#22 Third Floor : The Battle Playground

*ting* the sound of an elevator has reached its destination.

The door opened, we have reached the third floor of the military headquarters. The last floor we may reach using an elevator. The first floor we may not see the beauty of the floor design.

As soon as the elevator door is opened, the six of us is welcomed by a plain atmosphere lingering around the floor. The floor has a plain metallic chamber design where there's not much color, not much decoration, only plenty closed chambers with numbers displayed on the door. Above the doors, there's a lamp which indicating whether there's people or not inside.

This floor is maybe the last floor which we may have The Head Defense accompanying us. He immediately get a call and answer it immediately as soon as his smartphone ring. He put his smartphone on his ear and greet the one who call him immediately and politely. Guided by one of his attendant, he take a separate ways into the exit door without goodbye.

But eventually, he waves at us as his goodbye just before he enter the exit door.

The other attendant of his immediately step up and stand before us. She bowed and substitute Mr. Weird Moustache in his place. Gracefully raising her head, Mr. Weird Moustache attendant open her mouth and speak up to introduce herself.

"I apologize on my master behalf for the inconvenience. Our master, The Head Defense, has an urgency that can't be delayed nor even declined. But still, his will must goes on and from here I'm going to guide you having a tour on our headquarters. First, let me introduce myself, Via Aurelia, The Head Defense Personal Secretary. It's a pleasure to know you." she then sticking out her hand.

"Abraham Huraira, The Thirteen Princess Claw." Cade then reach and shake her hand.

Via Aurelia, a human who claim as The Head Defense Personal Secretary. She wear a black suit with the pattern of a spider web and a red bow tie on her neck. White gloves on both of her hand, black loafers on her leg, and a long black trousers indicate her that she hide her gender while using menswear. Has a black rock hair color, brown eyes, and a pair of piercing on both of her ears.

This woman, somehow I sense something odd from her. Just before, the two of them didn't speak a single word, keeping their silent, and follow wherever we go. But then, after she speak, she seems to be more alive than she were before. Just in case, I'm going to keep her in my eyes if she were going to do something funny to us in this suspicious floor.

She then guide us to one of the available chamber in front of us.

"Welcome to the third floor, the floor where the chosen soldier train as they please to strengthen their power and train their ability to fight." the suspicious woman then open the door and letting us visit the chamber, "You may experience the train here, Mr. Abraham Huraira, as a privilege from The Head Defense for you but....."

"Is there something wrong ?" Cade aware.

"I'm sorry. For you Mr. Oden !" she pointed at Herr Mann.

"Yes, the name's Oden, Danjo Oden. Sorry for not introduce myself earlier." said Herr Mann.

"That's fine. It's not like I completely substitute The Head Defense. You all may relax and treat me as your friend or so." she bend her finger, feeling awkward.

"We humbly accept that offers." after Cade said the word, the two of us then bowed then straighten our back again. "Then, we may proceed."

"Ah yes. Let me explain further." the woman then stand in front of the mechanism, "For you, Danjo Oden. I am afraid that you must enter the mechanism here and sharpen your skill right now. In order to finish your registration." the woman then smiled at him.

Concern that his subordinate may not prepared for a battle, Cade stand up for him and approach that suspicious woman. But when he step up for a bit, Herr Mann immediately stop him by reaching his shoulder. Cade turn his head, he look at Herr Mann's confidence carved on his face.

Seeing the overflowing confidence of his subordinate, Cade smiled and back up for awhile.

Herr Mann step up and said, "I'm in. This is the chance for me proving my worth."

That suspicious woman smiled, she then bowed and ask him to enter the mechanism in the center of the chamber. "Then welcome, we are grateful for your participation." that woman then smiled ominously.

Somehow, I feel this woman is going to trap him. She may plot something to gather our secret information. If Herr Mann goes all out, I wonder if that woman may figure out our secret when he get pinched. Danger, all we can do is to put a faith on him to not make a blunder that may endanger our real identity.

+-----+-----+-----+-----+

"Then, let the game begin."

The chamber begin to transform. A blinding light then appear and makes our eye closed for a moment. In a short time, we suddenly teleported into another dimension like, where our surrounding is a vast green field. A fresh looking blue sky, a giant cliff where in the bottom of it there's a vast ocean, and an infinite ground with infinite flat green court.

Incredible, the scenery were just great, I'm so excited !!!

The three of use, me, Cade, and that suspicious woman somehow levitating above the green vast field but Herr Mann standing on the ground alone. We are levitated but behind our back, there's a chair, a throne like chair, where we could sit and enjoy the show. Seems that the three of us going to become a spectator and Herr Mann is going to be the player. Looking there's a rectangle thing flying before that woman, she is in control to manipulate this world.

"Let me introduce. This is the fabricated world created by the magician race on our kingdom. A mechanism that may manipulate the chamber into a battleground where we may train our skill and abilities for fighting the stronger enemy.

The hologram screen over here is a tool to manipulate this world that may control the enemy and the difficulty of enemy he'll facing, the fabricated world setting, the weapon of the player preferred to use, the brightness of the world, and even the weather we may experiencing.

The rule is simple. The player must defeat every enemy in front of him in several round of choice and he must defend the glowing part of his body to not get hit. Once the glowing part got hit, the player is may losing and every progress reset to zero. But, there's a chance that glowing part may not make you losing after getting hit if the damage taken from your body is not fatal. And like a battle in real life, once you died you may not resurrect and it's a game over.

"The glowing part of your body is on the chest right in front of your left chest, indicating that's your heart and a very crucial part of your lives. There's also glowing part scattered around your body but they may not as glowing as in your chest." that suspicious woman explain.

"Seems complicated. May we try it first before the real exam ?" Cade ask for handicap.

"That's not a problem, Captain." Herr Mann then raise his fist higher to the sky, "As your subordinate, I may not make you wait any longer and give my best as fast as possible. Put a faith on me captain. I swear I'm going to show you my worth."

Cade smile, he seems optimistic that his new subordinate may not disappoint him. It's just the Cade I know. He concern about my weakness at first but after I declare him that I will gave my best he then put a great faith on me. Until now, because of his decision to carve on our own path, he help us grow stronger while we around him.

"That's the spirit." Cade then cross his arm, "Mrs. Via Aurelia."

"Via is fine."

"Alright then, Mrs. Via. Start the examination."

"Understood. Then, I am going to set the perfect enemies for the special forces as him. The highest difficulty with the most accurate monster personality, the highest amount the monster may spawn, the most various type enemy may spawn, and lastly the strength of the enemy may resist before they died." that suspicious woman type rapidly, "Tell me, what kind of weapon you may prefer ?"

"Double twin sword."

He isn't picking the doll where he choose to fight me. I wonder if that's his true preferred weapon to use rather than those dolls. Well, since one of the doll equip a great twin curved sword, he may get use to it. Maybe, he just want to show us how is he fight without going all out. But is that really fine ? That woman said this is the hardest difficulty.

A pair of twin sword appeared on his hand. He then grab the sword, draw it, and take his battle stance in quick motion.

"Let's do this."

The evil mist monster then spawned one by one and approach him in various speed. Gargantua, shadow wolf, imp, siren, water slider, wolfman, shadow warrior, and the worst and most terrifying of them all, nightmare bees. Seriously though, they're so tiny and came in groups just to share the nightmare without any other intention just to sting you and give you a ball in exchange. But moreover, shadow warrior came in different class and ability which makes them has the most various kind in this battle.

But still, the system is lacking much more monster varieties. And the amount of the enemy is much less than the amount we fight on the other day. Let's see if he can handle them alone.

"Get on your knees..... START !!!" that suspicious woman shout.

" ! Twin Swordsman Arts : Thousand Butterfly Slash ! "

With one charge, one abilities, but two swords, he created a thousand slash and breakthrough the army of the evil mist monster like they were nothing. Everything in his path cut in a half but his swing is not enough to cut the gargantua monster, the strongest shadow warrior, and the shadow wolf since they are has a good brain and dodge his attack like it's nothing. The army of Evil Mist monster almost completely finished.

Oh and also the nightmare bees, not much of them were killed.

"Second rank arts ? As expected from the special forces." said that suspicious woman. "Seems that we may conclude the resu---"

"Not yet, don't get easy on him. He may grow in this battle, though in the end he won't survive." Cade cut her words.

"Understood."

Herr Mann, swinging his twin blade, removing stain from the blade to prevent rust caused by the mist. He seems dissatisfied by the result even though he didn't expect higher than this. Only a small amount of them survived but the one who survived is the toughest enemy of them all.

Meanwhile, the remaining enemies began to evolve. The shadow warrior strengthen its armor and reshape its blade as the new evolution. The gargantua on the other hand releasing its element beneath the hard skin it has. The wolves are gathered and becoming one, bigger and stronger. Meanwhile, the nightmare bees are just bees even after evolved.

Three evil mist monster now has been evolved and become the greatest threat in the arena. The sky suddenly covered in black as the effect of the mighty evil transformation.

"Huft.... seems that I've got to be all out."

To be continued.....