Reincarnated as an Energy with a System

Chapter 1896: Spray-Can

The president headed to another room, with the heroes following behind her.

At the far end of the room, a table held several spray cans, each no larger than a standard aerosol container. The president walked over and picked one up, turning it over in her hands.

”This is an aerosolized solution of micronized Aullazire particles, mixed with a specific chemical compound to emulate suppression fields,” she said. ”One spray at close range will stop someone’s powers for several minutes.”

The heroes exchanged glances as they realized what they were staring at. A portable, instant suppression tool that could be used by anyone. This was much worse than perhaps even the sphere from earlier, and the president had revealed it as if it was nothing.

The president looked at the group. ”I need a volunteer to demonstrate its effects. Is anyone willing?”

No one raised their hand. No one wanted to be the subject of a test product, especially when it came to something as important as their powers. It was their livelihood, after all.

The room was silent for a long moment. Finally, Ning stepped forward.

”I’ll do it.”

The president nodded and gestured for him to come closer. Ning approached, and she aimed the can in his general direction.

”Ready?”

Ning nodded.

She pressed the button, and a fine mist sprayed toward him. Ning breathed it in, feeling the cold air enter his lungs.

At the same time, he saw the notification pop up before him. The spray was working.

’System, what is happening to me from the spray?’

’Is it harmful?’

Ning’s expression didn’t change, but internally, he was surprised. He looked at the president.

”I think it’s working. I feel weak, and I can’t transform into a bat,” he said.

The president smiled. ”Any other side effects?” she asked.

”Not that I can sense,” he said. ”Are there any downsides to this?”

The president hesitated for a moment before answering. ”Not for a single spray. However, there is a downside if the spray is overused.”

Ning raised an eyebrow. Was she aware?

”What happens if the spray is overused?” Ning pressed. ”Or if the canister is punctured and someone is exposed to all the contents at once?”

The president’s jaw tightened. ”No one is supposed to be exposed to so much of this at once. If one is, there is a danger of a person permanently losing their powers.”

The room went silent. Many were glad they hadn’t stepped forward. A few were even waiting to see if such a thing had already happened to Ning and he just didn’t know it yet.

”How do you know that?” Godhood asked, his voice hard. ”How do you know what happens when the spray is overused?”

The heroes hadn’t considered that just yet, so when Godhood asked it, they were forced to wonder about it. When they did, the realization hit the heroes all at once.

There was only one way to get these answers. And that was by experimenting on humans.

Several of the heroes recoiled in disgust. Frostveil’s expression darkened. Lightspeed crossed his arms, stopping his body from trembling at the understanding of what he had just learned.

”You experimented on people,” Godhood said quietly, for the rest of the heroes who hadn’t caught up to understand.

The heroes all glared at the president, outwardly showing their dislike for the situation.

The president didn’t react. She didn’t flinch or step back.

”We did. That was the only way to learn the strength of what we had created, to test the limits of everything. Just so we’re clear, we don’t use just any humans. We only use the worst of the worst. Death row inmates. Murderers, rapists, terrorists, and the like. And they’re not forced into this either. They’re given a choice. They either accept their death sentences or volunteer to be part of something that could save other lives.”

Ning felt a cold anger settle in his chest. He didn’t like it at all. The justification didn’t make the action any less repulsive.

”That’s not a choice,” Godhood said. ”That’s an ultimatum. One where each choice is worse than the other. You’re pushing them into the deep end of the pool, giving them a single thread to hold on to, and calling it mercy.”

”They’re death-row inmates. Trust me, they were long since drowning.”

”They’re still people,” Frostveil said.

”They’re criminals,” the president replied flatly. ”And their sacrifice has produced results that will protect innocent lives. I won’t apologize for that.”

The tension in the room was thick. Several heroes looked uncomfortable, but none of them spoke further. The president clearly didn’t care about their moral objections.

She turned and walked, leading them to another location within the facility.

They were taken to another room where a group of scientists were waiting for them. The heroes gave strange looks as they encountered the situation. They watched the scientists, who didn’t move at all. But more so than the people there, their eyes were focused on what lay before them.

The scientists stood beside a table covered in syringes, each filled with a glowing blue solution.

The president picked up one of the syringes and held it up to the light.

”This is our second greatest discovery,” she said, presenting it to the group.

”This single shot temporarily increases someone’s power by a certain degree,” she explained. ”Each one of your outputs would increase by a lot, and the effect lasts for approximately one hour.”

That was all the president had to say to catch everyone’s attention. Immediately, the heroes leaned in, their interest growing at the syringe.

The disgust they had felt earlier was already gone.