Check His Heart

"Hmm... they are longer now," Dennis muttered.

'I guess I'll just have to wait for Mr Ansel and the others to give me an analysis first,' Dennis wore his tank top after a few more seconds of checking out the red lines.

He stepped out of the bathroom and noticed the bit of brightness from the covered-up windows.

This announced that it was time for daily drills. In the next few seconds, the wake-up alarm began blaring loudly.

Dennis turmed towards his left, where Darrin was situated. He was fast asleep as usual, but one could spot a couple of band aids on his face and arms.

'Wasn't an easy fight for me either...' Dennis raised his left wrist, which had a small piece of bandage wrapped around it.

'Oh well, onto the next,' Dennis turned to head for the door.

He arrived in the hallway and moved forward alongside multiple other MCs who were just awakening.

Pah!

Someone slapped him across the shoulder to get his attention. Upon turning to the right, it was a 6'3 " male figure with a buzz cut and a fiercesome-looking muscular build.

"Malik," Dennis mumbled.

"Hey man, how are you feeling this morning?" Malik inquired while walking side by side with him.

"Never better... just glad that it's finally the last week," Dennis responded with a look of anticipation.

"I was already bored of these drills months ago. I want some action," a feminine voice chimed in from the left.

"You just love violence, don't you, Lara?" Malik questioned the 5'7 " beauty with chestnut-coloured long hair and athletic build, approaching them.

"Violence is the only way to peace," Lara tried to adopt a saint like tone.

"Did you hear that in an anime?" Malik teased.

"Shut up," Lara stated while arriving on Dennis's left.

"It's the last week. Sure enough, you will get the violence you want soon. Let's see if you will still want it when the time comes," Dennis smiled.

"Tch, of course I will," Lara rolled her eyes.

"Anyways, let's get it over with..."

The trio joined the others at the usual starting point of the daily drills. For the last two months, the drills have been constant.

However, they had gotten more involved with the use of a UVS as well as information about the extraterrestrials. Everyone was now well aware of the fourth... THE OXYTRIANS.

It was currently the last week of training for all two hundred and fifty Modified Combatants. Everyone was well aware of the Selection Program that would be undergone as soon as the week ended.

This was the final test that would determine who becomes a fully-fledged UVS operator.

As the Modified Combatants engaged in their training this week, the air was fraught with a mixture of tension and excitement. Tension mostly because the selection programme would be taking place outside of the shelter, and the theme was SURVIVAL. Which also meant that some people wouldn't make it. However, those who did would be known as the first generation of Modified Combatants. It would be a huge step for humanity because now, more than ever, they needed power.

Pah! Pah! Pah!

The sound of rhythmic thuds rang out in a dummy filled environment.

A dark-haired youngster with a near pretty face but an extremely sharp gaze, continuously struck a metallic dummy with his fists and palms.

The dummy wasn't an ordinary one. It happened to be electronic and would occasionally swing the rods attached to it at the person before it.

However, this youngster was too quick for any of the rods to successfully make contact. He would promptly evade them and rain numerous hits on the dummy till he left dents on it.

He suddenly leapt upwards and thrust his right leg out.

Bang!

The moment his leg made contact with the dummy, it got sent flying four meters across the air with a massive dent crushed into its centre.

Thrriusshhh~

It gave off a few electrical discharges before coming to a stop. The youngster lowered his leg and then headed towards another on the right.

"How do you intend to defeat that?" Malik asked Dennis, who was standing before him.

"Hmm?" Since Dennis had his back facing the youngster, he was unaware of what was happening behind him.

He turned around slightly and spotted Rodrick furiously raining another set of attacks on a different dummy.

"Oh, I can't," Dennis responded.

"Huh, you're giving up already? That's surprising," Malik didn't think Dennis would get intimidated by the sight since it wasn't like him.

"No, not that. He won't fight me," Dennis responded.

"What do you mean by he won't fight you?" Malik had a slightly confused expression.

"I already asked him to a duel. He just shook his head and walked away," Dennis explained while stroking his hair.

"Hmm, do you think you could have won if he had said yes, though?" Malik inquired.

Dennis displayed a contemplative expression upon hearing this question. Rodrick could be considered a super soldier at this point. He had accomplished physical feats that no one thought would be possible for a human and the scientists. Dennis recalled that Mr. Ansel and the others mentioned that Rodrick was a stage five pseudo-evolved human while he was still at stage four. Dennis had hoped to close the gap before the selection, but it proved to be very difficult.

After all, no one would pause their improvement speed just for you to catch up with them. He had to push himself to improve at a much quicker pace if he wanted to meet up, and even at that, he was still unable to.

Despite all of this, Rodrick was also incredibly skilled in martial arts. It was like adding wings to a tiger. He had achieved a state that no human ever had.

However, Dennis had coupled all his training from his past life to his abilities in this new life. He realised that he had gone beyond his past limitations due to what his current body could achieve.

Although he knew he was lacking in strength compared to Rodrick, he was certain that he wasn't lacking in skill.

"He'd give me some trouble... but nah, I'd win," Dennis responded with a tone of certainty.

"I guess we'll never be able to confirm it," Malik muttered with a tone of disappointment.

"You just wanna bet," Dennis shook his head while letting out a chuckle.

"No one expected you to get this far, but you did. To think a lot of them still believe you would lose despite everything that has happened so far," Malik couldn't help but feel that a lot of them were retarded.

"Regory, Darrin and Rodrick are not in any way weak so it is to be expected. The ratio is still 50 to 50 if I were to face Rodrick now..." Dennis moved towards one of the metallic dummies and sent a strike towards it.

Bam!

"Waste of potential bet. Looks like we won't be able to tell who the strongest is now," Malik stated while also facing the dummy before him.

"It doesn't matter... I achieved my objective," Dennis raised both arms to block two metallic rods sweeping at him from the sides.

Bam!

His arms stopped them in place, causing creaking sounds to ring out as the metallic dummy continuously tried moving the rods forward.

Two more rods swung towards Dennis's torso, causing him to suddenly pull backwards and throw a fist at one of the rods.

'Each one carries a force of a hundred kilograms per rotation... this shouldn't be difficult,' Dennis thought as he increased the strength of his fist in its collision course towards the rod.

Bang!

The entire rod dislodged from the metallic dummy the moment his fist rammed into it. It spun across the air intensely before slamming into another dummy twenty feet away and burrowing deep into it.

Gasp~

The MCs around turned to stare in Dennis's direction with expressions of astonishment and disbelief.

Some of them had also witnessed Rodrick and couldn't help but question in their minds who the strongest might be.

...

...

...

"Diagnostics report,"

Within an office in the laboratory facility, a young female researcher walked in with a tab in her grasp.

"For Dennis Slark I suppose?" Mr Ansel voiced in confirmation.

"Yes," The female researcher nodded before handing it over to him.

"Hmm? Is this accurate?" Mr Ansel inquired with a look of doubt.

"One hundred..." She responded.

"He is completely hale and hearty despite the reaction we discovered. His compatibility rate has also increased to 99.72%... we must be missing something," Mr Ansel voiced with a perturbed expression.

"That's what our readings say after multiple checks," She revealed with a respectful tone.

Mr Ansel sat in place for a few minutes without saying a word or dismissing the researcher before him. She stood there awaiting his final inputs while slightly worrying that he might have forgotten about her presence.

After a few more minutes he finally spoke, "Check his heart..."