Chapter 32: Rank Assesment Part Two

Cashel let out a breath and stepped further into the chamber. The air away from the door was cooler, and it became colder the more he moved into the centre.

Nathan clapped him once on the back before leaving his side and walking to the end of the room, where a silver case resembling a coffin waited.

Cashel turned at the sound of a hiss, his brows rising when he saw Nathan pulling out the materials and tossing them on the ground as if they were heavy.

"What is that?" he asked, turning away from the centre platform to where Nathan stood.

Nathan huffed, then placed both hands on his hips. "Those are the reading suits," he said, gesturing at the extra materials in the chamber. "They are designed to read your mana levels deeper; core strength, blood, energy and everything else needed to calculate your rank." He explained and smiled. "You might have a little workout."

Cashel narrowed his eyes as he made his way over to where Nathan was and gazed down at the material. "If you’re breathing like that, what makes you think I can move in this when you only carried it?"

Nathan chuckled softly. "Just find a way to pull it on." That was all he said before making his way to the stairs and up to the observation deck.

Cashel exhaled deeply. He slowly bent and picked up the ridiculously heavy leather suit. His mind reeled with questions, each one expressing his annoyance.

’Why not throw me in there naked if they need accurate results?’

’Why would I wear a heavy suit and expect me to move effectively? Tch.’

Yet he still put on the suit, slipped on the gloves and boots, and let out another breath.

"Stand on the centre platform," Nathan yelled from the observation deck without sparing a glance at Cashel.

Cashel reluctantly and slowly walked to the platform, pushing aside the cement ball with a low grunt. He planted both feet on the slightly raised surface and looked up.

"How’s this?"

Nathan raised his head briefly, then lowered it after giving a thumbs-up.

At that moment the sound of buttons being clicked and levers being pulled filled the entire chamber. The light illuminating the space went off, making Cashel raise a brow and frown.

But soon light was restored, only differently.

Lines of red and blue lights moved from beneath the observation deck straight towards the platform where Cashel stood, filling the area with a soft humming sound.

Cashel just stood there unimpressed, arms behind him as he watched the lights move back and forth, assuming the platform was charging up or something.

His senses remained on high alert. The assessment was sudden and he had not prepared for it. It was obvious it was going to be very different.

At the same time he had an audience. Not far from the observation deck where the control console was, he could sense a few individuals behind the glass.

Nathan tapped in a few commands again, seizing the rapid light movement, and the chamber was lit in a soft blue light from the gaps and corners.

Then the screen flickered to life.

"Ready when you are," his voice came through the speakers.

Cashel nodded and unfolded his arms. "Do it."

Nathan’s finger pressed the final key and the screen switched to multiple instructions and codes.

[Scan Initiated.]

[Analyzing Mana Core...]

[Analyzing Physical Parameters...]

[Analyzing Class...]

The platform glowed and a low vibration ran up through Cashel’s legs. He kept his breathing steady, eyes half-lidded, letting the machine do whatever it needed.

A moment later the screen turned red, bathing the chamber in a dark red glow.

[Error.]

[Unable to establish fixed classification.]

[Recalculating.]

Nathan’s smile faded by a fraction as his eyes behind his glasses narrowed.

[Rank Determination: —]

[Rank Determination: —]

[Rank Determination: —]

The screen flickered harder, as though corrupted or experiencing a glitch. Numbers and symbols flashed too quickly to read, and murmurs rose from the other side of the observation deck.

The aluminium balls along the walls trembled slightly, and one of the cement balls cracked straight down the middle without a single sound before parting.

[WARNING.]

[Subject possesses multiple incompatible classification signatures.]

[No definite Class. Subject Possesses a Class Fluctuation Effect]

[Assessment suspended.]

Nathan was no longer smiling at all. He stared at the screen, then at Cashel, then back at the screen. His hands moved to the console again, slowly this time. He tried a different sequence.

It was the same result.

The murmurs rose, climbing over the humming of the machines. Someone swore, and the sound of a door closing and opening followed.

Nathan just stood there completely silent, eyes narrowed as he stared at the screen, his gaze gleaming faintly with every line that appeared and was replaced.

"Nathan, what’s going on down there?" Rain’s voice echoed through the comms, making him blink and glance at the speaker near him.

He pressed the reply button and answered in a low voice. "The machine..." He looked at Cashel, who just stood there staring at the screen as well. "It’s acting up again, and it’s even worse this time."

Cashel remained in place, already moving his hands behind him to relax, but his eyes stayed on the screen.

From his perspective he saw exactly what they were seeing, but the system screen right in front of the actual display showed something else layered over the information.

Like a translation of sorts.

[Conducting Actual Recalculation of Player’s Stats, Class and Rank. Please Stand By.]

The doors opened and Rain stepped inside with two technicians and a medical officer following behind her. She was no longer wearing the white shirt from her office. The glasses were gone.

In their place was the black combat uniform, a stark contrast to the usual white he was used to.

She looked considerably less like a general conducting paperwork and more like someone preparing for a battlefield.

Her eyes went directly to the screen, then to Nathan. "Run it again."

Nathan chuckled. "General—"

"While he’s fighting."

Cashel’s eyes widened instantly. He turned swiftly, but she had already crossed the distance and grabbed his collar.

"I usually don’t do this, but they are getting on my nerves, and the last thing we want is an awakener hiding his rank or class."

’There it is, the actual reason.’ Cashel almost smiled but hardened his expression and frowned. "This makes no sense. I’m not even part of SAMD. I don’t think it’s necessary to—"

Rain’s eyes gleamed faintly. "Oh really? What makes you think so?"

The moment she spoke, another voice came through the comms, a rather familiar one.

"Bishop..."

Cashel’s eyes darkened. His gaze instinctively moved to the other observation deck where the visitors were, and he glared hard at the shadow close to the glass.

"I gave my permission," Lionface, BMM’s leader, said through the comms in an amused tone. "Not only is the military interested, but BMM as well. No one knows your rank, and it’s a bit of a bother."

’Conniving bastards,’ he thought, amused but mostly annoyed.

Cashel scoffed. "Yeah, so you all can find a proper way and solutions to subdue me if I go out of line."

The man laughed softly. After a moment of silence he answered. "Yes. That is right." Lionface’s voice remained almost amused, and Rain slowly turned toward the observation deck as well.

"If the fight doesn’t produce anything useful, we’ll escalate."

Cashel’s eyes narrowed. "To what?"

"ARM," he paused. "Then me."

Cashel’s expression hardened, and Lionface chuckled through the speakers.

"And if that doesn’t work..." he lowered his tone, "We’ll bring in a Supreme."

Cashel snorted. "And if that doesn’t work?"

Lionface answered, "Your wife. She should be able to force it out of you."