Chapter 27: A RANK BEAST

VIVIAN

"But he was the one who defended me when my mother came to cancel my admission."

"He changed his mind?"

Vivian’s eye twitched.

This man changes his mind faster than I change clothes.

Serial stepped forward. "Why?"

The soldier shook his head.

"I was only instructed to deliver the message."

Herbert folded his arms.

"I told you."

Vivian slowly turned toward him. He raised an eyebrow. "You don’t belong here."

She smiled. "Keep talking and I’ll prove you wrong personally."

Herbert snorted. " and I’m looking forward to it."

Vivian ignored him. She looked toward the command building.

"I am going to his office. Where is it located.."

"Training hall."

"I will go with you." Serial said. She replied, "No."

She walked away. Serial immediately followed without care for the rejection.

"Vivian, wait."

She turned.

"What?"

"You don’t have to fight him alone."

Vivian smiled. "I know."

Then she pointed at Herbert. "I have him."

Herbert’s face changed.

"Why me?!"

Vivian laughed and continued walking. Serial and Herbert ran along following her like bedbugs.

*TRAINING HALL

He wasn’t in his office but at the training hall with some old recruits.

Vincent Hale stood in front of the Old recruits. His hands were behind his back.

His expression was cold. The moment Vivian entered, the entire training hall became quiet.

Vincent looked at her. "You were told your admission into my unit was rejected."

Vivian stopped in front of him. "I heard."

"Then why are you here?"

"I came to negotiate."

Several students exchanged amused looks.

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "Negotiate?"

"Yes."

Vivian crossed her arms.

"What are your conditions for letting me back into your team?"

A few students snickered. She is so rude!! Doesn’t she know who Vincent was? No student can talk to him like that!! Who is she? I like her so domineering.

Vincent stared at her for a long moment. "You really think you can bargain with me?"

"No."

She smiled. "But I think everyone has a price."

A few old recruits covered their mouths. "She must be crazy or drunk!!"

Vincent’s expression darkened. "Really? What do you think is my price? ."

"Give me your conditions and I will fulfill it.."

He stared at her. "You want to join my unit?"

"Yes."

"You understand my unit isn’t a place for spoiled nobles."

"I abandoned my royal status."

"You’re still protected by your father’s name. Now you are protected by your federation picked fiancee."

"I didn’t ask them to protect me."

"You have unexplained strength."

Vivian’s smile faded.

Vincent stepped closer. "You shattered a Grade-S strength stone."

The surrounding students immediately started whispering.

Vincent continued. "You survived an attack from a mutated plant."

Vivian remained silent.

"And somehow, you still want to call yourself Zero-Class."

Vivian shrugged. "That’s what my test says."

Vincent almost smiled. Almost. "You want to become an individual soldier?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

He turned around. "Then earn it."

Vivian’s eyes narrowed.

"How?"

Vincent pointed toward the enormous holographic map behind him.

The image changed. A vast forest appeared.

It was a Dark and Dense forest. Filled with strange glowing plants.

A red warning symbol flashed across the map.

ABANDONED War Zone — HIGH RISK.The recruits immediately became quiet.

Vincent looked at Vivian. "You’ll enter the Abandoned war zone alone."

Vivian blinked. "Alone?"

"No teammates."

She looked at Serial. He immediately shook his head.

Vincent continued. "No Herbert."

Herbert looked relieved.

"And no instructor."

Vivian’s expression became serious.

"You’re sending me alone?"

"You asked to become a soldier."

He pointed at the forest.

"Prove you deserve the uniform. How am I sure you won’t bring my team down during the mission." Vivian stared at the map.

"What exactly do I have to do?"

Vincent raised one finger.

"Survive twenty-four hours."

A second finger. "Return with the core of an S-Rank mutated beast."

A third. "Earn twenty merits."

The students gasped. Vivian’s eyes widened. "Twenty?"

Vincent nodded.

"You need eight merits to advance to the next semester. But you need twenty to be in my team."

He smiled coldly. "If you succeed, you’ll have more than enough."

"And if I fail?"

Vincent looked directly into her eyes. "You leave the military academy. Promise you will never set foot in this school."

The entire training ground went silent. Vivian stared at him.

Then she smiled. "That’s all?"

Vincent frowned. "You think that’s easy?"

"No."

Vivian rolled her shoulders. "I think you’re forgetting something."

"What?"

She pointed at herself. "I’ve already been kicked out once this time you CAN’T anymore ... .if I win you can’t interfere in my school."

A few students burst out laughing. Vincent’s lips twitched. He didn’t answer her request. "Tomorrow morning. Be on time"

Vivian nodded. "Fine."

"Wait."

She turned.

Vincent’s expression became colder. "I will accept your condition but with one more condition."

Vivian sighed. "Okay.."

"You cannot use your father’s name."

"I won’t."

"You cannot request help from any commander."

"Fine."

"You cannot use the academy’s communication system to call for rescue."

Vivian nodded. "Fine."

"And if you encounter another student..."

He paused.

"You don’t abandon them."

Vivian’s expression changed. "That wasn’t part of the mission."

"It is now."

She stared at him.

"Why?"

"Because a soldier doesn’t only survive for herself."

For the first time, Vivian saw something different in his eyes.

He wasn’t simply trying to get rid of her.

He was testing her. She smiled. "Deal."

Vincent nodded.

"Then report to the eastern gate at six tomorrow morning."

Vivian turned to leave. Then stopped. "One question."

"What again?" He asked, clearly annoyed.

"If I bring back an S-Rank beast core..."

She glanced over her shoulder. "...what rank do I get?"

Vincent’s eyes narrowed.

"If you accomplish everything..."

He paused.

"I’ll personally recommend your rank."

Vivian grinned. "Good."

She walked away. Herbert stared after her. "She is insane."

Serial nodded. "No. She is confident.

Herbert snorted. "I bet she will fail."

Serial smiles. "But I bet she will win."

*THE NEXT MORNING

Vivian stood before the eastern gate. Her military uniform covered her body. But the style was different from other day wear. It was like a hiking uniform with the Haxia military logo.

She had a small combat pack hung from her shoulder.

Her communicator was locked. No rescue calls. No help from outsiders, just her.

Vincent stood above the gate with several instructors.

He looked down at her. "Last chance to turn back."

Vivian looked up. "Open the gate."

Vincent raised his hand.

The massive metal doors began to move.

BOOOOOOM.

The gates opened. A cold wind rushed out of the forest.

Vivian stepped forward. The moment she crossed the boundary, the gate slammed shut behind her.

Vivian looked back.

"Well..."

She adjusted her backpack.

"Guess I’m on my own."

She walked deeper into the forest.

The further she went, the stranger the forest became. Trees twisted unnaturally.

Some had eyes. Others had mouths.

One flower opened as she passed but they never attacked her.

Vivian immediately stepped away.

"Why are they not attacking me?"

She pointed at it.

Beeny replied in her mind. "Because of me of course. Every plant fears bees."

Vivian blinked. "Beeny I love you more than the Lotus."

She continued walking. After several minutes, she checked her communicator.

No signal. "Of course there won’t be.."

She sighed. "This place is basically nature’s prison."

A strange sound came from the bushes.

Vivian stopped. Something moved.

She slowly reached for the metal rod attached to her belt.

The bushes shook again. Vivian raised the rod.

"Come out."

But it was silent. She narrowed her eyes. "I’m warning you."

A tiny creature suddenly jumped out.

Vivian screamed. The creature screamed. They stared at each other.

It was a rabbit. Vivian lowered the rod. "You scared me!"

The rabbit stared at her before disappearing into the bushes.

Vivian put her hand over her chest. "My heart almost left my body."

High above her, a surveillance drone silently followed.

Vincent watched from the command room.

One instructor laughed. "She was frightened by a rabbit. Are you sure she won’t die in there?"

Vincent didn’t smile.

"Keep watching."

Two hours passed.

Vivian walked deeper into the forest. Then she stopped. Something smelled strange.

Blood. Fresh blood. She followed the scent.

The trees became thicker. Then she saw it. A gigantic footprint.

Vivian crouched beside it. Her expression became serious. "This isn’t an ordinary beast."

The footprint was almost twice the size of her body.

Beeny replied in her Head. "It’s a Fish Beast with legs. That smell was from a rotten water fish."

She stood and smiled. "Where are you hiding?"

A roar suddenly shook the entire forest.

ROOOOOOAR!

Vivian’s hair flew backward.

Birds exploded from the trees. The ground trembled.

Vivian slowly looked up. A gigantic creature emerged from between the trees.

Its body was covered in black armor-like scales.

Two enormous horns curved from its skull. Its eyes glowed crimson. But its legs were fish tails that could walk. It smelled so bad she tried covering her nose. What the hell? Did you sleep in human feces?

Vivian swallowed.

"That..."

The beast roared again.

"...is definitely not a real fish."

The holographic scanner on her communicator finally activated.

TARGET DETECTEDSPECIES: MUTATED FISH BEAST

RANK: A-RANK

DANGER LEVEL: EXTREME

Vivian stared at the information. Then she slowly smiled.

"THIS IS AN APPETISER."

The beast charged. Vivian jumped sideways.

Its claws smashed into the ground where she had been standing.

Vivian rolled across the dirt. "Fuck!"

She stood. "Maybe we should talk first!"

The beast charged again. She puked on the floor.

She said "I’m not here for you.. Don’t come close to me, you stink so bad. "

She ran. The beast chased her through the trees.

Vivian jumped over the roots. Branches tore at her uniform. She looked back. "Why is a fucking fish so fast?!"

The beast opened its mouth. Energy began gathering inside.

Vivian’s eyes widened.

"Oh, hell no."

She jumped behind a tree. The energy blast destroyed the tree.

Vivian flew through the air and crashed into the ground.

She groaned. "Ouch."

She pushed herself up. Her eyes suddenly glowed faintly.

The golden lotus inside her consciousness trembled. One of its petals shimmered. A cute voice came from the Lotus. " I am hungry. I want to eat that fish.

Vivian froze. The Lotus in me really talks?

"You..."

She touched her chest. "You want to eat this thing?"

The lotus trembled again. Vivian stared at the approaching beast.

Then she smiled.

"Well..."

She cracked her knuckles. "Let’s see what you’re capable of."

High above the forest, Vincent watched the footage.

His expression slowly changed.

"Interesting."

The instructor beside him frowned.

"Sir?"

Vincent leaned closer to the screen.

The moment the A-Rank beast appeared, Vivian’s vital readings had changed.

He didn’t know what he was looking at. But he knew one thing.

That wasn’t the reaction of a Zero-Class female.

"Her body is reacting to the beast. She seems to be excited. What is she planning on doing?"

He stared at Vivian.

"Let’s see what you really are, Vivian Lilian."

Below... Vivian charged straight toward the A-Rank beast.