Invincible: Science is magic

A week passed in the blink of an eye, though for Rex, it felt uneventful. While the name Xentry had gained some recognition, it was nothing compared to Atom Eve, whose abilities made her a force to be reckoned with. In just the past few days, she had taken down several superpowered criminals, solidifying her growing reputation.

Rex, on the other hand, operated on a much smaller scale. His battles were far from extravagant, primarily involving street-level crime—robberies, kidnappings, and the occasional low-tier villain.

With his natural strength capped at four tons, his combat suit boosted him to roughly ten, but even with that advantage, his challenges remained relatively grounded. These criminals were light work, especially with the combat skills he had at his disposal.

"Finally, another day of work comes to an end," Red muttered as he descended from the sky toward his house, his figure cloaked in invisibility. As he neared the entrance, a hidden doorway beneath him slid open, allowing him to pass through. He landed softly on a platform inside.

Tapping the glowing core on his chest, he activated the suit's release mechanism. The armor unfolded, allowing him to step out. Rolling his shoulders, he stretched his neck before making his way out of the lab, exiting his room, and heading upstairs from the basement.

As Rex stepped into the living room, he spotted his mother levitating a few feet in the air, seamlessly meditating. Ever since she had revealed their family's heritage to him, there had been little secrecy between them. He had even shared his identity as Xentry, expecting shock or concern. Instead, she had simply smiled and encouraged him to do more.

"You're back from patrol early today?" she asked the moment he entered, despite still being in meditation. Slowly, she descended to the ground, her gaze shifting toward him.

"Yeah, not much happened today," Rex replied with a sigh. More than anything, he just wanted to get back to his experiments and studies.

Tia read him like an open book and let out a quiet sigh of her own. The only reason she allowed him to continue his hero work was so he could gain real combat experience—preparing him for the responsibilities he would eventually have to face.

Shifting her thoughts, she refocused on her son.

"How's your training going so far? You must need help with something, right? I'm here if you do," she offered, her tone both gentle and expectant.

She hoped he had run into a roadblock—something that would give them more time together. Lately, he was always buried in his father's lab, too busy to spare much time for anything else.

"I'm good. I haven't hit any problems lately," Rex said, turning to the fridge and grabbing some leftovers.

For a brief moment, disappointment flashed in Tia's eyes, but she quickly masked it. At the very least, she was proud of how far he had come. Her son was a genius, making remarkable strides in magic in such a short time. It helped ease her regret over the time he had lost—the years he should have spent training as a child.

"Oh, wonderful," she said, her tone carrying a hint of solemness. "My darling little genius is progressing so fast."

Rex glanced at her, reading the emotions behind her words. He could see the disappointment in her face, hear it in her voice. It didn't take long for him to piece it together. With a reluctant sigh, he said, "Now that you mention it, I'm having some difficulties with Arcane magic."

Excitement immediately returned to her face.

"No problem! I'll help you when you're less busy," she offered, fully aware he was itching to get back to his lab.

After finishing his meal, Rex made sure to clean up and return his plate before heading back toward the basement.

Just as he was about to leave, Tia suddenly remembered something.

"Rex, we'll be going out tonight," she called after him.

"Why?" Rex frowned, already dreading the interruption.

"Ryan wants to meet you. It's about time you two got to know each other. He's bringing his son, Brian—he's two years younger than you," she explained, carefully watching his expression, hoping he wouldn't protest.

Rex let out a small sigh before giving a simple smile. "Alright, just remind me later. You know how I get when I'm deep in research." With that, he turned and headed to his room.

His room now served as a makeshift crime surveillance hub. In one corner, several large monitors were mounted on the wall, displaying a constant stream of flashing data. Some screens detailed ongoing crimes worldwide, while others tracked superheroes in action—including the Guardians of the Globe handling various threats.

The last screen displayed satellite imagery, highlighting Kaiju sightings across the world, each location marked with precise coordinates.

Right now, Kaijus were Rex's primary focus. He shifted his attention away from the screen and entered his lab, the door hissing shut behind him.

"Helix, did you manage to track the Kaijus down?" he asked abruptly.

"Yes, Boss," the AI responded. "Several blood samples have been drawn by the hemoprobes and are en route with the mothership. They'll arrive in a few days."

Rex gave a sharp nod but still grumbled internally. Acquiring Kaiju samples was proving to be an exhausting process.

The wait was the most frustrating part. The creatures he was targeting were spread across the world, and some weren't even on the same continent. The hemoprobes—tiny, insect-sized drones—couldn't travel such vast distances on their own. Instead, he had to deploy them via a larger transport vessel: the Mothership.

The vessel was decently sized, designed to carry and deploy the swarm before retrieving them once their mission was complete. Despite its impressive speed, the entire process still took time.

These samples were crucial for his next experiment. So far, the only exotic blood in his collection was from a fire-breathing lizard—well, a dragon. But he needed more. Much more.

This was the best solution Rex had devised for dealing with Compound X and its unpredictable mutations.

He had considered multiple approaches, but this one was the most feasible and direct: using Kaiju DNA as a template.

The process was relatively straightforward. A small amount of Kaiju DNA would be introduced into an AP-01 sample. Over time, the AP-01 would assimilate the mutated properties of the Kaiju's DNA. Once that step was complete, Viltrumite DNA—or more specifically, smart atoms—would be introduced.

The smart atoms served a critical role. Their first function was to reinforce the body, fortifying it enough to endure the intense mutations triggered by the Kaiju DNA. This gave the AP-01: Dragon strain enough time to fully integrate the new genetic material.

In simple terms, AP-01 acted as the bonding agent.

Kaiju DNA served as the secondary agent, introducing mutations and abilities.

Viltrumite smart atoms were the primary agent, ensuring the host could survive the transformation process.

By the end of the process, the AP-01 would be completely exhausted, its work done. The Viltrumite smart atoms would have fully integrated with the host's cells, leaving behind only the Kaiju DNA—along with its traits, mutations, and abilities.

The following traits would emerge: extreme superhuman durability, granted by dragon scales, along with enhanced strength, agility, fire-breathing, and possibly even fire manipulation.

By using Kaiju DNA, Rex had found a way to solve the issue of Compound X's random ability manifestation. This was also why he had held off on customizing it for himself. Not yet, at least—not until he acquired Kaiju DNA with solar radiation and energy absorption properties from Cecil. That deal was still in the works, and he needed to be prepared.

As he fine-tuned the serums infused with dragon DNA, his mind drifted elsewhere—to Mark.

The reason was simple: across all timelines, everything remained mostly the same until one crucial moment—Mark's decision.

Would he side with his father, or would he stand against him?

If Mark aligned with Omni-Man, Rex would have no choice but to put both of them down. That decision would dictate everything. For now, he had chosen not to obsessively monitor the Graysons. He still had a few years before Mark got his powers, and until then, things were relatively stable.

Shrugging off those thoughts, he refocused on his work. Right now, his attention was on the microscope, watching the reaction between the AP-01 sample and the Kaiju DNA. The cells were shifting, mutating—changing. He leaned in closer, hoping everything was proceeding as he had predicted.

Rex had already completed the initial mixture yesterday—that was why he had been so eager to return to his lab. The estimated fusion time was just over twelve hours, meaning it should have fully bonded by now.

Peering through the microscope, a wicked grin spread across his face. It worked. Just as he had predicted.

"Of course, I couldn't possibly make a mistake," he muttered to himself.

With this phase completed, the next step—introducing the Viltrumite smart atoms—would be far smoother and pose significantly less risk. In essence, the serum was already complete.

He carefully added the smart atoms, set the sample aside, and left it to develop. The results would be ready by tomorrow. For now, his focus shifted to cloning the Kaiju—or rather, a modified version of it.

The theoretical framework for cloning had already been inputted into the lab's system. It was one of the final experiments his father had left unfinished before his death. And Rex intended to complete it.

But his father had been meticulous in documenting his research, ensuring that if he ever failed to complete it, someone else could pick up where he left off. Now, with the project already seventy percent complete, Rex knew that with a few outside resources and further research, he could finish it himself.

The thought of playing God amused him. Creating life almost from scratch—shaping it, cultivating it to his own design.

This dragon he was developing could serve as the foundation for Project Kryptonian—at least, without the ability to absorb solar energy.

Still, he would make sure it had the potential to grow stronger. That was the key.

Through this cloning process, his primary goal was to refine Compound X, ensuring that it no longer killed potential adaptations. And eventually, when the time was right—He would apply it to himself.

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