"Full name and your number please?" The organizer asks Jay.
"Jay," He says, "Jay Corvidae. Number three."
"Alright, Mr. Corvidae, you'll want to go down that hall and take a left. Enter the door with the '#3' sign above it."
"Right, thank you," Jay responds.
—After making his way into the Decimation, Jay is split up from the rest of the party, as everyone reports to their designated groups to await further instruction. Jay never thought he would be going into the backrooms and corridors of the Decimation, but it was really happening.
Everything was levels above the arena the Slayer's Pack had built for this last tryout session, which was a relief. Jay and many other players didn't like the feel of the poorly structured dome that they took their exams in, so moving from an environment like that to an environment like this was a big surprise.
Jay still didn't know what to expect at this point. He knew that he would be facing nine other players in an all-out deathmatch, but he had no idea what his competition looked like or what the battlefield entailed for him. All he knew at this moment was to meet up with the rest of his group.
Jay recognizes the floor tiles as he stares down at them to clear his mind, clarifying how expensive this building was. The floor had gemstones embedded into it in distinct patterns, and a single meter would cost a player anywhere from 100,000 to 125,000 GOLD in Spahn's Market.
It was a marvel to inspect. Like most in the game, this building was created by the developers and programmers, so the cost wasn't in mind when creating the Decimation's architecture.
As Jay progressed down the hallway, he kept looking at the top of the doorways for the '#3' sign above it. He had already seen the '#1' and '#2' areas already, which meant his room was sure to be just around the corner.
'I wonder what Axel, Ivy, and the rest of the party are doing right now...' Jay thinks, squinting his eyes in the process.
His eyes turn from relaxed to open as he spots the '#3' sign above a doorway just ahead of him. His heart slowly but surely picks up its pace as he draws near to it. The thought of seeing his competition was scary but exciting at the same time. Jay takes in a deep breath and exhales as he turns the doorknob and pushes the door open.
Sure enough, the room is packed with other prospects, all minding their own business. Jay counts eight other players in the room, excluding himself. They all looked exceptionally skilled, but Jay knew he had to come across as an enemy rather than a friend. After surveying the room, Jaya walks over to one of the back corners. There were no chairs, but everyone else was either using Aspect or sitting on the ground to compensate. Jay calmly sits on the floor.
Looking up, Jay's mind rests at ease. He was expecting some big names to be here, but everyone around him seemed to be in the same boat as him. In fact, Jay had sat close by another player not to seem so reclusive.
The player next to him, only a couple of feet away, had spiky blonde hair that was shorter on his sides and his back compared to his top cut. He had a white cape stretched from his back all the way onto the floor, wrapped underneath his legs. He had a large circular shield that he had planted onto the ground, which he was inspecting. It had a large gem in the middle of it, which illuminated a bright red hue. The player's uniform he had on—paired with his cape—was black with lines and designs in bright pink.
'He looks like a colored pencil or marker!' Jay thinks in disbelief, 'Wait for a second...'
"Have I seen you somewhere else?" Jay asks the player.
"Hmm?" The player says, turning to meet Jay's vision.
Jay knew this guy from somewhere, but he couldn't quite put it into words. The spiky blonde hair and the white cape. Those were the most prevalent things.
'That's right!' Jay thinks, 'He's that shopkeeper Ivy ran off to before we met and watched Helmet!'
"Do you by chance sell gemstones or stuff in that category? I remember seeing you in Spahn's Market."
"...Yeah? why? Are you one of my customers or just a stalker?"
'Shoot! How do I explain this without sounding weird?' Jay thinks in a panic.
"Hey, hold up for a second..." The player says, itching his chin, "I remember your face as well..."
"Hey! You're with that ginger girl and that berserker, aren't you?! Your friend almost fought in front of my stall!"
'Here we go...' Jay thinks, sweating bullets.
"It wasn't like that! Me and the 'berserker,' as you call him, were trying to track down our friend who ran off into the Market. When we found her, we were running late, and my other friend didn't appreciate that is all! hehe..." Jay says, playing everything off.
"Well, tell them to be careful. I was about to arrest them!" The player casually states.
There was a pause in their conversation. The other players in the room kept talking amongst themselves so no one could be eavesdropping.
"I'm sorry, you were gonna arrest us?" Jay asks for confirmation.
"Yep! I am Spahn's loyal protector and hero!" The player says, standing up and shooting his hand out in an exaggerated pose.
"I'm Blaze! Blaze the Shield user!" the player exclaims to Jay.
"Uh-huh, I can see that..." Jay says, still not believing this guy's act.
"I'm gonna join the Slayers and finally prove to the world that us Shield players *do* have a spot in the professional scene!" Blaze explains.
"But that's only if you get into the Guild, let alone manage to get into their official professional squadron!" Jay tells Blaze.
"Well, I'm setting the bar pretty high, I guess, but I believe I can do it!" Blaze says, "I won't let an amateur like you get in my way!"
"You know we're both here for the same reasons, right?" Jay responds.
"Shut up, amateur!"
Jay now knows Blaze more, but not like he wanted to. He definitely had the grit to go around and set himself up for success in his head, but using a shield alone would only get him so far. He was the same size and height as Jay, so if Blaze wants to be a defensive player, he must have high stats or a good shield.
"Well, if you want, we can team up and win this thing together!" Jay says to Blaze.
Jay made a good point. Two people can qualify in this deathmatch, so if Blaze and teamed up, it would secure their spots in the tryouts.
"No." Blaze responds in a cold tone, "People that think teaming is viable are just weak, and I'm strong. That must mean you're here to get by, not caring who you used to get to your goal."
Jay's mind stopped its pulse. Blaze kept his stare and locked into Jay's eyes. Everything seemed to stop in their tracks, with the background ambiance of the other players talking slowly lowering in volume. All Jay could think of was his mom at that moment. He had to try. He had to do anything to reach his goals and make ends meet, but is that a wrong decision? Was Blaze pointing out his crucial flaw, which is being weak himself and hiding behind others? Was he even going to hold his own in this fight? Jay's mind kept asking different questions in the blink of an eye.
"N-no, that's not what I—" Jay starts to explain, "Look, I just wanted to be friendly, is all."
"Well, I'm your competition. Why did you think being friendly would work to your advantage?" Blaze says.
"I don't know..." Jay says, looking down at the floor.
"Well, no is the answer I gave you, so are you gonna ask me any other questions?" Blaze responds, folding his arms and grinning, "Like how much this cape costs?!"
"Yeah, I have one. Can you two shut up?" A voice says above Jay and Blaze in an annoyed tone.
Jay and Blaze both look up to see another player close by. She looked around their age and must've been shorter than Jay by a small margin. She was levitating off the ground with her arms crossed and a mean look on her face. She had slim sweatpants on and a loose long sleeve shirt. Her brown hair was a couple of shades darker than her light brown skin. Jay and Blaze don't know how to respond.
"What'd you say? You want to be arrested?!" Blaze says back to the player.
"U-uh, we can be quiet if you want!" Jay responds anxiously, trying not to make a scene.
"Hmm, I haven't seen any friends in this competition, but you seem to know each other well." The player responds.
"It's not like that!" Jay responds, looking at Blaze, "I was making small talk with him to break the ice."
"He's just a fan," Blaze smiles, "I am *the* Blaze from Spahn after all!"
"Blaze... what, am I supposed to be impressed now?" The player asks.
"Ugh!" Blaze retracts as he gets called out, "Hey, what's your problem? Are you a bigger deal than me, smart stuff?"
"Did you just call me a fan?" Jay asks Blaze.
"H-hey, who asked you for your opinion?" Blaze mutters nervously.
"You two sure are weird. Just keep it down. I'm trying to study here." The player calls out.
"Wait, what's your name?" Jay asks the player.
She turns to meet him and tilts her head while squinting her eyes.
"Why should you know?" She says in an annoyed tone.
"I just wanted to know, is that too much of a problem?" Jay says, extending his hand out for a handshake, "I'll go first. I'm Jay."
The player looks at Jay's outstretched hand and back at his face. She turns away from him and floats further away from the two sitting players.
"It's Sandra." She says quietly, "Don't talk to me again, please."
Jay and Blaze look as Sandra starts to float to another corner of the room when suddenly the door is bashed open with great force. Jay, Blaze, Sandra, and the rest of the players in the room turn to the room's entrance in fear. The bolts and door handles were bent so far out of shape that it looked like a car had just collided with the door. Who could've caused such destruction, and why?
Jay's question was quickly answered when a prominent figure stepped into the room, breathing heavily and causing the room to shake with each step. They were wearing a large set of armor, with large spikes extending from their shoulder guards. Their helmet had four lines for the player to see out of and hid the player's natural face.
Jay's heart once again raced as he instantly recognized the player. They looked in Jay's direction and stepped forward. Jay stood up, and the two met face to face.
"I had no idea you were actually gonna make it this far!" Tide gloats, "Guess you really are gonna be my target, huh?"
Blaze and Sandra turn to Jay as Tide questions him right into his face. The fact Jay hadn't run away, or another alternative, caused Blaze to rethink Jay's motive.
"Well—" Jay starts to mumble but stops talking when Tide punches the wall right next to him, making a crack into the expensive building.
"*Wrong*!!" Tide yells, "You aren't worthy of that title!"
Tide turns to Blaze, staring him down menacingly. Blaze feels the danger looming around Tide start to leak into his body.
"Unless your friend here wants to take your place," Tide says to Jay while staring at Blaze.
Tide looks around the room, letting everyone know that he meant business. Disappointingly, Tide sighs.
"Looks like everyone here is weak. And I was expecting a fun fight." Tide laughs, "Well, you all will have to fight for second place, I guess."
After intimidating Jay and Blaze, Tide walks over to a group of players and sits down next to them. They scatter at his presence, and everyone in the room starts to grow fearful of Tide. Jay, however, only feels resentment for him.
'How selfish can you be?' Jay thinks to himself.
After a couple of minutes from Tide's arrival, a digital screen in the room turns on, displaying the inside of the Decimation. The first batch of players in the tryouts was about to appear and fight it out.
"Hello? Is this thing working..." Stan says over the intercom, "Ok! I welcome everyone to this year's Slayer tryouts, both onlookers and participants alike!—"
"—for those prospects that may be wondering, after your fights, you can join the crowd and watch your peers either reach greatness or suffer an eternal embarrassment!"
'Well, when you put it like that...' Jay thinks.
"Until your fight is over, stay put and wait patiently. We'll have a live feed of the fights, so you don't get *too* bored!" Stan finishes.
Jay looks up at the screen in front of him, waiting to see his friends fight together. Without knowing, Blaze and Sandra still looked at him in shock.
'Jay... you made Tide this mad?' Blaze thinks.
'What'd this newbie do to make Tide so upset?' Sandra thinks.
After a couple more moments of watching the camera crew test their angles, the live stream finally starts a countdown from thirty. There were ten entrances to the central pit of the Decimation, which Jay guessed housed a single player each. They were of equal distance from each other, which meant whoever saw each other first would fight. Jay made a note of each location of the doors and the massive battlefield in front of him.
Not only can the Decimation make artificial buildings, cars, trees, and pretty much any other prop for the stadium, it can also increase the playing field itself by shrinking the players and props along with it, and the cameras just zoom in more.
This causes an effect known as «minimizing», allowing complex and massive courses to be made. This first fight would occur around a lake with islets surrounding a single island in the middle. The environment looked so real and small that they had to wear goggles to zoom in on the action to the live audience.
This first fight had Axel and Dillan mixed in the player pool. Jay clenched both of his hands together as he waited to see them on screen.
'Please just don't do anything stupid...' Jay thinks.