CHAPTER 23: BATTLING THE ABYSS

'Hm? Voidfall... Why did I say that?'

Interrupting him from his trance, Arthur's deep and calming voice resounded in his ears.

"Now that you have picked a weapon, I must warn you. Just because you are a Guardian, doesn't mean you are above the law. Using your abilities against non-Celestials is punishable by death. Only when authorized will you be able to do so."

Hermes gulped a mouthful of saliva and nodded his head fervently. Thinking over Arthur's words once more, the way he phrased the last sentence puzzled him.

"Hm? Have there been instances of us needing to use our abilities on civilians?"

Arthur did not say anything. Seeing this, Ming Xue who was walking beside him spoke up in his usual indifferent tone.

"Not civilians, but those who act like civilians."

"Hm? 'Act'? What do you mean by that?"

"You have probably heard that mutants have the ability to sometimes disguise themselves as humans. But have you ever wondered how they do it?"

"Yes I have, I tried asking for more information on the subject from Angelica since a lot of people had suspected me of being one, but she said it's confidential."

"You see, Mutants are exactly that, mutated animals. They are Animals who had been corrupted by the cosmic force in their bodies and warped into monstrous abominations."

"However, not all of them had drastic changes. Some simply evolved to include new characteristics they previously didn't have. One such Mutant is known as a Dream Parasite."

Ming continued his lecture, and Hermes decided to stay silent and await his answers diligently.

"These were normal parasites in the distant past, however, after acquiring Dream-type cosmic force, their abilities became more harrowing."

"If in the past, they had to live inside their host, now, they can simply plant a seed in them and control them from a distance like puppets in a theatre play."

"What's truly interesting is that the seed itself is undetectable, even with advanced bionic scanners. This is because they mimic the shape of any normal cell in the host's body, even storing exact genetic code of it to make itself seem more realistic."

"Another thing to consider is the host's psyche itself. In most cases, they won't even know they are being controlled. They will continue living their lives, believing every action they do is their own. When they do horrifying crimes that would usually go against their original moral compass, they would still find it normal to do."

"Because of the cruel nature of the subject, the information we provided to the public is that they are not really the people they know them to be, but mutants in disguise. I mean, can you imagine how you would feel if you knew the person the Guardians had to cut down has always been your family member but was under the control of some monster? That their every action was done consciously and they believed it to be their own?"

Every word Ming said sent shivers down his spine. He just couldn't imagine being in such a situation himself. Not knowing whether you are even in control of your own actions. His stomach would churn at the mere thought of it.

Seeing the young cadet's face become pale, Ming voiced his opinion on the matter.

"Although they are undetectable biologically, their biggest weakness is how they control their puppets. Discrepancies in how the host acted before being taken over compared to after are very obvious to spot. Not only that, but the Dream Parasite relies on them to regularly absorb Dream-Type Cosmic Force to maintain the connection."

"This is confidential information only cadets will know about, but actually, other human settlements have existed out in the vast desert landscapes. Most of the people there are killed on the spot or eaten, however, some become hosts to Dream Parasites. This is where the apprehension to strangers comes from."

"Every single refugee we have received in the past 500 years has been a host to a Dream Parasite. Still, the apprehension is unjustified, since we make sure to monitor everyone that does come in extensively. Most incidents caused by Dream Parasites are from hosts who used to be Guardians that went out on an excursion and came back possessed."

"Forty years ago, a Guardian cadet became possessed by a Dream Parasite unbeknownst to everyone. What was special about this cadet however was that he was a Gifted One that specialized in the Dreams Domain. Because of this, our cosmic force detectors couldn't distinguish between his own cosmic force and the parasite."

"After 2 years of being under the radar, he unleashed an attack on a residential area, killing about 300 civilians."

Arthur nodded and let his deep and authoritative voice reach their ears.

"You do not need to worry about being taken over. The Cosmic Force portion of your exam already proved that you have no residual dream-type cosmic force in your body at all. The reason I decided to preside over you when taking that test was so that in the off chance you resisted or you showed your true colors, I would put you down on the spot."

Nodding slightly, Ming spoke once more.

"However, Dream Parasites pale in comparison to real Mutants who can disguise themselves. They are called Vagrant Devourers. We will talk about those some other day, we have arrived."

As soon as he finished his sentence, a colossal metal door loomed before Hermes that gripped every bit of his attention. To the left side was a small device that looked to be a computer terminal. Ming Xue leaned his right eye next to the device as vibrant blue light began to envelop it. A robotic voice echoed out into the corridor.

["Scan Complete."]

["Authorization Confirmed: Battalion Commander Ming Xue recognized."]

["Welcome to Training Facility B."]

-Click!

The metallic door glided open, revealing a voluminous space. Every surface—walls, floor, and ceiling—was clad in formidable layers of metal. The space itself rivaled the expanse of a basketball court.

As the trio stepped inside, the foreboding gate sealed shut, enclosing them within the fortified chamber.

Hermes, who just had his worries of being possessed eased couldn't help but feel uneasy. Something felt off...

Arthur took his steps in stride as he went to the left side of the room and leaned against the sturdy wall.

Observing this, Ming acknowledged him with a subtle nod, then gracefully walked a distance of ten meters away from Hermes. With a fluid motion, he turned his body as his open military trench coat slightly fluttered in the wind, fixing his gaze directly upon the inexperienced cadet.

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His eyes which were previously filled with indifference darkened even more, and a hint of bloodlust oozed out from within. In one fell swoop, his sword which was buckled to his hip had been unsheathed without Hermes even noticing.

The Tang Dao blade gleamed, its polished surface adorned with intricate silver sigils that traced along its sides. The hilt, a masterpiece of craftsmanship, featured a resplendent dragon head with its maw wide open, from which the blade emerged with an aura of undeniable power.

On each side of the blade inside an etched circle from where the silvered sigils emerge, a symbol was carved into the blue-hued steel. On the left side was the '报' and on the right was the '应' symbol. Together, they spelled '报应', meaning 'Retribution' in Mandarin.

Hints of fear swam across Hermes' body, unsure of what will happen next.

"Uh, a-are we having a s-spar?"

Ming did not say anything. Darkness began to ooze out from underneath his feet. His shadows had become larger than what was possible in such a luminous space.

Feeling the surge, Hermes' instincts roared to life. He deftly hoisted the gunblade in his right hand, battling against its relentless pull. In the blink of an eye, Ming vanished from his sight.

-Ting!

Witnessing this, Hermes swiftly positioned the gunblade as a stalwart shield, intercepting the incoming strike. Sparks ignited, illuminating the clash between his weapon and Ming's Tang Dao sword. Then, an unexpected transformation occurred. The once bluish-silver accents of the blade darkened with the '报应' symbols shifting into a profound shade of obsidian.

-Bam!

"Akh!"

Before Hermes could realize it, Ming had swung his blade hard enough to sweep him off his feet, sending him flying into the fortified metal wall behind him. The air inside his lungs burst out, causing him to almost faint on the spot.

Ming's voice reverberated across the walls of the enclosed space.

"It seems you have forgotten something. Just because you became a Guardian, does not mean the exams are over. I thought the exam proctor told you that the tests last two days, did he not?"

Catching his breath with one hand on his knee and using the gunblade as a cane for support, Hermes' brain began to process what had happened a second ago.

'That attack... He didn't hold back at all. If I hadn't slightly parried it at the last moment, I would have died on impact against the wall.'

Adrenaline began to seep inside every marrow of his body. For the first time, he was filled with unyielding determination and looked straight into Ming's bone-chilling eyes that hid an abyss.

Seeing this, Arthur spoke in a commanding voice.

"Pick up your weapon. You are already a Celestial with a complete dimensionality. Do you not remember what I said? Your dimensionality allows you to truly have ownership over your cosmic force."

"The abilities you hold, [Lesser-Lexicon], [Augmented-Comprehension], [Sensory-Boost], [Martial-Study]. Remember them. Use them. Delve into your subconscious. It is impossible for a person to not know who they are."

His words were like an electrical spark that swam through a vast circuit. Leaving Hermes in a trance-like state.

'Yes... I remember now... [Lesser-Lexicon], the analysis of words, phrases, symbols, glyphs, runes, equations, data... All of it can be within my grasp...'

'[Augmented-Comprehension], mental imagery, enhanced cognition, creative freedom... I can think much faster due to this ability...'

'[Sensory-Boost].... I can focus my cosmic force on a single sensation and enhance it... I have been casting it unconsciously this entire time...'

'[Martial-Study], allows swift comprehension of diverse weapons and martial techniques, I need to use this to find out the most optimal way to wield my gunblade...'

Without giving him any more time to think, Ming's figure disappeared once more, leaving an afterimage above the void beneath his feet.

Seeing this, Hermes immediately dropped all his thoughts and closed his eyes.

'[Sensory-Boost]...'

His cosmic force coalesced inside his cochlea, allowing his hearing to grow exponentially. Not even the movements of his hair were outside his grasp.

-Vrrrr.....

A hushed muffle was heard, the sound of displaced air. Without an ounce of hesitation, Hermes with all his might lifted the gunblade and slashed vertically to his right.

-Ting!

The sound of metal crashing against metal was heard, sending sparks flying. In less than a second, Ming had materialized next to him. His speed was nothing short compared to a 'Blink' spell.

With a swift motion, Ming deftly shifted the axis of his sword, causing the gunblade to slide downward on its own. As he stomped his right foot, he unleashed a powerful strike with his left. Hermes, left with his posture shattered, found himself defenseless against the onslaught.

-Crack!

The kick landed on the side of his chest, sending him flying across the reinforced chamber.

"Kugh."

Pain permeated across his now broken ribs as he clutched them tightly. At the last moment, He used [Augmented-Comprehension] to think of the best possible way to position himself and take the least amount of damage. Hundreds of different scenarios played across his mind.

With not much time, he shifted his body like a springboard, allowing it to roll across the cold hard floor, mitigating the momentum of Ming's precision strike. Using his gunblade, he tried his best to get up and analyze his situation. He didn't know when the next attack may come.

With one knee on the floor, he panted heavily, gasping for air. Blood dripped from his left ear. The force of Ming's kick almost ruptured his ear drums which were keenly sensitive to sound due to him using [Sensory-Boost].

"Ugh!", pain reverberated across his body as his vision blurred momentarily.

'How the fuck am I still alive?! That kick should have killed me...'

As if reading him like a book, Ming's voice filled with malice resounded in his heart.

"You're alive because you are a Stage 1 Celestial. Use [Sensory-Boost] on your eyes and make sure to focus all your available cosmic force on that ability."

Panting heavily, Hermes did just that. He didn't know how, but just thinking about it caused his cosmic force to move on its own. Suddenly a veil of light was seen enveloping his body. It was ethereal in nature. Colors of purple, shades of blue, red, green, orange... There was no pattern as the aura continued to shift into waves of spiritual wonder.

'This...'

Arthur's calm and soothing voice echoed across the room.

"Yes. That is Cosmic Force. More specifically, Knowledge-Type cosmic force. You have been unconsciously coating yourself in it. This is in fact very normal. Just like how you do not consciously control your heart's beating and other organs, your brain will automatically use it to envelop your body. This is called passive and active control."

Panting heavily, Hermes closed his eyes and reorganized his thoughts. After a few seconds of silence, he used his gunblade once more as support and lifted himself up with all his might.

Raising the gunblade, he firmly grasped it with both hands, angling it towards Ming, who held his steel-edged blade in a relaxed, low stance. Its tip directed toward the ground. Despite appearances, anyone assuming he was defenseless would be sorely mistaken.

The longer Hermes studied Ming's posture, the greater his trepidation grew. Even with [Augmented-Comprehension] rapidly controlling the action potentials in his nerve cells, every conceivable attack scenario spelled out Hermes' demise.

A smile appeared on Hermes' face. Some may say that the pressure from facing one of the strongest Guardians alive had caused him to go crazy. But he himself didn't think so. He was filled with euphoria that he had never had before in his life.

For the first time in 25 years, he felt excited when facing death itself. The prospect of beating up a Battalion Commander overwhelmed his previous cowardice. All sensations of pain have numbed completely. Never in his life had he felt this free in expressing himself.

Seeing his expression, Ming's sinister voice pierced daggers through his heart.

"It seems I haven't bullied you enough."

Not minding the chills every word he said gave him, Hermes scoffed.

"Hehe, you're right. I too sometimes believe my arrogance knows no bounds..."

END OF CHAPTER