In the neon-lit depths of Project Eira, a top-secret laboratory hidden beneath the cybernetic metropolis of Novastra, scientists worked tirelessly to create the next evolution of bio-hybrids. They were not just genetic experiments but living weapons. Designed to withstand extreme conditions, to be stronger, faster, and more resilient than any human soldier. The sterile air hummed with the sound of machinery, the glow of holographic displays casting blue shadows across stainless steel surfaces. The cold was palpable, even to the human researchers bundled in thermal coats. Among them was Specimen X-07, later known as Stray. Unlike his predecessors, X-07 was engineered with cryogenic adaptation, his DNA fused with that of arctic predators. His skin had a faint blue tint, his eyes a piercing icy hue that seemed to glow in the dim light. His body temperature was naturally low, resistant to freezing temperatures, and his senses were heightened beyond human capability. He was the perfect assassin for cold environments, silent, swift, and deadly. Dr. Asver, the lead scientist, observed him through the thick glass of his containment chamber. "A flawless creation," he mused, adjusting his glasses with gloved hands. "No need for thermal regulation. No pain from the cold. X-07 is the future." Yet, despite his calculated perfection, there was one flaw the scientists had not anticipated. Sentience. Stray was not just an obedient experiment. He was aware. He questioned. He felt the cold concrete beneath his bare feet, smelled the chemicals in the air, heard the distant cries of other experiments. At first, Stray followed orders. The facility's cold, sterile environment suited him. But he began noticing the others. The failed experiments, discarded like broken machines. Some hybrids begged for release; others lay motionless on stainless steel tables, terminated for their imperfections. Their empty eyes haunted him during the long, silent nights in his chamber. One night, he overheard two scientists whispering about him through the ventilation system. "He's unstable. Too much free will. If he keeps resisting orders, we might have to terminate him." The words sent a chill through Stray's already cold body. He knew what termination meant. He had seen the incinerator at the end of the hall, its glow visible even through the reinforced doors. He had seen the lifeless bodies wheeled toward it. He refused to be another failed experiment. So he ran.