Chapter 21: Signing Up For The Ruins 2
Khan arrived before the 3-metre tall door, as he looked up at its top.
Mission Verification Hall
"HUUUUUUU..." He exhaled before gathering his wits as he raised his hands before knocking thrice.
KNOCK
KNOCK
KNOCK
"Come in..."
Entering his eyes was a gigantic room completely covered in white paintings.
There were three other white-colored doors in the tightly shut, and at the middle of the room, was a table with hundreds of piles of different books piled on it and a muscular dark-haired man sitting behind the large table, with a spectacle on his eyes.
"And you're..." The deep masculine voice of the man rang in his ears as Khan directed his attention towards him.
"I'm Khan. Khan Humana..."
"Khan Humana? Hmmm..." The Man raised the device present on the table as he tapped quickly on it before his hand skidded to a stop and he raised his head, giving him a scrutinizing gaze.
"I commend you for being able to enter Atherston's eyes. It seems you're a fine young man..." The man said as Khan's eyebrows furrowed a little.
'Tch, those idiots also put that in my file?' Khan hissed. Being a Hollow Soldier, one of the things he hated most was getting widely known.
For someone with a line of jobs like his, popularity was a quick way to die faster. It was always better to be an unremarkable average person.
Yet more than that, he also took note of the way the man addressed the base head, calling his name directly. This is either disrespectful or means he was close to him.
"It's nothing, sir. The Base Head was a benevolent man and he took mercy on me. That's all..."
"According to my report, you have been recruited less than three hours and you want to immediately go for a mission?"
The man asked with a raised eyebrow as Khan scratched the back of his head with a smile.
"Can I see your card..." The man suddenly asked as Khan dipped his hands into his pickets and brought out the card.
The man took it, inserting it into a small device on his table as the device soon made a beep sound.
"You chose to go on that Ruin Mission?" The man asked, shocked as he gave him a second look.
"Are you well aware of what you're getting into young man? Or should I say, do you know what a Calamity Level Mission means?"
"Yes. I've been very well informed about that in the mission hall." Khan said with confidence.
"I'm sorry young man. But I can't approve this mission..."
"May I ask why?" Khan replied composedly, not at all ruffled by the denial.
"It's because of your background. You are specially recruited by Atherston himself. This means he has identified great potential in you. But this mission will lead to your sure death and that would simply be a waste.
I'm sorry young man. You can choose an easier mission and if it's the reward you want, I can find a way to increase it. But this mission is far above your level..." The man said, his voice leaving no room for discussion.
"Ok. But I want to tell you two things before you completely make up your mind..." Khan said as the man reclined well in his chair looking at him curiously.
"Firstly, I didn't know of this ruin mission. It was the base head that recommended it to me..." Khan said but all he drew was an unbelieving smirk from the man.
'Yeah right? Atherston really sent you on a Calamity Level Mission."
"Secondly, you mentioned my level. I just wonder what you mean by that. Do you have a special ability that makes you immediately scan me and obtain my level or did you simply judge the book by its cover?" Khan said as his voice slowly got colder and all signs of emotions began once again fading from his face.
He might seem rash or like a spoiled girl that didn't get her usual lollipop but he knew what he was doing. His being cheerful and respectful to everyone was so he could get what he wanted faster and those things were simply the best way.
But on sighting the man, he could tell he was no idiot, or should he say, he had that dangerous vibes on him. He knew well his smiles and respect wouldn't give him the Job and make him seem like a naive young chap instead.
Therefore the best way to obtain what he wants is to show just how badly he wants it.
It was just like Oni-sama's favorite words.
-- -- --
"It is easy to appear weak when you're strong and strong where you're weak. But the true difficulty lies in identifying the moment..."
-- -- --
Audrey's eyes flashed in shock at the young man's boldness and also the strange change in his aura but it only amused him even more.
Slowly he took off his glass as he stood up from his seat, towering above Khan by a head.
"Before you even enter the door kid, I can already tell you're an ordinary mortal. Are you telling me I'm wrong?" Audrey said, his voice rumbling with the entire room creating an illusion of the floor shaking.
"Why don't we find out?" Khan said, not at all intimidated, instead looking dead straight at him, unfazed.
A minute stare down occurred between both men but a smile soon broke on Audrey's face, widening to his ears.
"You passed the first test. At least you won't be the one to go numb when you see an undead. Now let's we what you're really capable of..." Audrey said as he slowly walked towards one of the doors in the room, signaling for Khan to follow behind him.
Khan followed behind the man as they arrived inside the room and he couldn't but raise an eyebrow on looking at what it truly was.
"A training room?"
"Show me what you got kid!"
Audrey said as a holographic appeared in front of him and he inputted into it.
Slowly from the ground, a humanoid robot the same height as him emerged.
"I can sense no Mana from you, So I'll go easy with it so you don't accidentally fall dead before I can save your ass. This robot is comparable to a third-rank stage awakener. At least I should be able to save you before it could..."
Suddenly Audrey grew quiet as he watched Khan begin walking forward as he arrived less than a meter before the robot. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
Slowly he took off the tie on his neck and wrapped it around his right hand before getting into a fighting position, both fists raised to his face as veins appeared on his arms, wriggling within like snakes.
"Can we begin?"