บท 16: Final Test

"Yes! Yes! He failed one!" Captain Li shouted excitedly at the screen. It depicted different valves for different emotions Junya would feel.

Troy, Amus, Murray and Captain Li all crowded around a screen when the level showed up red indicating that Junya did something, restricting the desired outcome of the scenario.

"Does this mean we kill him?" Captain Li asked not sparing Amus any remorse. It was obvious he hated him. His old face was filled with glee.

"Well that is normally the case but that scenario was definitely one of the tougher ones. It wasn't one that we should use on someone who only awakened their blessing" Murray informed. "Remember these hyper-realistic helmets were also used for mental training on stronger Mobsters, this is simply one of the scenarios they train in"

"Everything is stable, so let's get on with the show" Amus hurried them along. He was calm, watching it all unfold like he already knew the outcome beforehand.

'What?! Who does that little prick think he is!' Captain Li raged internally. The group's conversation drifted towards the boy receiving his injections, how distasteful. There was no stopping their decision. Yet, the next agreed upon scenario sparked a new joy in his cold heart.

"Third and final test starting" Troy relayed before entering coding it into the helmet.

They returned to the safety of the valves, the only monitor for Junya's trial.

***

Junya's inability to control his feelings irritated the hell out of him. If his blessing got out of control it would mean any chance of a normal life was slim to none.

Considering his recent failure, he wondered whether they would kill him just like that.

'I know it's fake, all of it, but the emotions I feel are real. How do they expect me to deal with something like that?' Junya's frustrations grew 'I suppose this mean's cheating is out of the question for most people'

Junya was only waiting for a second until he was transported to his third and final scenario. Although his second chance left him confused, he knew that he needed to pass this one.

He was at a familiar sight, a sight that followed him in his dreams, haunting him for 13 years. The night that changed the world for the worst.

"Why am I here?" Junya looked to the skies and saw countless portals spitting out varieties of Mobs. Being able to see the portals so vividly, fuelled his future nightmares.

He was not being ordered around by anyone, this time he was a simple passer-by. Junya's strength remained a little less than the last scenario, yet he was still able to fly amidst all the Chaos.

"Why must they send me to my childhood trauma" Junya sighed in disappointment.

As he flew around and observed the scene before him, he noticed that no one paid anu attention to him, he was a mere spectator.

'Is it because I'm not allowed to practice my blessing at that calibre?' Junya threw out a guess.

"Humans, sacrifice that woman who slaughtered my family, and we will call this war a draw" A large man with blue skin posed with a trident in his hand ordered. He had long flowing grey hair and wore a serious face as he looked down on the masses.

Beside him were other entities that all boasted menacing auras. Their official vibe was for a reason, they were the deciding Mobs during the Eve of Chaos. One looked like a human with pale skin and bloody fangs, the other was a hydra with nine heads.

Junya realized his guess was right, he wasn't strong enough to feel the pressure that was around them all. Even if he was to borrow power, he would still be weak.

"Wotanbe! You need to go back!" Junya jumped thinking they were referring to him. He glanced around and saw it was his mother being yelled at by a man.

'Why would they want mom?' Junya wondered.

"Face your demise or surrender that human, the fate of your forsaken planet rests on your decision" The large merman spoke.

Junya watched the scene and saw what they had planned.

"I'm not afraid of you scum, come down here if you want me that bad". Junya heard his mother speak for the first time in years, It was gratifying but the situation was unfavourable.

Junya knew there would have to be a dismal ending. He watched back and forth until everything stopped.

Beside him appeared a silhouette of a man wearing a pressed suit, unlike the rest who stood in front. His face released smoke that made him unidentifiable.

[This is the Eve of Chaos in another reality. They are Calamity Mobs that descended during the final waves. They offer to stop the siege on humanity in exchange for that woman. What would you choose]?

"What the fuck is this bullshit! Are you bastards telling me you want me to give my mom for humanity! What have you asshole's ever done for me!" Junya grabbed at the man's shirt, but his figure dissipated.

[You have only a minute to decide whether this nightmare continues]

"0:59"

Junya looked at the time on the man watch countdown. This Unlike his feeling for his fake wife and kids, his feelings for his mother were real. Seeing her alive in such a manner was surreal.

'It's all fake, It's all fake, It's all fake, It's all fake!'

The ticking of the mans watch intensified the pressure on Junya's decision making.

"Ten seconds left" the man added unhelpfully Junya was broken in two. On one hand, it would mean the world would not have to suffer anymore but that meant giving up his mother.

'Is this what it means to be a Mobster? Am I even capable of making such a decision'

While Junya thought the man watched the time countdown. "Times up"

Dread washed over Junya. "Wait! Everything is frozen why are you rushing, I can do this!" Junya yelled but the man ignored him, taking out his scythe and walking up to his mother.

"What are you doing" Junya lunged toward him but only passed through like a ghost. The man slashed across his mother body filling her anatomy with slices over all her vitals.

As Junya stood there, ever so helpless, he felt at immense loss of any remaining control he had over his pitful life. Seeing someone so heartlessly destroy something so meaningful for him severed any remaining logic in his mind.