Axel was outside his teammates' cell door; he was about to knock, and someone opened it. He noticed Eli opening the door and inquiring, "What are you doing here?" Axel replied with a face that showed nothing, "I'll have something to know about." Eli appeared to be puzzled by what Axel said, so he took Axel's hand to go inside the cell "". "Why do you have to be here, then?" Eli asked him once more, but Axel just replied, "Do you know how to read?" "What do you mean?" Axel replied with a "". On the paper that he handed over to him were words. Since there was no one else there but these two, the remaining other members had some urgent work to do.
Eli kept on reading what was written and wore a shocked expression on his face. He was sweating and seemed nervous. "Where is the vial?" Eli said. He went on muttering some words, This vial holds creatures' blood, the one soldiers were battling. It had printed on paper that you will obtain superhuman powers that you can later use.Axel appeared to be thinking, but Eli reacted, " I can learn a power if I use it? How?" Axel asked him with questioning stares, "Drink it," Eli replied.
Axel's voice shook with terror as he demanded, "What are you going to kill me?" Eli replied with a touch of reassurance in his voice, "It's not going to kill you. but there can be possible side effects." There was a silence within the room, and after taking a deep breath, Axel decided, gulping down the vial of blood in one motion. Eli was amazed, his thoughts whirling with surprise, for this was the first time that he had done such an experiment on a being with no supernatural blood. Everything of the dark reddish liquid went down Axel's gullet, and a burning hot flush spread its way throughout him in seconds, and a horrific scream echoed through the room as his nerves screamed to shattering. Eli's face was a laughing mask, his eyes shining with interest, as Axel's wails filled the room, punctuated by outraged retching, until at last his body relaxed, his screams stopped, and he was still.
A moment later…
Axel awoke towards the direction of the glowing bulb light in the ceiling. He examined the room, and he saw all his teammates. Kaid looked at him, Eli couldn't fathom what he just saw a moment ago, and Ava seemed concerned and stared at Axel lasciviously, as Lila was grasping the hand of Axel; he pulled it away because he was embarrassed. "What did happen?" Axel questioned them; his voice was as low as this. "We are meant to ask what did happen," Kaid told him. "It seems you survived; I am amazed at what did happen," Eli spoke with a glint in his eyes due to laughter. "Most individuals do not survive if they take the drug, and also it signifies your body was qualified for the test," Kaid borrowed a word.
"What did you feel, kid?" Her attitude seems like other people by what she said. "It feels like nothing," Axel replied to her. "Now that you survived it, possibly you acquired abilities from it," she responds to him, "I don't know if it's true, but I feel that it was flowing all through my body." "That's good enough. Get back to your cell tomorrow; we need to get for registration."
As Axel stood up, his teammates' worried gazes met his, though they remained silent, their concerns unspoken. His legs burning, Axel walked down the corridor lined with cells, where he found the super soldiers heading to the restricted room, their high-tech full-body armor and helmets proclaiming their super status. But Axel did not notice them, his mind only to find the sanctuary of his cell, where he opened the door and fell onto the bed, his body yielding to the fatigue that had been accumulating. Although he never spoke of it to his men, the pain remained, a nagging reminder of the side effects of the enigmatic vial, but Axel ignored it, believing that sleeping it off for one night would be sufficient to rid him of the pain.
Morning rice up, he woke up; it seems like the pain was no longer there. He took his clothes and took a bath; as he took the shower, his mind was still full of questions, yet he had one goal: he needed to win the tournament. "I need to win no matter what; I need to hurry and find Mara." He murmured his words that he is the only one who can hear.
After that he took his way towards the canteen, where his teammates were waiting for him, and when he arrived, Ava was waving to him, yet he looked so mournful. He approached them with a smile, "Yo, guys, how's your day?" Axel asked them, knowing he was lying about what he truly felt. They respond, "We're okay, kid; we know you're lying all this time; there is something bothering you." Kaid replied to him, "Just spill it, darling; there is nothing to be ashamed of." Ava said, and finally Axel spoke and opened up to them, Not only do I want to become a soldier, but I also need to find someone. She was important to me, and yet she was now undergoing the soldier test without knowing that was their real purpose. I don't want to lose her." Their look was more serious than any other, and Kaid spoke, "Don't worry, kid; we will find your poppy love." Kaid replied to him.
As they walked towards the registration site for the tournament, the atmosphere was strained with expectation, and the whispers of their rival teams bragging about their soon-to-be-won victories and promising them they would annihilate the competition just fueled the tension. But Axel's squad was not intimidated by the jeers and walked forward to line with calm resolve, their commitment to playing in the tournament unwavering, as onlookers surrounding them began to become more raucous and boisterous, all teams desperate to show their superiority and lay claim to the trophy.
Team after team, and finally they've registered.
"Team name?" The guard asks them.
"Alpha," Kaid replied to the guard, full of determination. Axel and his teammates were looking at him, questioning why he chose Alpha, and Kaid replied, "Because it's cool?" They looked at him with a disgusting gaze. "You're so bad at naming stuff," Ava said.
As they return to their cells, preparing for the tournament. Instead of heading back to the confines of his cell, he ran towards the training room, the sound of steel against steel calling him irresistibly. Steeling himself, Axel clutched the hilt of a sword, its weight and balance oddly familiar in his hand, and started slashing and parrying, moving with smooth, mechanical ease as he progressed towards a solitary practice session, spurred by a burning determination to master his craft and sharpen his blade.