The Chaos Abyss

"The chaos abyss". Tamra said. "It's where the preliminaries are going to take place". She looked genuinely surprised as she asked. "Don't you have a transmitter?"

Azure ignored her question. "How does it look like?" Azure asked.

Tamra smiled and started walking towards the exit of the booth. "You'll see". She said as she was walking.

Azure followed her and very soon he was out of the booth.

What he saw could be described with only one word… red, blood red.

The sky was red. The clouds were red. It seemed as if everything was tinted with a shade of red.

It wasn't the color that got him scared and paranoid though. This looked like what all the fictional movies would put the pre genesis world.

There were bits and pieces of rocks floating everywhere. Sand molecules and dust particles that would've remained invisible on earth were seen by the naked eyes.

"Welcome to the chaos abyss!" The middle aged man said. "Now as most of you know, this is where the member's exhibition will take place". The man gestured to the floating pieces of rocks and sand particles. "Those who have already registered should kindly stand to the left. And as for those who haven't, you would be drawing lots to determine your opponents".

After an hour, everyone was paired with an opponent. The middle aged man said a few motivational words and announced the state of the member's exhibition.

"Looks like I'm up". Tamra said.

She and a nineteen year old boy stepped out and walked towards the center of the crowd that had formed around them. After a few seconds, their bodies disintegrated into a few dots of light.

Azure was shocked. If Tamra was here, he would've immediately asked her what was happening.

But she wasn't, and he wasn't really familiar with anyone asides from Sticks and… no. He tossed the thought aside as soon as it crept into his head. There was no way in hell that he was asking Balvin to explain to him.

Where Tamra and the nineteen year old boy stood, a pillar rose. At the top of the pillar was a crystalline screen displaying a forest range.

The crystalline screen zoomed into the forest and Tamra and the nineteen year old boy were seen facing each other.

"Tamra, Exo, are you ready?!" The middle aged man asked.

Azure was about to ask how Tamra and Exo would be able to hear him since he wasn't inside whatever simulation they were in. He was shocked when he heard both parties respond.

"Sure".

"Yeah!"

"Very well then". The middle aged man rubbed his belly. "Begin!"

Exo charged at Tamra. He held a short sword in his hands. He had a pompous smile on his face as he slashed at Tamra lazily. It was as if he expected that simple movement to kill her.

Tamra smiled back. She was being underestimated right from the start just because she looked a little young.

She moved to her left and easily avoided the sword slash.

"You should know that it doesn't turn out well for people who underestimate me". Tamra said.

"I've been told by many that I'm special". Exo said. Once again he lazily slashed at Tamra with his sword.

Tamra easily dodged the sword slash. She smiled at Exo then spoke. "Jesus wept!"

Immediately, the forest turned dark, wind seemed to be blowing from every direction, producing loud sounds. Dirt, leaves and trees that weren't lucky enough were practically flying about.

Lightning danced about in the dark skies which were accompanied by darker clouds from which glowing droplets of water fell.

As the droplets of water were about to reach the ground, they all converged to form a giant drop of water and rushed at Exo.

From the screen that everyone watched, it seemed as if a white blur of light charged at him.

"Damn". Azure muttered as he saw the spell unfold. That didn't look like anything that he could do. And the girl looked just fourteen years old!

The large water droplet of light advanced towards Exo who sucked in some air.

"I admit little girl, I underestimated you". Exo said. "But that doesn't mean that you get to win". He ran towards the droplets of water then slashed at it.

"All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again".

A silver light outlined the blade of the sword as it came in contact of the sword. As the sword came in contact with the bubble of light, a hissing sound was produced.

The bubble separated into thousands of smaller bubbles which vibrates as if it was boiling. One second after, all the bubbles evaporated.

Seeing this, Tamra smiled. "You're not half bad".

"Neither are you". Exo replied.

Azure who was watching this had to fight very hard to resist the urge to open his mouth. Since when were members supposed to be that strong?

He was feeling pretty cocky after his fight against Rein. The accident with Bastian and watching Tamra and Exo fight woke him up from his fantasy. It alerted him to the truth.

He was a weak piece of shit. Forget killing the pope, the way things are, any average worker shouldn't have a problem laying waste to him.

He sighed and placed his focus back on the fight between Tamra and Exo.

He had to get stronger, and he needed to do it fast.