Bent Fate (An Arknights Fanfiction)

Chapter 15

The training room is still up, not closing any time soon.

Dobermann was up on the observation platform, attentively watching multiple trainees and trainers alike.

There a variety of pairs she can observe, some trainees are being overwhelmed by their trainers while others are the opposite. It's not really a bad thing for the trainer if they are overwhelmed by their student though, their job is to get future Rhodes Island combat operators to shape.

While watching, Dobermann never forgets to check the time every once in a while, pulling her sleeve to reveal a hidden wristwatch from time to time.

Outside the training room, Liskarm does quite a few tricks to pass the time. Now she is inspecting her boot as she felt like she stepped on something sharp earlier.

While at it, she starts to hear voices. The vouivre decides to finish her inspection before checking who's about to come. To her relief.

"Here they are." Franka announces to her as she got closer, Jessica, Zero, and Mr. Perro behind her.

"Took you quite some time, where did you find them?" Liskarm asks but Franka only gestures for her to go inside.

The vulpo walks past her. Liskarm looks at Jessica for a moment, the latter giving her a simple smile.

"Please go easy on him."

Dobermann frowns at the amount of seriousness in Zero's request. "Why?"

"Just go easy on him. I don't think he can handle the tenacity of Rhodes Island's tests."

"Is he seriously not that confident of his men?" Liskarm whispers to Franka.

"Do you believe it?" The latter asks in a way that hints she really doesn't need an answer to the question.

The robotic voice of PRTS comes before any of them could say anything else.

"Beginning simulation for: BlueWing Operator. Codename Cyclone."

Zero's subordinate, now identified as Cyclone, steps in the middle of the training ground with a sheathed longsword hanging on his waist, a combat knife is also present on the other side of his belt.

"Your boss told us to go easy on you, so you will start with only the enemies simulated. Of course, you'll have the generic reunion grunt." Dobermann tells him from up the observation area.

Cyclone didn't bother to look up. Over ten holographic reunion grunts formed all around and charged towards him with their blades.

No immediate movement was observed from Cyclone at the first moments as the holograms closed the distance between them and him. After assessing the situation for himself, he starts his move.

The nearest grunt in front of him was still 6 meters away. He stepped one foot forward, preparing to run towards that grunt as well.

The grunts, or the holograms, had what may be called state-of-the-art AI controlling them. They think and act like real people and everyday training sessions in this facility have proved that, these grunts are almost too real.

Those behind Cyclone began to run faster, raising their blades.

Their lone target was about to take his second step forward when he spins around instead. Sword free from its sheath, the grunts who were behind Cyclone just a second ago are now caught off guard. With a wide swing of his sword, Cyclone slices the heads of three grunts simultaneously and with precision. The fourth grunt got to him later than the other three and Cyclone responds to him by swiping the grunt's feet off the ground, sending him crashing down on the cold hard floor.