Chapter 44: Final Assessment Part Two

But he began to actively feel the strain it was putting on his brain, feeling as electricity was mildly running across his neurons.

The gunman raised his arm.

"Don’t let him breathe!"

BANG!

Arthur moved.

The projectile passed beside his head.

He immediately charged toward the shooter.

But the mechanical-legged inmate intercepted him.

Arthur blocked the incoming punch this time.

The man looked shocked.

"What!?"

Clang!

Another inmate attacked from the side.

Arthur ducked.

The punch passed over him.

He swept his leg beneath the man’s feet.

The inmate stumbled.

Arthur’s blade flashed.

Shing!

The blade pierced through the man’s mechanical thigh.

"Aghhhhhh!"

The inmate screamed.

Arthur pulled the blade free and immediately drove his shoulder into his chest.

BAM!

The inmate crashed onto his back.

Arthur raised his blade.

But—

BOOM!

A powerful strike slammed into Arthur’s side, but he had used his blade to swiftly block it.

Still, his body was thrown across the chamber.

He hit the ground hard.

His ribs screamed with pain.

Arthur coughed.

A small amount of blood escaped his mouth.

The crimson-eyed inmate rushed toward him.

Arthur rolled away.

The fist slammed into the floor.

BOOM!

"Fuck, how does the kid keep doing that?!"

Arthur pushed himself upright.

His breathing had become heavier.

His left arm hung slightly lower than before.

One of his ribs was almost certainly fractured.

Yet his grip on the blade remained firm.

The instructor’s voice echoed again.

"Cadet 81."

"Your physical condition is deteriorating."

Arthur wiped the blood from his mouth and smiled.

"I noticed."

"Your chances of survival are critically low... Any message you wish to leave for your family?"

"No need, sir. I won’t be dying today."

"..."

"Suit yourself."

Aether coughed up a little blood, cleaning his mouth again.

"Now, where were we?"

The crimson-eyed inmate charged again.

Arthur didn’t dodge this time, but he couldn’t lift up his blade fast enough to counter.

Their fists collided.

BAM!

Arthur’s arm went numb from the impact. He swore he heard a crack on his end.

The inmate attacked again.

Arthur blocked with his blade.

Another punch.

He blocked.

Another.

Arthur’s boots slid backward.

The difference in physical strength was becoming increasingly obvious.

Then he pushed Genesis again.

Nine seconds ahead.

Every single move began to appear in multiple overlapping frames now, unfolding before his eyes.

Arthur saw it.

A punch.

A kick.

The gunman firing from behind.

And—

The crimson-eyed inmate exposing his neck for less than half a second.

Arthur’s eyes sharpened.

There.

He deliberately allowed the next punch through.

BAM!

The inmate’s fist slammed into Arthur’s chest.

Pain exploded through his body.

But Arthur didn’t move.

Instead, he grabbed the inmate’s mechanical arm.

The man’s eyes widened.

"What—"

Arthur pulled him closer.

Shing!

His blade swept across the man’s throat.

Blood sprayed across the metallic floor.

The crimson-eyed inmate collapsed.

Arthur released him.

"Two."

BANG!

A projectile suddenly struck Arthur’s shoulder.

His combat suit ruptured.

Blood immediately seeped through the damaged fabric.

Arthur staggered.

The gunman lowered his arm.

"Got him!"

Arthur slowly turned his head.

His crimson visor locked onto the shooter.

The gunman’s expression changed.

Arthur disappeared.

Whoosh!

The gunman fired repeatedly.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Arthur easily weaved between the projectiles.

One tore through his upper arm.

Another grazed his side.

But none hit any vitals.

Pain burned through him.

But he kept moving.

The distance vanished.

Arthur appeared directly in front of the gunman.

The inmate barely had time to raise his mechanical arm.

Clang!

Arthur’s blade struck it aside.

Then—

BAM!

Arthur drove his forehead into the inmate’s face.

The man staggered.

Arthur grabbed his arm.

Twisted.

The mechanical limb snapped unnaturally.

The gunman screamed.

Arthur stepped forward.

Shing!

His blade pierced through the man’s chest.

The inmate’s body went limp.

Arthur pulled the blade free.

The corpse collapsed at his feet.

"Three."

Silence.

Only three inmates remained.

Arthur stood in the center of the chamber.

Blood stained his combat suit.

His shoulder was bleeding.

His arm was injured.

His ribs ached with every breath.

But his crimson visor remained fixed on the remaining three.

The inmates exchanged glances.

For the first time...

They looked afraid.

Arthur slowly raised his blade.

"Come."

His voice was calm.

"I’m not finished yet."

....

A couple of minutes later, the door of the assessment room opened, and Arthur stepped outside, blood splattered all over his armor. Most of it belonged to the inmates, while some came from his own wounds.

The door closed behind him.

He stood there for a moment before speaking.

"Targets neutralized."

The superior officer began clapping his hands.

He then said, "Colour me impressed, Cadet 81. I was most certain you would die in there. But not only did you survive, you took down six inmates who were using Generation Four implants with only standard-issue gear."

The officer paused.

"Although the inmates lacked proper training to make full use of their implants, you still put up a good fight."

He nodded approvingly.

"Combat rating: five stars."

The man continued to talk, but Arthur suddenly began to feel dizzy.

His vision blurred slightly.

Did I push myself too hard...?

Must be the amount of battle foresight I used...

His right eye suddenly throbbed.

Arthur’s knees weakened.

The superior officer was still speaking.

"With results like these, you might actually—"

His body suddenly swayed.

Thud.

Arthur collapsed onto the floor.

The superior officer remained completely calm. Something like this was to be expected after the feat he had just pulled off.

He gestured with his hand.

"He’s unconscious."

"Get a stretcher."

Soon, several nearby personnel rushed over.

They carefully lifted Arthur from the floor and placed him onto a stretcher.

His body had gone completely limp.

The superior officer looked down at him.

For the first time, the amusement had disappeared from his face.

"Get him to the medical wing immediately."

"Yes, sir!"

The personnel quickly pushed the stretcher away.

Arthur remained completely unconscious as they disappeared down the corridor.

His crimson visor was still glowing faintly.