Alex wished the ground would open up and swallow him. Of all times for them to return, it had to be this awkward moment.
Seeing how embarrassed Alex was, Stan tried to ease the tension.
"Hey, look at that! Your tattoo suits you," Stan said with a grin.
"Tattoo?! Where?" Alex almost shouted, panic rising in his voice. He immediately began scanning his body, frantically searching for the tattoo Stan mentioned. It didn't take long before he found it.
There, on his chest, just above his left breast, was a black-inked tattoo. The image was of a dragon's head, its mouth wide open as if it were roaring fiercely.
Alex had no idea how he got this tattoo. He didn't remember anyone putting it on him, but he guessed it must have appeared after they did the system procedure.
"Quick, help me get rid of it! My mother... she'll kill me if she sees this!" Alex blurted out, clearly panicked.
"Calm down, Alex. That's no ordinary tattoo," Elder Rooney said, his voice steady as he tried to calm him down.
"Only a few special people can see that tattoo," Elder Rooney explained. "Only members of this faction with the same mark can see it. You could make it visible to others, but trust me, that's something you don't want to do."
Hearing this calmed Alex down a little. The panic subsided, though he was still slightly uneasy about the whole situation.
Meanwhile, Peter couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
"An eighteen-year-old afraid of a tattoo because of what his mom will say? Now that's a rare sight in today's world," Peter teased, chuckling.
Alex flushed an even deeper shade of red, feeling more embarrassed by the second.
"Alright, enough of that. It's time for your final test today. This test isn't crucial, but it helps us determine which class fits you best," Elder Rooney said, shifting the focus back to business.
Without a word, Alex nodded and followed the three out of the medical bay. They moved down the same long hallway of the base, which he was beginning to recognize more clearly now.
"Is this place just one giant, never-ending hallway with no corners or anything?" Alex asked. Now that he was officially a member of the faction, he felt more comfortable voicing his thoughts.
"Something similar, yet different," Elder Rooney responded, leading the way.
Alex found the answer vague but chose not to push further. He figured that if he was going to be spending more time here, he would naturally learn more as time went on.
Before long, the group arrived at one of the many doors lining the hallway. Elder Rooney pushed it open, and they stepped inside.
Inside the room stood a familiar face—Theron, one of the core leaders of the Dragon Roar Faction. Alex had met him briefly before, but this time he wasn't alone. Standing in front of Theron were three teenagers, likely around Alex's age. They were dressed in black sportswear, their bodies drenched in sweat, clearly exhausted from some sort of intense training.
Elder Rooney glanced at the trio and spoke, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Well, another day has passed, and it looks like none of you were able to touch him." His words made it clear why the teenagers were worn out—they had been sparring or training with Theron and hadn't been able to land a single hit.
At the sight of Elder Rooney, Peter, Stan, and Alex, the three teenagers immediately straightened up, standing at attention as if trying to regain some composure. They bowed in respect to the new arrivals, showing their discipline despite their obvious fatigue.
Alex took in the scene silently. His eyes flicked between the teenagers, Theron, and Elder Rooney, trying to make sense of what exactly was going on. It was obvious that these three were training hard, but he wondered why they were sparring against one of the faction's core leaders. Whatever the reason, it seemed intense.
Alex felt a mix of curiosity and nervousness, wondering if he'd soon be thrown into similar training situations.
"We greet you, Uncle Stan," the three teenagers said in unison, their voices clear and respectful.
Stan sighed, rolling his eyes.
"I told you to stop making them do this every time I arrive," he muttered, throwing a glance at Peter, who simply crossed his arms and looked away, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
Alex stood there, feeling more confused by the second. He couldn't figure out what the teenagers were doing or why they seemed so formal with Stan. He glanced at them again, trying to make sense of it all.
The three of them looked somewhat alike, with their striking blond hair, though Alex noticed small strands of black hair peeking through in different spots on their heads. It was an odd mix, and something about their appearance stirred a memory in Alex.
For a brief moment, he recalled the vision he'd had earlier—the strange one where he saw kids with jet-black hair. However, these teenagers were different, and he quickly brushed the thought aside. Still, there was something about them that felt off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Elder Rooney interrupted his thoughts, pulling Alex's attention back to the present. "Well, Alex, this is where your final test will take place. You'll need to fight one of these three," Elder Rooney explained, his eyes now focused on the teenagers.
Alex's stomach twisted at the thought of fighting someone, especially these three, who seemed far more experienced than him. He looked at each of them, feeling the weight of the challenge ahead.
"This is Tamsin," Elder Rooney continued, pointing to the tallest of the group. Tamsin stood out, not just because of his size but also due to his bold and confident stance. The other two, though clearly strong and capable, didn't carry the same air of authority that Tamsin did. Even the girl, who had an intimidating presence, couldn't quite match the imposing figure of Tamsin.
Alex swallowed hard, his heart beating faster. He wasn't sure he was ready for this.
"This is Merrick," Elder Rooney said, gesturing towards the second boy. Then, he turned to the girl. "And this beautiful princess here is Gwen."
Alex looked at Gwen, half-expecting her to blush or react to the comment, but her face remained completely stoic. She didn't flinch at the nickname, and her expression was as calm and composed as ever.
"These people are going to be your classmates, as you would refer to it outside," Elder Rooney added.
At that moment, the three teenagers exchanged glances, clearly shocked by this announcement. It was obvious that they hadn't been expecting Alex to join them in this way. Alex, too, felt a mix of surprise and uncertainty. He wondered if being part of this group was a good thing or if it would just make his journey more difficult.
"Is that the test?" Alex asked, his voice unsure. He hoped this was the end of the ordeal.
"No, of course not," Elder Rooney responded with a slight chuckle. "You'll be sparring with one of them. It's up to you to choose who you'll fight against."
Before Alex could even process the choice, Stan spoke up. "I'll decide for him," Stan said firmly. "Gwen, please step forward and spar with Alex."
Alex's heart raced at the thought of sparring. He hadn't been sure who to pick, but now that the decision was made for him, he had to face whatever came next.
"Oh, and remember to go easy on him," Peter added with a grin, clearly enjoying the situation.
Gwen, when called out, seemed slightly displeased for a brief moment. The fact that Stan had chosen her out of the three might have felt like a slight—perhaps it implied that she was considered the weakest. However, Peter's comment seemed to soothe her bruised ego, and she stepped forward, ready for the spar.
"No way... You went ahead and decided for me, and you chose the girl out of all of them. And now you're telling her to go easy on me? I'm not as weak as you think," Alex suddenly protested, his voice almost trembling with frustration.
Gwen's hand clenched, and her face twisted in irritation. A visible vein pulsed on her forehead, a clear sign of her annoyance.
"Oh, really?" Stan responded with a sly smile, looking at Alex and then turning his gaze back to Gwen.
"You know what? Don't go too easy on him, just make sure he stays alive," Stan said, his grin widening.
With the large open space available for their spar, Alex and Gwen stood across from each other, facing off. The others, including Peter, Stan, and Elder Rooney, stood on the sidelines, observing. Even though everyone already knew what the likely outcome would be, they all seemed eager to see how the fight would unfold.
"Alright, baby girl, I'll give you a head start before I punch that pretty face of yours," Alex taunted, trying to sound confident. His voice, however, gave away his nervousness.
Gwen simply smiled at his remark. "If you manage to lay a finger on me in this fight, I'll consider it my loss," she replied coolly, her calm demeanor only making Alex feel more uneasy.
Elder Rooney stepped forward and declared the fight to begin.
Without wasting a second, Alex quickly got into his fighting stance and charged forward with all his might. He sprinted toward Gwen, hoping to land the first blow and prove that he wasn't as weak as they thought. His heart pounded in his chest as he neared her, determination fueling his every step.
But then, in an instant, Gwen, who had been standing several meters away from him just moments ago, appeared directly in front of him. She moved so fast that Alex didn't even register how she had crossed the distance. Her smile was still plastered on her face as she leaned in slightly.
"You're way too slow," Gwen said softly, her voice calm but taunting.
Before Alex could react, he felt a sudden impact. It wasn't a hard hit, but it was enough to disorient him completely. His vision blurred, and the world around him seemed to spin uncontrollably. In the next moment, his body hit the floor with a thud, his limbs feeling weak and unsteady.
He lay there, staring up at the ceiling, confused about what had just happened. How had she moved so fast? How had she knocked him down so easily?