"Never been more ready in my life!" Myra raised her fists up, ready for battle—and more than ready to get stronger.
"Then show me what you got!" Rei stood completely still. His hands still in his pocket as he let her have the first blow.
"Hit me once in 5 minutes, and you'll be ready to move on to the next stage, kid!"
"Sounds simple..." Myra muttered. Knowing she can't underestimate the task, despite how easy it sounds..
Rei snapped his fingers as a large hourglass suddenly materialized out of thin air. Ticking down five minutes.
"Woah!" Myra gawked in shock and admiration at the display of power.
"Your time starts, now~"
"Here goes..." She lunged forward, her movement slow and jagged due to how inexperienced she is.
She tried to deliver a right hook to the face. But Rei simply tilted his head backwards a little. Her fist passed right above it. Rei's grin never faltered in the slightest. His hands never left his pockets
"Go on. I trust ya~" Rei gave her a wink as she tried to punch and kick him over and over again. But he would always move out the way smoothly.
"Dammit.." Myra grunted and groaned as she kept on trying to land one hit on him. Frustration started to take over as she kept on attacking.
The sand in the top of the hourglass was quickly decreasing as the 'battle' went on.
"Getting cross, are we? Clock's ticking~" Rei taunted. Looking pretty smug and amused as he kept on embarrassing her.
Myra glanced over at the hourglass and her eyes widened as she realized she barely had any time left
"Damn!" She picked up the effort, trying her absolute hardest to land a hit on him.
"How are you so fast!?" She yelled out as she tried a jab, then a left hook, And even a headbutt. Yet none of them seemed to even get close to hitting him.
"Gee, thanks for the compliment~" He chuckled as he noticed her leg rising up for a roundhouse.
Only this time did one of his hands finally leave his pocket. Grabbing her shin and holding her in place. "Time's up, kid."
"Damn it all.." She sighed as she lowered her leg and sat down on the ground. Panting heavily.
"That's not fair.. How do you expect me to hit you like that...?" She looked up at him. Clearly fatigued.
"Exactly. That's why I'm gonna whip you up into shape until you can beat me, not just hit me once or twice." He sat down in front of her
"This'll be like hell, kid. Here. Have this, so we can get ready for something else right away." He tossed her a strange looking sea-blue orb.
She caught it in the air and stared at it, as if she's examining jewelry. "W-.. What's this...?" She looked back up at his towering form.
"Give it a bite and see what it does." Rei stood up and was already walking in the opposite direction.
"Okay..." She got up and walked after him as she leaned forward, giving it a slight sniff. It smelled almost like... A beach... She leaned forward and took a bite.
Myra's eyes widened in shock as she felt a strange power coursing through her body. Her fatigue going away near-instantly.
"What the hell!? What just happened?!" She looked at her hands in shock. Feeling as if she hasn't done any work at all today!
"That's called an Abyssal Pearl. They're made in the treatment sector by diluting drowned blood and mixing it with donated human blood and water."
"Thus cramming the Drowned's regenerative abilities into a delicious snack that instantly heals most injuries and fatigue."
"...Wow.." She stared at the half-eaten orb in front of her. She looked at it with a newfound sense of admiration and disbelief. "I still can't wrap my head around any of this..."
"Why not? The supernatural exists. Simple as that." He shrugged.
"I guess you're right..." She put the orb in her pocket. Liking how the Mariana tracksuit fits her perfectly. Which accentuated her shape as well.
"Where are we going?" She asked. Picking up her pace to match his.
"To awaken your Ocean." He looked at her over his shoulder and winked.
Her eyes widened in shock and excitement. "What?! Already? I just began my training!"
"Your ocean can come at any time. We just have to force it out." He stopped in front of a large pit in the center of the training grounds. They can't even see the bottom of it from their position.
"I.. I see... W-.. What's with that hole...?" She looked down at it in fear, backing up a bit.
"This is where our beginners try to manifest their oceans." His grin widened into a wicked smile as he cracked his knuckles.
"What do you mean...? I'm not going in there.. Am I...?" She stared at him in fear.
"Bingo~ In ya go!" He raised his leg and kicked her back—knocking her forward into the pit.
Myra let out a loud, guttural shriek as she plummeted down into the darkness.
"No, no, no, no, NO!" She refused in terror as she closed her eyes tightly. "I shouldn't have trusted him!" Tears caused by the pure fear of death streamed down her face.
"Mom, dad, Sammy... I'm so sorry..." She approached the bottom at a rapid pace.
But just as she thought she was about to meet death right then and there...
She collided with the floor of the pit. But instead of feeling excruciating pain or instantly dying... She felt the floor yielding under her weight before launching her upwards slightly.
"What the...?" She opened her eyes as she felt herself rising, then falling again, and again, and again, repeatedly bouncing on the soft surface, before finally stilling on it.
"The hell...?" She stood up slowly, the floor instantly went solid as a rock after she was safe.
"What is this place..." She couldn't see a thing. It was far too dark.. But then a set of torches suddenly lit up in a circle on the walls of the pit. illuminating the terrors that she was about to see.
"Oh... God..." She backed up in fear as she realized.. The deadly part wasn't falling down from such a height.. The deadly part is what's in here!
There stood a group of six Drowned. Looking like they haven't had a good meal in a long time.
"I'm not ready for this, I'm not ready at all!" She yelled out in terror as she backed into a corner.
The Drowned breathed heavily as they approached her. The same repulsive purple saliva from before dripped out of their nightmarish mouths
"Crap, crap, crap!" She frantically tried to find a tunnel or a place she can run away through. But there was nothing.
One of the drowned lunged forward at breakneck speed, and before she can react, it slammed its massive palm against her right side. Sending her flying towards the other Drowned.
Another grabbed her in mid-air. Slamming her to the floor. They could just devour her right away. But they clearly looked like they wanted to have some fun first.
She grunted and screamed in agony as the Drowned tossed her amongst each other, each one delivering a devastating blow before throwing her to the next.
"Damn it... Damn it all.. Why am I... So weak...?" She started to lose grip on her consciousness as her resistance against the Drowned's violation slowly ceased.
"If there's anything in there.. Please... Save me..." She spoke to herself. As if trying to persuade her Ocean to come out.
The same words from her dream echoed in her head once more...
"You are a myth. You are a myth. You are a myth."
Her body went limp in one of the Drowned's hands as they ceased their violation. Now deciding to finally feast.
Her heart started beating faster and faster. Her chest started glowing faintly.
Just as the beasts were about to sink their sharp Tusks into her body.. She disappeared. The Drowned stared where her body used to be before looking around, trying to find her.
[In the surface.]
Rei stood tall. Sighing as he held Myra's unconscious form in his arms. A small piece in his ear lit up as he spoke into it.
"There was a slight effect. But no full manifestation yet. I had to interfere. Sounds like life-or-death situations aren't exactly what work best for her. We gotta find another way, Lady Sera."
Another voice rang out on the other end. "Very well. Get her treated and fully recovered. I think we should have her join you on a mission next. But that'll be decided when it's due."
"Understood." The ear-piece's light died away as Rei looked down
Once again, the floor turned to liquid below him as he descended with her into the ground.
Rising up in the treatment sector. Rei approached a door labeled "252". The door slid open on its own, welcoming them in.
"Failed attempt?" Hibiki sat at a large black and red desk, mixing herbs and liquids. A warm smile of enthusiasm was etched on her face as she worked tirelessly.
She looked at Rei over her shoulder, her gaze darting down towards the unconscious girl in his arms.
Rei nodded. "Yep. The pit with blood-thirsty Drowned only got a slight reaction. Nothing major." He gently set her on the bed.
"I showed her what Abyssal Pearls are. Don't gotta keep it a secret anymore. Give her one when she's up, Angel of Mercy." He waved at her before walking out of the room. Grinning in excitement.
"If it didn't manifest despite such a situation, that must mean it's pretty powerful.." He muttered to himself as he left the treatment sector.
He descended into the ground once more, rising up in a forest next to the town. Just far enough to not get spotted by any pedestrians.
He walked into the town casually and approached a small food stand.
[Elsewhere.]
Sera sat silently. Leaning towards her desk as she contemplated.
"What do you have for that kid, Pandora?"
[Chapter six: END.]