BUTTERFLIES (Arc 2&3; The Undefeatable Class 192)

Chapter 61: Twenty Doors

The humongous door led us through a passage, surprisingly, which had series of doors. The doors on both sides of the passage summed twenty. Thankfully, we weren't left in the dark for long, as Teacher Haggz cast some lights, through a short explanation.
  “This is where you'll come everyday, instead of the Tower of Cultivation. After you became my direct disciples, you also earned this privilege.
  “There are twenty doors, and you're a total of fifteen, so you'll all choose a particular door. Do not neglect the fact that they're just doors. Make sure your heart guides you into choosing the right door. Once you pick that door, your training would always be from that door. You're not permitted to change, unless you choose to back out completely! Understood?!”
  “Yes, Teacher Haggz!” we answered in unison.
  In truth, I was kind of confused. How can my choosing a particular door be a crucial decision? After all, all the doors were beneficial to cultivators, right? I wonder what's actually within those doors.
  When we were about to start making our decisions, we heard our teacher's voice once more.
  “Each door contains several formations, and all are in the 6-star level.”
  Nothing less, nothing more; but his words were more than clear. They were screaming in our minds. Just what does 6-star represent in the Acorn Valley? It was the highest most attainable level in one of the top nine professions of the Phantom Dynasty!
  My curiosity began to blaze the more.
  ‘Just what kind of training was I going to receive?!’
  We all were scattered across the passage, so we didn't take any particular ordered lineup arrangement. I saw Zhangkong sit crossed-leg, he was probably concentrating his spiritual consciousness around the doors to see which one was compatible with his heart. Lovely idea!
  Seeing his act, the rest of us did likewise. I immediately sat cross-legged too, balanced my arms chest level, then spread my Meditation realm spiritual consciousness to the first door to observe the feedback I'd be receiving.
  A repelling force almost caused my cultivation to go berserk! Jeez... I had to be careful! Just what was living behind those doors? Demons? I didn't want to know the answer, but one thing was clear, the first door was not for me.
  The approach to the second door was much more meticulous. I didn't want to repeat what I'd just felt. I slowly controlled my consciousness to the second door. Suddenly, I saw illusionary picture flash across my mental eyes. All sorts of weapons were joyfully calling out to me. I really didn't like weapons, and other object of war, but there was just something irresistible from this door. Not wanting to rush, I went to the next door. That one showed me blood scenes and I, of course, quickly refracted my mind from it. The forth, fifth, sixth and seventh door were not different. The eighth door, however, was unique. Pictures of mountains and animals roaring joyfully flashed across my mind. A sharp picture of a lady's silhouette also flashed across my mind in a split-second. That was weird, because I'd never seen signs of someone before, from the previous doors.
  ‘I've made up my mind. Although I'm not sure if there are cooler things above, but this door is mine!’ I resolved before opening my eyes.
  I saw Jaded suddenly standing up, and surprisingly, guess what room he walked into...
  Room 1!
  I almost screamed “no!” but quickly composed myself. Why would he want to go into that scary room? An idea suddenly flashed across my mind.
  ‘It could have something to do with his Gift, since he has the Demon Suppressing Aura...’
  I quickly stood up and headed straight for Room 8 before someone else would do so.
  When I got to the door, I contemplated a little. I saw Zhangkong standing up. He gave me his usual smirk then walked into the warfare Room 2.
  ‘See, Stephanie? It's very easy. Just walk inside and don't be afraid.’
  I drew in a cool breath. My blood was boiling in anticipation as my shaky hand slowly reacher for the doorknob.
  ‘Ah, if only I saw the look of surprise and fear in Teacher Haggz's eyes as I approached Room 8. If only I saw his fists were clenched... I could swear I'd never have made that decision. In truth, this decision was not so bad. In the future, it gave me a drill that made me one of the strongest experts amongst my mates.

* * *
  “That girl... why's her bloodline attracted to Old Sage Muyu's room? Sighs, I guess I'll have to keep watch on this disciple of mine.”
  Mr. Haggz could not help but shake his head. He raised his head and looked across the others still in meditation, and could not help but think of his days, and how he'd also selected Room 8 out of an indescribable feeling it gave him, such that he didn't have to check the other doors to be on the safe side.
  “The leader of the twenty demons seems to be your temporary teacher from now on, ” Mr. Haggz muttered under his breath, letting out a cold sigh.
  Soon, Ruby stood up and was heading to Room 8, surprisingly, but the moment she reached the door, she suddenly felt a repelling aura and decided to go back to meditation to pick another door. It seemed it had already been occupied.
  On seeing this, Mr. Haggz's temperature dropped. ‘How can she feel drawn to that same door? It seems she's the one I'll have to keep an eye on, not Stephanie.’
  Soon, everyone had chosen a door, before Ruby awoke again and headed straight for Room 20. Mr. Haggz's eyes dilated, then he nodded his head silently as though his thoughts had been confirmed.
  Of course, not even Ruby knew her actions were under scrutinization, as she gently turned the doorknob and was enveloped into the room with the door shutting close, noiselessly.

* * *
  Of course, I knew next to nothing about any of the thoughts that had been going through the head of Teacher Haggz as I walked into the frame of my selected door.
  My heart was beating at an alarming race. Immediately after my second leg entered into the room, I began to feel like the world around me was gradually separating from me as I descended at an alarming speed supported by gravity. Yes, I was literally freefalling!
  “Ahh!” I found myself screaming. How would I know that there was an underground abyss in the room I had picked? Just what kind of strange place had I found myself in?
  Then an idea struck me.
  ‘Why not summon Roy to help me balance myself?’
  ‘Nice thinking, Steph! I told you you're awesome! Wait... what? I can't feel my true essence! I can't feel my connection with my storage and recluse ring! The hell mehn! Ahh! I think I should go back to screaming now! Ahhhhhhhh!’
  I kept the scream straight up for twenty seconds — hey there, I think I broke a childhood record by five seconds without another breath — before getting tired. Yeah, I was tired of screaming. Just what the heck is this place anyways. Teacher Haggz never said it would threaten our lives, so maybe its just to train our confidence. That's it! I'm not scared!
  “Hahaha, I laugh in the face of danger!” I screamed aloud.
  Suddenly the air warped. I barely even noticed I was no longer falling when I heard a sweet, courage-shaking voice from a female.
  “Interesting. I have plenty of danger, dear. What's your favorite genre?”
  My mind turned blank and I involuntary found myself saying, “Ehn?”