, Nemesis stood sentinel, its massive form barely scratched despite the warrior's best efforts.
"Not yet," Nico replied with the cheerful tone of a dentist preparing to drill without anesthetic. "I heard you're from something called the Black Scripture. Would you kindly tell me what that is?" His smile was all teeth—predatory and without warmth.
The warrior's eyes, though clouded with pain, flashed with defiance. "Over my dead body," he snarled, gathering what little moisture remained in his mouth and launching a bloody glob of spit directly into Nico's face.
Deborah hissed, moving with preternatural speed toward the offender, her fingers elongating into deadly talons. Nico raised a hand, stopping her mid-lunge.
"Okay then!" Nico chirped with unsettling brightness, casually wiping the spittle from his cheek. He draped an arm around the man's shoulders in a grotesque parody of camaraderie. His smile never faltered as a razor-sharp tendril extruded from his palm, punching through the warrior's chest with surgical precision to pierce his heart.
"I guess he skipped brain day at warrior school," Nico quipped, retracting the blood-slick appendage back into his hand. He stepped away from the corpse and inserted his index finger into the dead man's ear. "Now for the fun part—time to absorb the information." A thin, writhing tentacle emerged from Nico's fingertip, burrowing into the man's ear canal and threading its way into the brain tissue beyond.
Nico stood motionless, eyes closed in concentration as the viral tendrils mapped neural pathways and extracted the information the warrior could have—should have—provided voluntarily. The beauty of this method was its thoroughness; no detail would be overlooked, no secret withheld.
"Hmm... interesting," Nico murmured as his eyes fluttered open. "The Black Scripture is the premier military force of Slane Theocracy, consisting of twelve adamantite-ranked adventurers plus an extra member. Elite warriors, religious zealots, and capable of wielding powerful artifacts." His lips quirked into a half-smile. "How very useful."
"Shall we dispose of his body, Creator?" Deborah asked, her voice carrying the same unsettling, slightly off quality common to all the recently infected. She approached cautiously, her gaze fixed on the corpse sitting upright in the chair.
"No," Nico replied, selecting an orange from Deborah's fruit bowl and peeling it with meticulous precision. "There's a reason I made the wound in his heart as minimal as possible. Presentation matters in our line of work."
He tore off a segment of the orange, examining it in the sunlight before continuing. "I can't risk exposing all of you just yet. Our power is formidable, but humans..." he popped the segment into his mouth, savoring the burst of citrus, "...humans are nothing if not resourceful."
"Mmm! This is exceptionally sweet, Deborah. Your agricultural division is performing admirably," Nico complimented before returning to his explanation. "As I was saying, these humans will become our infiltrators. The Theocracy places such blind faith in their Black Scripture that they'll never think to question one of their own."
"H-How, Creator?" Deborah's brow furrowed, her partially-mutated features contorting in confusion as she studied the lifeless body. "Wouldn't they immediately notice behavioral anomalies?"
Nico's expression soured momentarily. "No, Deborah. You're drastically underestimating the power at our disposal." Disappointment edged his voice.
The infected woman immediately dropped to one knee, head bowed in submission. "I apologize for my ignorance, Creator."
"You are forgiven," Nico replied, his tone softening as he helped her to her feet. "But really, it's elementary viral manipulation. Let me demonstrate."
He approached the corpse with the casual confidence of a master craftsman. "It's as easy as one," he pronounced, extracting a squirming glob of Mold from his palm and inserting it into the dead man's ear, where it disappeared with a wet squelch.
"Two," Nico continued, placing his hand over the puncture wound in the warrior's chest. Beneath his palm, the Mold spread throughout the dead tissue, repairing the damaged heart with unnatural efficiency.
"Three," Nico concluded with a flourish, snapping his fingers directly in front of the corpse's face. The sound echoed unnaturally loud across the battlefield.
The warrior's eyes flew open—no longer clouded with pain or death, but clear and alert as though he had merely been napping. In one fluid motion, he slid from the chair to his knees before Nico, head bowed in the same posture of submission Deborah had assumed moments before.
"How may I serve you, Creator?" The question emerged in the warrior's original voice, but with the hollow undertone characteristic of Nico's creations.
Deborah gasped, taking an involuntary step backward despite her infected nature. The transformation was as complete as it was horrifying—a display of viral mastery that blurred the line between life, death, and something altogether more disturbing.
"Return to Slane Theocracy," Nico instructed, his voice taking on the cadence of a programmer inputting commands. "Report that the army was decimated, but you managed to kill one enemy before escaping. Act natural—maintain all behaviors and mannerisms from before your encounter with us. Await further instructions."
The warrior bowed deeply before rising and departing toward his homeland, his gait showing no evidence of the catastrophic injuries Nemesis had inflicted just minutes earlier.
As the figure receded into the distance, Deborah turned to Nico, her voice barely above a whisper. "But Creator... how are we different from them? If Viruses can create such perfect facsimiles... how do we know what we were before?"
The question hung in the air, loaded with existential weight. Nico's expression softened as he placed his hands on Deborah's shoulders.
"You were created in the labs—built from the cellular level up," Nico explained, his voice taking on an almost paternal quality. "You are the Creator's proud children. These—" he gestured toward the retreating form of their new puppet and the J'avos standing at attention nearby, "—these are merely pawns. You are family."
"Do you understand?" Nico asked, his eyes searching hers for comprehension.
Deborah's response was immediate and physical—she wrapped her arms around him in a fierce embrace, burying her face against his shoulder. Nico patted her back awkwardly, a small smile playing at his lips.
'I almost feel bad,' he thought while maintaining his reassuring expression. In the original timeline, Deborah had been an unwilling test subject, experimented on without consent or knowledge. Most of his "children" shared similar origins—but they didn't need to know that particular truth.
"Now, go back and rest if you need to," Nico said gently, disentangling himself from her embrace. "I need some time alone to process everything."
Deborah nodded and departed, her movements graceful despite the viral mutations that had forever altered her physiology.
"Alright, the girls are too conspicuous outside," Nico muttered once she was out of earshot. "Now that they're back on their assigned floors, I can continue exploring without drawing unwanted attention."
A frown creased his brow as he recalled his earlier expeditions with the female B.O.W.s. Their hunger was too raw, too unpredictable—a liability in the field. At least within the facility, they remained hidden from prying eyes and potential threats.
Nico activated the neural link that connected him to the Hive Mind—the psychic network binding all his creations. "Jack, I forgot to mention something. Would you kindly have the J'avos collect the dead knights from the village?"
"What shall we do with them, Creator?" Jack's gravelly voice resonated directly in Nico's mind, carrying the distinctive Baker drawl despite the viral modifications.
"Convert them into builders," Nico replied, already plotting the next phase. "Also, tell Deborah to prepare herself. I'll be returning with a fresh batch of C-Virus for implementation."
Trade networks would be their next conquest—a more subtle approach that required less overt violence while extending their influence. Soft power before hard force.
"As you wish, Creator," Jack acknowledged. Through the Hive Mind, Nico could hear him barking orders to the J'avos outside before the laboratory door closed with a pneumatic hiss.
Nico strode toward the elevator that would take him to the treasury level deep beneath the mountain. As the doors slid open at his destination, he made his way to the room designated as "The Host"—a climate-controlled chamber housing their complete arsenal of viral agents and vaccines.
"Oh, you're already on guard duty," Nico remarked, spotting Nemesis's hulking form stationed at the treasury entrance. The creature's eye fixed on him with unnerving focus, its programming recognizing him as its creator and commander.
"Can't return you to stasis just yet," Nico explained to the bioweapon as if speaking to a particularly dense child. "You'll have to secure this location until further notice." No sense deploying all available Tyrants unless necessary—resource management was crucial in these early stages.
Nico entered The Host and selected his materials with practiced efficiency—three reinforced containment jars filled with the swirling, iridescent blue of the C-Virus. Enough for Deborah to transform the fallen soldiers into their workforce.
"Two hundred builders seems excessive," Nico mused aloud, balancing the jars carefully. "Let's aim for an even hundred to start. Quality over quantity."
Returning to the surface levels, Nico passed by the mouse enclosure where Carla Radames supervised several J'avos as they tended to individual specimen cages. The meticulous organization of the testing facility brought a smile to his face—orderly science amid the controlled chaos of viral weaponry.
"Better not interrupt their work," he murmured, slipping outside where Deborah directed J'avos in stacking the recovered bodies of the soldiers.
"I've brought what you requested," Nico announced, carefully setting down the three jars of C-Virus on a nearby table. The liquid inside pulsed with an almost sentient rhythm, as if eager to find new hosts. "How many have you processed already?"
"Fifty subjects successfully converted, Creator," Deborah reported with evident pride.
Nico clapped his hands together in appreciation. "Excellent work! I'll need another fifty specifically for construction projects. The remainder will bolster our operations in other domains."
He surveyed the surrounding landscape critically—vast plains of grass stretched toward the horizon, dotted with only sporadic clusters of trees. "The local timber resources are insufficient for our planned infrastructure," he observed. "We'll need to find a sustainable solution."
"Have you considered using our viral agents to accelerate cellular growth in the existing flora?" Deborah ventured, her voice hesitant as she offered the suggestion.
Nico paused, genuinely intrigued by the possibility. The applications were obvious, but the execution would require finesse. "We'll conduct trials tomorrow morning," he decided, not wanting to overtax their resources or personnel. Even genetically enhanced beings needed downtime.
"Understood, Creator. Thank you for considering my suggestion." Deborah bowed slightly, pleased at having contributed.
"We'll need quality metallurgical resources as well," Nico continued, his mind racing ahead to future needs. He could fabricate firearms if necessary, but conventional weapons represented a strategic vulnerability—physical damage was the primary weakness of virus-enhanced organisms. If humans acquired and enhanced such weapons, they could pose a genuine threat to his creations. Better to maintain their reliance on magic while his forces developed along different technological paths.
"Excuse me momentarily, Deborah," Nico said, stepping away as she continued administering the C-Virus to the collected corpses. Each injection caused the body to spasm violently before settling into the accelerated mutation phase—human tissue reorganizing itself according to the viral blueprint.
"Heisenberg!" Nico shouted into the Hive Mind. "Your presence is required immediately!"
True to form, the magnetism-controlling engineer materialized within minutes, his leather coat flapping dramatically despite the absence of wind.
"I'm unsure if you two have been formally introduced," Nico began, noting how Heisenberg's gaze repeatedly drifted toward Deborah's lithe form. "But let's keep the social niceties brief for now." He slung his arm around Heisenberg's shoulders, steering him away from the distraction.
"I see you've developed an interest in our biochemical specialist," Nico remarked with knowing amusement. "I won't discourage potential relationships, but please—priorities. Work first, romance later."
"Apologies, Creator," Heisenberg replied, adjusting his trademark sunglasses as he regained his focus.
"Now, Heisenberg," Nico continued, gesturing toward the newly converted J'avos standing in formation. "While our forces possess significant combat capabilities even unarmed, we require proper weaponry to maximize their effectiveness."
"You need me to extract mineral resources from the nearby mountain ranges," Heisenberg anticipated, demonstrating why Nico valued his tactical mind.
"Precisely. It's time to retire your rudimentary Haulers in favor of a more efficient workforce," Nico directed, guiding Heisenberg toward the assembled J'avos.
"These are J'avos—the collaborative masterpiece of Carla Radames and Derek Simmons. Faster, stronger, and infinitely more trainable than conventional labor," Nico explained, pride evident in his voice. "They'll serve your mining operations admirably."
Heisenberg studied the creatures with professional interest, already calculating their potential output.
"This world contains metallurgical treasures far superior to Earth's conventional elements," Nico continued, sweeping his arm toward the distant mountains. "Adamantite, Orichalcum, Mithril—metals with properties that defy our previous understanding of molecular structure."
Nico leaned closer, his voice dropping to an excited whisper. "Imagine your Soldat project enhanced with such materials. The power you could harness—the weapons you could forge—would be beyond anything you've conceived."
Heisenberg's eyes widened behind his glasses, genuine excitement breaking through his typically guarded expression.
"When you locate these premium resources, bring samples directly to me," Nico instructed. "We'll develop methods to synthesize or replicate them, circumventing their natural scarcity."
Scientists were already planning to accelerate arboreal growth—surely mineral replication wasn't much more complex.
"Now, as compensation for this demanding assignment, I'm providing you with a special assistant," Nico declared dramatically. "Meet Ustanak!"
From the shadows of the facility emerged a massive figure—not quite Tyrant-class, but formidable nonetheless. Its hulking frame featured asymmetrical musculature and a drill-arm attachment that whirred menacingly.
"He's engineered for excavation work—exceptional speed and strength combined with purpose-built drilling capabilities," Nico explained, warming to his sales pitch. "The symbiotic Oko creatures provide environmental scanning and early-warning capabilities. They'll detect structural weaknesses, mineral deposits, and potential threats before your conventional instruments register anything."
Heisenberg circled the bioweapon appreciatively, examining its engineering with professional interest.
"With respect, Creator," he ventured after completing his inspection, "what becomes of my Soldat development program while I oversee mining operations?"
"An excellent question with an equally excellent answer," Nico replied, beckoning to a lanky figure lurking nearby. "Lucas! Join us, if you would."
The youngest Baker approached, his twitchy movements and calculating eyes betraying his brilliant but unstable mind.
"This is Lucas Baker—Jack's son and a mechanical savant in his own right," Nico introduced, physically pushing the two inventors closer together. "He'll serve as your mining lieutenant and temporary project lead when Soldat work requires your attention."
Lucas fidgeted under the scrutiny, clearly uncomfortable with the formal introduction.
"Your collaborative potential is immense," Nico continued, glancing between them. "Two technological visionaries working in tandem—and both currently experiencing the first flutters of romantic interest, if I'm not mistaken. Isn't that right, Lucas?"
Lucas's pale face flushed crimson as he stared resolutely at his feet. Heisenberg's expression softened into something approaching genuine warmth—a rarity for the typically stoic engineer.
"Great minds truly do find one another," Nico observed with satisfaction. He could only hope their inevitable battle of intellects wouldn't undermine his larger plans.
"You have complete discretion regarding which mountain to excavate first," Nico added, gesturing toward the range. "Just leave our primary facility untouched." When neither man reacted to his attempt at humor, Nico cleared his throat awkwardly and produced his remote control.
"Ustanak provides significant security, but isn't infallible," he continued, pressing a sequence of buttons. "Infiltration remains a concern, so I'm assigning additional protection."
The mountain face behind them parted, revealing a concealed launch tube. Unlike Nemesis's dramatic entrance, this pod descended with precision engineering, touching down softly on the grass behind Nico.
Pneumatic seals released with a satisfying hiss as the containment unit opened to reveal its contents. "Gentlemen, meet TALOS," Nico announced with undisguised pride.
The Tyrant that emerged was a technological marvel—organic tissue seamlessly integrated with cutting-edge cybernetic enhancements. Heavy armor plating covered strategic points of its massive frame, while weapon systems were built directly into its limbs. TALOS represented the pinnacle of weaponized biological engineering.
Both men stared in silent awe, their expressions vindicating the resources Nico had dedicated to the project.
"Now that everything's arranged, let's proceed," Nico concluded, confirming with Deborah that the requisite J'avos were prepared for deployment.
"I'll leave you to your respective duties," Nico said, addressing the assembled specialists. "Collaborate effectively and report any significant findings immediately."
As Heisenberg and Lucas departed with their assigned forces to begin mining operations two mountains distant from the main facility, Nico returned to his private quarters. Stretching out on his bed, he reviewed the day's developments and began formulating strategies for tomorrow's challenges.
The pieces were moving into position. Soon, this new world would understand exactly what it meant to face the power of directed evolution.
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Nico woke before dawn, his internal clock perfectly calibrated despite the foreign environment. Stepping outside his quarters, he found one hundred freshly converted J'avos already assembled in perfect formation, awaiting instructions with the eerie patience unique to viral creations.
"We're starting early today," Nico muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair as he made his way to the facility's public address system.
"Would all participants from yesterday's strategy meeting please reconvene immediately?" he requested, his voice echoing throughout the complex. Without waiting for acknowledgment, he proceeded to the designated conference room and settled into his chair, mentally organizing the agenda while his specialists assembled.
One by one, they filtered in—each viral line represented by its most articulate specimen. When all seats were filled, Nico dispensed with pleasantries and launched directly into the day's primary challenge.
"Deborah has successfully processed one hundred J'avos designated for construction projects," Nico began, gesturing toward the window where the creatures stood in perfect formation. "However, we face a critical resource limitation."
He projected a topographical map of their surroundings onto the conference table—a holographic display highlighting the sparse distribution of timber resources across their territory.
"Our immediate operational zone lacks sufficient lumber to support our infrastructure plans," Nico continued, rotating the hologram to display the problem from multiple angles. "Rather than wasting time with roundtable discussions, I want your immediate insights on potential solutions."
He scanned the assembled faces, noting who seemed eager to contribute versus those who appeared hesitant. For beings created through viral engineering, they displayed surprisingly human social dynamics.
"I've observed numerous plant species infected with T-Virus and T-Veronica variants," Nico mused, thinking aloud. "However, every documented case resulted in aggressive botanical mutations with predatory characteristics. We need accelerated growth without creating man-eating trees."
He chuckled darkly at the mental image of lumberjacks being snatched and devoured by their intended harvest.
"Golgotha has demonstrated remarkable cellular acceleration capabilities when applied to plant tissue," William Birkin offered, his voice carrying the authoritative tone of the scientist who had created the G-Virus. "However, the resultant mutations tend toward irregular morphology, often developing ocular structures and other undesirable characteristics."
Nico snapped his fingers as inspiration struck. "What if we created a two-stage process? Apply Golgotha to stimulate rapid growth, then administer the DEVIL Vaccine to stabilize and normalize the resultant tissue?"
The assembled specialists exchanged confused glances, unaware of any "DEVIL Vaccine" in their collective knowledge base.
'Right... they don't know about the vaccines developed to counteract their viral creations,' Nico realized with an internal wince. 'And William has no memory of his daughter or wife for whom the vaccine was developed.'
"Disregard my previous suggestion," Nico said quickly, rising from his chair. "Let's move to practical experimentation immediately. Identify a suitable specimen tree beyond our agricultural perimeter and prepare for field testing. I'll join you momentarily with the necessary materials."
As his team filed out, Nico massaged his temples, mentally berating himself. "I need to be more careful about referencing timeline divergences they haven't experienced," he muttered while heading toward the treasury level.
In the sterile environment of The Host, Nico selected his equipment with methodical precision—two reinforced test tubes and matching syringes from the medical storage. Moving to the vaccine repository, he filled one tube with the pearlescent DEVIL Vaccine formulation, then proceeded to the viral storage unit where he extracted a measured sample of Birkin's G-Virus.
"Materials secured," Nico confirmed, carefully sealing the samples before making his way back to the surface via the private elevator.
Emerging from the facility, he found his team had already located an ideal test subject—a sapling notably smaller than surrounding trees, perfect for observing the full mutation cycle within a manageable timeframe.
"We'll begin with a direct application of Golgotha," Nico announced, preparing the first syringe. With surgical precision, he inserted the needle into the sapling's trunk and depressed the plunger, introducing the G-Virus directly into the tree's vascular system.
The reaction was immediate and dramatic. The assembled scientists retreated to a safe distance as the sapling began to convulse, its cellular structure undergoing explosive reorganization. Branches elongated at visible speed, while the trunk expanded with wet, cracking sounds as new tissue formed faster than the bark could accommodate.
Within minutes, the transformation rendered the original plant unrecognizable. Just as William had predicted, the mutation progressed chaotically—producing asymmetrical growths, bulbous protrusions, and a vaguely anthropomorphic quality that was as fascinating as it was disturbing.
"Fascinating," Nico breathed, watching as the mutated tree continued its uncontrolled expansion. Before it could grow beyond manageable proportions, he approached with the second syringe.
"Administering stabilizing agent," he announced, injecting the DEVIL Vaccine directly into what appeared to be the central mass of the mutated tree. The effect was equally dramatic—the frenzied growth slowed immediately, then halted entirely as the vaccine counteracted Golgotha's mutagenic properties.
What remained barely resembled a tree—more an amorphous mass of woody tissue and misplaced foliage that seemed to pulse with residual viral energy.
"Thoughts on the lumber potential of our creation?" Nico inquired, gesturing toward the grotesque botanical experiment.
The unanimous headshakes from his team confirmed what he already knew—the mutation was too irregular and unstable for practical application.
"What about implementing a physical constraint system?" William suggested studying the aberration. "If the uncontrolled mutation is the primary issue, perhaps a pre-formed mold or cast could guide the growth into usable configurations."
Nico considered the proposal, mentally calculating the physical forces involved. "The expansive pressure would likely shatter conventional containment materials," he observed, "but the concept has merit. Let's attempt a proof-of-concept."
Under his direction, the non-engaged J'avos rapidly constructed a crude wooden frame using lumber harvested from their first experimental subject. The box-like structure was positioned over a second sapling, creating a rigid template for the anticipated growth.
"Initiating secondary trial," Nico announced, injecting the G-Virus into the new test subject.
The results confirmed William's hypothesis—though the wooden cast fractured at several stress points, the mutated tree largely conformed to the predetermined shape, resulting in a significantly more usable formation.
"We need stronger materials for the casting framework," Nico concluded, already formulating refinements to the process. "Fortunately, I've already dispatched Heisenberg and Lucas to establish mining operations in the adjacent mountains."
He smiled with satisfaction, the various aspects of his master plan beginning to align. With enhanced metals for casting frameworks, they could create a sustainable system for accelerated lumber production—just one more step toward establishing a self-sufficient power base in this new world.
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