Nimrod

Ranks Begone

"It is so, beautiful," said Axle.

They stood on a shore of a vast sea, the tide swept to and fro beneath their feet. Million-strong citizens of Oxyloc under a clear sky. It was so immersive that they almost forgot that they were in a virtual world.

"Stop spacing out you two. We're not here to chill!" Isis reminded.

"Hey there, you still with us? Hellooooo!" she asked as she knocked on Sam's helmet.

"This, is, so, cool!" Sam said, finally. "The Engineering department really did a great job!"

Isis scoffed at the thought, but she couldn't help to be impressed as well.

"Seems like the real thing, isn't it?" Zero said. Standing with the department heads, it was the first time the whole citizens of Oxyloc heard from him since he had risen.

"But wait 'til you experience the new battle simulations, this one is nothing compared to it. Kudos to the Engineering team!" Zero said as he addressed the engineers who helped develop their virtual reality.

After the applause from the people, he continued.

"As you have all known, the soldiers will be on the frontlines when we reclaim the Earth. But I know that many of you would want to join the fight, literally. That is why we are all gathered here to announce that you may opt to join the Military regardless of your current role or department. That is with the exception of Rico who is the head of our operations."

There were conversations amongst the Oxyloc of Zero's announcement. Some thought that all of Oxyloc's force regardless of their departments will be sent to Earth. Some thought that this plan was not efficient.

"But please, don't get us wrong. We will not deploy everyone, not even the soldiers. You see, our resources are limited. We also can't risk losing people from other departments for their roles are equally important as well. With that, we are to send the most capable group with the highest chance of making it. And our Military Department's head, the Supremo, has a clever plan for that. I'd defer to him to give you all the details."

"Thank you, brother," Maca said to Zero before he addresses their citizens.

"As Zero had mentioned, we invite everyone to take part in the fight to reclaim our home. But not everyone will be chosen. Starting today, everyone who wants to take part may head to our new facilities created by the Engineering Team. They call it, the Arcade. In there, we'll be able to enter a more immersive virtual world, an exact virtual copy of the Earth. You may team up, you may go solo. The only requirement for you to qualify for the selection is to enter the inner sphere of any of the nim's seven realms. "

Maca turned to Rico, the latter nodded.

"Since we want to send soldiers who are the most capable, all the soldiers of our Military force are hereby stripped of their ranks. Everyone, including me. The one who will be able to reach Nimrod's tree in the Arcade first will be the new Supremo. He or she will have the privilege to choose seven generals. The generals - their captains. And the captains-their squads. We only have six months to do this. Should there be no one of us reach Nimrod's tree during that span, I'm afraid that Zero will have to take another trip to the cryos for we are not yet ready to take our home. So, soldiers, I urge you. Let us fulfill in our generation the dream that each and every one of us and all of those generations before us has. That Earth will be reclaimed during our time, and let this be our resolve!"

The other departments had a quick update to address their respective departments before Rico ended the event.

Axle has just logged out but Sam is already knocking outside his cell.

"Come on Axe! This is our chance to climb up in ranks. We could end up as one of the seven generals. Who knows? perhaps, one of us may end up being the next Supremo?!"

"With your skills, you will not even last a minute on the outermost layer," Isis said.

"Hey, don't you ever ask for my help on the battlefield!"

"And who's the one who begged for help last time?"

"But which realm do you think we should take first? Maca said that we should just reach a Tronos, right?" Axle asked.

The Earth was divided into seven realms - Naamah, Ipos, Morax, Raum, Orias, Dantanian, and Nimrod's. Each realm was divided into three spheres - the outer, middle, and inner. Each sphere was divided into three lairs. The outer sphere was composed of the Aplos as the outer lair, Argos in the middle, and Arkos which was adjacent to the middle sphere. The middle sphere was composed of Exos which was adjacent to the Arkos of the outer sphere, the Dynamos in the middle, and the Dominos as the inner lair. The inner sphere was composed of Tronos, Karibu, and Seraph.

"It's obvious Axe! We'll take Nimrod's realm and hunt him down!" Sam replied.

"Here we go again with your delusions," Isis said.

"There are nine lairs we have to conquer to be able to reach Nimrod's tree, do you think we can make it?" Axle again.

"Ugh! Why am I stuck with these two? Can't we go to the Arcade now? We're wasting our time here!"

A huge hand cupped Sam's and Isis's heads. "No Arcade for the three of you," he said.

"Wait, what?!" Sam said as he struggled to face Maca.

"Even if you had transferred us to the other departments, Zero said that all can take part in the Arcade. You also said that yourself!" Isis said.

"Yes, I did. But for now, you three are on an important mission."