Chapter 4: Step by Step in the gathering

Ling's workers leads another major group of phase two test takers. They've been taking a group every hour on the dot. So Misao and Rollo has claimed a nearly empty snack table as their alliance's space. Half of the room has been emptied out by this process. This seems like a pretty boring part of the tests but Rollo has been having fun talking to Misao.

"So... He just trained you to generally use bladed weapons?" Rollo tilts his head sitting on the table's edge. He's curious about this topic with Misao as they've been going through several conversations in the past hour. "Oh uh, if you don't mind me asking, sorry!"

"Hah.... He definitely had an obsession with blades, he's a retired Keeper from the Japan division of this branch." Misao smiles somberly looking at the ground. She fondly remembered her uncle, a sword weirdo for sure. "I'm not sure about joining the United Islands division but uh... I don't have the money to move."

"I don't think you'd like fighting giants in Japan or do you like Kaiju movies?" Rollo tilts his head curiously at Misao. He only cared about joining the keepers, not really having thought deeply of the divisions.

"Oh- I- You know, I don't think this division will be so bad...." Misao blinks for a moment. She may need to go there one day and help. "Uncle's stories didn't make them sound that big but looking back? I'm thankful we moved..."

"I'm taking that as a maybe on the Kaiju movies but yeah, It's been getting worse there... More and more bigger distortions have been showing up." Rollo sighs before grinning like an idiot. That idea, fighting giant monsters! "After a year or two, let's go fight those giants! It would be good experience for us."

"It's a big maybe! Those movies didn't really age well- Huh!?" Misao pauses for a moment before her eyes widen at that idea. She rapidly shakes her head in a slight panic. "Rollo! No, w-we shouldn't! That's too much for us even in a year or two..."

"Hm... That's Fine, how about when we're veteran keepers?" Rollo sighs in disappointment then smirks at Misao. He's feeling confident? It's strange but he almost wants to go there now and fight kaiju! He will respect Misao's fears until they're experienced. "Either way, our turn in the phase two of the test will be our first wall in getting there..."

"Rollo... I'm not too sure about our chances..." Misao says scratching her neck and sighing before weakly smiling. "I'm not against it, just... Let's not gamble if we're strong enough? Uh... I'd rather not be killed by a kaiju."

"Totally respectable! Caution is an important thing to have but no confidence in your step means you will stagnate too soon, I ain't letting us lag behind fellow recruits." Rollo says with gusto to raise his allies spirits. It's met by a confused look but as that talk goes on...

Another event goes on back in city Rho...

Jack and Irene walk down a railway towards some abandoned warehouse. His boots make loud crunches with every step while his daughter quietly follows behind. She carries a toonishly giant toy box on her back, It's clear her balance moving with this heavy wood object isn't good but somehow moves unencumbered?

"Ugh, those guys really sent me? It's almost like they want one of these places destroyed." Jack grumbles stopping in the middle of the tracks at the warehouse's front area. He pops his neck and sighs before looking at Irene. "Make sure to keep a safe distance, kid."

"Y-yeah!" Irene nods with her whole body and steps a bit from Jack. She almost loses balance from the heavy toy box. This extra weight is kinda unwieldy for her small frame! Her gaze travels around in concern. "Um, there's a ton of bad people here..."

"Well, that's good and bad news, this place should be abandoned." Jack looks over to a man dressed as a worker? He sighs before pops his neck and walks over to them. A smell of rot hits his nose getting near this person. "Hey, I'm here to investigate-"

The worker instantly lashes out with inhuman speed, a decayed hand swings towards Jack's face but in an instant. That zombie of a person becomes nothing but a statue of ice without Jack even flinching. He sighs looking at this undead worker's shape, It's likely why people disappear around here.

"We've found a place where the necromancer has been, I'm going in to exterminate the undead." Jack pulled out a piece of paper cut into a shape similar to a person and started speaking into it. "Ugh, next time, get Even to run the comms, this paper shit is weird."

"Even is busy handling the recruitments! You should know that Jack, I know your son is there." The paper animates, a feminine voice rings out. She says something in annoyed grumbles but doesn't perfectly translate through the paper doll. "Anyway, I want you to keep an eye out, the necromancer likes to use body doubles, destroying all his bases is why you're there."

"Yeah yeah, I hope that leaker was right, I'm going into the warehouse now, don't bother me... Only if Rollo fails his test." Jack crams the paper before that lady has a chance to speak letting out a 'You-' as it's crumpled up.

He starts to walk forward with Irene tailing quietly behind. The area begins to freeze over with each step he takes. His coat hood is pulled up along with his breath beginning to be visible from the cold air. It's clearly from this mere activation of a Code...

- Event Report 26/5/2050

This stronghold had no surviving enemies, each and one of the undead and the necromancer was utterly destroyed without mercy. This event would only be a catalyst for battles in the future, as that necromancer's allies found the winter-like battle ground but only one thing stood from the warehouse... A single melted steel beam standing where it was.

When dust settled on that conflict, our group finally got their time in phase two of their testing.

"Alright! You guys are the last batch in the second phase! Please step through those doors." Ling excitedly announces into the room with the remaining testers. Her voice echoes across the massive orientation room with ease. "We will test your physical and mental abilities then a special test in phase three!!"

Rollo stretches in place with a goofy grin on his face. He's overflowing with excitement to finally get into that test! He looks over to an anxious Misao then his face becomes softer. "We got this, let's go." He says motioning for her to follow behind him in a gentle tone.

"Y-Yeah...." Misao pats her face and exhales loudly. Every nerve in her body goes on edge as an anxious pit weighs inside her gut. She steps up to walk alongside Rollo and does not want to fall behind him. "Hey, don't walk so fast!"