Meanwhile, Rugal had already learned the news that Goenitz of the Hakkesshu had been defeated.
"That useless bastard…"
Crushing his phone, Rugal was so furious that he wanted to start cursing. Looking at Mature and Vice, who were standing before him in fear, he felt a throbbing pain in his temples.
It wasn't for any other reason. It was simply because Goenitz had died far too casually.
When Goenitz had previously been defeated by Ryuji, Rugal had already sensed that something was wrong. But now that Goenitz had inexplicably died at the hands of Ryu Hayabusa, he felt even more humiliated.
"That bastard Douglas just had to take all of Kasumi's clones… And even destroyed the ones he couldn't take…"
Rugal rubbed his temples. Although he had also obtained the combat manual of the Mugen Tenshin style, no matter how much he studied it, he couldn't imagine that practicing this stuff would allow him to defeat Goenitz. Consequently, he had begun to suspect that these people, who were supposedly on par with Ryu, might have been exaggerating their abilities.
But that was precisely the problem. If they really were exaggerating, then what was he supposed to do? He had invested so much, only to still be treated like a mere pawn?
Rugal touched his eye. His previous mechanical eye had already been replaced with a mechanical eye equipped with Feng Shui Engine technology. Not only could it greatly assist him in combat, but it could also help him absorb energy from the surrounding space. It could be said that this device alone had nearly doubled his combat power.
Yet even so, he was still no match for Goenitz. Because of this, Rugal had become increasingly silent.
Rugal wasn't a fool. He knew that if things continued like this, he would inevitably become a laughingstock and be defeated. So he couldn't help sitting there and thinking about how he could defeat those experts, those opponents far stronger than him.
"Do I really have to use the blood of the Hakkesshu?"
Rugal touched his eye. The research had already confirmed that the power of the Feng Shui Engine could indeed help him suppress the power of the Hakkesshu. After several test subjects had been implanted with Feng Shui Engine technology obtained through a deal with Bison, they had all successfully used the Hakkesshu's techniques and acquired those powers.
But the price was that their minds became abnormally agitated, to the point that they could practically be described as insane.
Although he had great confidence in his own mental fortitude, he still didn't want his will to be affected by these strange things.
But…
If it was for the sake of becoming even stronger…
Rugal looked at his scientists in the distance, as well as the Hakkesshu serum that had been jointly developed by his own scientists and those he had obtained from DOATEC. The serum was theoretically perfectly compatible with his body. He couldn't help but fall silent for a moment.
"Haven't I already made all the preparations?"
Rugal let out a soft laugh and quickly extended his hand, gripping the vial of serum.
This was a serum created using DOATEC's technology. If he hadn't obtained those DOATEC traitors from Douglas and acquired all of their experience with human experimentation, it would have been impossible for him to obtain such a perfected serum.
This was also the only transaction Rugal had been genuinely satisfied with during these recent deals.
Because the genius scientists of DOATEC truly possessed impressive abilities when it came to human modification. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them geniuses.
As for how many of his own clones had died in the process or how much money had been spent, Rugal didn't care at all. As long as he could become the strongest, he was willing to accept any price!
"The strongest in the world!"
Muttering these words, Rugal tightened his grip around the serum. The DOATEC scientists had already provided sufficient experimental data, while the flaws and backdoors in the Feng Shui Engine had all been resolved by his own scientific team.
There was no reason to hesitate anymore!
The diluted and modified Hakkesshu serum was directly injected by Rugal into the area of his heart. The pain of the needle piercing into his heart made even someone like Rugal tremble all over, but he still firmly injected all the serum in the vial into his body.
The moment the cold serum entered his body, it remained cold, even giving him the illusion that it was going to freeze his heart. But as his heart continued beating and the Hakkesshu serum was continuously carried throughout Rugal's entire body, he suddenly felt as if his body was being enveloped by magma, as if he were about to burn from the inside out!
For a brief moment, he thought that those vermin from DOATEC were trying to kill him. But immediately afterward, he felt power!
Rugal felt the Feng Shui Engine inside his eye spinning wildly. Energy from the air continuously poured into his body, merging with the power that had ignited him. The combination caused that power to cease being scorching hot and instead become gentle.
Feeling this power, Rugal couldn't help but burst into wild laughter. He roughly pulled out the needle, but the wound on his heart completely healed in an instant.
He looked at his hand, unable to believe how terrifying the power within it had become. And then...
With a casual wave of his hand, an air blade instantly shattered the reinforced concrete wall, blasting a huge hole through his luxurious room.
The old Rugal hadn't been incapable of doing something like this either, but it had required him to expend at least some strength. However, now, Rugal felt as if he hadn't used any strength at all. He had simply made a gentle, restrained wave of his hand, yet he had effortlessly torn apart solid reinforced concrete!
"Hahahahaha!!! Hahahahaha!!! Scientists of DOATEC! You did well! You did very well!"
Rugal began laughing wildly. The sensation of power filled him with an incomparable sense of fulfillment. As he laughed maniacally, the various energies in the surrounding air began trembling in response to his heightened state of excitement, and even cracks began appearing throughout the room.
Meanwhile, Mature and Vice looked at Rugal with even greater fear.
Although they had recovered some of their memories, they still didn't consider themselves members of the Hakkesshu. Mature and Vice had constantly been considering escaping, but after having large amounts of blood drawn from them every day by the traitorous scientists from DOATEC, they had become too weak to escape. They couldn't even use some of the techniques they had originally been capable of using.
Even so, they understood what was happening to Rugal.
"How incredible… He can actually use an artificial device to directly draw upon the power of nature, then use that power to neutralize the power of the Hakkesshu…"
Mature couldn't help but mutter to herself.
~~~~~~~~~~
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