บท 48: THE VR TRAINING CENTER
In an unfamiliar dimly-lit setting, two figures were discernible, cloaked in black hooded robes that seamlessly blended with their surroundings, effectively concealing their faces.
"Did you succeed?" inquired one of the men with a chilling tone, his hands clasped behind his waist.
"Yes, Divine Deacon," promptly replied the other, eliciting a nod of approval from the Divine Deacon.
"So the letter reached our destination... excellent. Prepare for the next phase of the plan."
"Yes, Divine Deacon," the second figure responded once more. He then extended his right hand and exclaimed with reverence in his voice, "Glory to Lord Zod."
"Glory to Lord Zod," the Divine Deacon echoed with similar reverence.
Without further exchange of words, the two went their separate ways.
…
Stare sprang from his bed in response to the Academy's alarm.
Despite his abrupt awakening, the paper from yesterday clung to his face, stubbornly refusing to let go.
He had dedicated the rest of the entire night yesterday to deciphering the remaining content on the paper.
Based on what he had managed to decipher at the point where he first received the paper, Stare began to suspect a connection between the letter and Y-204. This suspicion fueled his intense interest in decrypting the remaining content of the letter.
First, there was the archaic method of communication. In this era, using paper for messages was deemed difficult, wasteful, and imprudent, especially when more efficient alternatives were available. So, it would require someone already accustomed to using paper as a means of communication or an exceptionally foolish, wasteful, and affluent individual to employ this method.
Additionally, the encryption method used led Stare to think of only one other person as fluent in deciphering and using it as he was: his counterpart, Y-204. This was because, like Stare, Y-204 had also lived in an era where this method was widespread.
However, there remained a slim chance that someone else was so crazy to have actually done all of this. This doubt would have held if a deciphered portion of the letter didn't contain one of the famous salutations of a well-known terrorist organization, the Divine Movement of Zod.
Stare couldn't fathom Raziel's intentions with the movement yet, not like he was ever able to actually decipher any of his plans or understand what was on the fucker's mind.
Despite his struggles to decipher most of the letter's content, it still eluded complete comprehension, leaving him with a nagging feeling that something vital was missing. He had successfully decoded key words like "Tomorrow," "Plan," and "Execute" from the mostly blurred writing. However, one word perplexed him, and he suspected it held the key to understanding the rest.
No matter how many times he attempted to translate it, he always arrived at a word that seemed to lack any meaning: "uuvuu." Fatigued, Stare carefully removed the paper from his face and tucked it beneath his bedsheets.
As he made his way toward the dorm's bathroom to freshen up and prepare for the day, like Bobby and Joel, an unexpected morning announcement halted him in his tracks. The surprise wasn't the announcement itself, as those were routine, but rather its content.
Unlike the customary call for breakfast dispensation and a time limit for reaching the Dispensary Hall, this announcement instructed students to gather in a different hall within the same 15-minute deadline. It was called the VR Training Hall.
Stare wasn't the only one taken aback; both Bobby and Joel wore expressions of shock. This was the first time such an unusual occurrence had transpired. Initially, they suspected they had misheard and decided to confirm the hall's existence. To their dismay, Paraclete verified the presence of a hall with the same name as the VR Training Hall.
Without further delay, Stare swiftly prepared himself, and with the assistance of Paraclete, the three of them located the hall.
The hall was vast, potentially even larger than the combat class hall, with subdued blue lighting. It contained numerous pod-like structures anchored to the floor, substantial screens suspended from the ceiling, and an array of indescribable technologies throughout the space.
Surprisingly, the hall was already filled with students, making it appear as though Stare, Bobby, and Joel were among the last to arrive. Stare even spotted Raziel in the crowd, his customary gloomy and disinterested expression unchanged. Stare attempted to make eye contact to maybe glean some insight about the encrypted letter case but received no response, prompting him to abandon the effort in annoyance.
What was even more astonishing was the presence of every teacher they had encountered since their first day at the academy. Professor Kali, Teacher Emma and Imma, Teacher Lagertha, and even the enigmatic "Just A Guy" were there, his signature off-putting smile still on his face.
Stare immediately averted his gaze to avoid making eye contact with Just A Guy as he wanted to prevent a scene which he was sure was bound to happen if Just A Guy somehow managed to spot him.
Stare also recognized one more individual in the group, a tall man dressed casually in a t-shirt and trousers, with gray hair and a beard, but an appearance and physique of someone who seemed to be in their late twenties. His sparkling amber eyes immediately reminded Stare of one person: Ava Osiris Dovian.
The combination of this feature, along with the known background information on Ava and the respect shown to him by the other teachers, was enough hint at the man's position and identity.
Stare couldn't help but feel puzzled by the calm smile on the man's face. His current demeanor and aura seemed more fitting for a businessman who had obtained Algos, awakened a fief, and held at most a Tier I Prime status, establishing connections within the hero community. This was in stark contrast to his image of a world-renowned Hero and Prime who had single-handedly saved New Earth for decades and had established the finest Hero Academy on the planet.
As Stare grappled with these conflicting thoughts, his and every other student's attention was drawn to the man as he approached them. The Rector's calm voice cut through the crowd of students, grabbing everyone's attention.
"I understand that most of you are bewildered by the sudden summons to this hall," he began. "First and foremost, I hope your time at the Academy so far has been enjoyable. You have all been brought here for a test, and, as many of you have likely suspected, it's not your usual kind of test."
"I assume most of you are familiar with the requirements for the secondary awakening of your fief, following the initial awakening where you push your body and mind to force the awakening. Currently, a significant number of you have not achieved this secondary awakening."
"This test is unusual in that it aims to help those of you who haven't achieved the secondary awakening yet. It will push your mind and body to their limits and will take place in a virtual reality world, ensuring no actual harm to your body."
"And, of course, those who do not meet our expectations will regrettably be expelled from the Academy. I advise you to give your best efforts. Additional important information about the test will be provided by the creator of the Virtual Reality pods."
With that, the Rector returned to the group of staff and teachers, who engaged in barely audible discussions among themselves.
The majority of students appeared to remain in a state of shock after the Rector's announcement, their expressions reflecting their unease.
This reaction was unsurprising, given that they had been abruptly summoned for a test without any prior preparation. Furthermore, the test was primarily aimed at awakening their fiefs, a subject that many had already given up on or had little hope for, particularly the students with Supporting Hero Status.
Additionally, the test involved pushing their physical and mental limits, making it likely to be exceedingly painful and challenging. The prospect of failing this rigorous test and facing expulsion from the Academy weighed heavily on the students.
Stare, on the other hand, was relatively unfazed by the test, as he had already successfully awakened his fief and even looked forward to the challenge. He believed it could further enhance his fief. However, the same could not be said for Bobby, who had entered a state of panic, preparing various responses for different test scenarios, should one of them be the chosen format. Joel managed to maintain composure better, taking deep breaths while murmuring inaudible words.
In contrast to most students, the Elites wore confident or casual expressions, as they were already confident in their ability to excel in the test, especially considering that many of them had achieved the secondary awakening of their fiefs.
While the students still grappled with the announcement, their attention was drawn once again to the entrance of a new figure.
A tall, bald man dressed in a pristine white suit led the way, with two equally attractive women following closely behind. They shared the same height, brunette hair, and white office attire. One of them held a stack of papers and files, while the other carried a white briefcase.
Their movements were precise and organized, swiftly bringing them to the group of Academy staff and teachers. After a subtle nod to the Rector, the man proceeded to where the students had gathered. He stood still, fixing them with a stern and condescending expression.
"I am Lok Withsworth and I am responsible for 98% of the credit for the invention of the Virtual Reality Pods you are about to use."
Upon hearing the man's unusual introduction and connecting the name Withsworth to him, the word "Withsworth Powerhouse family" instantly crossed the students' minds. Many instinctively glanced toward Charlotte, but she kept her head down, possibly due to the attention she was receiving or her reluctance to make eye contact with a supposed family member.
Lok showed no interest in looking her way; instead, he launched into a speech about the technological advancements of the VR Pods compared to others.
After a few more minutes of self-praise, Lok finally granted them permission to enter the pods.
"Remember, this pod is the most technologically advanced virtual reality creation out there and likely the only one most of you will ever encounter. It vividly replicates 90% of reality, so the chances of becoming disoriented are high. The primary rule to remember in all of this is survival, as I doubt most of you could endure even the first few seconds."
As soon as he made this statement, the woman in white office attire behind him, clutching the briefcase, promptly opened it and extracted a small rectangular object. She pushed a button on it, causing an immediate synchronized opening of all the pod doors.
The students recognized this as their signal to step into the pods, and without hesitation and in an organized fashion, they all approached a distinct pods and entered them.
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