Chapter 111: The Trial Of Unity [1]
Liam looked at the huge blue timer floating in the middle of the hangar again.
07:31
There were still several minutes before the second trial began.
He looked at the groups that continued forming around them. Some already had five or six members, while others were still desperately looking for someone willing to join them.
Liam crossed his arms.
"We still have time. I think we could look for someone else."
Carol slowly nodded.
"Actually, I think I know just the person."
Emily immediately turned toward her.
"You wouldn’t happen to mean...?"
Carol smiled.
"Yes."
Emily’s eyes widened.
"Did he really sign up for the Selection?"
"Looks like it."
"I’m surprised."
Lydia raised a hand, completely confused.
’Excuse me, but who are you talking about?’
Emily and Carol answered almost simultaneously.
"The perfect tank, Jordan Meyers."
Chuck’s eyes widened.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
Chuck shook his head.
"Please, not that idiot."
Emily began laughing.
"What happened to you saying you didn’t care who joined the group?"
Chuck pointed at Carol.
"I said I didn’t care who joined, not that I wanted to team up with him."
Carol crossed her arms.
"What’s the problem?"
"I don’t want that guy."
Emily burst out laughing again.
"I thought you said anyone would do."
"Anyone competent!"
Chuck grimaced.
"I’m not teaming up with that ball of fat."
Liam blinked.
’What’s going on?’
He looked at Lydia, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation.
Liam moved a little closer to her.
"Are you enjoying this?"
Lydia replied, trying to hold back her laughter.
’A little...’
Liam let out a small laugh.
"At least someone’s enjoying this."
Then he looked at Chuck.
"What kind of Awakening does this Jordan have? And why don’t you want to team up with him?"
Chuck grimaced.
"He’s just fat."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"That doesn’t answer my question."
"He smells bad."
Emily laughed again.
"And according to Chuck, he’s annoying."
Chuck nodded.
"Exactly."
Emily shook her head.
"You’re jealous."
Chuck looked at her.
"Jealous of what?"
"Jordan."
"Me?"
Emily pointed at Chuck.
"Every time you try to flirt with a woman, Jordan shows up and ends up getting her."
"That’s not true."
Carol laughed.
"A little bit."
Chuck fell silent.
Liam began to smile.
’Now I get it.’
Carol approached Chuck.
"Jordan is a good guy. You should give him another chance."
Chuck snorted.
Emily chimed in.
"Besides, his Awakening would be pretty useful for us."
Liam looked at her.
"What can he do?"
Emily pointed toward one of the far ends of the hangar.
"Jordan is a fitness fanatic. But his Awakening makes him consume enormous amounts of calories."
Liam listened attentively.
"Why?"
"He can repel attacks using his body fat."
Liam’s eyes widened.
"Repel them?"
"Yeah. And he can burn that fat as energy to increase the strength of his attacks."
Liam smiled.
"Then he’s ideal for any team."
Carol nodded.
"Exactly."
Liam looked toward Chuck.
"I think he’d fit in pretty well with us."
Chuck sighed.
"Of course you have to agree too."
Liam laughed.
"If you don’t want him, we won’t invite him."
Chuck remained silent.
Then he looked at the holographic ranking on the wall.
50 — JORDAN MEYERS
Higher up, it showed:
48 — CAROL WILSON
Chuck narrowed his eyes.
"Well..."
He looked at the names again.
"They don’t seem like they’ll get in the way."
Emily smiled.
"That’s almost a compliment coming from you."
Chuck ignored the comment.
"But they’re not going to stand out more than me either."
Liam laughed.
"So, is that a yes?"
Chuck sighed.
"Fine. Invite the idiot."
Carol smiled.
"I knew you’d agree."
"I didn’t say I liked him."
Emily and Carol began walking away.
"Let’s go find him."
Liam raised a hand.
"See you."
Once the two women disappeared into the crowd, Chuck reached into his pocket, took out his gum, and replaced the one he was chewing with a new piece.
Liam watched him.
"How many have you gone through?"
"Not enough."
Chuck shrugged.
◇◆◇
Meanwhile, the timer continued counting down.
06:14
05:32
04:27
The groups were practically complete by now.
Liam watched the different contestants, trying to memorize a few faces.
There were hunters of all ages and abilities.
Some seemed to be chatting casually.
Others were discussing which strategy to use.
Some simply waited.
Then Liam looked at the timer again.
00:43
"We’re running out of time."
Emily and Carol still hadn’t returned.
00:29
Liam began to worry.
"Where did they go?"
00:17
Then he saw them.
Emily and Carol appeared among the crowd.
And walking alongside them was a man.
He was bald, wore round glasses, had an enormous belly, and was casually eating a bag of potato chips.
Liam blinked.
’Is that Jordan?’
The man approached.
Emily smiled.
"Guys, this is Jordan Meyers."
Jordan raised a hand.
"Nice to meet you."
Liam extended his own.
"I’m Liam."
Jordan shook his hand.
Liam immediately felt something strange.
The man’s hand was completely covered in salt.
Jordan looked at his fingers.
"Oh."
He laughed.
"Sorry."
He wiped his hand against his own shirt.
Then he shook Liam’s hand again.
"There we go."
Liam smiled.
"Much better."
Chuck looked away.
Jordan did the same.
Neither seemed particularly interested in talking to the other.
Lydia sent a message through the system chat.
[Lydia: Do you think you’ll be able to lead a team with those two?]
Liam looked at Chuck and then at Jordan. Both of them were avoiding even looking at each other.
Liam let out a small laugh.
’I don’t think it’ll be a problem.’
Then James took the microphone.
"All contestants! The second trial is about to begin."
The murmurs disappeared.
"All groups must remain in their positions."
Liam looked at the other teams.
"Get ready."
The timer appeared again.
00:10
Liam took a deep breath.
Lydia moved a little closer to him.
’Ready?’
Liam took her hand.
"Ready."
00:09
00:08
00:07
Jordan finished another chip.
Chuck continued chewing his gum.
Emily flexed her arms.
Carol adjusted her belt.
Liam looked at his teammates.
’We’re a pretty strange group.’
00:06
00:05
The panels covering the walls began emitting a bluish light.
00:04
A vibration ran through the entire hangar.
00:03
The floor began to tremble.
00:02
Liam squeezed Lydia’s hand.
00:01
The timer changed from blue to red.
00:00
Suddenly, all the wall panels lit up at the same time.
A massive vibration shook the entire third basement.
The floor disappeared beneath the contestants’ feet.
Not literally, but that’s what it felt like.
The walls began to move.
The ceiling expanded.
The platforms separated.
The hangar’s metal structure began transforming at an incredible speed.
The white lights were replaced by dim, greenish illumination.
Liam felt a current of humid air hit his face.
The smell of the place changed as well.
Earth.
Moisture.
Vegetation.
And something else.
’This smells like a real dungeon.’
In front of them, the ground began to be covered in grass.
Trees appeared in the distance.
The walls of the enormous hangar disappeared behind an illusion so realistic that it was difficult to tell where the technology ended and the scenery began.
James spoke again through the speakers.
"Welcome..."
His voice echoed throughout the area.
"...to the simulated dungeon."
Liam looked at his team.
Emily was smiling, Carol looked focused, Jordan finished his bag of chips, and Chuck popped a bubble of gum.
Pop.
Liam sighed.