Chapter 115: 115: Series of Tests
"I'm Zetsu. The one that will guide you and facilitate the tests. If you're curious, there are five tests you must have passed. Failure in any one of them results in obliteration."
"What? You will kill us once we fail?" Shu looked at Zetsu in doubt. Isn't that too cruel for failure?
'What are you? A system?' Caleb mused.
Kazuto, Kidd, and Rozho also stared at their peculiar team leader. If that was really the case. They decided to join another regiment instead...
Zetsu smiled warily.
"Just kidding. You kids are too serious. Well, now, since it's just the first day. I will lead you to the house where you are assigned. Then we will conduct the first test tomorrow. Failing any test would result in your disqualification. Any questions or violent reactions?"
Rozho, Shu, Caleb, Kazuto, and Kidd calmed down. At least their leader wasn't a strict or arrogant one. Rather, they could see that Zetsu was quite easy-going and had a sense of humor.
"Can you tell us the contents of the test now?" Caleb, who values information, hopes to obtain clues. However, no matter what test it was. He was confident with his strength. It was his faith in the capability he had developed after living one hundred or so lives.
"Hmmm... Let me think about it." Zetsu scratched his cheek with a ponderous expression, which made the members look at him with hopeful eyes. "Nope. Won't do. But I can give you a hint."
"What a pity... Then what's the hint?" It was Shu who responded.
"A test of agility..." Zetsu trailed his words purposely and his eyes narrowed. "In our line of work. You would inevitably fight Apokalips. How is agility important?
Agility is crucial for Scouts because the world beyond the Walls is filled with unpredictable and treacherous terrain. From dense forests to rocky cliffs, the Scouts encounter a wide variety of landscapes. One stupid mistake, you might die and even drag your teammates." Zetsu's eyes deepened as if something flashed in his mind. He took a deep breath, trying to conceal his inner conflict, and said. "Apokalips are tough bastards. Being agile helps you get away from them when you meet one outside the Walls. The majority of them are gigantic... So if you're agile, they would have a hard time. More importantly, being a scout always places you on the ever-changing battlefield. Sometimes, things go wrong fast. Agility lets you react quickly in emergencies, like reaching someone who needs help in a hurry!"
'If it's a test of agility. Then I'm good to go.' Caleb cheered in his mind. With his high-level spirit attributes and physique. Any type of tests related to speed and strength... He would pass them with flying colors!
'Status!'
Status:
***
Name: Caleb
Race: Human
Age: ???
Rank: Taboo Energy (Grade 2) 80/10,000
Physique: 50 [Strength, Stamina, Endurance, Agility, Flexibility, Power, Etc...]
Spirit: 29 [Mental Strength, Mental Resistance, Reaction Speed, Perception, Five Senses, Dynamic Vision, Mental Energy, Intelligence, Energy Recovery Rate, Soul Def, Soul Strength, Etc...]
Abilities:
-Passive Skill-
Experience tales at m v|l e'm,p| y- r
-Active Skill-
Taboo Energy Sensitivity.
Tip: The basic attribute of a normal human is 5.
***
After ascending to Grade 2. He found out that his body could withstand the fast absorption of taboo energy a little bit better than before. It allowed him to absorb 20 units of taboo energy, unlike the 10 units before. It doesn't look like much, but its help was immense. After all, they would accumulate day by day. And he needed it more than before since he needs fucking 10,000 units to become a Grade 3 Taboo Fighter.
...
Just like that, team seven headed to the assigned house under the lead of Zetsu, their team leader. Along the way, no one said anything.
Their travel took two hours as the car was of an old version. The technological level of the City was imbalanced. Some aspects were advanced and some were backward. For example, in terms of vehicles; they are even behind in the 80's from the Earth. In terms of weapons, they had black technologies that could deal with Tier 9 Apokilips and other convenient things. The explanation for such imbalance was they managed to preserve some technologies of their past so they haven't fully become backward.
For Caleb, it was a good thing. Unfortunately, there was no internet. All information regarding computers and signals was gone. Humanity has to rediscover them again. From the birth of the ARPANET, the First Email, TCP/IP Standardization, and Domain Name System, to the creation of The World Wide Web.
On Earth, British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, creating the first web browser and web server software. Here, without his existence, someone would inevitably do the same feat. But when and how? Fortunately, humanity still knows the concept and what it was like to have internet in the past so the only thing they have to do was to study the principles.
"We're here."
The carriage stopped suddenly, which woke Caleb out of his daze. The five members looked at each other.
"Well, this is awkward." Kazuto chuckled momentarily.
Hearing this, Shu smirked.
"How about getting off first? You're on the way."
"Fine. Fine." Kazuto couldn't help but sigh. The inside of the carriage was so cramped that they had to forcefully fit their bodies. Which, in turn, resulted in their awkward posture.
Kidd watched as Kazuto struggled to reach the wooden door of the carriage with his hands. Disgruntled, he pushed Kazuto, causing the latter to stumble directly to the door and fall outside.
"Ouch! You bastard!!"
SMACK!
When Kidd walked out of the carriage. A fist greeted his face. He felt a stinging sensation on his lips.
"You did it now! You fuck!" Kidd wiped the slight amount of blood on his lips and was about to counterattack. However, a pair of hands locked him from the back. It was Johan who shoulder-locked him.
"Come!" Kazuto grinned. "I'm not the one that started it. You piece of shit."
Enraged, Kidd tried his best to remove himself.
"Fucking Johan, let go of me or I'll kill you too!"
Unfortunately, no matter how he tried. Johan's arms were unmoved... Kidd even tried to tackle him on the ground, but Johan was like a damn mountain. He couldn't even move him an inch. What's worse, Johan looks relaxed, not even trying to exert strength. 'Fuck! Is this guy a gorilla!?'
Shu, on the other hand, just looked at the scene with a wary smile. Kazuto calmed down and didn't attack Kidd anymore, as he was also being held back by Zetsu.
Zetsu sighed.
"You kids are a pain in the ass."