(A/N Alright so imma be down grading the technology level a ton in this one. Salem doesn't exist either)

(3rd POV)

Scientists ran around the lab, always keeping themselves busy. Atlas has been one of the worlds greatest medical assists and have made great strides in advancing it.

General Ironwood, a man know to get the job done no matter the costs, had assigned his best scientists on a project created by the Atlasian government.

It's name, Project Salem.

After nearly a year of hard work, they had finally created the drug they were looking for. A group of 9 scientists rushed down the halls of the institution until they reached General Ironwood's command center.

The medical academy was more then just a place of science, but also Atlas's military headquarters.

Head Scientist: General! General! We've done it!

Ironwood: Really? Show me

The scientist held out a suitcase in front of him and opened it. A green vile was placed at the center of it, surrounded by cushioning.

Ironwood pick it up and inspected it. He smiled as he watched it swirl around in the vile.

Head Scientist: It boosts the bodies natural healing factor by 50x, and modifies the bodies ability to adapt rapidly, meaning it should completely get rid of every kind of illness and heal most injuries

Ironwood: Truly wonderful! How fast can we market it?

Head Scientist: Right away

Ironwood: Gre-

???: Wait!!

Another scientist entered the room, he took a deep breath to control his breathing before addressing General Ironwood again.

???: You can't! The drug is untested and we don't know what side effects it might have!

Head Scientist: It doesn't matter what side effects it has, it will be able to counter them!

???: You don't know that!

Ironwood: We will be releasing the drug as soon as possible Scientist Y/n L/n, end of discussion

Y/n: B-But...

Ironwood: End of discussion! Now each of you will receive 5% of the profits, while the other 50% goes to the Atlas Military

Y/n: I don't want any money, all of you can go shove it up your ass!

(Y/n's POV)

I stormed out of the room with fury. Those selfish assholes are only thinking about money!  It's never about helping people!

Everyone here is doing this for money and fame. They want to be the next big thing! The next genius to create something groundbreaking and get rich for it!

The only reason I got this job was so I can help people, by creating new medicines and technology that could save lives, but Atlas itself doesn't care about that! They will rush anything they think can make them money off to the markets even if it doesn't work!

I wasn't watching where I was going when I bumped into one of the only people I had any respect for in this place.

Y/n: Shit! I'm sorry Winter, are you ok?

Winter: Damn it Y/n! You got to be more careful!

Y/n: Yeah I know... sorry...

Winter: Was it Ironwood again?

Y/n: Yes...

Winter: I know you don't like him Y/n, but he means well... Everything he does is for this Kingdom

Y/n: Sure because releasing untested or unfinished products is for the benefit of this place... Real smart

Winter: I didn't say he was smart

Y/n: Good because he isn't

Winter: Don't worry Y/n, I'm sure the drug you've all been working on will be fine

Y/n: I hope so...

Timeskip

I'm still mad about yesterday, but I was curious as to see what the drug can do, we were pretty much testing it on humans first. I watch the news as General Ironwood along with the Head Scientist of Project Salem, gave a speech about saving people and the creation of the drug. It was pretty much a load of crap, but they eventually announced that it would be shipped out all around the world, along with being put into every pharmacy in Atlas.

I got fed up with watching, so I decided to get back to working on my personal project. My medical knowledge wasn't crazy good like others here, but I was very adept in robotics, and had been working on a prototype Ai since I joined the institution 3 years ago.

General Ironwood would be absolutely pissed if he found out about this Ai too, since he's been trying to create robot soldiers for a long time, but they never could get the Ai in them to function properly.

Mostly because I've been lying to Ironwood about it. I'm the lead robotic engineer after all, so all information goes to me first, and I wasn't about to hand it over to a money pinching prick.

The main reason why I'm even working on Project Salem is because Ironwood wanted me to put nanobots and tracking chips into the drug. I could totally do it, but I lied and gave him a big fuck no.

My phone started vibrating, I hated when my phone rings... It always makes me lose focus so silent mode is amazing. I still had to answer it sadly, but at least it didn't annoy me as much.

Y/n: What?

Assistant: Sir the new equipment has arrived

Y/n: Oh!? Send it to my room immediately!

I'll let this call slid for annoying me. The new equipment was definitely worth it. It's some prototype tech from some unknown scientist, who learned how to put aura into an artificial soul. I've really wanted to check it out for a long time now.

Timeskip

This tech is groundbreaking! I can't believe the research this man put into this, and the fact that he actually achieved it is Insane! I would love to meet him one day and see his creation, but sadly no one knows who the man is, or where he is from.

Either way I still have some pretty useful research to study and try to replicate. I tinkered with a small mechanical ball. It's a little gadget I've worked on for while now. I took heavy inspiration from the Kingdom of Vale's transforming weapons. They didn't make a lot of them, but the ones they have made looked so awesome.

I love my semblance. It's really useful and helps me make my tech as perfect as I can. It allows me to see the weak points of anything. People, buildings, weapons, armor, literally anything, so that helps me find tune everything to be as close to perfect as I can.

The mechanical ball has a rudimentary combat Ai, but I didn't need it to be high tech anyways.  The ball had the ability to hover around, and had loads of utility added into it. It also transformed into a sword or a bladed boomerang.

Dust is another thing I like to mess around with. Sadly I've been unsuccessful in putting it into armor or weapons. A weapon that can actually use dust is incredibly rare. I would love to see one of them with my own eyes and inspect one.

Timeskip

It's been 3 days since the drug was released. So far no side effects have been discovered, but it still didn't sit well with me.

I looked up from my workbench when I heard screams coming from down the halls. It was soon followed by an explosion, causing the entire building to shake.

I shot up from my chair. Nearly sending it into the wall, as I rushed out of my room to see what happened. A few panic employees ran past my door. I looked down the hallway to see 2 guards turn around and start firing down another hallway.

I watched as a black creature tackled both of the men and ripped them to shreds, blood splattered across the ground. The sight nearly made me vomit. One of the scientists collapsed in front of me. He reached out his hand, before his body started twitching violently.

Black spots started to spread across him, consuming his entire body. White bone like plates formed around certain spots, and his eye became a pure red.

I was stunned. I could hardly believe what had just watched. This man looked perfectly normal seconds ago, and now his whole body morphed into some beast.

(A/N Not a Beowulf, but more of just a human looking Grimm)

His body slowly stopped twitching and he looked up at me. His hands had bone like claws, and his teeth were sharp.

He was about to lunge at me, but was suddenly hit into the wall. I looked over and saw Winter. Her left arm was bleeding heavily. She grabbed my hand and started running.

Y/n: Winter!? What's going on!?

Winter: I don't know!

Y/n: You don't know!?

Winter: People just started randomly changing into whatever those creatures are!

Winter let go of his hand and they continued to run through the facility. The sirens were deafening, and the man over the intercom was completely drowned out, by the panicked chatter of other personnel.

Guards were standing by the exit doors and stopping people from leaving. Winter and I walked up to it and hey let us through without any trouble, much to the distain of the other employees.

I didn't like leaving all those people, but those guards most likely are following Ironwoods order, and I didn't want to bark up that tree.

We exited the building to one of the many bullhead pads. We were currently on the 67th floor. My eyes widened as I looked around. Smoke was coming from all over the Kingdom. Screams and gunshots echoed through the city.

I watched as a bullhead flew over head. The side door opened and a pilot jumped out, falling to his doom, instead of dying to the creature now standing in the bullhead. It swerved in the sky, and flew directly into the main antenna on the tower, exploding into a ball of fire.

Everyone on the landing pad took cover as flaming metal crashed onto it. The bullhead parked on the pad was crushed by the antenna, and the ground cracked at the force of the impact. The creature slammed into the ground shortly after, his entire body was on fire, and his arm was missing.

I watched as its arm was slowly growing back. If something like that couldn't kill it then what could. I felt true terror as it started to charge everyone on the pad.

Doctor: R-Run!

Scientist: Holy shit! Go!

The guards fired their weapons at it, but the bullets just bounced off. It slammed its arms into people as it passed them, sending them flying off the pad.

It was about to reach us, when the pad gave way, and it started falling, soon followed by the creature.

Winter pulled me back into the building. I slumped against the wall and grabbed my head. I couldn't process everything that is happening.

I looked up and saw Winter was leaning on the wall. She looked very pale, and her arm looked worse. I realized I couldn't hesitate, or think to much about it. She was going to die if I did.

Y/n: Winter you don't look good!

Winter: I-I'm fine...

Y/n: Bullshit!

I dragged her into one of the closest medical rooms. I pushed her onto the table and cut off the sleeve if her uniform. Once again I nearly vomited.

Her arm looked horrible. She had a large hole in her shoulder, that went down to the bone. The bone was completely shattered, and you could almost she what was behind her. She had a large gash down her forearm, and the bone looked like it had be cut in half.

The fact that her arm was still attached to her body was baffling. I couldn't even believe this was possible to do to someone.

Y/n: W-Winter... I can't fix this... No normal medical procedures could fix this...

Winter: I-I know...

She shakily raised her right hand, and I grabbed it instantly. Her grip was weak, nearly nonexistent. Her hands were cold, and her skin pale.

Winter: D-Don't... Don't die h-here... Y/n...

Her body started going limp. I watched as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. I felt my own get wet as well.

Winter: T-This world... I-It needs you...

I could see the fear in her eyes. I held her head close to me, and simply hugged her in any attempt to bring her comfort.

Winter: I... I...

Winter stopped whatever she was about to say. She simply smiled at me, before the life faded from her eyes. All I could do is cry. I held the hand and watched as one of my closest friends died.

Y/n: I love you too Winter...

I kissed her forehead and closed her eyes. She looked peaceful, and that's all I could hope for. I looked back one more time before I left the room, with a new found determination.

I'll stay alive no matter the cost! I'll figure out this madness and end it! I won't die!