1985: Dawn of a New World (A Summoner Fanfic)

Chapter 33 - Prove Yourself!

Zero six forty six hours, that's the time in Mark's SAT when he entered the elevator going up the training room, dressed in his military uniform. It was where May first thought him about the basics of summoning and where his first duel match with James took place.

Mark came fourteen minutes earlier than the time May advised him to be in that place the day before. He took a deep breath, knowing that it will be the time when he would be watched and graded by ranked officers.

He gulped in nervousness as the elevator sounded his arrival in Basement 32. The door opened and much to his surprise, the room is already occupied by several people standing near the wall on Mark's left side.

"Ah there you are Mark. You're just in time for your trial." The game announcer from the arena match greeted Mark, who is standing opposite of where he is. Mark decided to step out of the elevator, not wanting to make his audience wait.

He looked around, searching for May but of no avail. Some of the Senators are also present sitting on the opposite side where the ranked officers stood with the General sitting among them.

Small beacon like objects can be seen, placed at least four feet from each corner of the room, forming a smaller rectangle but still large enough to fit a basketball court.

"Now if you could please stand on that red circle over there." The game announcer asked Mark, pointing to a drawn circle, visible on Mark's left side.

The boy quickly obeyed, walking his way to his spot when the beacons lighted and each shot blue lasers towards the ceiling. Mark was amazed and at the same time frightened by the sudden lights display. He continued his walk nonetheless, still nervous of his trial. The lasers then spread blue transparent mirror-like walls, meeting each other, forming an enclosed arena.

"Well it might still be earlier than schedule but since everyone seems to be here, why don't we start the party!" It was during that announcer's exclamation when Mark finally reached his spot. A metal spherical object fell from the ceiling, similar to the objects during May's challenge to Team Four.

It wasn't much longer when the spherical metal object started to mechanically split a couple of its parts, shifting, twisting and showing some metal tubes. Just in a few seconds, the metal sphere was transformed in a small, human-like android.

"Well, you might have guessed it boy, You will be challenged by a battle droid! That one is still a prototype and wouldn't perform much as your average soldier but I think would give you a good enough match. Now ready or not, battle starts in five, four, three, two, one and we're in for some action!" The announcer exclaimed, making the droid start to fire bullets from its fingers towards Mark.

Mark responded by forming a shield in reflex, not wanting to be shredded by the android's bullets, activated by the red bracelet in his right arm. Mark then propelled the shield forward, racing towards the android while he form another shield from his unique weapon.

The droid formed a sword-like laser with it's left hand, slicing the shield that Mark threw towards it with ease.

The droid then activated boosters from its legs then propelled itself towards Mark. Afraid of the droid's force, Mark decided to summon his first demon to clash with the droid's sword.

His demon however, wasn't powerful enough to stop the droid from its tracks making the demon fly towards him.

Mark decided to quickly ran towards his right to avoid his demon as well as the droid's attack.

His demon though thrown away, was able to maneuver itself midair, turning its body to touch the transparent wall with its feet then lounging back at the droid.

In response, the droid fired bullets at the demon, who Mark protected with a mana shield covering it's body like a bubble.

Finally closing in with the droid in its attack range, Mark's demon swung both its blades outward from its center with Mark removing his demon's protection. The attack aims to decapitate the droid however, the demon's blade was blocked by the same mana shield that protected it before but this time, the shield is of the droid.

"So what do you think of our prototype droid Senator Anson?" The General leaned towards Page's father who is currently watching Mark's trial while smoking a tabaco.

"That demon, it doesn't seem to be in any of our list. Or am I missing something?" Senator Anson inquired, instead of responding to the General's inquiry.

"Oh of course not. We're as surprised as you are when we saw that demon ourselves. Although it seems that some people have quite an interest to it." The General responded in a calm manner although obviously embarrassed of being ignored on his previous speech.

"Oh is that it? Are you referring to that renegade group?" The Senator threw another question while still focused with the ongoing battle.

"We're not quite sure but it seems that this one isn't connected to that." The General now turned to a much serious mood, still leaning towards the Senator.

"I see. Is the President aware?" The Senator is still not showing much interest in the conversation due to the match in front of him in spite of the fact that he has been throwing questions after questions.

"Well." The General paused for a while, taken aback of the last inquiry by Senator Anson. "We are yet to tell him." A sudden discomfort fell the General, unsure of how to exactly respond.

"Hmmm. That's ok I guess." Senator Anson responded nonchalantly while still focused with the battle in front of him, more particularly on Mark's demon.

Meanwhile, Mark's demon and the droid exchanged blows seemingly even matched.

On a corner of the created arena inside the training room, Mark is standing still carefully watching both his demon's moves and of the droid. A screen, showing his droid's perspective, is opened on Mark's SAT which he looks at from time to time.

The match hasn't gone that much long yet, but its intensity seemed to have quickly rose up considering how most of the audience inside the room are focused on it.

Not a single bruise nor scratch can be seen on both battlers yet in spite of seemingly having exchanged a couple of blows and with the droid shooting bullets from time to time, which Mark's demon easily evades in spite being in a very close range.

After the last mana shield which Mark provided his demon a while back, the boy hasn't intervened for quite some time, simply watching eagerly as if waiting for something.

The match, however started to favor a side when the droid suddenly released two chains with a clamp on its ends, shooting from both the droid's sides right below what resembles a human waist.

Defending itself from the droid's last slashing attack, Mark's demon was only able to evade one of the droid's chains but was caught by the other one, grasping its right leg.

As soon as the chain gripped the demon's leg, the droid sent waves of electricity towards the chain, electrocuting Mark's demon.

"No!" Mark suddenly yelled in concern of his demon who is being tortured by the droid's electricity.

Mark decided to shoot a fire spell, aiming to distract the demon however, his spell was simply blocked by a mana shield.

He finally decided to press his SAT to recall his demon, making the droid focus back on him since it has no other opponent.

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Sorry guys but I have to leave you hanging there for now. I hope you're still liking my story at this point. Please do vote if you do otherwise, don't hesitate to flood me with your comments. I'm always open to what you guys have to say

Cheers!

Next Chapter: Pride and Determination