“A-alright. Onto the bunker 5, then.” Roman dejectedly says, following Samuel's quick readiness. Regardless of his little disappointment with the lack of Xia Li, he can't help but get this day over with.

Disappointment shows on his face, but he still leads the group through many floors and rows of stairs, and at last, reaches the underground facility of the Institution of the Emblems.

Unsurprisingly, William enters bunker number 5 with unlike enthusiasm, since this is a big day that has been on his mind for the last 2 or 3 days. Regardless of Samuel's involvement, it doesn't matter to him to have someone watch his training.

It is a full-on combat lesson after a long time of waiting, and he can finally get his hand going a little more. Becoming more proficient in the ways his attacks, and defense is his top priority. Neither of them happen all that much in the last few days.

Prior to this one, with his Vector Claw, he figures many kinds of attacks, which should have quite varied ways of combat. It should be similar to hand-to-hand combat. His Claw or Hand is a weapon. It can grab, stab, slash, punch, and shatter anything to oblivion. Adding to that the knowledge of how people fight, William looks forward to seeing what Roman considers as a combat training.

After all, that is at least what William thinks his Molds are good for. Hand-to-hand combat with high flexibility in close quarters.

Yesterday, he even ended the day with precision and anticipation, by using his Annihilation Claw against 2 concrete blocks. He destroyed them to smithereens, leaving dust and countless pieces behind.

This caused him a bit of awe and surprise since it really felt very easy to smash it into many pieces. In fact, the concrete block was at least 1000 pounds, which isn't a lot, but it is still a robust piece of material. It's the same one used for the bunkers, and they remain standing for more than a century and will continue doing so for many others.

Though, a century probably doesn't amount to anything. The use of such underground facilities was now usable for the Federation instead of some well-hidden place for people's lives, away from the Dark Age.

In the past, there were found some remains of survivors in these underground facilities, indicating some survivors remained in this bunker for a long time. There were human remains, discovered after some decades when the Federation began the plan of seizing and creating a new utopia for this part of Earth.

The previous splendor of the Bermuda Isle was all so nice, it came as no surprise that many people were following their hope. Apocalypse started, and many fled to the hidden underground facilities. It was not enough to support their life for a long time. With the Dark beings still around, life at the bunker had anything but a happy ending.

“Well. What's going on, Vice-Director Samuel? I am rather curious about what will you do.” Roman walks in front of him and asks in a strange voice. It is as if he is still pissed about him, being the current Vice-Director.

Samuel pays it no attention, as he knows what to do, and say.

“I will be making a minor adjustment procedure, as well as proper screening and documentation to William Gale. While combating, using his Skill, techniques, Vectors, Annihilation, and whatever else. I am meant to make a small assessment for further research. It shouldn't be anything bad. It will be quite a regular thing.” Samuel explains, while even William hears it in this open and wide place.

Roman kind of expected it, so he sights and turns to William. “Very well. William, you can do the usual procedure for 1 hour to warm up.”

“I thought you said the Emblem doesn't need to warm up?” He answered while undressing his upper body so he won't have any regrets.

“They don't but do as I say. At least your body will do so, not your Emblem.” Roman insists while sitting down to await the inevitable.

Though, it is more about him, being unsure how to do this, considering William's unique circumstances of his Skill.

“Combat has many kinds, while... it could be a simple spar? I am ranked 7, so I have to be careful. Good that I have the high-rank Feel of the Vectors, so I can adjust the flow of my attack so he won't get injured too badly. Yes... That will do, but a little. Nah... he will be fine.” Roman silently decides for William, who starts to perform the regular check of his Status and a few Cycles of his Emblem. That is the Inner Enchantment, the use of his Hand and Claw.

For now, he will view his first page within the System, which is the first thing he sees.

It shows nothing new exciting from ever before. His Percentage towards Rank 2 remains the same, and so do his Skills. The only difference is his health and status. They show Getting better but, and Slim waste of tired, respectively.

By now, William can't understand what they mean, or why it's worded in this strange manner. Systems seem to be a jokester, but what he can do about it? Either way, he doesn't care, so he goes by the regular practice, of performing the Inner Enchantment and then the state of the Annihilation Element.

The first is great and improved from the 2nd day. His time goes all the way to 20 minutes, which isn't the greatest, but good enough to surprise Samuel a little.

He is standing, observing, or walking around William and from time to time, makes some notes in his notebook. He doesn't tell or shows anything to William, who keeps doing the same routine he did dozens of times in the past week.

“Ugh... Inner Enchantment is over. I will go with the other skills, if that's fine with you, mister Samuel.” William tells and glances at the man who keeps observing him from behind. He is quite close, making him a little nervous, and he hopefully won't do any mistakes. The last thing what he wants is to lose control and do something to him.

“I don't care. If this is the end of your Inner Enchantment state or not, go on. I am just a bystander.” Samuel says, glancing at his paper while reading something.

“Alright. I will start, so if you can, back off a few steps away. I don't want to do anything to you after all.” William gives a small suggestion, just in case of some unforeseeable problems.

Without a change of expression, Samuel backs away 10 steps, where he returns to his walking in circles while still drawing, or writing something in his notebook. It comes as no surprise that the following sight of the Annihilation activation doesn't surprise him, but the pressure does. Stepping away was a good idea.

As a normal person, he feels the pressure of the distant Rank 1 Walker, and that is normal. Yet, considering the kinds of pressures and power, this is certainly something he hasn't experienced in a long time.

“What a special Element. It's always the same, but this time, within this boy, it's a deep crimson. Wonderful. Quite phenomenal.” Samuel murmurs underneath his nose, while the next things go as he knows. He watched this bunker and the things they did before, albeit from a distance. Seeing and feeling it firsthand are different things altogether.

William changes his ways to make an Annihilation act according to his Feel of the Annihilation. His Vector Claw changes shape to become a fiercer, deadlier version of his previous claw.

By this point, Samuel walks toward sitting Roman. He wants to inquire about one of his wonders. “Is it the Skill, or the fusion between the two of his certain ones? Changing the shape, power, and this pressure should be the case of the former.”

Roman looks at him from the bellow, bored yet still answers. “It is all of that, I guess. This special claw of his is a fusion from his initial Claw, but as far as I know, the fused Skill still hasn't appeared in his System. It will take some time. For now, he has to do this same procedure of changing this shape, which takes a couple of seconds.” Roman explains the problem without any issues. He expected this and talked about it to William since he is fair with his own assessment.

“Still... With the number of days, this is tremendous progress. I am surprised to see it with my own eyes.” Samuel involuntarily adds, making it obvious that he, in fact, spied on them before, albeit, Roman already knows about it. He glances at the suitcase that he left at the corner, dubiously looking as if he understands what that is.

“Bunker has many eyes, Vice-Director Samuel. I bet you aren't alone in that regard.”

“Whatever you say. I will ask you a few more questions later. Looking is all good and fine, but doing it directly is much better.”

“Be my guess, Vice-Director Samuel,” Roman utters in the most bored voice possible.

With the flowing Cycles, William continues to sit down, in order to go by the regular practice. This means enduring the flow and pressure, and hopefully going beyond the 20-minute mark. He is yet to reach that mark. The best is the 19, with 30 seconds where he felt like in the brink of madness.

“Why does he do this trivial training of the Vectors in this sitting position?” Samuel asks Roman, inquiring him about his wonders that he couldn't know if he wouldn't be here.

“Because that's what he wants.”

“Aren't you an instructor?”

“Yes, but a temporary one. So much can happen in 10 days and I can't be bothered with including something very specific. He will have to figure this stuff out alone after I am gone. That means figuring the beginning that he will do in the future may be better done here, in my presence.”

“Isn't that strange? This 10-day period is for the preparation for the Academy Trial.”

“So?”

“If successful, the academy will continue and do the training in a similar way, if not stronger. Why are you deciding on such letdown methods?” Samuel asks.

“If that and if this. I am a believer in steady and continuous progress. Making some sudden adjustments, and whatever else isn't my style. For all that I care about, William will learn much more in the Academy regarding the combat, and stuff around the Dark beings. Right now, I am mostly solving the issues of the Annihilation Element. You must have realized it is quite strong in this one.”

“I am most aware. Thank you for that. Although unconventional, this is indeed a special Emblem's affinity and Element is good. I wonder what was the cause for everything... back then.”

“What makes you so sure of these questions?”

“His Awakening.”

“His Awakening? Shouldn't it be the cause of his System, being special? It's a common thing in many cases.”

“I won't answer that, Roman. The talk of the System is the vaguest term in the institution. Director nor myself can see it after all, but many Walkers in the institution include their progress for us. Our research regarding the System is stronger than ever, but in the same way as everything, it's quite a long way to perfection.”

“Some things never change, huh?”

“It's the same everywhere,” Samuel argues.

“Maybe the new generations will change that? I heard some rumors about some mutations. They are happening much more frequently now than ever, including the Dark, of course.”

“Is it a bad thing? It's natural selection, but who knows?”

“You tell me, Vice-Director Samuel.”

“I can't answer anything. It involves way too many things, and this isn't the place for that either. Let me just finish this process, and if you are so curious, we can discuss it in private after you help me out this time. No discussion here.” Samuel said with a bothersome look, placing the notebook back on his face, and began writing something down.

“Good idea.” Roman agrees.

As the pair of grown-ass men have their conversations, the flow of minutes passes by. William is undergoing the brunt force of his own Emblem, and the wild flow of Vectors. they are in the basic form of his Feel of the Annihilation, but that doesn't mean he doesn't feel restrained.

The end result still doesn't end in the 20 minutes he fished for, but he doesn't feel that bad about it. With another week, he feels he can pass this mark that he thinks is a wall. The very same, that comes into his mind when he tries to comprehend the visions on his status board. He already started the comprehension in his free time and achieved no results so far.

It's about the Skills, that even Mi-Yung recommended to him to follow next. It was once again, about the time, that he has to figure it out. That, and add to it the pressure of the Cycles on his arm, and William feels like passing out in 20 minutes.

It's not easiest, but there is always a path to improvement. Little by little, he will go until the walls will be broken, and his tries will be successful. He already did so many times in the last 3 days. Improving his time from 13 to almost 20 minutes is excellent work, and he feels proud of that.

It was the same when he performed the very first comprehension of the status of his Emblem. The type, which made him sweaty and exhausted for a couple of days.

Though, if the others, like him, would hear any of such complaints, they would find it fair to punch him to his guts, pinch his cheek, and drop kick him to the ground. He is so far from the average, then even Samuel, who is used to seeing the irregularities, is flabbergasted.

That is one of the reasons Roman doesn't appear worried about William all that much. For now, he shall do his best to follow his regular procedure of making sure, William's mind well grasped the Annihilation Element. There is no time for mistakes if it isn't, so all it needs is a little bit of pressure to see if it's stable enough.

Such kind, of which will happen in a bit, and Roman is already expecting it from the sight of that suitcase.

A spar is about to happen, but before that, Samuel steps forward as he sees William cease his Emblem away.

One of his main formalities will happen next.