East Ferrous Laboratories

East Ferrous Laboratories, Ground Floor

Artis entered the East Ferrous Laboratories and was instantly greeted by a loud explosion at the end of the room, shocking and terrifying him greatly. 

"Oh? Which group is it this time?" asked Ray amused having a wide grin plastered over his face. 

"Which group...?" asked Artis dazed not finding this situation amusing. 

"It's probably the Science section or the Battlegrounds that caused the explosion. The science section is always busy with creating new items that they don't know what that item does, which causes all sorts of trouble around these parts..." explained Ray as he began walking towards the counter.

Artis didn't follow immediately as he stayed behind at the entrance, observing the main hall. 

The main hall was a reception that had multiple sections and tables, having multiple people talking to the receptionists regarding their queries. 

The floor was made of wooden tiles, and the walls were painted white paint with brown tiles and pictures of various beasts, locations, and decorations giving it a rather vintage feel to it. 

In the middle of the hall was a television, blue carpets, and sofas as some people sat there watching TV, some people wearing lab coats carrying some research paper walking in a hurry paying no attention to their surroundings, some people exercising yoga, some buying and trading items like talismans and mechanical parts fixing their items. 

People were chatting with each other, discussing their research, and clearing their queries, as various kinds of people kept entering the lab either tired or looking forward to something with determination and light in their eyes making the environment feel cheerful and lively. 

"Hey, Artis! Why are you standing still? Come here and let's meet the Professor quickly!" called out Ray as he was standing in front of a counter chatting with a fair lady. 

Artis approached Ray and he introduced Artis to the counter lady. 

"Maya, this guy here is Artis Janes. You will be seeing him pretty much every day now! Artis, this lady right here is Maya. If you have any doubts regarding your assignments, where you have to go, or any other doubts, feel free to ask her!" 

"Hello there," the lady named Maya bowed her head, "If you have any doubts, feel free to ask me. I'm always there for help," said Maya politely grinning at Artis.

Artis stared at Maya for a moment, she had a fair face wearing a purple headband her smooth black hair was tied in a ponytail that reached her neck region, her rosy lips, and her pretty black eyes as it sparkled brightly, and wore a white shirt and grey dress giving her a cute charm making Artis blush a little. 

"H-Hi, I am Artis Janes. I am here because Professor Javier called me today," responded Artis avoiding eye contact with Maya. 

Maya then checked her computer that was kept under the desk and asked a few questions, 

"An appointment with Professor Javier? Let me call him to confirm that. Your name is Artis right?" Artis nodded, "Great! Then sit down in one of those seats and wait till the Professor is free." 

"Well, as Maya does this..." interjected Ray, "Wanna have a cup of coffee with me once this work is done?" 

"Oh, Ray...No," said Maya simply, her smile not going away from her face. 

'Did I just witness a rejection right in front of my eyes? Aurosia doesn't play around with dating...Unlike Inloen.' thought Artis as he tried to console Ray and went to sit on one of the stools. 

Ray approached him looking dejected, his head down but still having a slight smile on his face, "Dammit! Got rejected again! No worries, I'll get her next time!" 

"Uh-huh...Sure." responded Artis not bothering to engage in that conversation, "So, how long have you been here?" 

He raised his head and answered brightly, "Well... it's almost about to be 2 years since I began working here and overall, the work has been fun. After every mission, I get like a 2-week break where I can take care of myself and do other things, hang out with my friends, duel them, and focus on my goal." 

"I see..." 

Ray leaned back in the chair he was seated in and became serious, "Honestly, I love living here. Sure, this place has its share of troubles...but all of those experiences I go through always make me a lot stronger than before," he raised his right hand in the sky and clenched it, "And then when I am ready when I feel like I can tackle my challenge...I will return home and then I will change everything!" 

Artis looked at Ray's determined face as he looked down staring at his own hands covered with bandages. 

"What's your goal, Artis? What do you want to do?" asked Ray looking at him. 

Artis subconsciously made eye contact with Ray as he looked down thinking about how to answer, "Well...If you ask me...right now, I just want to grow stronger so that I never feel weak again and if it is possible," his expression turned serious and his hands started to shake, "I want to find someone. I want to believe they are alive...No, I have to believe! As I am right now, I am way too weak to make any difference. If this is the place that allows me to make me grow, you better be damn sure I'm taking it!" 

Beep! Beep! 

"Mr. Artis? Professor Javier is free currently. You are allowed to meet him." Maya's voice reverberated around the hall as Artis raised his head and looked at Ray. 

"That's our cue right?" He asked awkwardly, pointing at the door to the far side. 

Ray nodded as he stood up, "Let's go! It's also time I got another mission from Professor. If not...There's always the Help Centers to go." 

Artis stood up and followed Ray behind as they went through a wooden door and entered a wooden hallway that had multiple rooms on both sides. 

In one of the rooms was a lab where various people seemed to be doing research with chemicals and items. That's the place where the earlier explosion came from. Deduced Artis. 

On the right side, the room was relatively empty but there were many tables and benches arranged properly with a whiteboard attached on the wall. 

"The room on our left is the research lab where multiple scientists from various countries come here to create their inventions," explained Ray, "And the room on our right is the Analyst room, where all people can come here to gather data, record their battles and gather information for the locations they are about to head.

"And just beside the analyst room is the classroom where Professor and other researchers teach children about their Unique Skills and how they can control them." 

As Artis was walking, his sight went inside the classroom where he saw multiple children of different age groups attentively listening to a lady with blonde hair and red ruby eyes whose face had a hint of cheerfulness and mischief visible. 

Artis felt like she had seen that lady before but couldn't remember where exactly. Shrugging his shoulders, he followed Ray who continued to explain the detailed structure of the lab. 

Below this floor, where the Battlegrounds were registered people fought each other in the form of training. That floor was handled by an analyst Kaito Mina. 

Above the floor, was Professor Javier's research lab where he spent his time doing his research work alone only coming downstairs sometimes. 

And above their floor, lay a few rooms where the Professor and his family lived. 

As they made their way to the second floor, Ray knocked on the door which scanned him, and a click sound was heard.

'Woah...Interesting...' marveled Artis as he quietly entered the room. 

The room was quite messy with papers flown all around the room, and stacks of documents kept on the tables as the professor lay in between those papers looking stressed as he read one of the documents. 

"Umm...Professor? We are here?" said Ray turning Professor's attention towards them. 

"Oh? Ray and Artis! Good timing! Now help me with these files. As you can see, this place is quite messy to entertain guests so get moving!" declared Professor Javier. 

"What?" murmured a confused Artis. 

Was this the reason I was called here? Wow, Professor! What a way to guest!

Ray whispered looking at Artis's confused look, "Don't mind the Professor...He's like this when work stresses him out. No wonder everyone worries about him like this. Let's clean this mess up and talk about our business." 

"Oh..." 

Then, taking a full hour, Artis, Ray, and Javier cleared the entire room and settled down quietly having a cup of tea as a refreshment. 

"So, Artis? Have you finally made your decision?" asked Professor Javier with a slight smile analyzing him. 

Artis put the cup down as he looked at the Professor calmly before responding seriously, 

"Professor...I thought a lot over these 2 days and I only reached one conclusion. I accept your offer!"