Character : Nathan Fiore, Prisoner
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Three weeks before the battle tournament.
The Steelbird I'm boarding slowly lowers itself as it arrives, and I press the button to open the ship's hatch. The Steelbird's hatch was lowered just as the ship landed, and I was immediately greeted by multiple people waiting behind the landing ship.
The breezing wind of the ocean immediately wipes my face. I felt so refreshed by the cold wind, and I realized that this is what it's like to be in the middle of the ocean.
My gaze then landed on the only person amongst the seven who were not saluting to me. She's their leader, standing at the center of the line.
Beforelong, the ship fully landed, and the engines were halted. I stepped out of the Steelbird and began walking.
I looked around the place as we walked, and I realized that this place is quite small. It's like an oil rig in the middle of the ocean, except that its purpose is completely different.
"Is this your first time in this place?" Frisena asked as we both made our way to the large door in the distance.
"It's my first time in Valkaria, let alone this place." I replied while looking around, and sure enough, all of Valkaria really is underwater. This isn't really Valkaria, though.
"Really? Then, how about a tour around the empire after this?"
"I don't have time for tours… I'm too busy." I answered quite annoyedly, and Frisena laughed, mocking me.
"Wow. You really did get thinner."
"Yeah! All thanks to your mission."
"You're losing weight on a reconnaissance mission…? If any of my soldiers heard this, they'll laugh at you." Frisena commented, and I guess she didn't exactly know anything yet since I'm planning on letting her know later.
Our walk arrived in front of a very tall steel door. It is ten meters tall and quite possibly very thick as well. It's definitely a blast resistant door, and I wonder how many of my strongest fireballs will be needed to break through it.
"You're probably thinking of breaking through this door." Frisena asked as we waited in front of the steel door, and I laughed a little from her reading my mind.
"This door is made of Reinforced Titanium, the strongest metal in existence. It's also a lot-lot thicker than those titanium walls that were used in the entrance exams, so it's definitely not going to be easily destroyed."
"Is that so? And here I thought I was able to break through the strongest metal in the world."
"You're confident. But, please… save your strength. Building this door isn't easy, either."
"I never said anything about blasting this door, though?" I joked, but Frisena ignored me because the door was being opened.
We both were immediately welcomed by the scenery inside, and it was surprisingly quite small. It's a tiny room for such a large door. However, I can tell why it was designed this way.
"That lift will take us underwater. You're not afraid of the ocean's depth, do you?" Frisena asked before walking to the elevator, and I just chuckled imagining it.
"How bad can it be?" I joked, and I followed behind her to the elevator.
The engineering behind this place is incredible. No wonder people kept saying that Valkaria has the most advanced technology than any other country. They just have so many geniuses like Frisena to design weird places like this.
The elevator moved extremely quickly as it lowered our position. Even though we're descending at a rapid rate, our bodies aren't floating due to the fall at all. It's like the air within this tube room is so controlled that we don't feel like we're falling.
"See anything outside?" Frisena asked while pointing to the window, and sure enough, it's just water.
The elevator is surrounded by glass windows. However, since it is quite dark out there, we can only see the dark waters of the deep ocean.
"I can see scary things…"
"Once these glass shatters, the water pressure that is behind them will instantly kill us. They will come at your face like an explosion."
"E-Eh!? Water is that powerful??"
"We're reaching two thousand meters below sea level. Of course, it's going to be deadly."
And here I thought the scariest things were the ocean monsters…
After a few minutes, the elevator finally slows down as it gets closer to the bottom. Once it fully stopped, the door to the elevator was opened, and we arrived at the bottom floor. Right away, we can see the contents of the room behind the door.
"This is the place." Frisena said as she steps forward, but I'm still too busy looking around.
This underwater facility is really just like an office. There's quite a lot of people, surprisingly, and there's a lot of weird screens and machinery all over the place.
"What do you think?" Frisena asks as she leads the way slowly, allowing me to process everything.
"It's just… a little… Overkill." I muttered, and she laughed upon hearing that.
"It's the bare necessity that is needed. All of them are working towards one goal, and that something was one of the most important things in the world.
To keep the most dangerous man alive… locked away." Frisena stopped her walk, and it seems like we've arrived.
At the very back of the room, far across the elevator, a bright white room seemed to be separated from the rest with a large glass. Everyone can easily see what is behind it, and I wonder if the one behind it can easily see us.
"He can't see you. The glass works one way. To him, that glass is a mirror." Frisena explained to me how this glass that is separating us works, and I nodded firmly before stepping forward.
Everyone noticed that I was very slowly approaching the glass, and they stopped what they were doing. I didn't care about them and just continued to walk slowly to the glass, keeping my eyes to the person that is behind it.
Headmaster… Zero. Still combined as one person.
He is behind the glass, sitting on a chair, with a table in front of him. A big board of chess alongside its pieces were placed on the table, and he seemed to be enjoying himself with it. With his one and only arm, he moved the chess pieces carefully while thinking.
He seemed oddly focused on the chess board in front of him, and I can tell how he is playing is by no means normal.
There's another chair across him, empty. And just as I thought, once he moves a chess piece, he moves to that empty chair to be at the opposite side.
Headmaster and Zero. Despite being inside one body, their consciousness is still two.
My gaze landed on the large collar that is on his neck. From the looks of it, the collar is shining bright red, and I can already tell what that collar is for.
"The collar is to disable his origins… right?" I tried guessing, and Frisena nodded as she arrived next to me.
"Correct. 'Origins', because he had two of them. He didn't have just one collar. We also placed it on his arm and legs." Frisena pointed to the collars on the headmaster's left hand and legs, and it seems like the truth.
But, will those truly be enough to keep him in here?
"How long are you going to watch me, Nathan?" From the inside, Headmaster Zero said with annoyance as he moved a chess piece, and both me and Frisena turned shocked.
He… noticed me?
"He can hear you… apparently. He seemed to have an ability that allows him to hear what we're saying through the glass, no matter how much we make it soundproof." Frisena explained to me, and I chuckled at how that is a possibility.
I turned my focus to the door that is behind that room, and I wondered if it's possible to enter. Then again, I probably won't need to be next to him to talk.
"It's been a while… headmaster. And Zero."
"Just Hendrick is fine. I'm not your headmaster anymore, nor am I Zero. We are once a singular entity known as Hendrick Veldon. You can call us… me, by just my name." The headmaster stated, and I understood.
It doesn't seem like he intends to keep secrets from me anymore, so I'll just get straight into it.
"Why did you kill my mother?"
"Because she knows too much. She learned about the apocalypse and the chaos that is going to be awakened, and she cannot be kept alive." Hendrick answers so straightforwardly, but I still cannot accept this answer.