Rome – Renovatio Company Headquarters

Some days after Enzo’s interview, an armored automotive pulled up outdoors the Renovatio Imperii guild’s heart of operations. A number of policemen obtained out of the automotive, then opened up the again and eliminated two handcuffed males.

A number of members of Renovatio Imperii have been ready outdoors the constructing, and so they escorted the policemen and their prices inside. The constructing was pretty modest, however it was clear that new safety measures had been lately put in each inside and outdoors. It appeared that the guild needed to take no possibilities with whichever legal they recruited.

The policemen have been led to a small assembly room, the place two heavy chairs had been positioned in entrance of an excellent heavier desk. The prisoners have been handcuffed to each the legs of the desk and their very own chairs, in order that there can be no probability of escape.

One member of the guild stepped ahead and spoke in a agency voice. “Whats up, my company. I am Tiberius, the guild coach. Right this moment, you’ll be immersed in a coaching program specifically designed by Renovatio Imperii to evaluate potential abilities. As Augustus instructed you, we’re in search of a hand-to-hand specialist. Due to this fact, we’ll present a curated number of the weapons which we’re most involved with.”

He signaled to his assistant, who fitted a VR headset on every of the prisoners’ heads.

***

Suddenly, Enzo discovered himself and the boxer standing in a formless void, fully bare!

In a second, a 3rd man appeared, clad in Roman battle costume.

“That is our digital coaching area,” he mentioned. “Right here, our guild members can practice freely. We are able to set any bodily guidelines we want right here.” He snapped his fingers, and in response, a number of cabinets crammed with weapons and armor appeared across the candidates.

“Select your weapons!” the person continued. “The duel will begin in 5 minutes and shall be divided into rounds. The primary man to land successful will win that spherical. The primary man to win three rounds shall be recruited… whereas the opposite will return to jail to complete serving his sentence.” He gave a Roman salute and mentioned, “Good luck!”

Then he disappeared and a five-minute countdown appeared in his place.

Enzo examined his physique and the area round him with marvel. This was the primary time he had skilled the brand new know-how known as Digital Actuality Immersion. It was completely breathtaking! The bodily sensations have been as near actual as he may think about. In reality, he virtually had hassle believing that this was solely a simulation.

Then Enzo stepped near the closest weapons rack. He hadn’t precisely been skilled in the usage of unique melee weapons, so he picked up a light-weight sword, which he knew that he may swing with nice pace.

Upon feeling its weight, he frowned.

Enzo glanced again on the wall of weapons, looking at a two-handed hammer for a second. He nodded as soon as to himself, however saved the sword after which turned to face his opponent.

In the meantime, the boxer merely took a pair of brass knuckles, flexing his fingers and nodding approvingly on the method they match. “Actual good,” he mentioned. “I prefer it!”

Enzo swung his personal sword within the air, listening to it whistle. “What’s your identify?” he requested.

The boxer answered, “Rachid Bayord. And also you?”

“Enzo Romano.”

Rachid stared on the remaining weapons on the wall, however made no transfer to attempt any of the others out. He was a boxer, in spite of everything. It could be a waste of time to step outdoors his space of experience. “Do you assume he is telling the reality?” he requested. “That we’ll actually be free if we win the duel? The federal government performs merciless methods on folks like us. I discover it fairly exhausting to consider.”

Enzo answered, “I do not know. However I do not assume they’d go to all that hassle for nothing.”

Rachid answered slowly, “I see. You recognize, I such as you. You defended a buddy of mine in opposition to guards who abused their standing to provide him cigarettes in change for… nicely, you understand what they have been doing. However I warn you, I used to be sentenced to 25 years in jail. I’ve already executed 5. I do not assume I am going to final for the remainder of it. If I’ve the slightest method out of this hell, I am going to take it. Even when it means it’s important to take the autumn.”

Enzo answered with a grim smile, “Don’t fret. I am doing the identical. I would not anticipate something totally different.”

The 2 males simply stared one another down because the countdown reached its last few seconds.

10…

9…

8…

7…

6…

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

The timer was changed with a brand new message.

“Spherical 1: Begin!”

Rachid instantly launched himself at Enzo, putting him a number of occasions within the face.

Enzo raised his arm to attempt to shield his face with the sword, however it was no use. The practiced pace and type of knowledgeable boxer have been a lot too quick for him to evade like this, despite the fact that he’d been a brutal fighter within the streets.

The message modified once more.

“Spherical 1: Gained by Rachid. Subsequent spherical in 30 seconds. Prepare!”

Enzo was respiratory exhausting. The ache he’d felt upon being punched had pale virtually instantly, in all probability due to the principles of the simulation. Nevertheless, the shock of being so simply struck nonetheless made his head spin. He could not consider how shortly and dexterously Rachid had managed to hit him! The boxer was really a tier above the kinds of individuals Enzo fought on the streets.

“Spherical 2: Begin!”

This time, Enzo took the initiative! He leaped in direction of Rachid together with his sword already swinging, planning to strike with the advantage of his longer-range weapon earlier than Rachid may get shut sufficient!

However Rachid anticipated this assault and took the additional size of Enzo’s sword under consideration. He ducked simply out of the best way and counterattacked with a jab to Enzo’s stomach.

“Spherical 2: Gained by Rachid. Subsequent match in 30 seconds. Prepare!”

***

Outdoors the simulation, a number of males have been watching the duel on an enormous monitor. The underside portion of the display confirmed many numbers which measured the prisoners’ important stats, the pace of their assaults, and the effectivity of their motions.

Tiberius mentioned, “Romano is quick, certainly. He thinks shortly and makes essentially the most of each benefit in his environment. If we would positioned them on a battlefield with many extra interactive components, I believe it is seemingly that he would dominate. Nevertheless, in a sterile duel like this one, the boxer’s skilled expertise is simply an excessive amount of for him to beat.”

Augustus was additionally there. He mentioned, “As I instructed you, the boxer is a lot better! He could have some psychological injury after his lengthy profession, however we want somebody who’s highly effective and galvanizing! It could be a tragedy to move over such uncooked talent.”

Tiberius answered reluctantly. “I suppose I have to agree. The boxer is a way more pragmatic selection.”

Augustus replied, “Nicely, the sport’s not over but. We agreed that whoever wins this duel will even win the place. Do not low cost your favourite too quickly!”

Tiberius replied with fun, “Aha, actually?! Excellent, Edward! How about a bit guess?”

Augustus raised an eyebrow. “What did you take into account?”

Tiberius mentioned, “A thousand credit!”

Augustus rubbed the stubble on his chin. “Cash? I’ve obtained loads. That is not attention-grabbing in any respect. How about we guess one thing a bit extra uncommon… Your two Warglaives of Azzinoth in WoW!”

Tiberius frowned at this. “What, my two raid weapons? Are you loopy? These issues solely have a 0.1% drop price! I spent months grinding for them!”

Augustus answered with a skinny smile,”Sure, I do know. Precisely why I do not need to attempt to get my very own set the traditional method. Then again, I’ve obtained one thing you need. How does my Swift Spectral Tiger mount sound for my aspect of the wager?”

Tiberius was astonished. “What, critically?! That fucking mount should be value not less than 1,000,000 credit!”

Augustus shrugged. “So, what do you say?”

Tiberius thought of it. He knew that Rachid had already received two rounds. His domination over Romano was more likely to proceed. Nevertheless, the worth of the mount in comparison with his weapons was so large that the slim probability of his favourite candidate profitable was sufficient for him to think about it a real alternative.

“Deal!” he mentioned ultimately.

***

“Spherical 3: Begin!”

This time Enzo was on guard, able to counter any assault.

Nevertheless, Rachid was no idiot. He knew that his opponent should be expert sufficient to start out studying his assault patterns. From this level on, he would must be extra cautious.

As well as, based mostly on the look on Enzo’s face, Rachid was guessing that his opponent would not be as dazed as somebody can be in actual life in the event that they’d taken these similar blows. That was a part of his common benefit, which he would not have the ability to depend on right here.

Nearly a minute handed whereas the 2 males stared at one another, fully on guard. Then, in a cut up second, Rachid stepped shut and jabbed at his opponent’s face!

Simply as fast, Enzo flicked the sting of his sword upward to fulfill Rachid’s fist!

The brass knuckles cracked Enzo within the jaw at the same time as his personal blade slashed throughout Rachid’s wrist.

“Spherical 3: Tie. Subsequent spherical in 30 seconds. Prepare!”

Rachid shouted, “What?! No, I hit him first, you silly machine! Nicely, you need to play like that, Enzo?! I am going to present you what ten years of boxing expertise has taught me!”

Enzo smiled. He had lastly gotten what he needed!

The thirty-second countdown started once more. Enzo took benefit of this quick break to drop his sword and seize a battle hammer from the wall, which he wielded with a two-handed grip.

This astonished everybody watching, in addition to Rachid.

“What?” he requested. “You are already gradual with a one-handed sword, and also you’re swapping it for one thing even slower? Have you ever given up, or are you simply silly?”

Enzo’s smile grew wider. “I would not fear about it. You may discover out what I am doing quickly!””Spherical 4: Begin!”

Rachid answered grimly, “We’ll see about that, buddy!”

He rushed in direction of Enzo… However simply as his fist was about to make contact with Enzo’s face, a two-handed hammer blow broke his arm!

“Spherical 4: Gained by Enzo. Subsequent match in 30 seconds. Prepare!”

Rachid stepped again, looking at his arm in disbelief. Although it did not harm in the identical method as an actual damage, a little bit of textual content above it mentioned, “Proper arm crippled.”

“How is it attainable to be so quick with an enormous piece of steel like that?!” he gasped in fury. “That factor should weigh a number of kilos! It is simply as quick as your sword was! You could have hacked the system, or it is some sort of bug!”

Enzo’s smile turned triumphant. “To win, you will need to all the time examine your battlefield and be taught each element about it. That is what separates a boxer such as you from a survivor and warrior like me, Rachid! You did not take the time to be taught the distinctive qualities of this enviornment. You merely noticed the brass knuckles and did not give the rest a second thought.”

He spun the large hammer in a single hand. It appeared as mild as a toy. “This is what you do not perceive: We’re not coping with actuality right here! We’re in a fight simulation! Agility, energy, dexterity… All of that’s imaginary in comparison with the true world, pushed by laptop information! Statistical rankings in a pc’s database which might all be modified!”

Enzo turned and gripped the large weapon cupboard close to its base. After just a few moments of heaving, it lifted excessive into the air.

“You see?” he requested, laughing with delight. “I suspected all of this once they instructed me it was a customized coaching simulation… The physics of this place aren’t sensible in any respect! It is as if each object in right here is fabricated from cardboard! However, on the similar time, they have been programmed to deal wounds to us in the event that they make contact.”

Rachid stared in shock on the weapons cupboard which Enzo held in a single hand. For a person like him who had fought all his life within the boxing ring, he had numerous hassle accepting this new mind-set.

“It… it does not change something!” he mentioned ultimately. “I am nonetheless higher than you. I’ve extra expertise. And now that you’ve got given up your solely secret benefit, it will not enable you to once more! In any case, you are solely a little bit of scum from the slums…”

“Spherical 5: Begin!”

All this time, Rachid and Enzo had been shifting barely nearer to one another in a macho stand-off, in order that they have been virtually head to head. Rachid had distracted himself together with his personal fury, and the start of the spherical caught him abruptly!

Not Enzo, although. His speech had, in fact, been supposed to work Rachid right into a scornful rage. When the spherical started, Enzo instantly whipped his hammer into Rachid’s aspect. It moved as quick as a knife, and Rachid stood completely no probability of evading as a result of tiny distance between them.

“Spherical 5: Gained by Enzo. Subsequent match in 30 seconds. Prepare!”

Rachid mentioned nothing.

He felt like he’d simply been hammered within the head for a full 5 rounds within the boxing ring. His head spun with confusion.

How? How may the bodily legal guidelines which had ruled his complete life merely disappear like this? It was merely inconceivable for him to wrap his mind round.

“Spherical 6: Begin!”

But Rachid was not the sort of particular person to surrender, even so near defeat. This was one of many qualities which had made him such a mighty boxer for thus a few years! As quickly as he noticed the large phrase “Begin,” he threw himself at Enzo with the quickest, most vicious left hook of his profession. It was essentially the most masterful blow he had ever thrown, and he would by no means throw one as swift and mighty once more.

It wasn’t almost sufficient.

The large, several-kilo sword impacted his face 1 / 4 of a second earlier than he struck his opponent’s jaw.

“Spherical 5: Gained by Enzo.”

“Congratulations, Enzo! You’ve received the duel.”