Talent Awakening: Draconic Overlord Of The Apocalypse-Chapter 414: The Breaking Point

The sterile hum of the hospital room was drowned out by the beeping of the scanners, their sharp tones rising in urgency as Claus worked quickly with his officers to contain the situation.

"His vitals are dropping rapidly!" one of the officers yelled, adjusting the settings on a compact, high-tech medical scanner hovering over Orien's body.

The glowing red lines pulsing beneath Orien's bandages flickered violently, twisting like living veins of molten lava beneath his skin. His body trembled, his breath ragged as Claus gritted his teeth.

"We have to neutralize it now," Claus ordered.

"If the infection reaches critical mass, we won't be dealing with just a patient—we'll be dealing with an anomaly."

The second officer activated a containment field, a shimmering blue barrier forming around the bed, pulsing in sync with Orien's erratic heartbeat.

But the moment it locked in place, the bio-scanner emitted a shrill alarm.

"Sir—!"

A sickening crack tore through the air as Orien's body convulsed violently.

His fingers curled unnaturally, his nails extending into jagged, blackened claws.

His pupils dilated, his dull green irises bleeding as they slowly began glowing crimson.

"Shit," Claus muttered.

Orien let out a low, guttural snarl before his body snapped upright like a puppet yanked up by unseen strings.

His jaw unhinged, stretching too wide for a human, revealing serrated teeth.

His skin turned ashen, veins bulging and writhing like something was alive beneath the surface.

Then—he moved.

Before the officers could react, Orien lunged at them.

A wet, sickening rip filled the room as his claws tore straight through the first officer's chest.

Blood splattered against the pristine white walls as the officer choked, his mouth opening in silent agony before his body went limp.

The second officer barely had time to raise his weapon before Orien was on him.

A monstrous snarl tore from his throat as he drove his clawed hand into the officer's abdomen, lifting him off the ground before ripping him apart with absurd strength.

Claus barely had time to roll aside as the second officer's mutilated body collapsed beside him.

He grabbed his sidearm, aiming at Orien's head.

"Orien!" Claus yelled, his voice filled with pain and perhaps a touch of regret.

"If you can hear me, fight it!"

But the creature that had once been Orien only turned to him, its crimson eyes flickering with something beyond human comprehension.

Then, with terrifying speed, it lunged.

Claus fired—three rounds, center mass.

It did nothing.

Orien's mutated claws slashed across Claus's torso, tearing through armor and flesh.

Claus barely staggered back before his body slammed against the medical equipment, sending sparks flying.

Blood dripped from the deep gashes across his chest as he gasped in pain.

And then, Orien turned to the door.

With a monstrous howl, he burst through it.

—

The hallway was quiet.

Veyra, Daren, and Lila sat on the benches outside, waiting anxiously.

Lila's fingers twitched in her lap, her knee bouncing as worry twisted her stomach.

Something was wrong.

Then—the doors exploded outward.

The thing that emerged was unrecognizable at first. Blood dripped from elongated claws, jagged fangs bared in an animalistic snarl.

But as the crimson glow in its eyes flickered, its gaze settled on them.

They could make out a bit of his hair and his face.

And then, they knew.

"...Orien?" Veyra whispered in horror as she closed her mouth.

The creature let out a distorted, guttural snarl—and then it attacked.

Daren barely had time to push Veyra aside before Orien's claws ripped through him.

He let out a choked gasp, blood bubbling from his lips as he staggered back.

Veyra screamed. Lila scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding in pure terror.

"Orien, stop!" she cried.

But there was no recognition in his gaze. No humanity left.

Only instinct.

With terrifying speed, he lunged at her next.

Lila barely managed to throw herself to the side as his claws tore through her shoulder, sending searing pain rippling through her body.

She crashed to the ground, gasping in agony as blood spilled onto the cold tile floor.

Orien let out an earsplitting roar, his elongated limbs carrying him down the hall as nurses and patients screamed in terror, scrambling to escape the rampaging beast.

Lila's breath hitched as she forced herself onto her elbows.

Pain flared through her shoulder, but she gritted her teeth, turning toward her parents.

Veyra clutched Daren's bleeding body, her own face pale from shock.

Lila crawled toward them, her bloodied fingers trembling as she reached her mother's side.

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"Mom—hold on," she gasped, her hands glowing faintly with her healing talent.

Veyra's breath was shallow, her green eyes wide with horror as she stared down the hallway where Orien had disappeared, his monstrous form tearing through anyone in his way, covering the hallway in blood.

Lila pressed her hands to her mother's wounds, focusing, ignoring the pain in her own body.

But deep inside, as the screams echoed down the hall, she knew.

This was just the beginning.

Blood dripped from Claus's wounds as he forced himself to move. His arms trembled as he crawled, his breathing ragged, the searing pain from Orien's claws making every movement agony.

He could hear the distant screams, the chaotic sounds of people running, but all he could focus on was getting out to the hall.

With a final effort, he reached the doorway, his body slumping against the cold metal frame. His vision blurred for a moment before he blinked rapidly, trying to stay conscious.

"Shit…" he muttered, forcing his bloodied fingers into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a small, black communication device, pressing it against his ear as he activated it.

"This is Claus Renner—procedure failed. The subject has mutated beyond containment," he rasped, his voice filled with pain. "Secure the perimeter—gun that thing down before it gets outside."

—

Outside, the air was tense.

A group of Union officers, clad in black high-tech special forces gear, stood in formation, their visors scanning the building for any signs of the anomaly. Their uniforms bore the insignia of the Union's elite containment unit.

The man at their center, a soldier with ash-gray hair and piercing black eyes, pressed a finger to his earpiece as Claus's message came through.

He then responded.

"Understood. Moving to secure the perimeter." He turned to his men. "You heard him. That thing is no longer human. Move in and gun it down on sight."

The officers gave a curt nod before swiftly moving into position, weapons raised, their visors flickering with scanning data as they locked onto movement within the hospital.