Chương 12: I Will Follow You

The next day, Ray and Phora met to hold the tryouts. After a meal of synthetic food paste and some light training, Ray met the thunder family royalty near her room. Phora had somehow managed to organize an official tryout in one of the training complexes. The large complex was outfitted with a course for displaying one's skill. System-generated obstacles and holographic Beasts created an imaginary battlefield, with reinforced walls able to handle force up to the 2nd Stage.

Ray sat alongside the thunder family royalty as they watched multiple Recruits display their Abilities. The pair sat at a long desk. Phora was taking notes on a tablet while Ray just watched aimlessly. Truth be told, none of the people present impressed him much. Most of them seemed to be social oddities who had yet to find a team for themselves. Ray was just about to ask Phora what she thought when someone caught his eye.

The young man wasn't doing anything special at the moment, but Ray couldn't help but notice his relaxed movements. The teen had bright red hair that bounced as he effortlessly swung his longsword through the midsection of a System-generated Beast. A small burst of bright orange flames erupted from the soles of his feet as he seemingly floated toward another holographic Beast. He pulled back his blade as flames wrapped around the silver steel before bringing it down swiftly in a sharp arc.

The flame-coated blade exploded with an inferno of sparks as it collided with an armored Beast's hide. The Beast's defenses held for only a moment before it nearly exploded as the blade tore through it. The red-haired teen landed lightly on his feet and looked toward the table where Ray and Phora were sitting. He locked eyes with Ray and gave him a playful grin as if to say,'Is that enough?' Phora took this time to let out a low chuckle.

"That's Jerome," she said, not hiding her disdain.

"He is from another big family. They all use Fire Mana and are the main family of Emberfell."

"They are basically the fire equivalent of you guys," Ray said. Phora shot him a look and continued speaking.

"Not at all. They are pretentious assholes who usually treat commoners like garbage. Jerome is the youngest child of the family, and his reputation precedes him. He is very talented, maybe the most talented in his family." By this point, Jerome had made his way over toward the table. He wasn't within earshot but was only a step or two away when Phora almost whispered her next statement.

"He's also a spoiled brat that won't take no for an answer." Jerome placed his hand on the table and leaned in, his face adorned with a prideful smile.

"Hello, Miss Striker," he said.

"And, Mr. Foley. What a pleasure to finally meet you." Jerome's finger glided across the table before he lifted his hand and pointed right at Phora.

"I wouldn't normally consider trying out for any group," he continued." I would much rather hand-select the best and brightest to accent my shining magnificence. Alas, I heard a rumor of a very special Recruit in our ranks. And wouldn't you know it? The heir of the thunder family throne has already sunk her lightning-covered claws into him." Jerome leaned in close, making eye contact with Phora before looking directly at Ray.

"I wish to join your group." His face fell, showing an almost sympathetic look.

"I know being around two members of such prestigious families may be overwhelming, but I can assure you, you won't find a better teammate than yours truly. Mother has informed me that I would benefit from joining with you two, so I intend to do so. Any objections?" Ray was stunned into silence. He looked to Phora, hoping she would give him some clarity, but her frustrated look only further kept him from speaking.

'I mean, the guy is strong,' he thought.

'He also has a huge backing. Basically all the reasons I agreed to work with Phora. How bad could it be?' Ray took a moment longer to consider.

"Fine," Phora said just as Ray had made up his mind.

"But Ray is in charge," she continued.

"My father has already approved, so Ray will be Captain." Jerome's eyes held a mischievous glint, but only for a moment.

"But of course," he said.

"I would rather he be in charge than you, and I couldn't be bothered. Sounds perfect." The red-haired teen then walked around to the other side of the table, where he sat down in a chair that Ray hadn't noticed before. He noted the young man's perfect posture and pristine battlegear. All in all, Ray had to admit Jerome definitely looked the part. - The rest of the tryouts were uneventful.

No one managed to impress the two rich kids, and Ray was still too worried about his future team composition to pay much attention. Jerome left after adding the others' contact info, saying something along the lines of, "Don't let us down, Mr. Foley." Ray wasn't sure why Jerome only referred to him with honorifics, but that was an issue for a later date. Phora mentioned she had finally gotten in contact with Frangle. He had agreed to join but wanted to speak with Ray one-on-one before confirming anything.

The large teen mentioned he had some 'things' to work out between them. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. With the addition of Jerome and the potential confirmation of Frangle, they only needed one more member for the group. Ray had no clue how to find someone, but Phora said she had someone in mind.

"They might turn me down, but it's worth a shot," she said before leaving Ray in front of his room. Ray went into his room and washed up before eating another meal of synthetic food paste. The meals at the base had been very nutritious and filling, but he had to admit he missed real food. Now that his mentality had grown sturdier, he had begun to notice a lot more about his surroundings. The fog had begun to lift, and reality had finally set in. Ray was no longer a boy caught between two lives.

He was fully on his way to becoming exactly what he knew he needed to become. A hero. A protector. A Soldier. - Frangle had yet to leave his room since the Recruits had returned to the GLMB. He couldn't. Not with the knowledge that the monster could be walking the same halls as him. A monster wearing human skin. Ray. Frangle knew he was overreacting. He knew Ray was just a very talented System user. Not a monster.' Then why was his face twisted like that?' he thought. The face of a monster.

A devilish grin as he ripped lives apart, sending gore raining from the sky. A face of glee as he danced on the line between life and death. Ray had truly looked like a monster that day. Frangle wasn't just impressed by his strength. What scared him was the pleasure the black-haired teen seemed to get from killing. He hadn't noticed it when Ray killed the Cavernclaw. There was just an explosion and a bright light. Then it was over. What he did to the Lake Hounds was a different story.

Ray had turned one into a pile of flesh with a punch. Then he basically strangled the other to death, all while wearing that devilish smile. The other three Lake Hounds didn't even stand a chance. Frangle had instinctively used his Ability to help Ray. Or so he thought. The more he recalled the event, the more he felt like Ray had ordered him to help. Like his will alone had caused Frangle to act. A split second, that was all it took. They locked eyes. The green glow of Ray's eyes had screamed for Frangle to obey.

And obey he did. It was as if the Emperor himself had told him to kneel. Frangle couldn't understand the subservient feeling he had, so he replaced it with fear. Fear of the monster he had shared the halls of the base with. Then he spoke with Phora. The way the thunder family royalty praised Ray did not mirror his own thoughts. Phora seemed to think Ray was the second coming of the Emperor for entirely different reasons. To her, Ray was the perfect Captain.

Apparently, he spoke at great lengths about his desire to help humanity finally defeat the Beasts. As if he was obsessed with it. Phora said he reminded her of her father. A powerful being with a sense of duty. Maybe that was why Ray was so happy killing the Lake Hounds. Frangle assumed those were most likely the first Beasts he had defeated since gaining the System. That would be like a birthday party for someone with his conviction. This made Frangle reconsider his stance.

Deciding to at least meet with Ray face-to-face. - Ray was heading to a common area meant for lounging and socializing. This was the first time he had even considered going to one of these areas since coming to the base. He felt no need to mingle when he could be training. Phora had informed him that Frangle would be waiting to meet him here. He immediately spotted the large hammer-wielding teen as he entered the complex. His light brown hair was messy and rested just above his System-colored eyes.

As if sensing him, Frangle looked up and met Ray's gaze. The large teen tilted his head toward a door beside him before entering it. Ray followed and found himself in a smaller room with a few sofas and monitors.

"Hey, big guy," Ray said with a smile.

"You feeling any better?" Frangle stood at the other end of the room facing away from him. He didn't answer right away, and after a few seconds, Ray wasn't sure if he had heard him. Ray was just about to repeat himself when Frangle reached behind his back and pulled his hammer from its baldric before letting the head fall to the ground. A light thud followed as he gently laid the handle against the wall and turned to face Ray.

"You scare me," he said. The words hung in the air, and Ray wasn't really sure what he meant. Before Ray could ask, Frangle continued.

"You remind me of a Beast in a lot of ways. Vastly more powerful than me and capable of horrifying violence." He paused, letting out a long sigh before continuing.

"You also remind me of one of the Commanders. I only saw one of them in passing. They also exuded an aura of violence but it was contained within a feeling of safety. Like no matter what, they can defeat whatever comes their way. I have wanted to emulate that my entire life. Not the power, just the feeling of safety. Ever since my father went off to fight the Beasts..." His voice began to quiver.

"My mother couldn't handle it when he didn't come home." Frangle's face had become dark, wetness pooling in his green eyes. He sniffed and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand before continuing.

"I had to step up. I knew if I worked hard enough, I could provide the way my father did. That was when I was selected for the program. They promised to give my family money if I joined, so I came along. I never wanted to be a Soldier." A moment of silence passed. Neither of them chose to speak further, just sharing deep eye contact. Ray took a deep breath and let out a long sigh before speaking.

"So, what do you want to be?" The question was simple, but Frangle struggled to form an answer all the same, looking at his feet as he often did. His thoughts jumbled and misaligned. What did he want to be? As if possessed, Frangle's face took on a sudden look of determination as he looked back into Ray's eyes.

"I don't know," he said.

"But I have a feeling…" The large teen raised his fist to his heart, the national salute of the Gaialian Empire.

"I have a feeling you can help me figure it out. You are obviously going to do big things, Ray. Or you fail miserably, and I'm back where I started. Either way, I'm willing to follow you." The words hit Ray harder than he expected. Frangle wasn't talking about rankings or how impressive Bolt looked when something exploded. He was trusting Ray with the direction his life might take. That felt like a lot to put on someone who was still figuring out his own, but Ray didn't want to brush it off.

"Thanks, Frangle," he said.

"Phora said I get to be the Captain or whatever, so I hope you can help me make the right decisions. I don't want to upset anyone in our group after all."