Chapter 6:The Gauntlet of Fire-Part 2

### A Quiet Path… Too Quiet

As they advanced, Yuki couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The west side of the simulation was eerily silent—no explosions, no gunfire, no distant shouts of struggling students. Just the low hum of flickering neon signs and the occasional groan of a collapsing building.

Thalos noticed it too. "You sure this is the right call?"

Yuki glanced at him. "We haven't been shot at yet, have we?"

"Yet."

The two moved carefully, weaving through alleyways and avoiding the main roads. They came across an abandoned military outpost—at least, that's what it looked like. A reinforced barricade stood at the entrance, partially collapsed, and inside, crates of supplies lay untouched.

Yuki exhaled. "Jackpot."

Thalos, however, wasn't convinced. He approached the entrance cautiously, his sharp gaze scanning the area. "Something's wrong."

Yuki frowned. "Dude, we finally found something useful. Can you take the win for once?"

Thalos didn't answer. Instead, he picked up a small metal shard from the ground and tossed it forward into the outpost.

Nothing happened.

Then—

CLANG!

Metal shutters slammed down over the windows, and thick steel barricades sealed the entrance shut.

Yuki froze. "You've got to be kidding me."

A robotic voice echoed through the area.

"SIMULATED HOSTILE TERRITORY BREACHED. INITIATING TRAP SEQUENCE."

The sound of shifting metal filled the air as turrets descended from the rooftops, their barrels swiveling toward them with a mechanical hum.

Yuki looked at Thalos, horrified. "Oh, you sensed something was wrong? Would've been great if you said something sooner!"

Thalos sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Alright. Guess we're fighting, then."

The turrets powered up.

Yuki groaned. "I hate this test."

And with that, the guns opened fire.

### A Bullet Storm

The moment the turrets powered up, Yuki and Thalos dove for cover—rolling behind a rusted-out car as the first wave of bullets shredded the pavement where they had been standing. Sparks and debris flew into the air, the high-caliber rounds hammering the battlefield with relentless force.

"THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN ABANDONED OUTPOST!" Yuki yelled over the gunfire.

Thalos pressed his back against the wrecked car, peeking around the side. "And you just walked in like it was a discount store."

"You could've stopped me!"

"I tried!"

Another volley of bullets slammed into the car, shaking it violently. Yuki winced. "Okay, new plan! We don't die!"

Thalos scanned the battlefield. The turrets were positioned at the rooftops, covering every angle, making a direct approach nearly impossible. To make matters worse, the steel barricades meant they couldn't just run out the way they came.

They were trapped.

Yuki clenched his jaw. "Any bright ideas, genius?"

Thalos's eyes flicked toward the far side of the outpost, where a crumbling watchtower stood. The structure looked unstable, but—

"There. That tower."

Yuki followed his gaze. "What about it?"

"If we bring it down, it'll take out at least half the turrets."

Yuki blinked. "…You want to drop a building on them?"

Thalos smirked. "Unless you have a better idea."

Yuki sighed. "Alright, you crazy bastard. How do we do it?"

### The Plan—And The Execution

Thalos scanned their surroundings, spotting a half-buried explosive charge among the crates inside the outpost. It must have been part of the training equipment, likely meant for them to use—if they hadn't triggered the trap first.

"There!" Thalos pointed. "We grab the charge, plant it at the base of the tower, and boom. Instant cover."

Yuki groaned. "Right. Because casually running through a turret-infested war zone is totally a smart idea."

"Do you want to stay here?"

Yuki didn't argue.

On three, they sprinted.

Bullets ripped through the air behind them as the turrets recalibrated, adjusting their aim. Yuki slid behind a broken wall, breathing hard. Thalos had already reached the half-buried charge and was working to pull it free.

"Hurry up!" Yuki hissed.

Thalos yanked the charge loose, the metal casing dusty but still intact. "Got it!"

They bolted toward the tower, weaving between debris as the turrets rained hellfire upon them. The watchtower loomed overhead, its rusted support beams barely holding together.

Thalos skidded to a stop at its base, setting the charge against the weakest-looking point.

"Done! Thirty-second timer!"

Yuki's eyes widened. "Thirty seconds?! That's it?!"

"MOVE!"

They ran.

The moment they dove behind cover, the explosion detonated.

A shockwave blasted through the air as the tower's supports buckled. Metal screeched, the entire structure collapsing in on itself like a house of cards. Dust and debris filled the outpost, and—just as Thalos predicted—several turrets were crushed beneath the rubble.

Yuki coughed, waving away the dust. "Okay… okay, that actually worked."

Thalos smirked. "Told you."

But they weren't done yet.

### Final Phase—One Last Obstacle

The explosion had disabled half the turrets, but the remaining ones recalibrated, adjusting their aim toward the two. Worse, the steel barricades were still blocking the exit.

"We need an opening!" Yuki shouted.

Thalos narrowed his eyes. "Then let's make one."

He scanned the wreckage, his eyes locking onto a crane—half-buried beneath rubble but still intact. Its hook was hanging low enough to reach.

Yuki followed his gaze. "No way. You want to use that to break the barricade?"

Thalos nodded. "Can you drive?"

Yuki gave him a look. "Do I look like I can drive heavy machinery?!"

Thalos sighed. "Then we'll improvise."

They sprinted toward the crane, dodging bullets as the turrets continued firing. Thalos jumped onto the control panel, smashing buttons until the engine roared to life.

"Hold on!"

The crane's hook swung wildly before Thalos locked it into position. With a final kick to the controls, the hook swung forward—crashing straight into the barricade!

BOOM!

The steel barrier bent inward, then shattered from the impact, leaving a gaping exit.

Yuki whooped. "HA! That actually worked!"

Thalos jumped down. "No time to celebrate—RUN!"

They sprinted through the breach, the remaining turrets firing wildly behind them. But it was too late—the moment they crossed the threshold, the training simulation deactivated.

"TRIAL COMPLETE."

The turrets powered down. The arena fell silent.

Yuki bent over, hands on his knees. "Holy hell, we actually survived that."

Thalos smirked. "Not bad, huh?"

Then, over the intercom—

"…ROUND FOUR BEGINS NOW."

Yuki's face fell.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"