RAGE-X01

RAGE-X01 is a super soldier serum developed by FoRFaNT in order to turn even the weakest man or woman into a capable soldier. Though it is often used on weak units, Foster Forfant has a tendency to administer it on his stronger units as well. It has notably been used on Kiga and Teki.

How It's Used
Units that are given RAGE-X01 are often hooked up to a special rig that is designed to make sure units cannot move during administration. It also makes sure the serum is evenly and quickly distributed through the body. About a pint of it is injected into the average user, though Teki has been noted to be injected with several gallons at once twice a day. Doses are often given on a daily basis.

For some, RAGE-X01 in used via a disposable syringe. However, this method is discouraged, since it takes a while to inject the full dose, and missing a vein can lead to Muscular Popping, described below.

Along with these, for some, RAGE-X01 is used like a medicine to counteract muscular dystrophy or lost testosterone. In emergencies, it has even been used as a replacement for blood.

Immediate
Though not that noticeable, RAGE-X01 has some immediate effects. It gives an immediate though slight increase in muscle mass, and causes the muscles to tense up lightly, though they may tense up more with larger doses.

Short Term
Within a short span of use, the user will begin to notice an increase in muscle mass and strength. Strength is often increased twofold to sixfold, with muscular growth being increased tenfold.

Long Term
Over time, the body begins to adapt to the serum, allowing it to use it more efficiently. This means that growth and strength is further enhanced. On top of that, the muscles will develop special properties that make them more resistant. In some cases, there have been reports of muscle tissue developing bulletproof and even thermal resistant properties.

Muscular Popping
If a dose is not taken correctly, that is, the vein is missed, muscular popping can occur. This happens when the serum is injected into tissue instead of into the bloodstream. Due to all the serum being concentrated in one area, the muscle tissue ends up getting the whole dose to itself, which causes deformities in the tissue. Some who have suffered muscle popping have even reported not being able to ever contract the muscle, or not being able to use it for a time.

Immediate
Due to its properties, RAGE-X01 is known to be highly addictive, sometimes causing instant addiction. On top of that, an overdose may result in uncontrollable muscle growth, irreversible permanent muscle damage and deformities, and an insatiable lust to exhibit the user's strength. Along with this, in order to

Short Term
Users of RAGE-X01 often develop an addiction by this point, if they haven't already. They also tend to become restless and exhibit strange, aggressive behavior.

Long Term (1 month-1 year)
Once someone has used RAGE-X01 for a long time, they become attached to it, and often feel weak and worthless without it. On top of that, some users may develop a disorder known as Calymer's Adrenal Serutitus, in which the user's adrenal gland becomes defective, the kidneys become damaged, and the body begins to produce RAGE-X01 instead of adrenaline. On top of this, the gland enlarges, and constantly pumps the serum into the body, causing permanent effects. This disorder is reversible, but by time the user develops this disorder, their muscle has hardened to the point where the surgery performed to reverse this would be impossible without causing permanent damage to the patient's tissue.

As well as this, users often find themselves deformed into hulking figures with an unnatural physique if they have used it too intensely.

Long Term (Further down the road)
By time the user has used RAGE-X01 this long, their genetic code has been damaged, and their bodies have adapted to the extreme effects that the serum have placed on them. They find themselves unable to lead their normal lives due to the effects, and often aren't accepted by society due to their mutated, hulking appearance.

Common

 * Bulging veins
 * Muscle spasms
 * Swelling
 * Inability to contract muscles (Short term, lasting up to 4 hours)
 * High blood pressure
 * Increased pulse
 * Rapid muscle growth
 * Unintentional weight loss
 * Weight gain due to muscle
 * Muscle rigidity
 * Less sensitivity to pain
 * Feelings of weakness (after use)
 * Addiction
 * Soreness (After use)
 * Fatigue (After use)
 * Withdrawals (After use)

Uncommon

 * Excitement/Irritability
 * Insomnia
 * The Shakes
 * Feels the need to exercise
 * Soreness (during use)
 * Minor deformities in muscle tissue
 * Increased bleeding
 * Hyperventilation
 * Visible growing of muscles

Rare

 * Aggression
 * Anger problems
 * Destructive habits
 * Intentional overuse (with extended use)
 * Irregularly large veins and/or muscles
 * Signs of testosterone use (in women and children)
 * Muscle spasms (painful, frequent, large scale, etc.)
 * Constantly excercising
 * User develops unhealthy body image
 * User cannot function properly without
 * Feels little or no pain

Very Rare/Serious

 * Muscle appears unnatural/mutated
 * Veins exploding
 * Insanity
 * Symptoms of use without use
 * Enlarged adrenal gland that constantly pumps
 * Kidney damage
 * Body pulses with pulse
 * Seizures
 * Symptoms of blood loss due to the body's sudden need for more blood
 * Heart attack
 * Cardiac arrest
 * Killer instincts (sudden bouts of extreme violence)
 * Uncontrollable screaming
 * Death

The Black Market
Due to its addictive properties and subliminal side effects that make the user crave more of the Serum, RAGE-X01 has become a major black market good in the FoRFaNT underground, allowing thieves within the company (and sometimes officials of the company themselves) to make a quick buck. It is often also purchased by desperate bodybuilders looking for a seemingly effortless way of building muscle. This has led to professional sports beginning to screen athletes for the Serum, since without surgery, it remains in the system permanently.

As with every black market good, there are people who take advantage of people who want it. Prices are often unstable, being controlled by an unstable supply. It has been known to be laced with other bodybuilding drugs, as well as being reversed engineered. What makes matters worse is that a FoRFaNT spy has attempted to support the black market for RAGE-X01 by having FoRFaNT create a cheaper version of it (known by FoRFaNT as RAGE-X02), which is pitched as being "better in every way."

Injuries and Deaths
There have been tens of thousands of injuries and deaths caused by RAGE-X01, be them direct or indirect.

Calymer Vs. ForWaRD
A former FoRFaNT bodyguard and bodybuilder by the name of Calymer Bysis left FoRFaNT after five years and sued ForWaRD (FoRFaNT War Research and Development) after his body had become disfigured beyond recognition. His frame was unorthodox, and he could not lead a normal life due to his extreme size, unnatural figure and massive muscle. He had also developed a strange disorder (which later became known as Calymer's Adrenal Serutitus) which made it so that he suffered further. He won the case, but the damage had already been done; his family had left him, the public feared him, and no one would hire him. Due to this, he was forced into working for FoRFaNT again.

"The Pleaser" Scandal
A bodybuilder and "showboy" by the nickname of "The Pleaser" ended up losing his career after a tragic accident with RAGE-X01. Originally pure and against drugs, when he started to lose his testosterone, he turned to the black market for RAGE-X01 for answers. Thanks to the serum, his career was back on track, but his newfound success was short lived when he ended up falling victim to a black market scam. He ended up receiving a defective dose, which was 1000x normal concentration. This defect caused him to go into a fit of uncontrollable muscle growth and spasms, which led to a ten minute long seizure and permanent muscle damage across his entire body, ending his career and ruining his life.

The Mira City Rage
In April 2010, Mira City, Animary went into mass hysteria after a group of extremely muscular, hulking figures went on a city-wide massacre, killing several hundreds of people. After about a week, the figures (which turned out to be a group of ten RAGE-X01 overdose victims who had lost all self control) were finally killed, ending the biggest mass murder in Hoep history.

The "SiN" Virus
On the fifth anniversary of the Mira City Rage, the FoRFaNT computer systems that regulated RAGE-X01 injections were hacked by a hacking group known as SiN (Strength in Numbers). They planted a virus in the systems that gave the users of RAGE-X01 a hundred times the regular dosage. This caused all but two of the users (Kiga and Teki) to mutate into ungodly figures. However, since Kiga and Teki ended up being injected with the overdose as well, they were given a massive surge of strength, allowing then to kill the mutants singlehandingly without effort.

Trivia

 * RAGE-X01 in very small doses can be used to counter the effects of muscular dystrophy, and has been prescribed as a treatment.