My Tribrid System: More than a Monster

Chapter 171

Days passed by in the blink of an eye.

And just like that, it was already the week of the supposed expedition.

Though the Aspirants trained diligently, they couldn’t help but feel the slight, electric buzz of this upcoming journey.

Even though they understood that this venture would be somewhat dangerous, they remained excited regardless of the risks.

That was largely because they had been cooped up within the high walls of the Corps for so long.

They were not permitted to visit their families, nor could they venture beyond the Corps’ strict boundaries.

They were unable to even enter the city and explore the different beautiful landmarks in Wall Steel.

However, this expedition would finally be granting them all a much-needed breath of fresh air.

They were going to get a firsthand look at what a beast planet actually looked like.

A different world compared to what they were used to didn’t sound so bad at all.

Besides, this was a planet firmly under the military’s grip; therefore, it would definitely be safer than a totally infested, lawless world.

In an hour, they were all expected to gather in the main hall; hence, all the Aspirants were rushing to get there in time.

They had all finished their breakfasts a few minutes ago and were now packing the basic essentials they required.

Uniforms, specialized tools, and whatever else they would need to survive in that environment.

Ray didn’t even need to pack much, actually.

He had obtained a small backpack which he filled with half a dozen uniforms and extra shoes.

The rest of his gear was stored safely in his system inventory.

An additional pair of clothing was tucked away in that digital space, along with his gauntlet and anything else of vital importance.

He was fully prepared.

The only person who wasn’t ready was....

"Ah, shoot! Where is it?!" Van shouted, his voice strained as he rummaged around the room, frantically searching for something.

In front of his bed, a large backpack—the type adventurers of the old world used—could be seen slightly open.

Crossing his arms while leaning against the doorframe, Ray stared at his friend, watching him hunt for whatever he was actually searching for.

"Come on, hurry up already!"

Kai could be heard shouting from outside in the hallway as he tapped his foot on the ground repeatedly in a show of impatience.

During the previous week, even though Sony had instructed those who formed a squad to train with one another and try to figure out their collective strengths and weaknesses, Ray’s squad actually did none of those things.

Everyone was simply doing their own thing without disturbing the others.

One thing they actually managed to achieve, however, was selecting a leader.

Naturally, they all picked Kai to head the squad.

Because, why not? Trisha wasn’t interested in administrative duties at all; she only cared about fighting and remaining at the absolute top of the class.

Ray also focused primarily on combat and didn’t feel fit for such responsibilities.

Chloe was considered too ’weak’ physically in Trisha’s eyes, because to the icy girl, a leader had to be formidable for their followers to actually listen.

"... And smart," Van had added at the time, but his comment fell on deaf ears.

So Kai became the natural pick.

"Done!" Van shouted as he zipped up the backpack, which looked incredibly heavy for a scrawny kid to want to carry.

But the moment he slung the straps over his back, Van walked forward as if he didn’t have a pack akin to two massive traveling bags on his spine.

It was as if the entire load was weightless.

As he passed by Ray to head outside, the Tribrid stared at the bag, and that was when he noticed something unusual.

More than a dozen mechanical spiders were hidden beneath the fabric, doing the heavy lifting.

’How can these tiny mechanical constructs possess such strength? This doesn’t make any sense.’

Without any more delay, they all headed toward the hall with an impatient Kai leading the way.

With how he behaved and the way the Aspirants were packing and moving, it almost looked as if they were all going on a harmless field trip and not a potentially deadly expedition to a planet filled with beasts.

***

The hall was expansive enough to accommodate roughly six hundred people; consequently, compared to the three hundred Aspirants currently present, it was capable of housing them all comfortably without anyone feeling cramped.

The room was strictly divided at the moment.

The two classes stood separately in two distinct rows, and within the row for Ray’s class, the space was further partitioned by each squad of five Aspirants.

Every member of a team stuck tightly with their group while still remaining within the designated line for their specific class.

Out front, situated on a raised and wide platform, a strange contraption could be seen.

It was a broad square frame that appeared large enough to allow two humans to walk side by side through it.

Using his enhanced vision, Ray could discern a few intricate buttons on the side of the device.

’I guess this is the anchor Sony talked about?’

The square resembled a standing mirror with a sturdy wooden frame, yet it lacked the glass; currently, the other side of the room was visible through the empty center of the anchor.

To the side of the device, Instructor Sony and the instructor for the other class stood side by side.

In front of them sat three reinforced wooden boxes each, the contents of which remained unknown for the time being.

After the final Aspirant filed in, the massive doors to the room swung shut with a loud, resounding thud that echoed like a giant’s footfall against the earth.

Instinctively, the noise drew the attention of every teen in the room.

Standing firmly in front of the closed door was a Captain—and not just any Captain, but someone Ray was very familiar with.

It was Captain Jake.

He walked forward with a calm, measured gait, his sword hanging silently in its scabbard around his waist.

Finally, he reached the platform and proceeded to stand off to the side of the instructors, staring ahead with a neutral gaze.

Ray was baffled by his presence, scanning the Captain suspiciously.

’Why is Jake here?’

Turning to his side, the boy observed the remaining members of his squad standing there with various expressions.

Compared to the other groups, his teammates weren’t even conversing with one another; they simply stared straight ahead in silence.

’What a bunch of weirdos.’

"Ahem..." Sony could be heard clearing his throat, the sound cutting through the low chattering and drawing all attention toward him.

"... Good morning, Aspirants. Today is finally the day of your expedition. Before we proceed any further, you need to be well-informed regarding what we will be doing for the next week on a beast planet."