《The Monster's Path》 Prologue Darkness. Screams. The scent of blood thick in the air. The infant did not understand what was happening, but his tiny body trembled as his mother clutched him tightly to her chest. Her breath was ragged, her heartbeat frantic. The world around them was shrouded in chaos, shadows twisting, walls crumbling, and a monstrous presence that loomed ever closer. A deafening roar tore through the night. - Asher - his mother whispered, voice barely audible over the carnage. Tears streaked her dirt-covered face as she ran, pushing forward despite the pain slowing her steps. Behind her, the sound of a struggle, a man fighting, screaming. His father. - Asher, my love, you must live. - A sharp turn. A hollow space between broken walls. She placed him there, her hands shaking as she covered his tiny body with whatever she could find. Footsteps, heavier than any human''s, pounded the ground. The air trembled. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. She kissed his forehead one last time, then turned away. And then, silence. The infant did not cry. He did not move. Through the cracks in his hiding place, he saw only glimpses¡ªhis mother standing in front of the beast, arms spread wide, her body small, fragile. The monster¡¯s eyes glowed like burning embers, its grotesque form barely human. It reached for her. Then everything faded. Memories did not exist beyond that point. The only thing that remained was the echo of a monster¡¯s roar and the cold, unshakable truth. He had been left behind. And he had survived. Chapter 1 - Silent House Mornings in Silent House always looked the same, darkness, cold, and silence, which never truly signified peace. Asher opened his eyes and simply lay there for a moment, staring at the rotting wooden planks of the ceiling. Another day. Another chance. The air was thick with the scent of damp wood and mold. In the distance, drip, drip, drip, water seeped through the leaky roof, hitting the stone floor. Some children slept restlessly, tossing and turning on their hard cots. One of the boys mumbled in his sleep, as if battling a nightmare. Someone else coughed, muffling the sound against a thin, tattered blanket. Asher slowly sat up, feeling the cold air creep under his ragged clothing. The fabric was thin, torn at the elbows and knees, just like everyone else¡¯s in the orphanage. His gaze swept across the room. Nothing had changed. The same bleak hall, the same company¡ªpeople he had known forever but never considered real friends. He trusted no one. He couldn¡¯t. He swung his legs over the edge of the cot and stood cautiously, careful not to wake the others. Each of them had their own way of surviving, and sleep was one of the few luxuries they could afford. He stretched quietly, feeling the stiffness in his muscles. Every morning was the same, yet today, something felt different. There was a tension in the air, like the calm before a storm. He walked over to a small, dirty window that barely let any light through. The city was slowly waking, and the gray sky heralded another gloomy day. In the distance, the first sounds of life echoed footsteps, crates being moved, the distant chatter of traders. He sighed quietly and turned away. He had to start the day, just like everyone else here. Maybe today he would find something that would help him survive another week. Maybe today he would learn something that would bring him closer to his goal - eliminating every monster that had ever taken a life.
6:00 AM, Silent House, Wake-Up Call In every dormitory, a piercing bell rang, announcing the start of another day just as difficult as any other, yet somehow different. Today, scientists were coming to the orphanage. Every year, at exactly 7:00 AM, a pair of scientists arrived to conduct an experiment on twelve-year-old children. The experiment involved injecting them with a diluted extract from a Stage 1 Beast Core, known as Awaken. Some of the children who received the extract awakened certain abilities that allowed them to become "superhuman." These powers could range from controlling the elements - water, fire, electricity, light, and many others. Such children experienced little to no side effects from using their newfound abilities. They were considered "pure." Other children mutated some part of their body or organs changed to grant them abilities similar to their "pure" peers. However, using these powers took a toll on their bodies.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. At first, the damage was barely noticeable, but over time, it accumulated, deteriorating their health in various ways. Side effects could include loss of vision, limb mutations, personality shifts, or complete mental corruption, eventually leading to a loss of control and transformation into a monster. Even so, these mutated children were still seen as "useful tools." A rare few turned into Mutants - creatures trapped between humanity and monstrosity. They often became subjects of inhumane experiments and research. And the rest - about 50% - turned into bloodthirsty monsters, destined for extermination. The scientists were prepared for this. The twelve-year-olds in Silent House, knowing what awaited them today, were filled with doubt about whether they would live to see another sunrise. But there was nothing they could do, only wait. As soon as they woke up, all the children headed to the cafeteria.
"I just hope I survive the Awaken injection and gain a power that will let me take revenge on those filthy beasts. It doesn¡¯t matter, I can¡¯t change anything anyway. Either I get a power, or I disappear, and my worries become meaningless." Asher tried to steady himself as he walked with the crowd toward the cafeteria. Around him, the usual morning noise was louder than on any other day of the year. "Shut up, you little brat! How long are you gonna keep whining?! You wanna chew your breakfast with your fingers?!" A tall, well-built boy with short-cropped hair grabbed another child by the collar and lifted him off the ground. "S-Sorry, Tom! But today¡­ we might turn into¡­ monsters¡­ and not make it to tomorrow! Waaaaah!" The small, pale boy trembled violently as he dangled in the air before Tom. At this point, he cared less about what Tom might do to him and more about the fate that awaited him in the near future. Terror gripped everyone, some cried, others cursed their fate, while some cursed those who cried. "I don¡¯t want to become a monster, please, no¡­" Someone nearby trudged forward with a vacant stare, looking as if they might collapse at any moment. Most of the orphans were utterly broken, their spirits drained. "Well, what else could I expect? It¡¯s the same every year. And now, a week after my twelfth birthday, it¡¯s my turn." Asher walked down the dark hallway, its wooden floor made of rotting planks, likely twice as old as he was. The corridor felt like a path leading to a basement, - pitch black, without windows or openings for light. Only darkness, the stench of decay, and the long, three-meter-wide road to the dining hall. After a short walk, the orphans reached the cafeteria. Each child quickly and quietly took their designated seat. No unnecessary words. Just silence. "How lovely to see you all, my little sunshines! Is everyone here? I hope so! You all know what happens to those who don¡¯t listen and fail to do their duties!" An elderly woman, around fifty years old, shouted with disturbing enthusiasm. She grinned widely as she scanned the children with her beady eyes. In the Age of Ashes, fifty years was already considered elderly. People at that age looked like old folks who weren¡¯t quite at death¡¯s door yet¡ªbut they were getting close. After the Third World War, the average life expectancy was only about fifty-five years. Yet this woman, despite her age, had lost none of her vigor or enthusiasm for "raising" the next generation of children. None of the orphans knew her real name, but they had secretly given her one - "Rat" - because her voice was as shrill as a rodent''s squeak. Once, she overheard two children whispering the nickname. She dragged them to her office. When they returned, they had no teeth, no tongues, missing noses, and torn-out fingernails. They didn¡¯t last long in Silent House. One died from exhaustion. The other killed themselves - desperately pulling out a tooth from a younger child and slashing their wrists under the blanket in the middle of the night. A shiver ran down Asher¡¯s spine at the sound of her voice. He hated her. But he knew that if he wanted to survive, he couldn¡¯t draw attention to himself. In front of him, on the old wooden table, lay a loaf of hard, black bread. The last meal before the most important day of his life. Chapter 2 - Awaken (1) The orphans began to eat. At least those who were able to. Some vomited shortly after finishing their meal. Rat watched it all with joy and excitement. Asher stood out among the other children, seemingly unfazed by what awaited him. After eating, the orphans left the dining hall and entered the corridor. Children under the age of twelve went off to perform their daily duties. Meanwhile, the twelve-year-olds followed Rat. She led them to a large room where the "Awakening" ritual took place every year. "Those metal doors... After all these years, I will finally step through that threshold and get my chance." Beneath Asher¡¯s fear, there was a trace of excitement. When he was six years old, he first heard about the Awakening. The older boys whispered about it as if it were a rite of passage - the Awakening was supposed to grant power, but it could just as easily mean death. The orphans had always viewed the Awakening as Judgment Day. A death sentence. Or a chance to surpass the limits of ordinary humans. None of them were truly sure they wouldn¡¯t mutate into a monster. Most would have preferred not to take the risk - but not all. A few children in the orphanage wanted revenge. To gain power that would grant them unimaginable abilities. They wanted vengeance against the monsters after all. Their parents had died at the hands of those hideous, foul creatures. The orphanage aimed to raise children with strong minds. Those who weren¡¯t resilient enough, no matter how well they endured the harsh regime - would not survive the future. But not every twelve-year-old could be expected to possess such a level of mental fortitude and perseverance. The children entered the room with Rat. There were about forty of them. Rat could barely contain her excitement, she stood to the side, eagerly watching what was about to unfold. Asher stood in four rows of ten alongside the others. He was in the front row, ensuring he would see everything clearly. They stood shoulder to shoulder, silent, as if trapped. The air was thick with moisture and the scent of rusted metal. The room was the size of a standard classroom. At the far end, two scientists were preparing to begin the experiment. One wore a white lab coat, had longer blond hair, and glasses perched on his nose. He was short and seemed completely uninterested in the children. The other wore a black coat that looked more like a military trench coat. He had high, black combat boots. Combined with his short black hair, dark beard, and cold gaze scanning the children, he resembled their executioner.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. A pistol at his belt only reinforced that image. Silver syringes gleamed under the dim light of the lamp. The scientist in the white coat picked up a syringe and approached the children. As the first boy was pushed forward, Asher felt his heartbeat quicken. "Mark," the short scientist in white addressed the other indifferently. Mark gave a slight nod, his eyes cold, and drew a short weapon - a black powder revolver reminiscent of ancient firearms. But even the children in the orphanage knew what it truly was - a revolver from the Ashen Era, specifically designed for hunting monsters. Though mass-produced, it wasn¡¯t as valuable as the ammunition itself. In these times, bullets contained gunpowder infused with Monster Core residue. These particular rounds were made from the weakest core - Stage 1. Stage 1 monsters were commonly called the Mindless. They could only move forward and attack instinctively. They had no sense of danger, nor could they do anything besides blindly chasing their prey. Yet, even their cores held a power previously unknown to humanity. A power that opened new possibilities in many fields, igniting hope that mankind could reclaim the Earth and defeat the Monsters. The scientist took the syringe and, with slow but decisive movements, injected the Awakening into the boy¡¯s chest. He stepped back. The boy, pale and drenched in sweat, simply stood there and waited. The standoff lasted about fifteen seconds. His hands slowly began to transform. Blood vessels surfaced unnaturally. The orphan started to tremble. "S-Sir, t-this is normal, r-right..?" he gasped, his breathing growing heavier and more erratic. The scientists remained silent, observing the mutation with detached coldness. As the boy¡¯s arms turned a sickly scarlet red, his legs began to swell. They puffed up gradually. His hair started falling out. His right eyelid stretched open while his left eye flooded with blood. When the right eyelid finally expanded to its limit - His eye popped out. The boy stopped gasping, stopped breathing, stopped trembling. His face, once filled with terror, went completely blank. He lifted his head, twisting it unnaturally. And he looked. Looked directly at the scientist in the white coat before him. Watching everything unfold, Asher felt a slight unease. "I won¡¯t look away. I have to witness this. A creature like that won¡¯t scare me." Finding his resolve, Asher calmed himself. But not all the children around him could handle it the same way. "No, I can¡¯t! I don¡¯t want to be here!!!" one of the orphans suddenly screamed in panic. Mark, with a faint smirk at the corner of his mouth, fired a shot into the boy¡¯s head, splattering his brain across the children behind him. The bullet passed through them, leaving a hole in the wall. Those who were hit by the boy¡¯s remains felt bile rise in their throats. But out of fear for their own lives, they swallowed it back down. They would never forget this moment. For the first time in their lives, the orphans felt fear on an entirely new level. "Silence. Watch closely. You will have to witness this again. The weak won¡¯t survive here." Mark¡¯s cold voice cut through the room as he continued watching the mutating boy. Fearing the consequences of disobedience, the children fixated their eyes on the scene before them. No one looked away. No one spoke. Everyone was terrified. Everyone knew this was the worst nightmare of their lives. Except for Asher. Asher, on the other hand, could hardly wait for his turn. "All or nothing. Everything changes today." He thought, unfazed by the boy¡¯s corpse. It was still unclear whether the boy would survive the transformation into a Monster and remain only a Mutant. Or whether he would fully become a Monster. But everything pointed to the latter. The boy, still unable to regain control over his body, suddenly lunged at the scientist, his jaw unhinging unnaturally as a long, black tongue slithered from his mouth down past his chin. Before he could reach the scientist, Mark appeared beside him, pinned him to the ground with his boot, and fired a shot straight into his head. As the chaos settled, a chilling silence filled the room. The children held their breath, staring at Mark, who slowly lifted his foot off the monster¡¯s corpse. "This is what will happen to you if you fail to control your transformation." Mark stated in his characteristic cold tone before returning to his place. "Next." the man in the white coat called. "Shit, I want to be that strong." Asher swallowed hard, watching Mark in action. Chapter 3 - Awaken (2) "Next." The scientist in the white lab coat repeated in a cold voice. None of the orphans showed enough courage to step forward. Then, the sound of small footsteps echoed against the wooden floor, heading toward the scientists. From the group of children emerged a boy, shorter than his peers. He had black hair, an average face, and black eyes. But what set him apart from the others was his faint smile. There was a glimmer of madness in his eyes - no trace of fear. Someone might think he wasn¡¯t walking toward the Trial of Death but simply strolling through a park, admiring the scenery. Mark looked at the boy with a flicker of appreciation in his eyes. "Interesting. Since we started these experiments, no one has ever approached us voluntarily. I commend your bravery, boy. What''s your name?" the scientist in white asked, tapping his fingers lightly against the syringe in his hand, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "My name is Asher," the boy replied, glancing at the syringe and noticing the scientist¡¯s slightly impatient demeanor. "Doesn¡¯t matter. Stand before me and take off your shirt." The blond-haired scientist spoke with a tone that brooked no argument. As Asher pulled his upper garment over his head, a flood of thoughts rushed through him. On one hand, he felt nervous, fearful of what was to come. On the other, he had been anticipating this moment for years. He felt every detail of the surrounding room. Every scent. He felt the dampness. He felt the tension in the air from the other children. He saw the excitement in the rat¡¯s eyes. He saw that familiar indifference (in his observation) reflected in Mark¡¯s gaze. He saw the longing, scrutinizing look in the short, blond-haired man standing before him. He felt and saw everything. But the moment his shirt slid off his chest, he noticed the scientist stepping closer with the syringe filled with Awakening. Then, everything went silent. Then, everything lost its scent. Then, everything vanished - no more children. No more rat. No more scientists.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Even he disappeared. Only the Awakening remained before him. It was approaching. Slowly, it pierced his skin, reaching his bloodstream. The Awakening began to flow from the syringe and into Him. It started with his veins and arteries - a sensation of searing fire spreading through his body. He felt like a torch. Then, it reached his organs. As if they were melting. He felt like a bonfire. It seeped into his bones. As if he had jumped into a geyser, burning him from the inside out. Then, it spread to his skin. He felt like he was fire itself. He had become a volcano. The fire no longer burned him. He had become the fire. He couldn''t think. He wasn''t capable. He only felt the heat consuming him. He could no longer resist it. He let it flow. He tried to direct it. It was all happening inside Him. On the outside, his skin began to pale, but not in a sickly way - as if it was absorbing the light around him. His eyelids snapped open. Instead of entirely black eyes, hints of translucent white began to emerge in their depths. The air around him trembled. It looked as though reality itself was beginning to fracture. Black veins started to appear around his hands and eyes. "Mark, step back and prepare!" the scientist ordered, slightly stressed by the boy''s transformation. He didn¡¯t need to say it - Mark had already taken precautions on his own. He stepped back, raised his weapon, and his eyes began to glow faintly red. The children didn¡¯t know what to do. Seeing the scientists¡¯ reactions, they tried to shrink against the wooden floor or hide behind the laboratory tables. The rat¡¯s eyes lost their excitement. She began looking around for shelter, then quickly grabbed one of the children and hid behind them. "Move, and you¡¯ll die!" she warned a boy slightly larger than his peers. Her tone made the boy nearly soil himself as he stood frozen in place. "Kill them! They¡¯re all monsters! Avenge your parents! They surround you! KILL!!" Asher felt his head splitting apart. He heard voices. "Asher, no! They are people! They are not monsters! You are not yourself!" "Asher! Kill them!" "You can¡¯t! Asher!" He heard voices. Many voices. The people around him felt something passing through them. Pens, papers, syringes, the scientist¡¯s glasses, cups, scalpels, scissors, knives, and many other objects¡ª Everything small and light began to rise into the air. The space around them warped slightly. Asher¡¯s hands and face became covered with more and more black veins. Mark felt his gun begin to tremble. His gaze hardened with determination. He slowly pressed against the trigger. Two boys and one girl began to whimper quietly. The orphans were more terrified than before. They didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Compared to previous transformations, this one affected them directly. "Kill them, Asher! KILL!" "kill..." "Kill!" "KILL THEM ALL, THEY ARE MONSTERS!!!" He was ready. It was telling him to. Something inside him had awakened. He raised his hands. The floating objects aligned themselves with the people. He was about to unleash everything. And then - everything went black. Chapter 4 - Signature Module "What happened? Am I alive?" Asher felt like his head had exploded. Every possible kind of negative sensation coursed through his mind. He opened his eyes. "Where am I? What is this place?" He knew nothing. He thought his life was over. He was sure he had turned into a monster and that Mark had killed him. He smelled cleanliness, felt soft bedding. He noticed he was lying in a bed. On both sides of the bed, there were slightly blue curtains. To his left was a nightstand with a white electric lamp on it. On the other side of the room, opposite him, was a similar bed. A girl with short, tousled chestnut hair is lying on it. She looks like someone who doesn¡¯t pay much attention to her appearance. A long scar stretches beside her left eye. It is gray and slightly raised, creating a stark contrast against her fair skin. She looked at him with amusement visible in her deep, hazel eyes. "What am I even thinking about¡­ Get a grip, Asher. A white room, looks medical. They must have saved me after a successful mutation. I should be assigned to the White Division now." The twelve-year-old quickly regained his composure. He glanced at the girl opposite him. "I don¡¯t recognize her. She must be an orphan from another place." Asher continued to think, observing the girl with an indifferent gaze. "Finally awake? Took you long enough." The girl snorted, looking at the boy. Asher ignored the girl and continued to analyze his surroundings. "If I ended up here, that means I¡¯m in the Legion of Rebirth. Someone will probably come soon and tell me what happens next." He decided to wait patiently. "Hey, are you just going to keep ignoring me, you jerk?" The girl taunted Asher with a hint of aggression, gripping the bed¡¯s railing tightly. "Yeah. So what?" Asher replied with a slight amusement in his eyes. "You little bastard! I¡¯m going to smash your face in like no one ever has!" The girl immediately flew into a rage, trying to lunge at the boy. A solid metal chain linking the shackles on her hands to the floor stopped her. "Doesn¡¯t seem to be working out for you," Asher said with a wide grin. "Can you two calm down? Especially you, Vera. My head is starting to hurt from your anger. Please." A voice came from behind the curtain on the left side of Asher¡¯s bed. "By the way, my name is Lys. Apparently, I have the ability to sense and influence emotions. You¡¯ve already met Vera - she has highly enhanced senses, which is why she reacts so strongly to everything. And you? What¡¯s your name?" Lys asked, slightly excited. Clearly intrigued by a new person. "I¡¯m Asher. I don¡¯t fully know what my ability is yet. But I do know one thing, this bitch is annoying." Asher said, slightly intrigued by Lys¡¯s ability. "You piece of shit!" Vera was fuming again. Asher glanced at her, slightly irritated.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "You¡¯ll get used to each other. After all, we don¡¯t know how much longer we¡¯ll be stuck here." Lys replied, slightly saddened by his fate. At that moment, a blond-haired scientist entered the room. The same one who had conducted Asher¡¯s Awakening process. The children fell silent, and the tension in the air increased. The scientist approached Asher¡¯s bed, gave him a fleeting glance, and said, "Get up. Follow me." Then he began heading toward the door. Despite the headache and initial disorientation caused by the sudden movement, Asher stood up and followed the scientist. Asher stepped out of the room, finding himself in a long corridor with metal doors on both sides. Each door had a number written in chalk. He saw numbers from 1 to 20. He had just exited room number 13. At the right end of the corridor was a staircase. To the left, a flag with the emblem of the Legion of Rebirth was displayed - a steel fist gripping a monster¡¯s spine, ending in a skull. The floor was stone, and the walls seemed very solid. They headed toward the stairs. They walked for a few minutes through similar corridors until they suddenly stopped in front of a door twice the size of the others. The scientist opened the door. Before Asher stood a vast, empty room. Everything was made of visibly solid metal. The walls, doors, ceiling, and floor. Asher was surrounded by a metallic world. When the scientist closed the door behind them, he introduced himself. "My name is Arnold. I am a scientist of the White Division, specializing in mutation research. I am responsible for studying the abilities of recruits." He opened an armored door in the room¡¯s wall. These too were metal but looked even more massive than the previous ones. "Research tables, a computer, and many medical tools, there are also folders with documents." Asher quickly noted in his mind after glancing at the room. "Sit here," the scientist ordered, pointing to an ordinary wooden chair. Asher obediently did as he was told. Arnold took a syringe and approached Asher. He rolled up his sleeve, inserted the needle into his arm, and began drawing blood. After collecting two vials, he placed them in a designated container. "Now lie down there. On your back." Arnold gestured toward a steel platform the size of an adult man. It had leather safety straps and chains, clearly meant for each limb. "This is finally starting to look like something a scientist from the White Division would ask me to do," Asher thought as he obediently walked toward the table. He lay down. He strapped in his legs himself to spare Arnold the trouble and waited indifferently. "You know, I have to secure you myself anyway - for my own safety." Arnold scoffed, approaching the boy with a metal scalpel and forceps. "Oh." The boy replied, unbothered. The scientist placed his tools on a nearby table. He unstrapped the boy¡¯s legs, then efficiently fastened him back in, tightening the restraints securely. He pulled a small chip from his pocket, made of nanometal and biocompatible polymers. He took the scalpel, approached the boy, and said, "This might sting a little." Then he began cutting a hole on the left side of the boy¡¯s neck. The twelve-year-old started to pale. He panted heavily, gritting his teeth, and sweat drenched his back. Through clenched teeth, he only managed to utter: "Fffuck¡­" "If you move and I cut something I shouldn¡¯t, we might have a small problem. I mean, I could probably fix it, but I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d want to waste my time on that." Arnold said, sounding slightly bored. "In this moment, I am implanting the Signature Module in you. Connected to a modern bracelet, it will display your power. Every member of the Legion of Rebirth has the same one. It serves both as a symbol of your strength and a means of identification. Currently, it is impossible to counterfeit, and it will remain that way for a long time. I will implant it in such a way that you won¡¯t even think about removing it. That¡¯s the procedure." The scientist muttered as if speaking to himself. Asher began to struggle with his legs. Despite the pain, he didn¡¯t dare move his upper body. "Bastard! He could at least give me some anesthesia! This couldn¡¯t get any worse..." Asher cursed the scientist in his thoughts. After all, what else could he do at that moment? Arnold paused his actions for a moment, giving the boy a brief respite. He walked over to the tool table and pulled out a large drill with a small, sharp rod attached to it. "Oh, fuck... Turns out it could." Asher lost all hope upon seeing the scientist¡¯s equipment. Unmoved by the boy¡¯s horrified gaze, Arnold stood beside him and began drilling into his cervical spine. Asher¡¯s entire body tensed for about two seconds, he couldn''t even make a sound. He blacked out. "Hmm, he lasted quite a while," Arnold murmured, pausing briefly before continuing to drill into the boy¡¯s neck.