Chapter 701 Brother To Me (1)
Two weeks had passed since the preparations for the soul-splitting procedure had begun. The moment of separation between Ashton and Astaroth was looming, and the tension in the laboratory was palpable. They had run countless simulations for every possible outcome, and thankfully, everything was in order. It was surprising as they had never seen such positive results, but it was likely due to the Precursor tech they had used. Within days, every detail had been meticulously arranged for the impending event, and the room hummed with anticipation as the day of the operation arrived. As planned, Ashton was summoned to the lab for a final check, and as he stepped into the room, his eyes were immediately drawn to the sight before him. Inside a transparent cylindrical tank, a surreal image met his gaze – his clone, suspended in a peculiar greenish liquid. The eerie fluid surrounded the clone, keeping it in an almost ghostly state. It was an uncanny sight, seeing his likeness suspended in such an unusual manner, and it made him a bit uncomfortable.
Astaroth, as always, couldn't resist commenting as he observed the scene. His voice resonated within Ashton's mind.
[It's strange, isn't it? Seeing yourself like this.]
With a bemused expression, Ashton couldn't help but shake his head, his voice tinged with sarcasm.
"It's not like you get to see your other self outside of a mirror, is it?" he replied. "Also... I'm still not sure if cloning myself was the right choice."
[Well, what's done is done. No point dwelling on it. Oh, also, I don't know why, but this clone does look more handsome, don't you think?]
"It looks better than me?" Ashton raised an eyebrow. "Astaroth, it's supposed to look identical to me. That's the whole point of it being a clone."
[It looks better because soon it will be my body~]
"What good are your looks when you'll still be a virgin, trapped in a new body..."
[This bitch, that joke has gotten old already! Think of something new.]
"Do I have to?"
Their exchange was momentarily halted as Ibis, her demeanour serious, approached Ashton. She was tired from working all day and night, and yet she had a smile on her face as she greeted Ashton. "Are you ready for the procedure, Ashton?"
Ashton's response was a simple nod. Ava and Anna were the only other witnesses in the room, along with the essential Xyrans who were needed to facilitate the process. But it would be a lie if someone were to say there was no tension around them. "Alright then," Ashton smiled while looking at Ava and Anna. "See you in a bit!"
"Of course," Anna replied, briefly kissing him as she whispered in his ears. "Once you're out, you'll have to compensate me for all this tension... and I'm not taking no for an answer."
"Succubus, through and through, aren't you?" Ashton smiled before hugging Ava. After a few heartfelt embraces from his mother and Anna, Ashton stepped into the second cylindrical tank, and moments later, it was filled with the strange greenish liquid. As everyone got to work on the outside, Ashton was having another conversation with Astaroth inside the shared mental space. Astaroth did his best, guiding Ashton through the complexities of the impending procedure.
[This is the last conversation we'd share like this...]
"Good riddance, I say," Ashton's words were tinged with a hint of nostalgia and perhaps a touch of sentimentality. "But to be honest, I'll miss our psychic conversations."
[Likewise... well, I'll proceed with isolating our consciousness. It's more like segregating it into different parts of your brain to ease the process.]
"Right... see you when I wake up."
As Ashton spoke those words, there was a sense of acceptance in his tone. With that, his vision gradually darkened as he slipped into unconsciousness. Within moments, Ibis and the Xyrans, who had been observing closely, began the intricate procedure that would 'separate' Ashton and Astaroth.
However, not everyone was on board with helping the precursor, which became evident as the procedure entered the advanced stages. An unexpected crisis unfolded that sent shockwaves through the laboratory. Ashton, submerged in the liquid inside his chamber, began convulsing violently, his body wracked with spasms. "What's happening!?"
Panic erupted among the observers, and Anna, in a state of distress, cried out, "Ibis, do something!"
Ibis stood there, her expression a mixture of concern and alarm, her mind racing to find a solution. It was the first time something like that had happened in her presence. Besides, Ibis had ensured that everything was in order before beginning the procedure. That's why the current scenario was out of the results she had expected.
The room was tense, and the Xyrans exchanged uneasy glances as they grappled with the rapidly escalating crisis.
Suddenly, one of the chambers burst open, and Ashton's golden-skinned clone, who was none other than Astaroth, emerged from it, cradling the convulsing Ashton in his arms. Anna and Ava, quick to react, rushed to assist, but Astaroth gestured them to stop and placed Ashton on the floor. He then executed a precise manoeuvre, utilising an ancient healing technique in the form of his aura emanating from his hands to stabilise Ashton and end the convulsions.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the room as Astaroth's timely intervention saved Ashton from further harm. Ava and Anna, their expressions filled with gratitude, turned their attention to the now-stabilised Ashton, ensuring he was all right.
"He's fine now. The fluid inside the pods had an adverse reaction with his genetic material, causing his reaction," Astaroth reassured them calmly. "Thankfully, there's no lasting damage. But you should take him to rest somewhere, just in case."
"Thank you..." Ava nodded and called for help before promptly assisting Ashton to the hospital, where he could recover safely.
Once they had departed, the atmosphere in the laboratory shifted dramatically. The smile on Astaroth's face disappeared and contorted with anger. It was a face the Xyrans hadn't seen for ages, but they were frozen in fear when Astaroth turned to face them.
Without wasting any time, Astaroth advanced towards Ibis and grabbed her by the next, his grip tightening around her throat as he lifted her off the ground. "I trusted you, and you tried to kill him?" he roared over the beeping noise of the machines around. "Give me one damned reason not to kill you this instant!"
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