Unholy Player Chapter 511 A Familiar Aura

"Continue the evaluation. Begin the specimen collection," Dr. Mara, the lead scientist, commanded those surrounding her.

The researchers paused briefly, gazing at Rhys's form upon the frigid examination table, uncertain if he could survive the standard procedures they were about to initiate.

Currently, his primary need was to avoid being treated like a laboratory rat. He required genuine medical intervention.

Coincidentally, Dr. Mara shared this concern. "Are Ms. Clara and Ms. Nora available?" she inquired.

Those names identified two Players whose specialized builds centered on healing and support roles.

Because the body before them suffered from damage that their sophisticated technology was unable to repair, they required Spark skills to sustain his life.

The difficulty lay in the fact that Players were constantly occupied beyond the city walls. Their time was typically spent hunting fresh Sparks or engaged in Cultivation during their off-hours, making it uncertain if they would dedicate time to assist a single individual.

An assistant quickly checked the data tablet in his grip, his expression tightening with visible stress as he scanned the information. "Regrettably, it appears they departed the city several hours ago."

Dr. Mara’s brow furrowed deeply.

Despite being a prominent figure among the Humans, she lacked the standing or the right to recall two of Humanity’s vital assets from their mission—even when a man holding the rank of an army commander, like Rhys, faced mortal peril.

A specific name then surfaced in Mara’s thoughts, one of the rare individuals capable of commanding Players. "Contact Sir Bates. Inform him of the circumstances," she directed, optimistic that he might find a solution for this critical emergency.

In the meantime, she observed the other researchers in their white coats as they connected Rhys to various apparatuses with wires, the monitors emitting a rhythmic beeping that resonated throughout the chamber.

They also gathered specimens from his raw, sloughing flesh, his blood which was beginning to turn murky, and his visible bones that appeared corroded. All of this served as vital data for their ongoing mutation serum trials.

She remained vigilant, watching every movement, until the assistant at her side spoke in a somber voice.

"Dr. Mara, the response has arrived. Sir Bates indicates it is impossible to recall them from their expeditionary mission at this time."

Upon hearing this, Mara’s expression darkened, her scowl intensifying. "Did you emphasize that this is an extremely time-sensitive matter? Did you mention that Commander Rhys's life is hanging by a thread?"

The assistant gave a solemn nod. "I did. He maintained his refusal."

Her eyebrows drew closer together as she whispered, "I was under the impression that he and Mr. Rhys were close companions?"

The fact that Henry failed to exercise his authority to protect his friend led her to two conclusions. Either the Players were truly on an irrevocable mission, or Henry was simply turning a blind eye to the situation.

However, she would soon realize that both of these theories were incorrect.

As the assistant stood waiting with his tablet, a notification suddenly illuminated the screen. A look of astonishment crossed his features as he read the message.

"What has happened?" Dr. Mara asked, her curiosity piqued by his change in demeanor.

"It is Sir Bates. He claims someone is already on their way to investigate."

"Who?" Just as Dr. Mara posed the question, her own wrist communicator began to vibrate. An emergency alert flashed in red upon the screen.

Unsure of what could possibly be more pressing than the current crisis, she tapped the display, and a voice projected from the device.

"Dr. Mara, a high-profile guest has entered the facility and is currently heading toward the genetic mutation laboratory."

At the sound of that voice, the surrounding researchers froze in place, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

The name wasn't even necessary for them to realize who was arriving.

Within the current Human city, there was no one else who possessed the clearance to access this floor while being referred to as such an important guest.

It was the individual the researchers admired above all others—the one they were most desperate to study from head to toe.

"This way, Mr. Adyr." A researcher in a white coat led the way politely from the opening elevator, stepping out with rapid, hurried strides. Adyr traversed the hallway, following him while observing every Spark held within the glass vats from the corner of his eye.

As he progressed further down the corridor, more staff members emerged to line the walls, watching him with the same clinical fascination he had shown the Sparks, as if he himself belonged inside one of those glass containers.

Dr. Mara was not the only one alerted to Adyr's arrival at the facility. Every staff member with sufficient rank received the long-awaited notification. To these human scientists, Adyr was more than just a leader of Humanity or a beacon of hope. To them, he represented the Holy Grail of their profession.

Every cell in his body held the secrets of Humanity's peak evolution. Every fiber of his being was more precious than any discovery they could hope to find elsewhere. Consequently, as he walked through the subterranean lab's halls, they tracked him like a living hoard of treasure.

Noticing their intense scrutiny, Adyr gave a short laugh. "It seems I have quite the following down here."

The accompanying researcher offered a strained smile. "Naturally. After all, you frequently provide us with new material for our work."

"Is that the reason?" Adyr laughed once more, acting as though he believed that was the sole motivation.

Continuing his path down the hall, he noted the dissected remains of Umbraens and the five Lunari ancestors kept in massive glass jars, preserved like specimens, which triggered a slight sense of nostalgia from his previous life.

There was a time when he collected body parts from his own victims as trophies and mementos. He eventually abandoned the practice, though not by choice. The authorities had discovered his lair and seized his collection. He had only narrowly escaped capture at the time.

In the past, he had been branded a monster, a fanatic, and a psychopath for such actions. Seeing the same thing happening here struck Adyr as deeply ironic.

Granted, the scientists weren't the ones committing the killings, and they utilized the remains for the sake of research, but Adyr still perceived a grim parallel.

He pondered a simple question. If offered a priceless specimen that required the death of the subject to obtain, would they actually decline?

Since they weren't rejecting the bodies provided by others' kills, the conclusion was obvious.

Adyr felt certain that if he ever perished, his remains would be placed in one of those glass jars for the sake of 'humanity's future.'

He walked on until he reached a sealed chamber, where he paused for a moment.

"Mr. Adyr?" the researcher asked, puzzled by his sudden stop.

Adyr glanced at him and gestured toward the room. "You are unable to see it?"

The man peered at the door with a look of confusion. "See what?" To his eyes, there was nothing but the room itself.

Remaining silent, Adyr resumed his walk toward the chamber. It was enveloped in an aura where shades of black and red merged together, clinging to the area like a persistent blemish.

This vision was intimately familiar to him. It hadn't been long since he had encountered something very similar.

While this particular aura felt and looked much weaker than what he had witnessed coming from the remains of the five Lunari Ancestors, it was undeniably the same phenomenon.

It was the exact aura that Zephan had identified as the curse of the Blood Path. Once the researcher swiped his card to open the door, they entered a scene where numerous white-coated scientists were focused on a body in the center of the room.

"Mr. Adyr." The moment they saw him enter, their eyes lit up, and their attention shifted almost instantly.

As the scientists took in his newly transformed, unkempt red hair, his pale skin, and eyes that resembled a vast sea of crimson, it was as if they were already mentally dissecting him to uncover the mysteries within his cells.

Adyr completely brushed off their intense stares and walked straight to Rhys, observing the extent of the damage. He scrutinized him; the skin and flesh appeared tainted and liquefied, revealing many bones that looked as if they had rusted. The aura was clearly radiating from his form, proving that he was indeed undergoing a Blood Path awakening.

The primary distinction from the Lunari ancestors was that Rhys, being a mere mortal, possessed a body too fragile to withstand the process. He was rapidly decaying and falling apart.

"If suicide was your goal, there are many ways to do it with far less agony," Adyr remarked in a steady tone.

Rhys, who remained conscious, slowly opened his eyes, showing that his gray irises were beginning to take on a reddish hue.

His gaze flickered around the room, searching for the speaker, until he finally locked eyes with him. "Such as? Detonating myself into tiny pieces?"

His voice was gravelly and strained due to his failing vocal cords, yet his tone remained mocking. Adyr let out a quiet laugh. Even in this state, the man was still attempting to joke.