Chapter 4: Welcome to Pandora
At an outdoor training camp, a group of soldiers were lined up in order. Among them, one man stood out not only for his physical build but also for his expression.
Maxwell had managed to enlist in the Atlas army, it wasn't difficult for him, or maybe the people in charge of the tests made it easier. Not that Maxwell minded, he just wanted a free ticket to Pandora.
He laughed internally, who would be daft enough to go to Pandora willingly? But he was confident that he could get a lot of money on Pandora, no wonder the planet was always full of mercenaries hungry for an easy buck.
Maxwell can't continue his train of thought when all the soldiers move into an attention position, and of course, he does the same when he sees an officer coming.
"Congratulations on making it into the 3rd Starborne Brigade's D Company. But don't get excited, our incursion into Pandora will require you to be in impeccable physical and mental condition, you will spend the next 10 weeks in rigorous training at one of our bases in Pandora."
"All set? Then line up and follow me." A woman appeared on the scene and called out to everyone, she was holding a digital clipboard, probably the one responsible for organizing the troops.
They were taken to the ship's hangar where they stopped before a rather large ship. Sitting in his seat on the ship, Maxwell tensed as he heard the roar of the ship's engines. He watched as the horizon slowly receded, the ground becoming more and more distant.
"Countdown to hyperspace entry in three, two, one." The ship's pilot's voice warns.
Fortunately for everyone, Pandora and Promethea weren't that far apart, and after a few seconds, the ship came out of hyperspace.
Maxwell looked out of the ship's window as they approached Pandora. The planet was dry, with few bodies of water, which was obvious from this distance.
The ship began to heat up, causing sweat to drip from Maxwell's forehead; he was a little queasy. The experience of traveling through space was incredible, although it was quite nervous. He knew he had to get used to the sensation, as he would be traveling between planets in the future.
Everyone on the ship then stands up as they feel the ship land on the ground. The ship's rear door opens, letting in a cold gale.
As he leaves the ship, Maxwell covers his face because of the bright light. Narrowing his eyes, Maxwell sees what looks like radio towers, with the buildings covered in snow. A light bulb seems to switch on above his head when he remembers a place he visited in the first game.
"Crimson Enclave uh, not bad" Maxwell mutters a little breathless because the air is so thin, as Crimson Enclave was located on top of a mountain in the Salt Flats territory. The place would have been safe until the Vault was opened, he would have deserted Atlas before the events took place. For the time being, he would be enjoying his stay.
Once they were organized, they were taken to their quarters in Crimson Fastness. The place was inside the mountain, it looked like a labyrinth, so it wasn't difficult to get lost. Entering the dormitory Maxwell was not surprised to see several beds lined up, although he had never been in the army he knew a few things. Single rooms were only for important, high-status individuals.
Maxwell was then taken to the refectory, where the food was decent. He was expecting something more disgusting given his location on Pandora; the game always gave the impression that cookery was nonexistent on the planet.
At the end of the day, they are put to bed early. Tomorrow they will be starting their 10-week training program.
The next day...
A loud alarm woke Maxwell, his eyes were groggy, and he wasn't used to waking up so early.
Getting up, he prepares himself and goes to the designated place. They were taken to Crimson Enclave to practice physical exercises, which was the main focus of the first week, preparing them for the following weeks.
The week went relatively smoothly for Maxwell, he gained a few points from the exercises, although not a lot. Unfortunately, things wouldn't be so smooth in the following weeks.
"Good morning recruits, this week we'll be starting your CQC training. We'll start with something more lethal..."
To create suspicion, the instructor pulls a knife out of nowhere. The man keeps a low posture while holding the knife with a reverse grip.
"I'll be teaching you how to handle a weapon that has accompanied humans for millennia. And this is the first lesson I'm teaching you; the knife was made to be felt, not seen."
Maxwell's eyes widen; he could have sworn the man was unarmed.
"Try to find a place on your body that is easily accessible and hidden. Having the element of surprise on your side is always advisable, most people always think that only guns are a danger to them," The man struck a few blows with the knife, his movements quick and decisive. "I was one of those people until I got into a street fight with a guy. As the fight went on and the adrenaline flowed through my blood, everything was fine, until I knocked the guy out and realized there was a knife stuck in my stomach."
"After that day I always carried a knife with me, and this is where the second lesson lies," The man then lifted his shirt, showing several scars on his body, some of which were dangerously close to his heart. "Nobody 'wins' a knife fight; the loser bleeds lying in the street, the winner bleeds lying on a hospital bed."
"Unless you have a shield to protect you, you'll always end up getting cut, whether you're a complete beginner or a veteran."
"Sir, so in which scenario should I get into a knife fight?" One of the recruits asks, not understanding the instructor's point.
"Great question. That's the neat part, you don't. That's where guns are used, just don't let your enemy with a knife get close, I tell you, veterans can stab you more than a dozen times before you've squeezed the trigger."
Maxwell swallows the lump stuck in his throat, he didn't know knives were that scary.
"Now that I've given my thoughts, let's start with the basics," The instructor speaks with a smile as if he hadn't frightened all the recruits, he takes them to a table full of knives there were also some small stones near each knife. "First, you need to know how to sharpen your knife; An unsharpened knife is useless and can get you killed when you need it."
Approaching the table Maxwell picks up a knife along with a whetstone, they were all the same so it made no difference. When everyone was equipped, the instructor began to show them how to sharpen the blade correctly.
After a few minutes, everyone finishes sharpening their weapons, and the instructor focuses on helping some of the recruits who haven't done it properly, helping until the edge of the blade is decent by his standards.
Maxwell didn't need any help, he'd done it first. It would be a shame for him, with his high DEX and INT stats and the help of an instructor, not to be able to sharpen a blade. The man himself nods at the sight of Maxwell's blade, a fine piece of work for a beginner.
"Well, I think it's time we tested the blades." The man whistles, causing two soldiers to appear holding a psycho on the spot. The lunatic himself was wriggling to free himself from the clutches of his captors.
The recruits retreat in fright, not expecting the sudden arrival of a savage, most of whom had never seen a psycho until now. On the other hand, Maxwell was calm, just a psycho, the cannon fodder accompanying the skags.
To be honest, he was even a little curious about the psycho, it was interesting to see an enemy from the game in real life. The psycho seemed much more intimidated in real life, as well as smelling very bad.
"Come on, don't be shy, let's see if your knife at least breaks the skin hehehe."A sinister smile grows on the instructor, he looks at everyone, wondering who would dare to be the first.
Murmurs grew among the recruits and they pushed a young man forward. He was visibly shaking, he wanted to turn round and refuse, but when his eyes locked with the instructor's he knew there was no way back.
Reluctantly he approaches, his two hands gripping the knife so tightly that his knuckles turn white. With one thrust he lunges at the psycho, who is writhing, trying to avoid his fate.
*Puk*
"ARHHHHG!"
The psycho shakes and screams like an animal being slaughtered, his movements further aggravating the puncture in his chest and causing him even more pain. The two soldiers seemed to be having trouble holding the psycho, but this didn't last long as the movements slowed to a complete stop.
The young recruit steps back, his hands shaking, soaked in blood. He couldn't stand it any longer and vomited the contents of his stomach.
"Did he just kill the psycho? I said just to test the knife, did I not make myself clear?" Although his words were harsh, the instructor shook his head, not really caring, there were too many prisoners anyway. "Take that baby to the infirmary and bring in another prisoner."
Some soldiers appear and carelessly grab the young man by the legs and arms. The recruits watch the scene in silence.
"Next, you"
The instructor then points at Maxwell. He had seen that the man was not shaken by the appearance of the psycho earlier.
Maxwell can only curse softly, he doesn't take long and approaches. Maxwell uses the knife to make a few superficial cuts. The blade cuts through the psycho's skin easily, finding no obstruction.
The instructor nods—an acceptable result.
"Now, stab him"
Maxwell freezes for a moment. Gritting his teeth he grips the knife in a reverse grip and without hesitation lowers the knife into the psycho's arm.
"*GURK!*" A grunt came out of the psycho's mouth, this one tougher than the other.
The flesh being torn all the way to the base of the knife, the muscle contractions, the sticky feeling of the blood. He could feel it all, it was as if the knife had become a part of his body and he could feel everything that happened to it. Maxwell feels a little queasy at the sensation but resists the urge to vomit.
Slowly withdrawing the knife, a torrent of blood began to leak out, making the scene more and more disgusting for Maxwell. His face turned pale, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.
"Good job, soldier. Return to your position, you can keep the knife and sharpening stone for further training." The instructor patted Maxwell on the shoulder before calling the next person. "Now, next."
Maxwell nods and returns to his seat without saying anything. He stayed there until the last recruit had been tested, some fainted and others passed, albeit with traumatized psyches.
The psycho was still the one Maxwell had attacked, he had several cuts and punctures, and some bones could be seen. The psycho sighed with relief when he realized that it was over and that he was still alive, unfortunately, Atlas doesn't pay medical bills for bandits.
The instructor pulls out his knife and with one swift movement sticks the knife into the psycho's ear hole and removes the blade without a speck of blood. The psycho's body spasms before falling to the ground dead, blood and brain matter coming out of his ear.
"That's all for today, you're dismissed."
A/N: I've just got back from my trip, here's a chapter :D
Chapter 5: I Studied the Blade
Waking up the next day, Maxwell felt a little better. He gets out of bed and realizes that he was the last to wake up, as everyone else is already up.
"Psss"
"Hey, dude"
Hearing someone whispering to him, Maxwell looks around.
He then realized that it was one of the soldiers sleeping next to him.
"Say pal, you don't look so good."
"Don't I look good? Then tell me who is! Nobody could sleep after what happened yesterday and you just lay in bed and... slept?" With two black bags around his eyes, the soldier looks at Maxwell in disbelief.
"Hey, enough chat, recruits, your training has just begun. Anyone late will be eating Skag meat for dinner."
Maxwell just shrugged, leaving the bedroom when he had finished getting ready.
Maxwell was talking to the system as he made his way to the training center. He intended to have a mission related to his current training, as he wanted to gain another skill and credits, he needed to accumulate as many credits as possible to realize his humble plan.
However, he didn't make the mission easy, as this influenced the amount of credits he could receive.
[Generating quest…]
[Quest:
( ) Complete 50 knife throws successfully at a distance of 10 feet.
( ) Take part in all the knife classes of the week.
( ) Defeat someone with a knife.
Reward: Blade Mastery + $20c]
Maxwell can't help but think how many points he'd be earning with a multiplier, his determination to level up skyrocketing.
The reward in credits was high because if he missed a single lesson, the mission was given as a failure. The other two were relatively easy to complete, the first being more tedious and the third a hassle to find someone to do a little sparring, but nothing impossible.
After finishing today's knife lesson, which focussed on the utilitarian use of knives in survival, Maxwell goes to an isolated location with the knife he had received from the army.
He was carrying a sandbag on his back because there were no trees in Pandora, which annoyed Maxwell. After all, trees would be good objects for knife-throwing practice.
Shaking his head, he pushes these distracting thoughts to the back of his mind and focuses on his goal. Removing his knife from the holster concealed beneath his armpit, Maxwell holds the knife by the blade and prepares to throw it.
*Swoosh
The knife spins a few times in the air before hitting the target, unfortunately, it was the handle that ended up hitting it, so it doesn't count as a hit in the quest.
After a few more attempts Maxwell becomes frustrated with the inconvenience of having to retrieve his knife every time. Looking at the screen, he sees his progress.
[(3/50) Complete 50 knife throws successfully at a distance of 10 feet.]
"Too slow, I'd rather speed it up somehow." Maxwell scratches his beard for a moment, a figurative light bulb switches on above his head.
Maxwell remembers that there were sets of knives being sold through the system. Opening the Hangar, he scrolls down the list to the weapons section, when he comes to a section that makes him pause for a moment.
[(Weapons) Hope's Dusk/M7A1 Kunai: A set of three black kunai. Perfect weight and balance for throwing. the blade can never lose its sharpness for as long as its battery lasts. $5c]
Heirlooms were weapons exclusive to certain characters in Apex Legends, some of which were cool, others useful, and a minority a joke.
Maxwell laughs at the thought of being able to buy an heirloom for a mere 5 credits. He wasn't a fan of Apex Legends but he knew that getting an heirloom cost hundreds of dollars, he just wanted to see the look on people's faces when he had a fortune in credits and bought all the heirlooms.
He didn't rush out to buy a weapon, but went back to looking for more options, concentrating on something cheap that met his needs.
At first, he wanted to buy the throwing knives that Pulse Blade pilots use, but the weapon was not only used for stabbing but also recognition, as it could reveal hidden enemies through obstacles. The price matched its usability plus he would need to wear a pilot's helmet because the enemies were revealed on the helmet's interface.
[(Weapons) Pulse Blade: Scout Kunai with a leaf-shaped blade and a handle with a ring on the pommel. It can be used for piercing, throwing, or even anchoring. The Pulse Blade also provides a brief sonar pulse that detects enemies. $15c]
[(Weapons) Kunai ARC ExD: Electric Edge Kunai with a leaf-shaped blade and a handle with a ring on the pommel. It can be used for piercing, throwing, or even anchoring. With its adjustable power, it can be used to stun infantry troops and blind Titans at low power and to dismember and puncture them when working at high voltage. $10c]
[(Weapons) Kunai HExD: Explosive Kunai with a leaf-shaped blade and a handle with a ring on the pommel. It can be used for piercing, throwing, or even anchoring. In addition to its uses as a Kunai, when activated this blade explodes after multiple rotations when it doesn't hit any targets. High explosion on contact/impalement. $3c]
[(Weapons) Shuriken Firestar: Incendiary throwing star that creates thermite on impact. It will stick to surfaces. $3c]
Maxwell wanted to buy an ARC Kunai, but for 10 credits he would only get a single Kunai. Firestar and Kunai HExD were cheap because they were destroyed once activated.
Not wanting to waste any more time, he would keep the Wrath Kunais, it was temporary, as he would exchange them for a Pulse when he had more credits and a pilot's helmet.
[-$5c]
Maxwell picks up the three Kunai before they hit the ground, he balances one on his finger, testing the weight distribution. The Kunai were black, 7 inches long, with a 4-hole diamond design in the middle of the blade, a real work of art.
Stopping to inspect his new weapon, Maxwell ties a line to the Kunais and returns to his goal, throwing all three Kunais and pulling them back.
He repeated this process for several minutes, and his chance of success increased with each attempt. Maxwell stopped only to see a screen appear in front of him.
[Quest:
(X) Complete 50 knife throws successfully at a distance of 10 feet.
( ) Take part in all the knife classes of the week.
( ) Defeat someone with a knife.]
Seeing the time on his ECHO, Maxwell collects his Kunais. He hurriedly made his way to the cafeteria before he was too late.
A few days later…
The following days were filled with more advanced teachings on the art of using a blade. An entire day (24 hours, not an entire day cycle) was devoted to the most important concepts of footwork, where to avoid striking so that the blade doesn't get stuck in the opponent's body, and how to use the knife in everyday situations on hostile planets, such as survival, cutting branches to make fire, preparing food and improvising shelter.
Having consumed the sweet nectar of knowledge and immersed themselves in the more archaic wisdom of their ancestors, it was time for the practical lesson.
Sparring
Maxwell had been waiting for this moment all week, as this was the only goal left to earn his precious credits.
Despite the Pandora sun at its peak, the icy atmosphere of the Crimson Enclave remained constant, snowflakes dusting every surface. In a secluded spot, the recruits formed a simple circle, with the participants facing each other in the center of the wheel. The fluffy snow covering the ground would soon bear witness to the spattering of blood from the combatants.
Maxwell stood with his arms crossed as he watched the recruits rush in, watching their movements intently, hoping to gain an advantage over his fellow trainees. The instructor's presence was primarily to intervene in any potential altercations, a common occurrence among both newcomers and veterans.
Maxwell's turn soon came when someone went to the middle of the ring and held out his hand to him, making a provocative gesture with his fingers for him to come closer.
Maxwell grinned and said nothing as he picked up his knife in a reverse grip. The knives they'd been given for sparring weren't completely blunt, but as most of them were grown men in their prime, cutting someone would only take a little more effort.
They positioned themselves, lowering their center of gravity and keeping their legs slightly bent, their stances keeping their bodies as far away from each other as possible, but their knives as close to their opponents as possible.
"The rules are simple, the first one to cut his opponent three times wins, only hands, arms, and shoulders can be hit. If you continue to fight after the winner has been announced, I'll kick you out of the army."
"Go ahead!"
With the signal given, Maxwell begins to move, his hands always flowing, not allowing his opponent to predict his movements. This doesn't last long as his opponent loses patience and lunges forward with aggressive stabbings.
Maxwell is forced to back off slowly, but not without attacking. He unleashes a flurry of attacks, but throws his stab at random intervals, making his opponent more cautious and slowing down his attacks.
This proves to be a mistake as Maxwell suddenly lunges at his opponent.
The light spray of blood stains the already-stained snow.
Stepping back, Maxwell raises his knife, a red trail glistening on the surface of the blade.
His opponent seems unconcerned by the large gash in his upper right hand, but a playful smile appears on his face.
Maxwell frowns but soon understands when he feels a warm, and viscous run down his left elbow.
Pushing the tingling sensation to the back of his mind, Maxwell regains his concentration and leaves his wound to the care of the nanites.
Stepping back into his opponent's personal space, Maxwell is undeterred by the cut.
Something inside him seemed to be unlocked when he felt the first blow, removing his remaining shyness and allowing him to enter the fight without fear of injury.
The instructor seemed to have noticed Maxwell's change in attitude, shaking his head when he saw that the winner had already been decided.
Some might argue that all that sparring with blades in a controlled environment wasn't the same as a real close combat situation.
But the point of sparring was not to give recruits real experience, that was something that could only be gained in real conflicts and fights, after all, you'd only lose a knife fight once in such a scenario.
The goal was to instill in the recruits a fearlessness of injury; the first to succumb to fear had already lost the battle.
As the fight intensified, Maxwell saw an opportune moment and launched himself again. His opponent knew this would happen and prepared to counter.
What he didn't expect, however, was Maxwell's refusal to retreat, even when his shoulder was pierced and the blade tore into his flesh.
Then his opponent realized that Maxwell's blade was approaching, he tried to dodge, but Maxwell's great footwork pinned him, the blade grazing his forearm before plunging into his bicep.
"Grrr!" A grunt of pain bursts from the man's clenched lips as he feels Maxwell withdraw the blade, and he does the same, though more roughly, frustrated at having been defeated. Maxwell grits his teeth, a low animalistic growl rising from his throat at the audacity of the idiot, but he makes no move.
Maxwell returns to his seat and is given gauze to cover his wounds, but refuses the metabolism shots as he doesn't know if they will affect his stats. Finally calming down, Maxwell could feel his breath coming in gasps and his heart beating quite fast. The adrenaline from the fight was starting to wear off and the pain hit him like a truck.
As Maxwell wrapped the gauze around his wounds, he reflected on the intense fight that had just taken place. He realized that he had found a new confidence in himself, a confidence that could only be gained by facing the fear of being hurt. Even with the cuts and bruises, he knew that as long as he wasn't killed immediately, the nanites would find a way to fix him.
Finishing bandaging up, a screen appears in front of Maxwell, something he was expecting.
[(X) Complete 50 knife throws successfully at a distance of 10 feet.
(X) Take part in all the knife classes of the week.
(X) Defeat someone with a knife.]
[Quest accomplished! Depositing rewards…]
[You've received a skill: Blade Mastery]
[Blade Mastery: This skill represents mastery over all types of blades and edged weapons. Blade Mastery improves various aspects of the art of the blade, including:
Sharpening: Its sharpness lasts longer, allowing you to use your blades for longer. Quality is defined by your level.
Throwing: Throws throwables further and more accurately.
Butcher: Your blows using blades hardly get stuck, in addition to keeping your blade clean for longer.]
[+$20c]
Maxwell doesn't soften, his performance has caught the eye. It seemed that his nanites had a lot of work to do.
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
164 Power
stone 
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