Chapter Text
My name is Mori Ougai. I am a medical doctor. My specialties include neuroscience, psychophysics and psychology. Sexology is also one of my specialties. In my years of working, I have theorized that a gift - also called a supernatural ability - can be forced with the help of proper stimulation of the right areas of the brain. Thus, theoretically, every human being is capable of learning a special ability, provided that the area in the brain responsible for the output of the ability is activated. The brain is a truly wondrous organ that still holds so many secrets.
At the age of 27, I worked in the military as a medical assistant and found out that people with an ability can be used as weapons. But human emotions are a hindrance. There must be a way to stop self-awareness and make the person obey every order.
Found an interesting girl who will be particularly useful in my research. Her name is Yosano Akiko. She has the ability to heal people as long as they are on death's door. She is only 11 years old and has hardly any life experience. She is just perfect as she has no idea what is happening out there. The war is in full swing. The infantry can continue to fight even after severe setbacks because of her ability. The Great War will cost Japan a lot, but we all have to make sacrifices. A few more or less foot soldiers are of no interest to anyone. In the end, it is only numbers and not people who died in the war.
The war is coming to an end. England, Germany and France have reached a peace treaty and Japan will now also withdraw fire. The number of orphans has greatly increased in Japan. Many ability users are invalids and so traumatized that they can no longer go about their normal lives. Yosano, too, no longer responds to anything. She is apathetic. She has become useless. When we returned to Japan, I lost track of her.
Got a job in a small hospital. As a former resident who served in the field, I am respected and have many opportunities.
Several subjects found. Three children from the slums. Male. Aged 9-12 years. They were begging for bread and I brought them to my underground clinic. Children are easy to manipulate, especially when they are desperate and long for love and approval. I begin the series of experiments.
Invasive treatment of the frontal lobe did not bring any useful results. Restriction of the subjects' musculoskeletal system, as well as a pronounced disturbance of pain control. Pain was sent to the brain much later. Subject No. 3 suffers third degree burns. I must prevent infection and continue the experiments on No.1 and No.2 first.
The frontal lobe, the frontal brain, is generally considered the seat of personality and controls social behavior, among other things. Is it possible to mold these desperate children into well-behaved puppets who will obey all my commands?
Experiments on the prefrontal cortex led to lower self-awareness. Strong medication led to aneurysms in the brain in subject No. 1. I need to decrease the dosage to reduce the neurotoxic effect.
Proband No.1 dies of a dissection of the aorta, tried to stop the bleeding, but the injuries were already too great. Subject No. 2 is also a concern to me. Have observed self-injurious behavior. The disintegration of the self leads to strong suicidal tendencies, but by No.2 losing touch with himself, he becomes completely malleable.
I have successfully shut down the limbic system. Subject No. 2 does not respond to either physical or psychological violence. He is apathetic, but still seems to perceive his surroundings. Have I come any closer to my goal?
Subject No.2 dies of a brain hemorrhage only a few days later.
Subject No.3 has suffered an infection due to the severe burns. I will amputate several body parts to stop the spread of blood poisoning. He doesn't need his hands anymore anyway.
Subject No. 3 won't stop screaming. He constantly begs me to let him go. He begs for mercy and whines to die. Foolish child. Does he really think his tears will soften me? He is nothing but a guinea pig and I must make sacrifices to achieve my goal. What is the trigger for a gift? What part of the brain controls the ability? Is it possible to force an ability? There are still so many questions that have no answers! I am close to my goal.
Fear, despair and pain leads to a strong defensive reaction of the organism. I have been exposing No.3 to various torture methods for the past four months alternately and have continued to monitor his brain waves. With the help of functional magnetic resonance imaging, I was able to see that fear arises in the limbic system, among others emotions - nothing new - but especially that this area is activated when skills are used. Is there a connection here?
No.3 used an ability. For a moment he was able to manipulate and reshape the rock around him. He broke through the walls, but due to his severe injuries and amputations (I had to remove parts of his left leg as well), he couldn't get far. In the future, I will have to tie him up and make sure he doesn't hurt himself.
My hypothesis has been confirmed. The use of skills is controlled in the brain and is associated with emotions. If I manage to turn off consciousness, I can theoretically create malleable soldiers. That would give me new perspectives. Military companies would be at my feet. Not only that. If an ability can be forced, it stands to reason that the ability itself can be enhanced. Can I use stimulants to increase the output of an ability? That would be a groundbreaking discovery. I must start immediately. Mustn't waste time. However, I need resources. Where do I get the chemical substances to create this novel phenomenal drug I have in mind?
The clinic where I work has fired me. I was accused of deliberately falsifying clinical protocols and stealing drugs. They couldn't prove anything, but my reputation as a doctor was damaged. This does not mean much. I am close to a breakthrough. I still have my underground clinic in Yokohama, near the red light district, and will continue my research there as usual.
No.3, similar to No.2 before, shows self-destructive traits. Meanwhile, the serum and stimulation of the individual areas of the frontal lobe leads to mental confusion. Subject has memory lapses and complains of severe headache. Administered a medium dose of morphine.
The gods are on my side. During the night, several wounded yakuza came to my clinic. They were riddled with bullets and covered in blood. I saved their lives and in gratitude their boss wants to see me.
Had dinner with the boss of the Port Mafia. A simple-minded, power-hungry old man who is full of hatred and envy. He sees himself as the center and most important organ of his syndicate and bragged all night about his successes. I suspect the onset of dementia. I cannot yet estimate how quickly his condition will change. He seems to like me and asked me to join the Port Mafia. I agreed and now receive special protection. Since then, injured yakuza have been coming to my clinic all the time, but I can use the money. After all, I have to get working materials somehow.
Finally, a glimmer of hope! Found a substance that is close to a psychotropic substance and produces effects on the physiological level and in experience and behavior. The exogenous chemical substances are not necessary for the cellular functions of the body, but has a strong effect on the central nervous system. After administration of the drug, the blood plasma has changed minimally and has reached the blood-brain barrier. Is this my breakthrough?
No.3 has hallucinations, convulsions, accompanied by severe nausea. For three days I observe the effect of the drug. The mixture was too strong. A lower dosage would probably have produced a different reaction. Moreover, No.3 is not used to opiates. The result would certainly have been different if I had previously accustomed him to drug-like substances and given his metabolism the opportunity to deal with this substance.
No.3 died from internal bleeding and lack of oxygen. I need new experimental subjects.
The disease of the boss of the Port Mafia is progressing rapidly. Decreased intelligence. The inability to understand the consequences of an action. He does not realize himself that he is driving his organization against the wall and I have decided to take his place. I administer him toxic substances disguised as painkillers. I have composed this drug myself. It will gradually drive this egotistical man mad and destroy the areas of his brain responsible for logical thinking. Not that it will make any difference to him. Foolish Fool. I enjoy great respect in the Port Mafia and have saved the lives of hundreds of members. No one suspects a thing.
Prostitutes keep coming to my underground clinic. Underage children. Unfortunately, it would attract attention if they disappeared. I need new subjects. Test subjects.
The boss of the Port Mafia has allowed me to continue my research on prisoners. It has already been a year. He is eating out of my hand and is blind and deaf to reason. All he wants is to annihilate his enemies and for that he is willing to put his entire organization at risk. He consistently provokes other crime syndicates and significantly decimates his own numbers through rash actions. Even his closest confidants begin to doubt his decisions. Delightful! I am treated with great respect and enjoy the utmost trust among the members. Even the lowest-ranking members recognize my face. The boss does not realize that a splintering is gradually taking place in his own ranks.
I am now officially the boss's right-hand man.
My research has progressed considerably. The prisoners to whom I administered my synthesized preparations became will-less and obedient. Even without torture, they gave me the information I needed to locate the enemy's base and take an important step toward expanding my power. The boss is extremely pleased with my results and is counting on me. I am now able to suppress the human mind and shape it to my will.
After only a few hours of taking the drug, cramps and aneurysms began to occur. All of the prisoners - my subjects for this research series - died within the next 72 hours from the side effects. A lower dosage over a long period of time should produce a different result.
Obtained several subjects with abilities, continue my research. Named the serum Socordia, from Latin, a state of mindlessness.
Subjects No.47 and No.59 suffer from dysphoria, but was able to observe the development of new neural pathways during magnetic resonance imaging. The areas of the brain that are used for the application of a skill have a stronger blood supply. By constantly taking the serum, I was able to specifically turn off the limbic system. They are will-less, don't know what they are doing and follow every command. Yet they seem to be in severe pain. Morphine does not help. Subject #47, #48, #49 and #52 die after injecting the serum. The remaining subjects appear will-less, apathetic and have no control over their bodies. Apparently made a mistake in the dosage.
Subjects No.50, No.51, No.54, No.56 and No.57 die of cardiovascular failures.
Finally, I have reached my goal. Subject No.55, No.58 and No.59 are perfect puppets! No new aneurysms detected even after taking the drug for a long time. Dysphoria, apathy and disturbed self-perception lead to suicidal tendencies, but the drug does what it is supposed to do. Pain control continues to be impaired. It successfully shuts down the self. I have succeeded.
I still need new test subjects who already have an ability. A test subject, without background. Someone no one would look for and whom I can mold to my will. Should I kidnap some children from the slums and thus risk being caught by the police? The slums are separated from the main island of Yokohama and it is impossible to just enter there. The risk is high. But if I don't do anything, I will never make any progress. There are many obstacles in my way. The ideal subject should be a minor, because the brain continues to grow and develop, and with the help of my drugs I can influence this growth. It must be used to opiates so as not to suffer a shock. Does such a test subject even exist? Are my ambitions too high?
If I can complete this drug, I can surely make Yosano able to work again. She would obey all my orders like a thoughtless little doll, and this unquestioning loyalty would be priceless. Gifted people would become malleable weapons that carry out every order without question.
Concluding: Abilities can be induced by constant fear, pain, and despair. Negative emotions are suitable to activate the areas of the brain that lead to the execution of an ability. With my serum Socordia, I am able to suppress consciousness and create will-less, obedient soldiers.
With the help of drugs, abilities can be strengthened.