This is too easy!

I closed the interface and saw my team completely engrossed in what they were doing. I locked eyes with Zillah, as she seemed to have finished making adjustments, and she began walking towards me.

"Hey, Azarias," she said with a smile. "How'd it go? Did you find any good skills or equipment?"

I nodded, showing her my new Baesu Pistol and Kryo Coat. "Yeah, I did some experimenting with my Fusion ability and ended up with these. And I also managed to fuse some skills together to create an ultimate skill."

Zillah's eyes widened with surprise. "An ultimate skill? That's amazing, Azarias! What does it do?"

"It's called Inferno Vortex," I explained. "It slows down time for anyone within a 10-meter radius, reducing their speed by 90%, and allows me to launch several fireballs that deal Magic Attack x 2 damage each. The number of fireballs scales with my Magic Attack."

"That's incredible," Zillah said, clearly impressed. "You're going to be a force to be reckoned with in battle."

I grinned, feeling a sense of pride. "What about you? did you find anything good?" I asked her.

Zillah nodded, showing me a shiny silver bracelet on her wrist. "I managed to find this bracelet that enhances my healing abilities. It's called the 'Silver Serpent' bracelet and it increases the effectiveness of any Healing skill by 50%. It's going to be really useful in battle."

"That's great," I said with a smile. "How much did it cost?"

"It cost 500 gold. I'm glad I found it, but I couldn't find a better weapon or armor. I only have 200 gold left. I chose this one because after we continue, we are going to be on our own for who knows how long."

I look to see how much gold I have left and see I have 700 gold left. 'Hmm I guess those goblin shamans helped out more than I thought.'

"How about this. I have 700 gold left over. I can give it to you, and you can see if you can find some more weapons and armor. "

Zillah's eyes lit up with surprise and gratitude. "Really? That's very generous of you, Azarias. Thank you so much."

Remembering she uses a bow now and that she was our sniper back on earth, I ask her if she preferred the bow over a sniper rifle.

"I've gotten used to the bow now and it just seems more natural. It's more versatile and I can use it in close combat situations if needed."

I nod in understanding. "Makes sense. I gave her the gold and she went back to browsing the shop.

I stood in front of the crystal and watched bright beams of sunlight dance across its face. It stood about 4 feet tall and two feet wide. It hovered off the ground 3 feet and seemed to pulse with an unseen energy. The surface of the crystal glittered like diamonds in candlelight, catching every photon that touched its surface. I could make out individual rainbows at each of the millions of facets carved into the crystal. 'Amazing that this thing has the power to teleport us to different places.'

I was drawn out of my thoughts by a voice from behind me. "It is something to behold, isn't it?" came the voice of Njoya. "I don't think I've seen anything that beautiful on Earth.

I turned around to face him, nodding in agreement. "It's truly breathtaking. I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. realizing that after this point we will be separated.

Looking behind Njoya I see the rest of the team converging on our location.

"Well, this is it." said Captain Xander as he approached with the others in tow. "I hope everyone has done their best to prepare. We don't know what's going to happen from here. For the past few years, we have been a team. We've eaten together, slept together, fought together, shared victories together and even mourned together. We may be separated after this but I want to see you all on the other side.

Everyone nodded in agreement, a somber silence filling the area. Captain Xander continued, "Once we touch the crystal, it will transport us to a different area. We won't know where we will end up or who we will be fighting against. But we must stay strong and trust in our training and abilities."

I could feel a lump forming in my throat as I listened to the captain's words. This was it. The moment we had all been training for. The moment that would test our strength, our skills, and everything we have learned so far.

I looked around at my team, my friends, and felt a sudden surge of determination. "Let's do this," I said, my voice strong and confident. "No matter where we end up or who we face, we will triumph."

With determination I stepped forward and placed my hand on the crystal, feeling a surge of energy course through my body. The world around me began to blur and warp, and I felt like I was being sucked through a vortex.

When my vision cleared, I found myself standing in a completely different location. The air was thick and felt heavy. I took a deep breath, trying to acclimate to my surroundings. The ground was damp and slippery, and the air smelled of decay. I could hear the distant sound of rushing water and the rustling of leaves. It was eerily silent, besides that. It was dark, and I could only see a few meters in front of me. I tightened my grip on my Baesu Pistol and Kryo Coat, ready for anything that might come my way. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw that I was standing on some type of circular platform stretching further than my limited vision allowed me to see. I take a few cautious steps forward not knowing what to expect. I looked around to see if anyone else was near me and I couldn't see anyone.

After what seemed like hours the familiar voice of the AI returned.

"Welcome once again Azarias. You have arrived at the last phase of the tutorial training. You will be engaged in combat until you are incapacitated. This phase of the training will be used to gauge your current skill level. It is also used as a way so the Dominator can witness your skills as well. Perform well enough and you can receive a boon from a sponsor. Any questions?"

"Yes, what is a Dominator? What are sponsors? And what are boons?"

The AI's voice crackled to life once again. "To put it simply the Dominator is the ruling power in this universe, a being of immense power who controls every aspect of this world. Sponsors are individuals who have aligned themselves with the Dominator of this world and hold significant influence within his domain. Boons are rewards granted to those who are chosen by a sponsor. They can range from advanced weaponry to powerful abilities. Do you have any more questions?" I shake my head in the negative. "Are you ready to begin the final phase of your training, Azarias?" I nod my head.

Please proceed to the designated area for further instructions." There was a flash of light, and the once dark area became illuminated. Now able to see the area around me, I took in the sight before me. I stood close to the center of a large circular platform. There was a bridge that led to a large gate. The gate was connected to a large stadium that enclosed the platform I stood on. Above the gate was a singular throne that sat above the height of the stadium. 'I guess that's the dominators seat. I wonder if they will be here.' I glanced around the stadium and saw the seats were occupied by cloaked individuals. They all wore the same brown cloaks with the only distinguishing features were the various hair colors that stood out from some of them. 'I guess these are the sponsors.'

"As I stated before you will fight until you are incapacitated. For every opponent you defeat you will not only advance to the next round but also add to your reward pool. The opponents will get stronger with each defeated foe. The battles will begin as soon as both fighters are standing on the arena floor. Are there any more questions?" asked the AI

I shook my head as I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. "Well without any further a due let the challenge begin.!"

The gate on the other end opens generating a small cloud of dust as it ascended. I feel a surge of adrenaline course through my veins as I grip my Baesu Pistol. I could hear the footsteps of my opponent.

The gate on the other end opens generating a small cloud of dust as it ascended. I feel a surge of adrenaline course through my veins as I grip my Baesu Pistol. I could hear the footsteps of my opponent. As my opponent exited the dust, I looked on in shock at what I saw.

Standing before me was a goblin like the one I fought during the tutorial. I used a quick scan and I became very underwhelmed with what I saw.

Name: Goblin

HP: 20

MP: 20

Level: 1

Rank: None

Class: Fodder

'They cannot be serious right now...'

The little goblin stood across from me with its red armor and short sword at the ready. Without warning the creature charged at me with a battle cry. Without wasting any time, I raised my pistol and fired aiming for its head. With us being this close there was no way for the creature to dodge. The bullet pierced its skull and the creature dropped to the ground unmoving. I see the health bar above its head turn black. The body of the Goblin disappears and is replaced by its essence. The blue flame like energy floated in the air where its body once lay. Not wasting any time, I absorb the essence.

"You have gained 100 exp."

"You have absorbed 10 essence."

"You have obtained 50 gold."

"Round one complete. Round Two will begin shortly." came the mechanical voice of the AI."

I couldn't believe it. Was that really it? Was that all there was to this challenge? I had expected something much more difficult. But then again, it was only the first round. I should be prepared for anything that comes my way. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what was to come next.

The next three rounds were just as quick as the first with the only difference being the different variations of the goblins. All of them which we fought during the tutorial. I even faced off against the axe wielding goblin again. However, it seemed to be much weaker than last time. I guess the buffs the shamans placed on it were potent. 'Note to self: look for more buffs in the shop.'

"Round four complete. Round five will begin shortly." came the mechanical voice of the AI."

I looked up as I saw the arena gate begin to open once again. This time, the cloud of dust that was generated as it ascended was much larger than before. My heart rate began to increase as I waited for my next opponent to appear. 'Hopefully it will be a challenge this time.'

Finally, the dust cleared, and I saw my next opponent. It was a creature That was straight out of a fantasy novel. It looked like a cross between a wolf and a bear, with razor-sharp claws and teeth. It had a snarl on its face as it locked eyes with me. Even from this distance I could tell it was quite a few inches taller than me. The green and silver armor covered most of its body. It seemed to have some leg armor on that also covered its feet. 'The AI wasn't lying saying there were other worlds more advance than us.'

I quickly scanned the creature.

Name: Fenris

HP: 200

MP: 50

Level: 3

Rank: None

Class: Fighter

As Fenris came to a stop it stood across from me with its large arms crossed. I heard a snort from it before it surprised me by speaking.

"Another pitiful creature waiting to be crushed. Let's get this over with.

I was taken aback by the fact that this creature could talk. This was something that I had not witnessed before. However, I did not let my guard down. I knew that this creature was not to be underestimated. I gripped my Baesu Pistol tightly, ready for anything that might come my way. 'Stat wise I still have a good advantage. But I also don't know what abilities it may have nor what stats it increased.'

"You talk? That's new," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Yes, and I see the shock on your face. You humans are so easily impressed," Fenris sneered in a deep guttural voice.

"I'm not impressed. I'm just surprised," I retorted.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with," Fenris growled as it charged towards me.

I dodged its first attack and fired my pistol at its head. However, Fenris was much faster than its size led me to believe. It managed to dodge the bullet and it slashed at me with its claws. The attack connected and I let out a hiss of pain but was rewarded when a look of shocked passed over Fenris face as Kryo Coat's ability activated.