NOVEL NEXT Chapter 19: Allied
With a sharp clap of his hands, Mighty Knight summoned a bright light, illuminating the entire area. The massive door slowly creaked open, and the students' eyes widened in awe at what lay beyond.
In the center of the vast chamber, a shining stone floated silently in the air, radiating a soft blue glow. Its presence dominated the room.
"This" Mighty Knight began, his voice echoing slightly," is the Blue Gemstone, one of the Nine Gemstones left behind by the goddess over 350 years ago."
The students' eyes grew even wider as hushed murmurs spread through the crowd.
"Wow, so this is where they were hiding it."
"I thought they'd protect something this valuable with more security."
"I never knew Korea had one of the gemstones."
"Same here. As far as I knew, only five have been found so far the rest are still scattered across the world."
Zion's brow furrowed slightly as he recalled something from history class.
The Blue Gemstone… I remember reading that each gemstone has a different effect.
As if reading their thoughts, Mighty Knight continued, "If you're wondering what effect this gemstone has, we still don't know for sure. We've been running various tests, but nothing conclusive yet. That's where you all come in you'll also be our test subjects."
The room fell into a brief silence before exploding with protests.
"What? Test subjects?!"
"We didn't agree to this!"
Mighty Knight's confident chuckle cut through the noise. "Relax. There's no danger to you. Based on our previous research, this gemstone might have the power to enhance the physical abilities of not just a single person, but an entire army. However, something about its output is… off. That's why we need live data from promising individuals like you."
Zion's expression darkened slightly.
Stealing this gemstone would be a disaster waiting to happen…
"Anyway," Mighty Knight said, clapping his hands again, "as you can see, there are four massive facilities in this chamber. Each one has a unique purpose, different from the equipment upstairs. Starting tomorrow, you'll begin your training here. I'll be overseeing your progress, along with some of Korea's top hunters. If you have any questions, ask them while you can."
A familiar student raised his hand.
"Oh, it's Four Eyes..." Zion muttered under his breath, instantly recognizing the face Callix, the class know-it-all with his ever-present glasses.
"Hello, sir!" Callix spoke up, his tone formal but curious. "I have a question about our training. I've heard rumors that it has… certain similarities to the Kitler Youth Program. Is that true?"
The moment the words left Callix's mouth, Mighty Knight's posture shifted slightly. His tone dropped into something more serious, almost defensive.
"That's a good question." His voice echoed with weight. "While there are some… surface similarities, Ozin your program director has gone out of his way to distinguish this training from that old-world mess. From what I've been told, tomorrow's training will feel closer to the Æ Sports Festival or those inter-school tournaments you've all heard about. Think of it as competition meets survival training."
Another hand shot up this time, one Zion knew all too well.
"Oh great, it's that dumb fuck Yin." Zion sighed internally.
"U-uhm…" Yin's voice was shaky, like he was afraid to speak up. "How long… do you think we'll be here? I mean, training here is fine and all, but what about… you know… our home country?" His voice softened, tinged with uncertainty.
Mighty Knight's gaze turned toward him, the slightest hint of sympathy beneath his imposing presence.
"Another good question. You'll be here for about two years the same length as your standard Heroes Academy curriculum. This isn't a quick boot camp. It's a full transformation."
Zion took note of the timeframe. Two years locked in here… it's gonna change everyone.
Suddenly, a new hand rose one Zion didn't recognize.
A girl this time… he noted.
She had short, jet-black hair and a lean, muscular frame, more defined than most girls in their year. There was a confident gleam in her eye, the kind Zion knew meant trouble.
"Are we gonna get to crash some of the other students?" she asked, her voice cocky and brimming with anticipation. "Y'know… something more serious than those childish sparring matches?"
Mighty Knight's helmet tilted slightly, and though his face was hidden, Zion could practically feel the sadistic grin spreading beneath the metal.
"Oh, you will." Mighty Knight's voice was cool but tinged with dark amusement. "You'll train to kill here and some of you might just get the chance."
The air thickened with excitement and tension, as if the whole room had just woken up to the real nature of their training.
"Anyways, if that's all, I suggest you all grab your belongings from the planes and settle into your rooms," Mighty Knight announced. "Each room has two beds, so if you want you'll be paired with a roommate. Though, if you want a room more than with 2 bed's so your friend can also sleep there, you can move the extra bed to someone else's room if they agree, of course."
Without wasting a second, the students hurried upstairs to retrieve their luggage from the airplanes.
As Zion grabbed his bag, his mind was already racing.
Finding an ally would be smart… Should I start now?
He glanced around at the other students.
But who? I need someone easy to manipulate someone I can control if I need to.
His eyes landed on Yin, who was standing off to the side with his shoulders slumped, looking lost in thought.
Perfect. Zion smirked internally. I should recruit him first.
Wasting no time, Zion approached Yin with a casual wave.
"Heyyy, you're Yin, right?" Zion asked, his voice light and friendly.
Yin looked up, confused but polite.
"Uh… yes?"
"Let's be friends!" Zion said with a wide smiled in he's face