Chapter 4: Training
Jacob stood near the edge of the railing, twisting his hand slowly as he inspected the boxing gloves. They felt strange—metallic and cold to the touch, yet impossibly light. He ran his bare left hand along the base of his right hand, which wore one of the gloves. The sensation was uncanny. Despite the glove’s hard, metallic exterior, it felt lighter than his bare hand. He flexed his fingers, the material shifting seamlessly with his movements.
Mid-inspection, he heard the sound of boots on the grated floor. Turning his head, he saw Brodyn and Carline approaching. Brodyn’s imposing figure cast a long shadow under the sterile lights of the training facility. Carline, more relaxed, was propping her sniper rifle on a nearby stand, her posture casual but precise.
“Wanna get things started? Or need an example?” Brodyn asked, his voice a rumbling bass. He ripped off the sleeves of his shirt with a single motion, revealing arms that looked more like sculpted cannons than human limbs. The veins snaked down his biceps, pulsing with a strength that bordered on the unreal.
Jacob blinked, momentarily distracted. “Example? Get things started? You mean like training?” He glanced at the gloves again. “I can probably figure it out.”
Brodyn stared at him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a hefty thumbs-up, he turned toward the control panel and shouted, “Hit it!”
The doc- her white scientist attire flowing as she spun—grinned as he pulled a lever. In an instant, the facility plunged into darkness. The hum of machinery filled the void, and then a large, blue hologram flickered to life. It was a towering simulation of a sprawling building, complete with realistic textures and shadows. Inside, robots moved like patrolling guards, navigating the narrow hallways and staircases. The building’s layout was intricate, with corners to peek around, furniture to take cover behind, and operational machinery scattered throughout. It looked real enough to touch.
The training field itself spanned the size of a soccer field, its expanse bordered by observation platforms. The rest of the jumpers began to gather, their faces illuminated by the glow of the simulation. There was a mix of expressions—boredom, curiosity, and a touch of excitement from the newer members. Brodyn’s grin widened as he surveyed the group.
“Nobody figures it out on their first try,” he declared, his voice booming. “Luckily, you’ve got us. Who wants to go first?”
“Me!” Kaeas practically leaped forward, her enthusiasm infectious. Her oversized rifle was slung casually over her shoulder, the weapon almost comically large compared to her slight frame. She adjusted her grip, her grin so wide it seemed to light up her face.
Brodyn nodded approvingly. “Alright, Kaeas is up first. Jacob, you’re next. Everyone else can figure out the order after that.”
Carline, leaning against the wall behind them, raised a hand lazily. “Not me today, boss. Feeling a bit off.” Her tone was soft, almost apologetic, and her usual sharpness seemed dulled. She ran a hand through her loose blue hair, her expression distant.
The others agreed to join the rotation, and with that, Kaeas bounded toward the building’s entrance. Jacob noticed she was still wearing her casual clothes—no armor, no special gear. He frowned. Wasn’t this supposed to involve training armor? His thoughts were interrupted as a massive screen mounted on the wall came to life, displaying a live feed of the simulation. Cameras followed Kaeas’ movements as she darted into the building.
The objective was simple: destroy as many robots as possible within the time limit without taking damage. The robots weren’t firing lethal rounds, but the darts they shot left clear marks, tracked by a graphic overlay on the screen. Kaeas moved with practiced precision, her rifle firing in sharp, controlled bursts. Each shot landed perfectly, severing robotic heads and disabling their systems with almost effortless ease.
Jacob couldn’t take his eyes off the screen. The others watched with varying degrees of interest, their familiarity with the exercise evident. For them, this was routine. For Jacob, it was anything but.
As he stood there, something small bumped into his ankle. He looked down to see the round robot-thing from earlier, nudging his leg softly and muttering the same phrase over and over.
{“FRIEND? FRIEND? FRIEND?”}
Jacob winced. The voice was small and almost childlike, tinged with an odd mix of confusion and hope. It was unnerving. Before he could react, the girl with the wolfcut—Piper—strode over. She scooped up the robot with practiced ease, cradling it in her arms like a child. She kissed its anime-girl head before glaring at Jacob.
He cleared his throat, feeling awkward under her intense gaze. Extending a hand, he attempted a friendly introduction. “Hey. I’m Jacob. Pretty sure you already know that. Didn’t catch your name.”
Piper stared at his hand but didn’t shake it. “Piper,” she said softly, her voice low. “This is Jill.”
Jacob hesitated, glancing at the robot. “What… what is it?”
Her eyes widened, and before she could respond, Brodyn interjected with a grin. “Think of it like a pet. With machine guns.”
Piper’s expression darkened instantly. She set Jill down gently before punching Brodyn square in the gut. The man doubled over, coughing as he clutched his stomach.
“Don’t you ever call Jill a pet,” Piper hissed. “Or I’ll feed your fingers to her for dinner.”
Brodyn held up a hand, still coughing. “Okay, okay! My bad.”
Satisfied, Piper picked Jill back up and walked away, her posture stiff. Canrad, who had been watching the exchange with mild amusement, chuckled. “She really got the best of you, huh, Bro?”
Brodyn straightened, wiping his hands on his shirt. “Piper’s tough. Don’t let her size fool you. She could probably take anyone here.”
Canrad smirked, unconvinced. “Sure, sure.”
Brodyn’s face grew serious. “I’m not kidding. She used to work for Dimond. Military officer. Her whole life.”
Canrad’s smirk faded, replaced by a contemplative look. He nodded but didn’t say anything more. The two turned their attention back to the screen as Kaeas’ run came to an end. Her stats appeared: three hits, all to her back. Her performance score flashed in bold: 94%.
Jacob watched Kaeas strut out of the training facility, arms raised in triumph, her rifle bouncing lightly in her grip. A victorious grin spread across her face as she hollered, “DID Y'ALL SEE THAT SHIT? NOBODY IS AS GOOD AS ME!” Her laughter rang out, infectious, as she threw an arm around the excitable doctor who had rushed to congratulate her.
In stark contrast, Brodyn let out an audible scoff, folding his arms with a smirk, while Canrad yawned dramatically. Their antics drew a scolding slap from Kaeas, followed by a volley of playful bickering. Amid the chaos, Jacob’s stomach churned with a mix of anticipation and dread. His name was next on the list, and he couldn’t ignore the sweat forming at the nape of his neck.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
With a deep, shaky breath, Jacob stepped toward the facility entrance. “Yo, Jacob!” Carline’s voice broke through his thoughts. He turned to see her waving, though the sharp movement made his neck ache. She gestured toward a door to the left. “Before you go in, you’re gonna need a training suit.”
Nodding silently, Jacob followed her into a small, closet-like room. Carline flipped through the rows of suits hanging neatly in the wardrobe. Her blue hair was loose today, framing her face in soft waves, unlike the tightly secured look she had sported the night before. After a moment, she pulled out a suit, heavy and solid. She knocked her knuckles against it, producing a sound that could easily provoke a dog’s bark.
“This will do,” she said, helping him slip into the armor. It felt bulky, its weight pressing down on his shoulders, but it radiated a strange sense of security. “Good luck. Nobody’s first time is easy.” Her voice was kind but firm, and Jacob nodded again, muttering a quiet “Thanks” before turning to face the holographic building.
The moment he stepped inside, the world shifted. The walls and ceilings seemed to close in, surrounding him with an uncanny sense of realism. Every detail, from the faded paint on the walls to the scuffed floors, was rendered with painstaking accuracy. For a moment, Jacob forgot it was a simulation. He took a deep breath and steadied himself, waiting for the scenario to begin.
A sharp beep echoed, and robots materialized throughout the building. Their metallic forms gleamed under the dim lights, their movements precise and mechanical. Jacob tightened his grip, his gloved fingers brushing the controls of his grappling hook.
He moved cautiously, weaving through rooms and ducking behind cover as darts whizzed past, their sounds unnervingly lifelike. The simulation’s immersion was unparalleled, and Jacob felt as though he were infiltrating a hostile facility. He reached a corner, pressed the hook’s button, and swung himself to a new vantage point. The ceiling’s height gave him room to maneuver, but controlling the grappling hook was harder than he’d imagined. Each swing felt like a gamble, his body often hurtling toward walls or slamming against furniture.
A pair of robots closed in, their dart guns firing relentlessly. Jacob dove behind a desk, his breaths ragged. Summoning his courage, he swung out, attaching his hook to a wall behind them. The mechanism pulled him forward, but the force sent him spinning uncontrollably. He smacked into the wall, his vision swimming. Groaning, he pushed himself up as the robots advanced.
Frustration and determination flared within him. With a shout, he charged one of the machines, his punch landing squarely on its head and sending it flying. The second robot met a similar fate, but Jacob knew his performance was far from smooth. Still, he pressed on, determined to learn the mechanics of his new equipment.
Over the next five minutes, chaos ensued. Jacob flung himself across rooms, often careening into walls or crashing through partitions. His movements were wild, more akin to a ragdoll tossed in a storm than a trained fighter. Yet, with each failure, he grew more confident, his punches delivering increasingly devastating blows to the robotic enemies.
Toward the end of the simulation, he found himself in a narrow hallway. A lone robot stood at the far end, its sensors locking onto him. Jacob grinned, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He hooked the wall to his side, running up its surface before pressing the round button. The grappling hook yanked him forward, and he slid down the hallway at breakneck speed. Ducking just as the robot fired, he sprang up in front of it, delivering a powerful punch to its chest. The machine exploded in a shower of sparks and wires, crumpling to the ground.
A loud alarm signaled the end of the session. The building’s realism faded, the holograms dissolving into thin air. Jacob stood amidst the remnants of his battle, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. He removed the gloves, his hands slick and trembling, and stepped outside to rejoin the others.
The team greeted him with a mix of cheers and playful ribbing. Brodyn clapped him on the shoulder, and Canrad grinned as he quipped, “Not bad for a rookie.” Jacob’s gaze shifted to the screen displaying his score: 13%. His stomach dropped.
Carline noticed his expression and nudged his shoulder. “Hey, that’s not too bad,” she said reassuringly. “Especially considering what you had to work with. Most people get guns.”
Jacob sighed, leaning against the wall. “Yeah, but… 13%?”
Brodyn stepped in with a fist bump. “Don’t sweat it, kid. Nobody’s a pro on their first run.”
“My first time, I got 4%,” Canrad chimed in, only for Junpei to interject with a smirk.
“Don’t act like you’ve improved much. Your high score’s 22%.”
Canrad shot back, “Oh yeah? You haven’t even done it yet.”
Junpei rolled his eyes. “What am I supposed to do, outsmart the robots with mind games?”
“Yeah… Like rock paper scissors. Loser dies.”
Junpei faced his palm—that conversation was going nowhere, and he knew it. The jumpers’ chatter lifted his spirits as Brodyn prepared to head into the training simulation. Suddenly, the overhead lights flickered back on with a loud, abrupt hum. The hologram dissipated, and the lever at the control panel was turned upwards with a sharp click.
“What the hell?” Brodyn muttered, his attention snapping toward the front of the training facility.
Standing there, arms crossed, was Kalaf. Her piercing golden eyes radiated judgment as she surveyed the room. Jacob followed her gaze, noticing how the intensity of her stare softened momentarily when she looked at him. He thought he saw the faintest trace of a smile. The team converged around her, sensing something significant was about to unfold.
“Kalaf? Thought you said you’d be out today,” Piper said as she approached, still carrying Jill over her shoulder with casual ease.
“I did say that, didn’t I?” Kalaf replied, her voice steady and calm. She reached into her cloak and produced a small, round disk. With a deliberate motion, she slammed her palm on the top, activating it like a futuristic bop-it toy. A hologram materialized in the air, its glow casting shifting shadows on the walls. The group’s demeanor changed instantly. They watched the projection with rapt attention, as if fully aware of its significance.
Jacob, however, stood off to the side, his hands buried in his pockets. Confusion painted his face. He had been enjoying the training session, even if it had been challenging. Now, the abrupt shift left him feeling unmoored.
“Uh…what’s this?” he asked hesitantly.
“Mission,” Junpei answered curtly, adjusting his tie with a smug grin. “We get at least two a week. Today was supposed to be an off day, though.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll get to that. Just watch,” Kalaf interrupted, holding the disk higher to ensure everyone could see.
The hologram flickered, its static resolving into a video feed. Two figures stood in a dimly lit room, their surroundings battered and grimy, as though the space had been abandoned for years. Both figures wore white cloaks, their faces obscured by eerie masks adorned with kanji and devil-like symbols etched into the foreheads.
“You got the pops?” one figure asked, their voice low and gravelly.
“Pops and something better,” the second replied, their accent thick and theatrical, like a villain from an old spy movie. “Got the prez’s creds. We’re gonna hit gold with this one!”
“Prez…? As in Diamond Prez?”
“What other prez would I be talkin’ about? A pretzel? Yes, Diamond Prez, you gonk.”
“Oh…yeah, I knew that. How’d you get it?”
“Falcon gave it to me. Said it was his way of sayin’ sorry for last time.”
“What are we gonna do with it?”
“I’ma give it to the Steezers. Those druggies won’t know what they got as long as we toss ‘em some puffers alongside it. Once we need it, we’ll march right in and take it. It’ll be safe with them for now.”
The feed cut out, leaving the room in tense silence. Jacob glanced around, noting the mix of fascination and determination on his teammates’ faces. He felt like an outsider to their unspoken understanding.
“Junpei’s nerd skills paid off,” Kaeas said with a grin, clapping Junpei on the shoulder.
“Hacking Kamura’s cameras was no big deal,” Junpei replied smoothly, his smirk growing. “Hacking Diamond? Now, that’s a different story.”
Jacob, still feeling out of his depth, cleared his throat. “What was that? Mission? How is that a mission?”
Kalaf slid the disk back into her cloak and fixed him with a steady gaze. “Rival gangs,” she began. “Somehow, Kamura’s crew got their hands on the Diamond Tower president’s credentials. Basically, his entire identity. Nobody knows who the guy really is, but if someone figures it out, they’ll have leverage over us.”
Jacob nodded slowly, pieces of the puzzle clicking into place, though the picture was far from clear. He still wasn’t sure he wanted to be involved in gang rivalries.
“So, this is the mission?” Carline asked, her voice tinged with concern. “Storm the Steezers and hope they still have the creds?”
Kalaf nodded firmly. “We move now. We can’t waste time. Let’s go!”
With that, she turned on her heel and sprinted out of the training grounds. Brodyn cracked his knuckles, gave a sharp nod, and followed. “You heard Kal. Let’s move!”
The rest of the group sprang into action, leaving Jacob standing frozen. Anxiety washed over him like a tidal wave. His first mission? Against gangs? With no preparation? His mind spiraled as his palms grew clammy. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, trying to ground himself.
A hand on his arm snapped him out of his thoughts. It was Carline. Her striking blue eyes met his, steady and reassuring. She was nearly as tall as him, her presence both calming and commanding.
“I know this is all new,” she said gently, a small smile playing on her lips. “But we’ve got your back. We’ll fill you in on the way, okay?”
Jacob swallowed hard, her words sinking in. He nodded, summoning the courage to move. This was his new life, his new world, his new team. He couldn’t afford to let them down. With a deep breath that steadied his racing thoughts, he followed Carline out of the training grounds, ready to face the unknown.