Test for Courage

_Jace Dreice Scott's Point of View_

We arrived at a black room and Lavalee clapped her hands, making a loud noise that echoed in the room until the lights turned on.

As soon as the lights were on, I saw that different figures lit up, some are formed like snowflakes and some are like flame figures.

"Follow me," she said and walked ahead

With every step, she made the floor illuminated lava, it was like we're walking above the lava.

"Are we stepping on LCD screens?" I asked her

"No, these are three meters thick clear glass." She answered and continued walking

I looked at the ground we were stepping on and couldn't help but mentally shake my head because of the peculiarity of their family.

She stopped in front of a mat and sighed.

"Do you have any idea why Nii-sama asked you to come here?" she asked me

"None," I answered and she faced me with a conflicted expression

"What was it? The one Nii-sama asked you if you told me?" she asked and I shook my head

"It has no use, Flamelinne," I said and her brows furrowed

"No use? What is it?" She asked this time more seriously

"We have another matter to discuss, Flamelinne."

We looked at where the voice came from and we saw Frost who had just arrived with their younger siblings.

"Does Jace-chan have to undergo that?" Summer asked

"Rules, Freia," Fuego told her and placed his arm over his sister's shoulder

"What does he have to undergo?" Lavalee asked and looked at me then at her siblings in a warning gaze

"Bring them in," Frost ordered and a group of men arrived

"What's going on, Nii-sama?" Lavalee asked with wide eyes

They were holding three men who are handcuffed, Lavalee's forehead knotted until her expression became firm.

"Put them in the room," Fuego said and the men went inside the black door.

"Jace-chan," I looked at Summer when she called me

"Be careful, Jace-chan." Summer said and Winter pointed to the black door

"I'll be back," I told Lavalee and patted her shoulder

"Lock her up," I heard Frost order as I turned my back

"Nii-sama! Nanishiteruno?!"

"Let me go, Nii-sama!"

Lavalee's shouts of resistance were the last thing I heard before I enter the black door.

When I came in a knife greeted me and it almost hit me.

If I didn't undergo military training, I would've been hit.

I rolled down and ran to the table where the knives and daggers are.

"You're dead meat!" the other one said and tried to stab me with a knife but I held his wrist and bent it to take the knife from his hand

It's three against one.

The other one was also holding a knife and tried to stab me, I tried to dodge but it still sliced my arm. The other one also tried but because I dodged the second one's attack, he unintentionally stabbed the first one.

"Most important rule," I heard Lavalee's voice but I know it was just a recording

What's that rule?

"You heard them, you're dead," the second one said and tried to stab me again so I swiftly blocked it with the first one's body.

After that, I pushed the first one's body away from me.

I didn't know that things like this would help me prove my seriousness about what I asked permission for.

"What rule was it?" I asked while dodging their attacks

"Baka!" the third one said and aimed the knife at me.

It hit me on the shoulder and I winced in pain, it made a deep cut.

I kicked their knives away from them and engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

The second one tried to land a punch on my face but I held his fist, it made me open to the second one and a punch landed on my jaw.

I kicked the third one's stomach and kneeled the second on the stomach.

I was taken aback when the third one was holding a knife again.

He tried to stab me so I held his wrist and bent it making it hit the second one on the chest.

He tried to stab me after pulling the knife out but I managed to bend his arm to his back and kicked his back making him break his arm. I broke his other arm and took the knife from the adjacent table, which I used to stab his chest.

I never imagined that there will come a day when I will kill people just to live.

"State the rule to proceed." The robotic voice said, this time I recognized it as similar to Summer's.

"Failure to state the rule within a minute will activate the guns on the wall." It warned and the lights turned to red and a timer appeared on the wall.

What was the rule?

I looked at the three dead men and thought of how much they tried to kill me multiple times earlier so I had to kill them.

Wait.

"Kill or be killed," I stated and the red line turned to blue

I thought that was it but when I tried to open the door where I came in, it won't budge.

I looked at the wall and another thing was flashing on it.

"Formulate a strategy," the robotic voice of Lavalee said

I walked to the wall and tapped it.

A little later, it changed into a screen. It was like a huge video game.

I looked at the bar on the right side and there was a bar with weapons and gadgets lined up then there was a character icon.

When I pressed the icon there were four circles to choose from; combat, steal, run, and jump

I studied the place and I understood what it meant.

It's an infiltration.

I need to formulate a strategy for an infiltration.

I checked the whole setting and there were ventilations, it was like a real-life situation.

There was a treasure chest at the top of the house.

I tapped the ventilation and then a screwdriver, then it opened the ventilation, I drew a line until a spot and pressed the screwdriver icon again, and then another surrounding appeared; a hallway.

I pressed the icon on the character where it meant combat since men are rounding the hallways then after that, I pressed the door and there was the treasure chest.

I pressed the steal and then tapped the window to open it. I pressed the jump button then tapped the ground and then pressed the run.

I tapped the done button and I saw the character doing exactly as I strategized. There were some minor errors because it had to combat inside the room but it still managed to steal the treasure chest.

"Congratulations." The voice greeted and then suddenly the screen on the wall disappeared and it appeared on the other side.

I tapped the objective button and I saw what I have to do. I have to interrogate the person. I took the VR gear that I saw and it brought me to what seemed like an interrogation room.

I began interrogating the man but he just won't budge so I used force since anything is allowed until I saw a file on the table.

I blackmailed him and he signed on the paper before the screen disappeared.

I removed the VR gear and the black door opened.

When I went out, a punch landed on my chest. It came from a fuming teary-eyed redhead.

"Damn you! Damn you!" Lavalee continuously punched my chest

I looked at her siblings who shook their heads.

Summer smiled at me before they left.

"What the fuck do you think you were doing, Dreice?" she asked and punched my chest again

"Kono baka! Daikirai!" she said and slapped me

I don't know why I allowed her to hit me but maybe it's because of the tears flowing from her eyes.

I want to wipe those away.

"I was so worried!" she told me and held my collar

"Just why... why did you... Damn." She said and almost lost her balance so I wrapped my arms around her

"Sorry," I whispered and she resisted my hold

"Sorry? Shinkendesu ka?" she asked and hit my chest with her closed fist

"Totemo shinpaideshita!" she said and I chuckled because of her tone.

She was like a kid throwing tantrums

"Why are you so heartless?! Let me go!" she said and resisted my hug but I hugged her tighter

"You even have the audacity to chuckle while I'm fuming mad and worried!" she said and tried to get away from my hug

"You look cute," I said and she stopped

"Just let me rest for a minute," I said and buried my face in her shoulder.

"Dreice?" she called and I kissed her cheek

"I'm tired. Let me rest for a while." I said

"Nantekotta i?! You're bleeding!" It was the last thing I heard before darkness covered my vision.