Scapegoat

(The next day.)

As the morning rays shone through the horizon, the barrier seemed to resonate with a certain cheerful aura.

In that moment, multiple strange roots grew out of the soil, painting a strange portrait, there were everywhere, in any patch of soil one could find.

It took just a few seconds for these roots to finish growing, and when they did, they bloomed in a myriad of colors.

It was like, a rainbow fell from the sky, painting the soil beneath it in a sheet of colors.

At the same time, everywhere around the Seventh Shelter, people could be seen happily wishing their families well.

"Happy Barrier Day!"

"Happy Barrier Day!"

Greetings flew, as people welcomed each other with open arms.

The streets on the other hand, though decorated in colorful ribbons and beautiful art, had no traffic.

Driving was banned on Barrier Day, as the essence of the holiday encouraged the act of irresponsible drinking.

Not everywhere in the Shelter was this rosy though, the Silence remained untouched, its inhabitants as always adhering to the dress code of all black.

At this moment, the initiates that had survived the abysmal enclave could be seen walking into one of the Silence's many rooms.

As the group clad in sleek black business suits entered the room, an aura of anticipation filled the air.

Among them, Bruce stood tall with his red hair and imposing frame, emanating a calm yet distant demeanor.

Arlet, with her taunting blue eyes, exuded confidence as she carried a big water bottle, while Eloise's enchanting smile belied her perpetual tiredness.

Noah's easygoing expression contrasted with Oliver's bratty character, who always seemed to be in the midst of trash-talking.

Finley, with his long curly brown hair, carried an air of mystery with his poisonous touch, while Thalia's situation necessitated her black blindfold.

Lila, with her silver eyes and youthful appearance, held an unreasonable yet fearless attitude, while Blessing exuded maturity despite her short stature.

Felix's pride and arrogance were palpable, while Serena remained grounded in her realism and Ethan maintained an easygoing demeanor.

"Why are we here again?" Ethan couldn't help but ask as he gazed towards the Cylindrical glass chamber in front of him.

Before anyone from the group could answer, an unfamiliar voice sounded out, "Just because you peasants got the chance to take the ability test before us doesn't warrant such an attitude."

Looking towards the sound of this voice one would notice a man with honey blonde hair, deep brown eyes, and a fit physique.

"Did this wussy just call me a peasant?" Felix's voice sounded out, his tone one of irritation as he furrowed his brows.

Seeing Felix's reaction, the blonde-haired man said, "Felix is it? My name is-"

"I don't fucking care Wussy," Felix interrupted earning him a frown from the brown-haired man.

The other initiates didn't seem to mind though, instead, some even chuckled finding the short exchange funny.

Bruce's group wasn't surprised by the other initiates, since they had learned about the fact that certain powerful families had connections with the Silence, sending a few people to join the ranks each year.

These kinds of people would be exempt from the dangerous tests which was a long-standing tradition of the Silence.

There were about six more people apart from Bruce's group in the room, but they all ignored each other as they gazed at the glass chamber in front.

The blonde-haired man on the other hand was an exception to this as he looked towards Bruce's group once again.

With a thoughtful expression on his face, he asked, "Which of you goes by the name, Aiden?"

Upon hearing Aiden's name, Bruce finally turned his head for the first time, his eyes narrowed as he asked, "Why do you want to know?"

"I've heard the rumors," the blonde-haired man answered, before adding, "They say he can freeze your body with just a word, and although he's unranked he has the strength of an agent. After asking around, I heard he rolls with a group led by a burly red-haired man."

"Well, he's not here," Arlet's voice sounded out from the side, her tone distant.

Bruce on the other hand just shook his head as he focused.

But at that moment the door opened once again, and two people walked in a red-haired woman followed by a dark-haired man.

Unlike the other participants, they were dressed fashionably wearing exactly what they had worn the previous day.

Jonathan provided them with nightwear so they wouldn't have to sleep in their clothing.

Looking around the room, the first thing Aiden noticed was the huge Cylindrical chamber in the middle, followed by a bunch of training equipment.

Looking at the floor, Aiden noticed that it was made of white tile, it was the same everywhere except for inside the Cylindrical chamber which had a net-like floor made out of a metal of some kind.

Thanks to Jonathan, Aiden knew that the floor inside the chamber was made of a durable metal called titanium.

As Aiden thought of this, he suddenly heard a voice growl from the side, "Aiden."

At the sound of this voice, Aiden turned his head and noticed Bruce and his team.

The person who had called out his name was Felix, who didn't seem too happy with him.

Although he was angry, Felix didn't act against Aiden, he was proud, not stupid, he knew that the current Aiden was way stronger than him now.

Meanwhile, the other participants turned their attention to Aiden the moment they heard his name.

Seeing Felix's hesitation Aiden thought to himself, "Huh, too bad, he could have been a good scapegoat."

Felix wasn't the only one staring daggers at Aiden. Arlet, Serena, and the rest of Bruce's team weren't fond of him either.

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

"Tap!"

As the rest of the team stared daggers at Aiden, Bruce walked up to him, his steps echoing his desire to get to the root of the problem.

Soon he was close enough to Aiden, so stopped moving, and instead stared straight into his eyes.

Watching Bruce's imposing figure tower over him, Aiden didn't back off, his darker eyes staring straight into Bruce's black eyes with an unknown look in their depths.

After a brief staring contest, Bruce finally spoke, his voice low and calm, "No matter what, you're family. If you need help, don't hesitate."

"Doesn't this guy ever get mad," Landon's voice sounded out in Aiden's head immediately after Bruce spoke.

Aiden on the other hand, ignored Landon and continued staring at Bruce, allowing his words to sink in before he responded with a nod and a small smile, he knew Bruce would get it, he always did.

"Hey peasant, you're the one called Aiden, right?" A voice suddenly interrupted the duo.

"Did I just get addressed as a peasant?" Aiden questioned himself in his mind as he looked towards the man with honey-blonde hair.

Seeing this man, sparked a certain memory in Aiden making him remember the first advice Jonathan gave them in their briefing.

(Aiden, the first thing you have to do upon entering the testing room is select a scapegoat.)

"What a nice scapegoat," Aiden mused as he observed the blonde-haired man.

"What did you say?" Bruce's voice sounded out, unsure of what Aiden had just said.

But Aiden just ignored and continued watching the blonde-haired man.

Adjusting his tie, this man walked up to Aiden a look of scrutiny in his eyes as he said, "My name is-"

"Wussy," Bruce interrupted dryly causing the people around to chuckle a bit.

Upon hearing Bruce call out this man's name, Aiden suddenly smiled brightly, and in the next moment, he put his hands around the man's shoulder like an old friend shocking everyone.

"Mr. Wussy is it, I must say, you look splendid in that suit, what brand is it?" Aiden asked with a smile.

Wussy on the other hand struggled to get out of Aiden's hold as he grumbled, "Let go of me, my name is not Wussy."

Upon hearing this Aiden quickly let go of the man and he raised both hands "Wow, so rude, I just wanted to be friends," he said while remembering Jonathan's second advice.

(Start with a conflict or a greeting, anything that helps you initiate physical contact.)

"Hump!"

Wussy scoffed at Aiden's flimsy explanation while straightening out his suit.

Seeing Wussy walk away, the smile quickly vanished from Aiden's face, his expression returning to its original look as he observed the room.

"What was that about?" Bruce's voice sounded out from the side, prompting Aiden to turn to him before walking to the other side of the room.

Aiden stood alone, leaving Mai on her own, but he wasn't idle, his gaze constantly swept through the room, taking in the details.

Apart from the training machinery, one could find security cameras at all four corners of the room.

The group waited for a few minutes and just when everyone was getting impatient.

"Click!"

A click sounded out as the door was flung open, revealing a woman with raven black hair and brown eyes.

She wore black futuristic armor tailored to members of the disciplinary committee, her gaze strong and heavy.

Behind this woman was a squad of disciplinary committee members, and beside her was a man in a black lab coat.

"Bam!"

"Bam!"

Aiden could hear thuds as the group of people clad in futuristic black armor marched into the room, their presence, unmistakable.

Each one moved with precision and purpose, immediately securing the area around them.

Within minutes, they had positioned themselves strategically around the EDAC cylinder, ensuring its safety and integrity.

Their helmets obscured their faces, adding an air of mystery to their formidable appearance. However, amidst this uniformity, two figures stood out. The leader, which was the brown-haired woman exuding authority, and a man cloaked in a black lab coat.

The leader, her stance commanding respect, surveyed the room with sharp eyes, taking in every detail with practiced efficiency.

She nodded to her team, who responded with synchronized movements, a testament to their training and discipline as they opened up a narrow path leading to the machine.

Meanwhile, the man in the black scientific cloak approached the EDAC cylinder with a sense of reverence.

His movements were deliberate as if he were handling something of utmost importance. With steady hands, he began inspecting the intricate machinery, his expertise evident in every gesture.

The rest of the room fell silent in the wake of the disciplinary committee's arrival, their presence casting a palpable aura of authority.

Despite the festive atmosphere outside, within the confines of the room, a sense of seriousness prevailed, no one spoke, even the disciplinary committee members didn't speak.

Watching them, Aiden noticed that they only seemed to communicate with nods and gestures.

As the disciplinary committee carried out their duties with the utmost professionalism, the other participants exchanged cautious glances, recognizing the significance of their presence.

Aiden on the other hand, narrowed his eyes at this woman's gaze, his heartbeat increasing with every breath.

"How exciting," he thought to himself.