14 Issuing A Challenge

On a Tera Nova main continent road, a humvee could be seen travelling at high speed. Inside that humvee were a driver and two men. One short, one tall.

"So, how were your six months in hell? Still ready to take on any challenge I throw you?" The taller man asked, a grin on his face.

"If that was your best, there ain't nothing you can throw at me that can scare me, old man,'" answered the shorter one, an arrogant smile on his lips.

"Old man? How dare you? You know you've told me your actual age, right? You are way older than me."

"Well, maybe. But I look so much better, hehehe."

These two men were Commander Joseph Landon and Special Agent Henry Calvert.

Commander Landon had opened up to Henry quite a bit over the last six months of his training. He had kept watch over his results, and after being thoroughly impressed with Henry's progress, he had contacted him to stay in touch.

Henry had become a deadly fighter and a very accurate shooter. Of course, this was mainly because of his ACC. He had even earned himself a nickname.

"What's this about your weird nickname, though? Crimson Mantis? Sounds like an ugly bug I would want to squash."

"Yeah, Haha. I would like to see you try that, old man," Henry said smugly.

"Hmmm? Is that a challenge, Henry? You know, I didn't become an officer by twiddling my thumbs. I earned that in mud and blood. Just like this scar on my face," Landon smiled.

"Yeah, about that scar. I've heard some stories about how you got it. But none seemed real enough to believe. How DID you get it?"

"Tell you what, smartass, beat me in a duel on the VCP and I'll tell you. I'll even lower my strength to yours. Make it a fair fight."

"Fistfight or armed?" Henry asked with a smile.

"As you seem fit. Be at your best. I've wanted to crush that cocky attitude of yours since we met. Might as well be now," Landon said with an evil grin.

"Okay. But don't you come crying to me later."

Landon let out an honest laugh. And with that laugh, they both stopped talking till they got to an army base built near the coast of the main continent.

The Virtual Combat Platform, or VCP in short, was a tool the military used to train their soldiers in actual combat. It would emulate and transmit your body into a program to engage in melee combat without risking injury.

Henry was looking forward to test out Landon's combat strength. He wondered if he could take him on now. His training had paid off; he knew it.

His best guess was that Landon thought the AI had greatly improved his training. But in fact, Henry had only relied on the System for the first few weeks.

The rest had primarily been his hard work. Of course, he still took its assistance for tricky manoeuvres; it was a tool, after all.

But he had taken his own skills to a new level on his standard. He had asked the System to run simulations against the scouting party he had encountered on Earth with his newly acquired skill set, and he had annihilated them.

He was now a notch stronger than Captain Hart, too—enough for him not to rely on the AI if he were to fight him again.

Of course, that wouldn't happen. Captain Hart was dead.

Henry and Landon agreed to take a night's rest before their fated showdown. Landon had been sly enough to tell Henry he would 'need' it.

They both went to rest after their day spent travelling, both looking forward to testing the mettle of their opponent. Henry got to the communal resting area and chose an empty bunk to sleep.

The following day, Henry got up, a pep in his step. He was very excited to face off with Landon.

He had heard many stories of his combat prowess during his training and wished to test his new combat style on a worthy opponent.

Henry knew that Commander Landon had watched his progress and fight recordings. Unfortunately for Landon, Henry had also been training at night.

At the beginning of his six-month hell, Henry had discovered he could sap energy from his lifespan to recover from fatigue. He did not need to sleep anymore and had used that to train more.

Of course, such methods were taxing on his lifespan. Still, since he was regularly given blood, that was no problem.

Especially since the military scientists in charge of him had calculated the amount of blood he needed from the age of the nanites inside him.

What they didn't know was that the nanites had been upgraded and were running super efficiently.

So he was getting Tamarain blood transfusions every week, as upon their calculations, one dose gave him one week. But he was, in reality, getting two weeks from each dose.

And that was perfect for his use since he lost a day's worth of extra lifespan every day he wouldn't sleep. He knew he wasn't gaining any time from this hack.

But at least he was gaining knowledge and technique. Experience was a mighty weapon, after all.

Arriving at the base's training facilities, Henry saw Landon standing near the entrance, waiting for him.

"You're just on time, Agent Calvert," the commander said.

They had agreed during the transport to stay official in the presence of other soldiers. This is the military, after all.

"I'm always on time, Commander. You thought I would run from our fight, did you?" Henry mocked.

"Well, I had my doubts," Landon answered, a cocky smile on his lips.

"I'm glad you proved them wrong," he added.

"Then it's time I show you a man's resolve."

Henry had not suffered these last months of torment to back down from a challenge.

He had been waiting for this with bated breath.