Chapter 165:001.
Silver carefully turned the first page, making sure not to tear the weak paper.
Unlike the official documents scattered throughout the archive, the handwriting was neat, personal, and surprisingly expressive. Whoever had written the journal clearly hadn’t intended for anyone outside the project to read it and probably took it as a personal way to cope with whatever was happening.
The first page began with a date. It was more than thirty years old. Silver and Ravenna unconsciously leaned closer together.
Day 1
{The project has officially begun today.
After years of debate between the three Alpha Sanctuaries, approval has finally been granted.
Humanity continues to lose ground every year.
The beasts evolve faster than we do.
Natural Awakeners alone are no longer enough.
If humanity wishes to reclaim its position as the apex species, then evolution must be guided rather than left to chance.}
Silver frowned.
"So all three Alpha Sanctuaries were involved..."
Ravenna nodded slowly.
"They pooled their research."
Silver continued reading.
{Each participating facility has received an independent project designation.
While every laboratory pursues its own objective, discoveries are to be shared among all divisions.
Research Station Seventeen has been assigned Project 001.
Project 002, Project 004, and Project 006 will continue from their respective facilities.
Locations remain compartmentalized for security reasons.}
Ravenna quietly exhaled.
"So my mother’s project really wasn’t here."
Silver nodded.
"No. But whatever Project 006 was... It was important enough that this station received updates about it."
He carefully turned the page. The handwriting became noticeably more enthusiastic.
Day 18
{Today we completed our first successful integration.
Volunteer Subject 001 accepted multiple strands of beast genetic material with almost no rejection.
Initial compatibility exceeds every theoretical model.
Most astonishingly...
The subject remains fully conscious.
There has been no mental collapse.
No loss of identity.
No immediate mutation beyond expected physiological changes.}
Silver slowly lowered the journal.
"...Volunteer?"
Ravenna frowned.
"They actually had volunteers?"
"It would seem so."
Although something about the wording bothered him. He couldn’t explain why. He simply continued reading.
Day 36
{Subject 001 continues exceeding expectations.
Multiple beast genomes have stabilized simultaneously.
Previous subjects accepted only a single integration before complete cellular rejection.
001 has successfully synchronized with multiple specimens.
Physical performance now surpasses every recorded Rank One Awakener.}
Silver’s eyes narrowed.
"Multiple..."
Ravenna looked at him.
"That’s impossible."
"It should be."
Normal Contractors could only integrate a single beast at a time. Even Silver’s limitless tattoo capacity couldn’t integrate a lot in a short span. Yet, this experiment had apparently achieved something similar through science.
Silver continued reading.
Day 59
{An unexpected breakthrough.
Subject 001 has begun displaying multiple abilities.
Current manifestations cannot be explained by conventional Awakener theory.
The integration process appears to allow simultaneous expression of different beast characteristics.
If this continues...
The military implications alone are immeasurable.}
The room became silent. Even Ravenna seemed unable to find words. Multiple abilities- the very concept challenged everything modern society understood about Contractors.
Silver quietly thought about himself; if this information ever became public, people would undoubtedly connect it to him eventually. Fortunately, these records had remained buried for decades.
He turned another page. The writer’s excitement practically leapt from the paper.
Day 81
{Today may become one of the greatest moments in humanity’s history.
Dr. Selena Serenity visited Project 001 for evaluation.
She examined every stage of the integration personally.
After reviewing the data, she concluded that the synchronization process was...
"Perfect."
Those were her exact words.
"Perfect."
I have never seen Professor Haines smile so broadly.
For the first time in years... Hope filled this laboratory.}
Ravenna instinctively reached toward the page. Her fingertips gently rested beside her mother’s name.
"...Mom..."
Her voice barely escaped her lips. Silver remained quiet. Although Selena hadn’t worked here, she had still visited this facility. That meant she had known exactly what Project 001 was and exactly what they were creating.
Silver wasn’t sure how Ravenna felt about that discovery. He could only imagine the confusion.
Ravenna slowly withdrew her hand.
"I don’t know whether I should be proud or afraid."
Silver answered honestly.
"I don’t either."
He carefully continued.
Day 102
{Our colleagues in the Capital have also reported encouraging progress.
Several successful integrated humans have now reached adulthood.
The procedure unquestionably works.
Unfortunately... Their lifespans remain catastrophically short.
Even our greatest successes survive only five to ten years after integration.
Cellular degradation continues accelerating beyond acceptable limits.
Still... Project 001 appears fundamentally different.
His body adapts, repairs itself, and improves.
If anyone can overcome this limitation... It will be him.}
Silver slowly looked up.
"So they already succeeded before."
Ravenna nodded.
"But they all died within ten years."
Silver quietly thought about the implications. That meant humanity had already produced artificial Awakeners. Entirely new variants, yet history remembered none of them.
Whatever had happened afterwards, it had erased every trace. The journal suddenly felt much heavier in his hands. Each page revealed another secret capable of shaking the foundations of modern society.
He turned to the next entry. The handwriting had subtly changed, still neat but less confident and enthusiastic.
Day 117
{Subject 001 has become... quieter.
He speaks less. Sometimes he simply watches us for hours without saying a word.
Psychological evaluations show no significant abnormalities.
Dr. Harper believes prolonged isolation may be affecting his emotional state.
I disagree.
His eyes have changed. Sometimes... When he looks at us... It no longer feels as though another human is staring back.}
Silver felt a chill crawl down his spine. Beside him, Ravenna unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself. Neither of them spoke. The hopeful optimism that had filled the earlier entries was beginning to disappear. Replacing it was unease.
Silver quietly turned the next page. The handwriting immediately caught his attention. It wasn’t as neat anymore; several words had been crossed out, and others appeared written in haste.
The atmosphere surrounding the journal had changed completely. And Silver already had a terrible feeling about what they were about to read next.