The Day I Ate My Heart — And Then Ate the Hearts of the World
A day to eat my heart is a good day. Any other day is inauspicious. This time, thanks to my proposal, Black Cell — the villain organization’s de facto leader — had finally begun the research she had genuinely wanted all along: the experiment to turn non-powered humans into powered individuals. Of course, I had done something extremely dangerous. If I failed, countless test subjects would die because of this research.
‘But if I move proactively here, everything — the process and the outcome — will be completely reversed.’
Actually, the research Black Cell is conducting is a far more evil one than what it appears to be now. The future director, who has nothing to lose, is openly carrying out that research. And very surprisingly, she has already succeeded in creating a superpower awakening agent with sustained effects. To collect data, she dispersed the agent throughout the city. That’s how most of the events in the original comic came to pass.
What if, while Black Cell still existed, that awakening agent had been created? If I were here, it would definitely save countless people from both the present and the future. Moreover, in hero comics, villains usually talk too much to justify their own righteousness. I already have a rough idea of how this agent is made. Of course, I’m only a first-year junior, so no matter what I say, it would probably be ignored. The worst-case scenario is highly likely. But now, the director’s jet-black authority stands behind me. It’s said that after the day one eats one’s heart, it becomes a good day — and any other day is inauspicious. The board had already been well laid out.
To quickly secure my position within Black Cell, I recalled the lines the future director had spoken in private and headed to the chief researcher’s office.
“Oh, Maxwell, you’ve come.”
“Good afternoon, Chief Researcher.”
Thanks to the all-night meeting I attended last time, the chief researcher knew I was on the director’s direct line. He wasn’t particularly bothered by my bypassing authority.
“Tsk tsk tsk… You must have suffered a lot because of Director Aileen.”
“I’m truly grateful you were worried.”
“Still, next time please let me know first.”
Because the director was like that, he even gave me a pitying look. Anyway, it was time to use my background.
“So, the research that came down in this official document is…”
“It’s the research I was already conducting before I joined Black Cell.”
First, make yourself famous. Then people will applaud even if you poop. That saying isn’t baseless. I’m a body with the title of the century’s genius. When I speak, it’s perceived as something entirely different from what an ordinary person says. Whether this hit exactly was shown when the chief researcher adjusted his glasses, looking very interested.
“Could you tell me how far it has progressed?”
“I estimate about 50%.”
“T-that much progress?”
“However, I believe it’s beyond what I alone can handle.”
My external excuse was ready: the fame is too big to eat alone. In short, I want to share it with others. Just like that, I used modesty as an excuse to put the scientist’s hunger for glory on the scales. And the other party — the core executive of Black Cell — quickly grasped what I wanted and placed the authority to lead the research on the opposite side.
“If the experiment succeeds, I’d be happy to be a co-author even if I stay silent… Maxwell, I’m not sure if you’ll be all right.”
“This is more than enough.”
“Hmm…”
The chief researcher, who didn’t want to oppose me unnecessarily, immediately offered advice.
“Senior researchers may become jealous of you.”
“Considering the situation where a rolling stone takes away a lodged stone, I understand.”
“Hah, the way you speak shows you really have confidence. Then go ahead and explain.”
Thus, the deal between me and the chief researcher was concluded. Around us stood the director — the Grim Reaper — so this promise would surely be kept.
But the chief researcher gave me his business card.
[Black Cell]
[Chief Researcher: Dr. Cain Kreuz]
“I heard the security director also gave you a business card. I hope we maintain good relations from now on.”
Normally, when a top-level person gives a business card to a subordinate, it means to contact the middle manager directly in case of emergency, bypassing them. Dr. Cain would also be my backer.
I had also gained an unexpected reward. There is a saying that when there is an incoming, there is an outgoing. I told Dr. Cain that the future director had found him. The doctor was very surprised, never having imagined such a conversation.
“W-wait a moment… Does that mean superpowers aren’t caused by DNA or brain cells?”
“If that were the answer, world-renowned research institutions and here would have already discovered it. That’s why I looked at it from a completely different perspective.”
Then, receiving the chief researcher’s intense gaze, I began to speak about some element of the human body.
“Do you know about vestigial organs?”
**************** Vestigial organs. Organs that, through repeated biological evolution, become useless for survival and degenerate until they lose their function. As I said earlier, the words of the century’s genius carry immense persuasive power. Dr. Cain’s face became one that looked like he had been hit with a hammer, as if great inspiration had struck him.
“As you know, Chief Researcher, vestigial organs are not entirely useless. Of course, they have degenerated to the point where their effect is almost none, but they still perform their original role or other functions. Or—”
“R-rarely, they become the basis for evolution in a completely different direction… That’s right.”
Suddenly!! The doctor jumped up from his seat as if he couldn’t sit still, pacing around the room endlessly. Then he immediately began flipping through the decades of data Black Cell had accumulated and past failures, internal research data. Of course, this took a truly long time.
“M-Maxwell, I’m sorry but…”
“If you call me again, I’ll come find you.”
“Thank you so much!” Dr. Cain accepted my understanding right away, and I was able to spend time comfortably with the children.
A week later. Whether he had found something or not, I was called back to the chief researcher’s office again. The inside of the room was a mess, of course. The doctor’s hair was messy and his whole body was covered in sweat.
The moment the door of the chief researcher’s office closed, a scientist sent me a sharp gaze and asked what he had found.
“…The third eye, the place where the soul resides.”
“You mean the pineal gland?”
The pineal gland is located in the center of the brain. Thanks to degeneration, it is the size of a small bean but produces the core hormone that induces sleep. However, in any vertebrate — meaning amphibians and reptiles — the pineal gland acts as a photoreceptor that detects light.
“If we apply the fact that superpowers become stronger according to emotions here… Ah, no, Maxwell, what do you think?”
“Actually, the appendix is also highly suspicious.”
“Hah! You mean the cecum!”
From the start of the large intestine, in the right lower abdomen. The long pouch at the end of the cecum is called the appendix. Originally thought to have no function, it was later revealed to play a role as an immune organ. Of course, removal is not a big problem, and appendicitis occurs here. Anyway, these two vestigial organs I mentioned earlier have very unusual roles in this world.
But here is the huge problem: to find their roles, we need to deeply understand biotechnology, which I obviously know nothing about. But do I really need to step forward on this side?
“MAXWELL!!! We’re starting the experiment right now!! Can you help?!”
“Of course, Chief Researcher.”
The authority in biotechnology moved instead, and the situation I had truly aimed for arrived.
**************** Meanwhile, as Maxwell was talking with Dr. Cain. Almost all the new researchers who had just joined Black Cell had completed their adaptation. The underground research facility became extremely messy.
“So, we’re finally doing the real experiment.”
“For the progress of the age…”
From now on, the newbies would justify the sins they were about to commit.
“Finally, the eyes of the chicks have opened.”
“The babysitter role is finally tiring, and it’s good timing.”
“I heard the test subjects have increased quite a bit this time. Is it true?”
“Not caught, but bought from the Chinese side?”
The veterans who had already plunged deep into the abyss looked at the test subjects as mere consumables. Just as countless people’s pain, screams, and roars were about to echo through.
CLANG!!!
“All members of Team 1 and the senior researchers, follow me right now!”
“Chief Researcher?”
“W-why all of a sudden…”
“Maxwell-san is there too?”
Suddenly, the chief researcher who was responsible for the entire underground research facility appeared in Black Cell with Maxwell. All researchers were bewildered, but they soon followed Dr. Cain’s words. They listened in on what Cain and Maxwell were saying.
“So you had almost found it all, but only said 50% had been done. Now I understand.”
“Hypotheses are just hypotheses until proven. But outside, there’s no such large-scale research facility, and we can’t get the test subjects we want.”
What on earth were the two of them talking about? Anyway, a poor parent had sold off a plant-human black superpower user who had been turned into a human experiment on the operating table.
“Kuk kuk kuk… It’s not impossible to get such a precious test subject from civilians.”
“Especially how are you getting that?”
The direction of both their gazes was a device plastered with a radiation mark. Dr. Cain was finishing preparations for the experiment, finally understanding why Maxwell had joined Black Cell.
“Then, Dr., shall we begin?”
“Of course. First…”
The experiment that succeeded in the future had been pulled back to the past. Following Dr. Cain’s command, listening to Maxwell’s advice, researchers who had accumulated massive skills through countless human experiments moved. And as this experiment continued for several days, Black Cell’s upper management became aware of the situation.
“I heard the chief researcher and Maxwell moved together?”
“Yes, Director Aileen.”
“Even the entire Research Team 1 participated in the experiment…”
An unprecedented combination, and Research Team 1 — the most skilled among Black Cell’s researchers — had all moved. Whatever happened, it was clear something big had occurred. To figure out what had happened in her own office, the witch moved.
“If there’s this much noise, I can expect something.”
“Then, shall we go to the underground facility?”
“Of course. It’s not a mere inspection, so let’s go right away.”
“Understood, Director.”
Director Aileen and her secretary descended to the underground facility. They passed through maze-like corridors and dozens of security doors to meet special agents guarding the way. The agents had closely protected Director Aileen in case of any unexpected situation. Just as the director’s party entered the research facility,
WAAAAAHHHH!!!
A strange cheer echoed through the underground facility. Normally a very quiet place, everyone felt something was off and went to investigate the source of the commotion.
“MAXWELL!! You really are the genius of the century!!”
“T-this magnificent discovery is something we—”
“Is completely different from before!”
“If we continue research based on this…”
Researchers were hugging each other in great excitement. Of course, including Director Aileen and Secretary Min Chaerin, even the special agents were bewildered. But when Dr. Cain noticed Maxwell being hugged tightly by the doctor, he calmly informed the director’s party of the fact.
“Chief Researcher, Director has arrived.”
“Is it really true?!” Dr. Cain, very happy, ran to his master and shouted.
“Director Aileen!! We finally discovered it!! Ah, no, we discovered it!!”
“What on earth is going on? First, calm down…”
“T-the cause of superpower activation!!”
At that moment, Director Aileen’s breath caught. But Dr. Cain poured out their achievement.
“We have solved one of the secrets of superpowers!!”
Thus, in the underground filled with sin, ironically, cheers and passion blazed. Soon, in the slowly flowing time, Director Aileen looked at Maxwell. Seeing him exchange glances, the corners of her mouth trembled slightly.