Training Stadium

Fenrir settled down beside him, and Crudele wrapped his arms around the wolf. The warmth and comfort of Fenrir's presence helped ease his mind. With a final deep breath, Crudele began to drift off.

~ 3 Hours Later ~

Crudele lay in bed, wide awake, while Fenrir slept soundly beside him, lost in his own dreams. Unable to fall asleep, Crudele quietly got up and went to the small kitchenette to pour himself a glass of water. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his restless mind.

"I can't seem to get any sleep," he muttered to himself. "I don't want to be late for tomorrow.

"Deciding that a walk might help clear his head, Crudele took his uniform off the hanger and put it on. He glanced at Fenrir, who was still fast asleep, and decided not to disturb him. Quietly, he left his room, hoping some fresh air would do him good.

Upon exiting the apartment, Crudele noticed a building at the end of his long apartment block with its lights still on. Curious, he decided to head that way. The building was pentagon-shaped, with a flag on each side, adding an air of importance and mystery.

The road leading to the building was completely empty, devoid of any signs of life. The misty wind flowed gently, creating a serene and somewhat eerie atmosphere. Crudele found the scene oddly appealing, the cool mist brushing against his skin as he walked.

As he approached the pentagon-shaped building, he couldn't help but wonder what it was and why its lights were on so late. The flags flapped softly in the wind, and the building seemed almost to beckon him closer.

At last, Crudele stood in front of the pentagon-shaped building. Rather than entering straight away, he decided that sneaking a peek inside would be a better idea. He carefully looked through a window, and what he saw was confusing yet fascinating.

Inside, several students were still training. They used various pieces of equipment, including lifting massive 1-quintal dumbbells and engaging in sparring matches. The sight of such intense training at this hour was unexpected.

Crudele's attention was drawn to a particular pair. A guy with light green hair was fighting a bald guy who stood a foot taller than him. Both wielded daggers, though each dagger had a unique, sleek design with appealing color variations. The skill and intensity of their sparring were impressive, and Crudele couldn't help but be intrigued by their techniques and the level of training these students were putting in so late at night.

The green-haired guy, Nathan, struck first with both of his daggers. The bald guy blocked the first dagger and then handlocked Nathan's second arm, causing Nathan to drop his dagger. However, Nathan quickly attacked again with his remaining dagger. The bald guy tried to deflect the attack with his own dagger, but Nathan followed up with a swift kick to the bald guy's gut, knocking him several feet back. Despite the impact, the bald guy maintained his posture.

"You've gotten pretty good at this, Nathan," the bald guy said, breathing heavily but with a hint of respect in his voice.

"Yeah, kinda," Nathan replied, his eyes reflecting a touch of gloom.

"But look, guys, we have a new guest here," the bald guy said, pointing towards the main entrance where Crudele had been sneak peeking.

Crudele knew there was no point in hiding anymore, so he stepped forward and revealed himself. "Hi, I just happened to pass by. Nothing more. You can continue your training. I won't bother you guys."

"No, no, no, you are not bothering us. This is the stadium of this apartment complex, so you can train here anytime as long as you're from this area," the bald guy said, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Assuming this is your first time here, let's do something interesting," the bald guy said, grinning at Crudele.

"You can call me Heisenberg," he added, taking a pair of black glasses from his pocket and putting them on, his shining black skin reflecting the light.

Crudele stepped into the stadium, looking around at the various equipment and training areas. Heisenberg began to introduce everything to him, gesturing at different sections.

"Over here, we have the weightlifting area," Heisenberg pointed to a row of benches and racks loaded with weights. "And this is the sparring zone," he continued, indicating the open area where Nathan and the others had been training. "It's open to anyone who wants to practice their combat skills."

Heisenberg then led Crudele to another section with various types of training dummies and targets. "This is where you can work on your accuracy and technique," he explained. "And if you need to test your RBC energy or abilities, we have some specialized equipment for that too."

Crudele nodded, taking it all in. "This place is impressive," he said. "I didn't expect to find such a well-equipped training area here."

Heisenberg chuckled. "Yeah, it's one of the perks of living in this complex. Feel free to use any of the equipment, and if you need help or a sparring partner, just let us know."

Crudele's eyes were drawn to a large circular frame surrounded by a series of massive machines. "What's that?" he asked, curiosity piqued.

Heisenberg glanced at the setup and smiled. "Oh, that? That's a special machine here. It's a teleportation device that can take you to various places infested with misfits. It's owned by Kamado University itself."

"Interesting," Crudele said, stepping closer to examine the machine. "So this is a teleportation machine, huh? I've never seen one up close."

"Yeah, it's pretty advanced," Heisenberg replied. "It's used for training and missions. You can go to different locations and fight real misfits to gain experience and test your abilities in real-world scenarios."

Crudele nodded, fascinated. "That sounds like it could be really useful. Do we get to use it often?"

Heisenberg shrugged. "It depends. Sometimes it's used for specific training sessions or missions assigned by the instructors. But it's definitely an important part of the training here."

Nathan, who had been quietly observing, added, "It's not for the faint of heart, though. Those missions can get pretty intense. But if you're up for the challenge, it's a great way to improve your skills."

Crudele nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. "I'll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks for showing me around, Heisenberg."

"No problem," Heisenberg said with a grin. "Welcome to the stadium, Crudele. Make yourself at home."

"You're a newbie, right?" Heisenberg said, guiding Crudele's attention to a different part of the stadium. "Let me introduce you to a machine invented by my team."

He pointed to a humanoid robot engaged in combat with Nathan. This fight was markedly different from Nathan's earlier sparring with Heisenberg. Now, Nathan was utilizing his RBC ability.

Nathan raised his hand, and steel spikes began to emerge from the ground, aiming for the robot's head. The robot, wielding a sword, sliced through the steel spikes effortlessly, the collision creating a loud bang that reverberated through the stadium. In a blur of motion, the robot was suddenly behind Nathan, its sword poised to strike his neck. Nathan reacted quickly, covering himself in steel and launching several steel spikes from his back. But the robot was too fast. Before Nathan's spikes could hit, the robot's sword had reached his neck, slicing through his steel barrier and stopping just short of making contact. The force of the sword's speed knocked Nathan down.

As Nathan hit the ground, the robot's rampage came to an abrupt end, and it deactivated.

Heisenberg turned to Crudele. "Impressive, isn't it? That robot is designed to push our limits. It's programmed to adapt and counter various RBC abilities."

Crudele nodded, still processing the intensity of the fight. "Yeah, it's incredible. Nathan's strong, but that robot... it's on another level."

"Exactly," Heisenberg said. "It's not just about brute strength. It's about strategy, adaptability, and quick thinking. This machine helps us train all those aspects."

"Hey, didn't I tell you to not go above level 20?" Heisenberg shouted from the sideline, but Nathan was already unconscious and couldn't hear him.

"Ah, that idiot really thinks he can win against it," Heisenberg muttered, facepalming.

Turning to Crudele, Heisenberg said, "So, do you wanna give this a shot?

"Crudele hesitated. "I don't think so. I'm not strong enough to beat that."

"Oh no, no, no. We'll definitely lower its difficulty for you," Heisenberg assured him with a grin.

"Okay then, I think I can give it a try. It will be a good warm-up for tomorrow's test," Crudele agreed, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

Crudele got into position while Heisenberg adjusted the settings on the control panel. "Hey, how confident are you about facing a level 10 misfit?" Heisenberg asked.

"I don't know. I've never fought one, but it could go either way," Crudele replied. "I also want to conserve my energy for tomorrow's test, so keep that in mind.

"Crudele was careful to hide his true strength from them for the time being, as he didn't fully trust their intentions yet.

"Okay, okay," Heisenberg said, nodding while secretly setting the level to 12. "Let's see what you've got.

"The robot's eyes flickered back to life, its movements becoming more fluid and aggressive. Crudele felt a surge of adrenaline as he prepared for the fight.

Heisenberg called out, "Remember, Crudele, focus on your reflexes and strategy. You don't need to overpower it, just outsmart it."

"Outsmart it, huh? Who cares about that? Let me flex a bit and show them just how much of a unit I am," Crudele thought to himself, feeling a surge of adrenaline rush through his veins.

The robot's blue eyes glowed menacingly, but Crudele remained unfazed. He was ready for this.

"X-50 power, X-50 speed, X-50 durability," Crudele activated his abilities, feeling his RBC energy surge through him.

Before the robot could even react, Crudele moved with lightning speed, appearing behind it just as it had done with Nathan. The tables had turned.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Crudele. "Is he for real? He doesn't even have any weapons," Heisenberg remarked, watching in astonishment.

Without hesitation, Crudele's fist shot forward at full speed, creating a small air burst as it traveled toward the robot. His face darkened with focus, and his punch connected with the robot's head, sending it crashing into the building's wall. The impact formed a crater as big as 10 feet and instantly deactivated the robot.

The entire fight was over in 10 seconds, but Crudele had to use 15 RBC energy out of his total 86, with the help of his two amulets. This costly move wasn't sustainable for long fights, but it was perfect for flexing in a one-hit challenge.

He also used X-50 durability to ensure he didn't injure himself like last time.

"You said a fight against a level 10 misfit could go either way, but this looks like a one-sided massacre to me," Heisenberg remarked, still in shock.

[ Congratulations ]

You Gained 1 Charisma

13<14

Crudele said nothing as he walked towards them, cracking his knuckles. "Ah, nothing. I just got a little excited by the fight," he replied nonchalantly.

"I have to say, you're strong. None of your peers compare to your strength. At this point, you could pass the exam without even trying," Heisenberg commented.

"Ah, nah, you're exaggerating. I saw much more powerful people there. I placed 12th in the rankings this year," Crudele responded.

"What? Are you serious? Is everyone as strong as you?" Heisenberg asked, astonished.

"Not everyone, but there are some people who I consider at my level or higher," Crudele said. "Anyway, I'm heading out. Tomorrow is another test for me."

"Hmm, so this year's first years are going to be one hell of a ride," Heisenberg mused, watching Crudele leave.

"Everyone should see their faces," Crudele thought, smirking to himself. "They look at me like I'm some cold-blooded murderer or something."