Chapter 3: At the edge of the sword!

The trainer reacted faster and instantly, hitting me in the back with all his might and throwing me onto the giant's head. He hit both of us with such force that we didn't have the courage to move. However, the rest of the team was there to deliver the final blow, but it wasn't easy for them either. He was pushing them away as if they were flies. "It's surely not just training," I thought. "He must have done something to his body."

I tried to get up, but in vain. Those who remained were tearing at his ribbon, but few were able to grab even a small piece. He was annihilating most of them himself.

It was a nightmare. He was smiling at all this chaos he was spreading. "What chaos...", I thought. "But at least it's better to leave this life by my own choice, not someone else's." And I let my breath go, hoping the robot would get me out of this miserable life.

But like a spark, like a flash, I heard a female voice whisper in my head: "Wake up, none of this is real, you've already passed." I faintly opened my eyes. The whisper continued, but I couldn't understand what it was saying.

I looked at the commander's platform, talking with those next to him. They were all there: families, friends. "Hmm, so that's what it's like when you're in power, huh? Food, entertainment, family, friends. None of this can be real," I thought, watching the battle end. Seeing the scene full of blood and dust, I shouted at the robot that was coming: "Finish me, come on, do it fast!" It stepped on my neck.

I lost consciousness. But just before I blacked out, I saw that the robot had taken something from my sword. I snored and fell asleep.

The robot, however, raised a thread. And the trainer, laughing from arrogance and joy, touching his face, turned to the commander shouting:

"Power! Power! We have a team of four people! Amazing assassins! The giant, the multi-colored-haired one, the spy with the mask and... that one over there, the interesting guy... Sir Commander, your order."

The commander got up from his chair, watching all four of us on replay on the screen. He looked at the trainer, raised his hand and said: "We have a good team this year, perhaps they are worse than our best. Take them all, tend to them and make sure they adapt quickly."

With one voice, his subordinates said: "Yes, Sir Commander."

But I felt my eyes open a little from the shaking and voices saying: "How are his vital signs?"

"Good, he needs recovery. We must give him the antidote as well."

"Right, otherwise we will have a problem later."

"Do you think they will bring us more luck?"

"I don't know, but the trainer, as an arrogant person, always wants the best, and from what it looks like now, he probably found something interesting."

"Let's trust him. Otherwise, we will also die on the battlefield. Don't forget, we are doctors and the assistants, as well as the supporters, must be ready for something like this. So we have to support them."

"Ah... you're right. Let's leave him now, let's go to the next one."

When I opened my eyes, I was in a room that was quite small, but very warm and comfortable. I didn't understand anything. I was dressed in some simple clothes. I got up and started searching the room. I tried to open the door, but it was in vain. Then I saw a camera above the door looking at me. I lifted my shirt, seeing the scar I had on my chest. I looked behind the bed at the only window. I looked outside and saw a vast arena. Explosions, dust, flames were coming from everywhere.

Then the door opened. A supervisor appeared, with a strict look, threw me a brown-black-silver uniform, and just showed it to me. She took a step back, the door closed.

Without understanding much and feeling stressed, but also relieved that everything didn't end so simply, I got dressed.

I went out where we were all gathered. They set me up in front of the door to look at the wall, until the trainer appeared. She didn't speak to me, she just grabbed me and placed me.

I quickly looked to my left and she hit me with a sharp movement on the head! "Ouch...", I looked at her with curiosity. She just wiggled her finger at me and left.

Time passed, and the trainer appeared. Serious, he stood at the end of the corridor, looking at all of us, and exclaimed: "Follow me."

We went to an amphitheater. We sat down as the robot put us. In the center sat the giant, the multi-colored-haired one, and a masked one. And I was next to them.

The trainer went up to the podium, looked at us, rested his hand on the lectern and said: "Dear successful and unsuccessful, whether you passed or not, it does not mean the end." I quickly looked back and saw that we were all there, even those who had been killed by the robots.

I turned forward, terrified. He had stopped talking. He started laughing.

"These are the expressions I want to see: terror for the unknown and a desire to explore it. Now you are wondering what happened. But of course, it was a real combat simulation, but with extra hallucinations from the gas you had breathed. You see, the chamber you were in was not only to put you to sleep and transport you to our base, but also to drive you crazy. At first everything seemed easy, until the first attack from our dummies..."

Another person behind me shouted: "Sir, you haven't told us who you are."

The trainer coughed awkwardly: "Mmm... you're right. Where did my manners go? I'm forgetful..."

But a voice was heard: "And arrogant, what about that?"

The trainer became furious: "You, kid, shut up! And I'm not just forgetful. I'm also arrogant and many other things! I'll melt your body, worm!" He was saying it and drooling. "Ugh!"

He fixed his uniform and hair, clearing his throat and continuing: "My name is Herfred Wehnevolk. It's a pleasure, recruits. Today you will see what you will do for your remaining seven days here. But first, the four successful ones will have to go through special training and endurance, with the help of special nano-robots that will enter your bodies. We will change you from the inside out. But remember: you who are sitting in the first four seats in the center will be the guinea pigs. We will find your weapons. Let's begin!"

The four of us looked at each other. But before we knew it, we found ourselves on the operating table. With scalpels and drills, without anesthesia.