It was a peaceful day in America unless you live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania then it's never peaceful. Thanks to a certain company trying to weaponize the Mercer Virus for the umpteenth time, the big town Pitts was now under martial law in all directions and no one was allowed in or out. Who runs the show? A PM called Blackwatch. Rumors circulate that these guys have little rank and little protocol. To put simply, these nuts were no better than average military, and the green coats are fed up with their call. Thankfully, they ain't the only ones. One of the geeks in Gentek asked for a single specimen to be brought in a sealed room and treated the facility and subjects like an SCP story. The Black coats got irritated that results weren't being made until he threatened to put THEM on the waiting list. Samples were flawed intentionally for people with criminal records, of which, there were plenty of people with extensive histories that were confirmed. Whoever the geek was, they knew what to do. Shortly thereafter, he was pressed for results and got a civilian for the final product. The human subject was injected with a viral cased CRISPR protein that contained Pariah's DNA and RNA code samples in full sequence. The change for the human subject was uncomfortable as the shift was painful but not intense as the subject was able to stay conscious throughout the process. At the end of the procedure, the Black coats were ordered to kill the subject. Of course none of their methods for the virus worked as this wasn't a virus in front of them, it was humanity's final purpose. Seeing the threat, the subject broke out and lay low. That subject, was me. These days I wake up to an alarm clock in a building that's empty, save for what few breaker switches I had turned on to keep myself in a human setting, but with Blackwatch, that wasn't happening. I've actually been chipping away at their operations and slowly reaching the limits of human technology and human conditioning. At this point, even with the little mass I've gotten, I can lift trucks that weigh in at five tons, run 25 mph or 40 kph, shoot a target from thirty meters with a pistol and so on and so forth. I'm like the Agent from Crackdown except I'm hurting a military instead of helping it. Unlike the last two times though, these jarheads wised up and kept their 'pet' projects as restricted and restrained as possible. Only the eggheads get in and even they are on lock-down. So far I only have the claws on account they were doing population control with a Hunter and since then, they've kept their scientists so close to their scopes it's impossible to get somewhere unless you're Gordon Freeman. I know I'm making too many references but what else am I supposed to say for comparisons?

Anyway, the labs are under ground and the ventilation is to fine for even dust to get in, making the place sterile. Only way in is through security detail which is where the cracks are, but they've also got restriction on where they go. Only other thing is to bust in guns blazing, which I have plenty of to use. "May as well." I look at my store and gather up a pistol, machine rifle and a rocket launcher with what extra ammo I can carry and put on a Blackwatch disguise. The only thing I don't have is the training memory to fly a fighter jet of any kind but that would be pointless given the lack of military airfields. Though it would be a future investment to maybe stop the air strikes. Shaking that off, it was time to get some upgrades. From a few on call briefings, the eggheads were transporting a secret project that was meant to help with weapons development. The Black coats are hoping to identify the compound for better weapons and even better munitions. Not on my watch. Arriving at the checkpoint, the truck was shaken from inside. It knows I'm there and if the troops see that, they'll open on me. I would have to make this quick, wear it down and go for the meal while it's weakened. Once then I jump ship and GTFO before they call the strike package and those are hard as fuck to outrun in open spaces and coming out the way I went in was a positive ID then and there.

Aiming my gun and letting it break out I see what it is. It looks vaguely like an insect with a hardened carapace but not armor. The arms though looked like rifles and launchers. Whatever this thing was, it was like a gun given flesh, form and life. "Open up!" I give the order and start shooting.

"Wait, you'll damage the subject!" A scientist shouted.

"Get your notes together and shut the fuck up doc. If this thing gets into the city and goes under we can kiss the new gear goodbye." A soldier unknowingly covered my ass while we started pouring the fire on this thing. It was surviving the onslaught of gun fire but the joint took some notable hits while grenades and rockets wore it down quick. Arming my own launcher, I fire off a round and it staggers. I quickly drop my gear, staying in disguise while I rush in and rip the thing's razor limbs off and stab it in the head before using it's own gun on itself while my tendrils dug in and devoured the thing from the inside out. My genetics adjusted and absorbed the beast's genes, incorporating a new ability. Unfortunately, the Black coats had me surrounded and the only thing close to me was a rifle. Picking it up, I was ready to aim when my mass from my right arm encased the weapon and the thing visibly changed and merged with my own arm. It looked metallic but unrefined. Still, I aimed the rifle and started firing and noticed my disguise had not dropped when I looked at my arm. Using this, I fought my way off the base grounds and ran into some buildings before turning back into my form when no one was looking. I came out the other side with my attire looking like a school student. They didn't notice me and I was able to escape.

Later that night, a call came in from Red Crown, so I donned a different disguise. "What the fuck am I working with!" That is the currently-pissed-colonel. "Hades now has the gene code necessary for Bio-Tech. This means that any and every weapon he picks up can be boosted on a whim once he runs out of ammo!" He took a deep breath after slamming a clipboard. "I am assured however that his body will likely use the physical rounds in the gun to spare his own reserves as much as possible but once he obtains the code necessary to use biological outputs, he'll have a near unlimited means of ranged attack. Future samples are now going to have escort teams and call checks for ANY discrepancy to hopefully keep Hades from getting upgrades. The next sample is already being made but until it's done, no one is being told who's shipping it or where! Dismissed!" Yet another vault lock. These guys have learned from Mercer and Heller that any cracks in security are to be mended immediately and this was a huge mend. Getting new samples was going to be tough and getting to the scientists was going to be hell too, unless I found them out in the field. Humans with doctorates tend to have more active brain lobes concerning memory and narrowing it down further with the lobe that has seen less action in survival, finding doctorates would be easy but finding them in the field and know the exact nature of their project was going to be a nightmare. Thankfully, I found someone that will be my unwitting pawn. Absorbing the scientist discretely meant taking out the snipers keeping him closely guarded. Lucky for me, the bio-tech code allows me to increase the muzzle velocity and adjust muzzle noise. Adding a silencer or suppressor, makes the arm more silent than a ginger knock on wood so taking out the snipers from an increased range was a breeze, but that also meant they would send replacements, so work had to be done quickly and discretely. Disguising myself, I walk up to the doctor while no one is looking and stab my hand in his back. The quick death was met with my body flooding in and the shape quickly being adapted without notice.

So what? These monsters ain't so tough. They're brainless

I'll advice you to not take these creatures lightly. The Juggernaut is a walking shield thanks to the virus. Tests have shown it's armored limbs and thick body have a strong resistance to bullets, bombs-

Doc, every animal has a weakness. Like a doctor, we dissect that weakness. With guns.

'Fuck me. A Juggernaut? Those are hell indeed. Those shields can withstand anything short of a nuclear detonation. I need to get those shields before they make their own and dispose of it.' The military base holding them is to the south, close to the airstrike zone. If I go in as the doctor after turning in some bogus papers, with some findings, I can get to the Juggernaut and wear it down. Once then I can consume it, but anyone that walks out is shot on site after a raid like that so once I go in, I better be ready to fight my way out.

Finding the building wasn't hard though. Look for the giant star. All joking aside, I had some papers with me but the scanners would pick me up and they are hard to avoid, so I had to act like I was in a hurry. Walking up to the gate in a rush, I got my scan and called out. "Open the door."

"Doc we have-"

"I know about protocol but I need to turn in my findings to the database. And need I remind you HE could be out there right now plotting ways to get in!" The soldier put in his scan and opened the door as I rush in looking frantic. Once in the elevator I put on a different act with the doctor, feigning safety.

"Ah, doctor Klaus. It's nice to see you well. How was the field?" A doctor addressed 'Klaus'.

"It wasn't so bad though if I ever see snipers on me again, I may scream from panic more than sickness." 'Klaus' stated.

"I know that feeling. The report can wait. Want to see our latest findings with the Juggernaut?" The doctor led me to the observation glass. On the other side was the Juggernaut and I noticed the bullets.

"I'm not military expert, but aren't those AP rounds?" 'Klaus' asked?

"Yes. Those shields are incredible. If we can diagnose the organic material and sell it to our military, we'll be living the good life like kings. But before that, we need a way to rip the shields off."

"Lucky for you I got just the thing." The doctor turned Klaus' was in joy only to scream in terror when he saw Hades before the screams were silenced quick. Going in, I quickly dispatched the soldiers so as to not lets the alarms go off and walked into the chamber with an arsenal. The big infected turned to me. "Alright tubby, hand over the goods." Hand over? 'facepalm' Da fuq is wrong with me? Shacking off the cringe joke, first weapons to go up for damage were heavy rifles. These things had AP round already so they only need the gun to help push them further with a few adjustments. Thankfully, the AP rounds were aimed for the biceps and shoulders instead of the arms. My goal is to wear this thing down and the guns were doing fine… until they ran out of ammo so out came the claws. Thankfully there wasn't much fight left in this Juggernaut so a few slashes as the weakened appendages and an arm came off, dropping it's defenses and vitality for me to feast. My arms exploded outward with thick mass that looked like stone. "Fuck yeah. Now I can get a little more physical with my 'admirers'." Donning the disguise again, I walked up and thankfully no one came in during that. Or so I thought. I pushed the button for the elevator and it moved instead of opened. Someone was down here. Quickly gathering a grenade launcher, I aimed at the elevator as center as possible. Hearing the transport stop and the door open, I fired a grenade round and threw a hand grenade in with it before raising a shield. The rounds exploded and I quickly moved the body parts out before heading up, keeping a few parts inside for a believable act.

The door opened and I shambled out as troops checked the transport then me. "What happened?" A soldier asked.

"Hades. Grabbed a rifle and rushed the elevator. Fired a grenade. Pushed him back, but some of us got caught in the blast." I answered with a disguised voice.

"Just get cleaned and checked before you leave. Alright boys let's get cleaning." The Blackwatch officer left while I shambled away some, using my sonar to see if anyone was watching before 'getting promoted' and walked right out of the base.

Later that night, another channel call from Red Crown. "Fucking dickweeds! Do I need to start shooting every one of your asses to say you're fired?!" That likely confused a few people. "I just got word that the Juggernaut is dead, its corpse found in the Gentek base and BOTH of its shields MISSING! To make matters worse, doctor Klaus and his security detail, Eagle Squad, have not reported in as of four-thirty-two this evening. All projects that Klaus was on have been informed and his name is removed from the project lists. If I hear about another fuck up, THIS ENTIRE TOWN IS GETTING THE HAMMER! YOU HEAR ME!?" That's not good. With the colonel calling the shots here, and no way to imitate a Brigadier Colonel in time, I'd have to get creative with the missions. Pittsburgh was now on the line and this man is not letting anything to chance. Getting new upgrades was now going to depend on what I find and where. Thankfully this area is big and they can't use airstrikes all the time or on the city as the collateral would be too high, so they expanded outward to ensure minimal construction damage and maximum containment.

Slipping out the next night, I got some tanks that have heavy weapons and ripped them off before adjusting the wires and triggers to make the weapons work like average weapons. While I was doing that, the Gentek information was aiding in development of a few measures I could take to make some armor of my own. The key was to find an infected with the correct genetic type closest to mine and make a parasite that could kill me, using my own code, to make antibodies. Once there, the antibodies can be consumed for armor. There was a problem though, the infected I had found was a leader hunter from the first outbreak. These hunters have two brains and spinal columns. Both backs would have to be broken before consumption, like an adaptation that Mercer had trouble with. So that means someone is remaking these things. Bad move. Getting my parasite ready, I approached the hunter and the fight started. Thanks to the shield, I was able to stay in the fight for much longer than I would have otherwise as the claws wore it down. Once the thing staggered, I got out the injection and ran it into the things neck. It screamed and started running as the parasite started to hurt it more. Waiting for the antibodies and using 'Hunt' to keep tabs on the antibodies, the leader was not interested in fighting until I saw a peak in its immune system and it got its second wind. It was time. The rematch started, but unlike the first time, this thing only had one spinal column to break as the second one was still recovering. Wearing it down again, it was fighting to stay up before my claws were run through its mouth and into its body as I consumed the parasite and antibodies. My body grew dull for a moment as my site faded for a bit, but before long, feeling more weight on me, a spun hard, knocking some infected off of me as my arms burned. I tighten my hands into fists as massive blades formed from my limbs. Looking at them, they felt strangely flexible. Going through some motions, one of the blade arms turned into scissors while the other compressed as a handed form. Both adjustments returned to normal and the opposite was done for each then back before the power retracted. Whatever they were, they were an upgrade for sure. Retreating the armor and donning a disguise, I was heading home before some cawing was heard. They were fliers and hungry ones at that. They rushed me and got in close as I drew a Glaive, hacking, slashing and consuming these feather brains before my arms burned again. They switch to the claws and expanded outward to reveal bladed wings. Looking to my feet as I felt a shift, my legs had gained the same properties as the claws. Recalling the sensation from the Glaive, the wings folded in until only the claws remained with the talons staying where they were were. After that upgrade, and slicing through the remaining Fliers like a food processor, I was finally home. Sadly, a body like this, where every part of me is the same cell, rest wasn't needed, as the mass in my body, made of the same cells, was effective at energy transfer and conservation, eliminating the need to rest at all, though it is a nice sensation when you can relax.

Night passed as I relaxed, and the morning arrived as my awareness rose quickly so as to not get caught flatfooted. Not two minutes and there was a call from Red Crown. It was a different person. "Good day gentleman. I am Major General Barkhorne. I'll be taking over the operation starting now by command of Red Crown and Blackwatch Command by unanimous vote. The reason is that Colonel Steele has been causing stress in the numerous working environments and productivity has suffered. If you're on security detail as a sniper, return to your assigned base and CO." Thank god a break. "Regarding Hades, we can not take risks, as Steele said, so projects will be funneled through me and Brigadier Grant. Operation and security checks will be carried out regularly for any discrepancy. Dismissed." The call ended. Not the best news but better than nothing. At least now I have a chance to get into every operation in Pittsburgh. I get the Captain or the Major and the city is open to me, but one false step and I'll be in cross hairs before I have a chance to get the first one. The best course of action is to consume the Brigadier, so as to use his CO for information to get to the project runners. Too many questions will raise a red flag or two so I better keep my involvement with the Brigadier as low as possible, at least until I have the tools needed to just break in and take the city back one base at a time.

Before contemplating further, the Red Crown line range again. It was Brigadier Grant. Donning a more recent disguise, I answered. "This briefing is in order. As of now, multiple bases are being more open with patrol routes and security checks to ease stress, and Blacknet Terminals will have a security check for any login fails to hopefully catch Hades the moment he tries to access a file. Now, on to more immediate matters, some projects need moving around to keep them safe as they could be compromised. Cobra One One, you will be transporting a shipment of what can only be described as slime. Whatever the virus was doing the conversion stopped half-way or even less and now it is a living slime. Containment on this thing is as top-of-the-line as it gets but shipment must be quick. For this Armor teams Panzer One One and Two are to report as escorts. Dismissed." A living mass of Blacklight slime? That can't be good. Reporting to the team on station, I get in the truck with a rifle on hand as the driver starts the engine.

"This is going to be the scariest shit I've ever been near." He said in fear.

"Not a fan of gak?" I joke.

"Not when the gak is alive and can melt and it anything that comes into contact with it. I don't know what the eggheads have in store but they better hope this stuff don't break out." Just as he said that, the truck lurched forward into the tank. "The fuck." He picked up the CB. "Panzer teams the truck just lunged what's happening?"

"It must be reacting to something up front. Evacuate the vehicle." We get out the truck and it lurches to me. "Corporal, get out of here!" I start running at human speed as the slime busts out and starts to rush me, covering me as it tries to devour me, in which I respond as I attempt to devour it back. "Holy fuck! It's Hades and the slime is trying to eat him!" This thing was doing as described as I was trying to consumed it before it started getting the upper hand before I started to devour it by funneling the mass in my legs to devour it as it advanced on me. Before long, it was consumed into me and Gentek lost another potential weapon. "The subject ate the slime! I repeat! The subject! Ate! The slime!" That was my cue to leave as I did not want any part of their bull.

After escaping their radar, I tested the slime's ability to dissolve practically anything. This ability came with some major benefits. For starters, after eating a Brawler I turned into the thing and it felt good. My claws, which were already strong, seemed to get a massive boost as I was mimicing the beast the claws came from. I was going to have some fun with this. Using my new ability in conjunction with what I already possessed, I tore into blackwatch and gentek bases, using the virus at its best with the forms that it created, making stronger forms with everything I consumed until I was a massive beast. In my 'unleashed' form, two additional arms grow out of my back with the hammerfist of the Juggernaut, with the Juggernaut shield acting as armor, my primary arms turn into the claws of the brawler and, thanks to Orion and the reactivated D-Codes, an overall larger and stronger body to handle the size increase. This, unfortunately, only served to overpower large numbers and a Goliath but the size alone was a detriment and I had few ways to rectify the issue.

Sleeping through the next day after clearing out other base and halting whatever projects Blackwatch had, I was now going through possible options of how to get stronger without losing speed, versatility and so on. I didn't have magic like Naraku, and even with the new ability, there were no variants or applications like with Rimuru in the anime about a man reincarnated as a slime. When I think Naraku and Rimuru, I think a massive void inside their bodies where all of their power is stored but with magic and 'magicules' being fantasy only, my power was limited. Or so I thought. Some time had passed when, during a mission to destroy one of the new tanks that was being made, Alex Mercer - yes the virus that should be dead – was at the base and tearing through soldiers. I immediately confront him and it turns out that his cells and Heller's, while similar, were still different genetically and as long as Alex's code existed, Alex would live. So I immediately turn into my slime form to start the predator process and encase us in the shield and armor Mercer and Heller both possess. What I did next, left me scarred as a human and made me more than humanity's final purpose.