A ruffle of leaves.
Sunlight peeks through the dense canopy, irradiating the swaying grass speckled with detritus. Within the deepest depths of the hostile wilderness, life teems in every corner. Dormant Florae wait patiently, splayed out on the ground, concealing deadly jaws and stingers behind those vibrant petals or leaves.
No human has ever dared to venture this far outside of the Fortress's mighty walls - and for good reason. The sheer concentration of airborne toxins is enough to kill, and the deadly yet invisible Haze roams the jungle floor.
'How long has it been... Nyx?'
A flowing white robe sweeps the ground, blowing scattered leaves aside. With the sun's glint, it is almost blinding.
'... It still fascinates me.'
***
Weeks fly by.
Phin proudly skims over his progress report. Other than the occasional hospitalization, it's been going really well - by next week I'll be onto Grade III Seeds! He leans back in a fuzzy armchair, a new addition to his cozy capsule home. And as much as I despise that damn alarm... it fulfilled its purpose, I guess. My body would rather wake up before it than be tormented by that hellishscreeching, he silently chuckles.
He has achieved a steady pace of 5-6 Genetic Appraisals per day; whilst the Appraisals don't take much time themselves, the inflicted mental strain requires a period of rest in between each attempt. With every success, his personal compendium - and the Regals' - gains a valuable new entry.
Amara's words pop into his head. 'We're making significant scientific progress using your work, Phin! We've already uncovered several major connections between the gene glyphs and Flora functionality!'
He smiles to himself. This is honestly way more fun than my old Appraisal service. But again, a hint of guilt pesters his conscience. But... so many Scavengers depended on my work. Sure, they're a bit roughneck, but they're still honest people trying to make a living.
My work now is also benefiting many people... but I've lived as a commoner. Little of the Regals' benefits trickle down to the majority of the population, no matter how impactful they are. He sighs. I can't go a day without moping in some way or another, can I?
***
The next day, as Phin enters his training building, he spots Bouttens speaking with several Botanists.
'Greetings, Phin. In coordination with the Botanist Division, we are making a necessary change to your training program,' Bouttens introduces. 'The heads of the SciDep believe that your power will be extremely useful in practical situations. Hence, you will be joining Unit 00 in their future expeditions.'
'WHAT?!' Phin interrupts. 'I didn't agree to a life contract! I thought I'd be done after this Genetic Appraisal stuff!'
Bouttens sighs. 'Do you really want to return to your old life? You've already gotten a taste of your potential, and we are the only ones who can facilitate your growth. Legally, you didn't agree to anything and thus can leave at any moment. But think carefully. The choice is yours.'
Phin goes silent.
'Alright... fine. So what's the new training regimen?' Phin asks in an exasperated tone.
One of the Botanists steps forward, and Phin immediately recognizes her face, one he has seen many times on television.
Willow Shirasagi - the captain of the Fortress's strongestUnit! Her stunning violet hair is cut short, and her vest gleams with countless medals. Many Botanists have unusual hair colors, a side-effect of regular exposure to Florae.
Beside her, a man lazily fans himself with a stack of papers. Thick strands of messy black hair spill over his face, half-obscuring his eyes. Rough patches of stubble line his chin. Drasil Dietrich, the dual-wield specialist?!
Unit 00, commonly acknowledged as the strongest unit, has become a national sensation over the years. Many commoners who distrust the government still admire the Botanists who fight for humanity.
'Don't worry, we're not turning you into a Botanist overnight; your Appraisal work will be balanced with some physical training,' Willow says, smiling. 'It won't be too bad.'
'What kind of training are we talking about?' Phin asks, still dumbstruck. Holy crappity, I'm talking to the strongest Botanist of all time!
'Muscle-building exercise with some utility practice. You're our guide for future expeditions, so we'll also teach you practical survival concepts.'
Phin nods earnestly, glad that of all units, he was assigned to 00. Willow is only 21 years old, but she's far less intimidating than the other captains - despite leading the most decorated unit in the Fortress.
'Alright, let's begin!' Willow beams.
I can't believe someone so friendly holds the highest Grade V+ kill count in Botanist history... Phin thinks, amused.
***
'We measure your physical ability using Aptitude, a combined metric that evaluates muscle structure, biomechanical potential, and neuromuscular coordination. I assume you know what those are, right?' Willow asks as they enter the Botanists' training grounds. The rest of Unit 00 follow behind, chattering softly.
'Yeah, I've studied kinesiology a bit.'
The vast facility sprawls before them - rows of polished equipment, mock battlegrounds sectioned by barriers, and racks of sparring gear.
'Alright. Drasil, go lead the others in stretching.' She turns to Phin. 'You're brand new, so we'll start off with weapon selection,' she says as they approach a tall metal door.
Inside, rows of weapons line the shelves, which are stacked to the ceiling. They gleam under the blue fluorescent lighting, casting shadows along the corridors. I've only ever seen these kinds of equipment on television... Phin gawks at the seemingly infinite collection.
'Are you familiar with weapon categories, or do you need me to go over them?'
Phin wracks his memory. I've seen many different weapons on TV, so I have my own mental 'chart' of categories, but it's likely inaccurate. Plus, there aren't public records of the whole armory.
'I don't know much about them. Could you introduce how they're categorized?' he finally asks.
'Sure.' She opens her portable interface - a luxury normally only available to Regals. 'This fairly intuitive chart should have all the information you need, but you can still ask questions.'
_____________________________________________
[Melee]
| Heavy: greatest surface area for Ichor infusion; requires great strength to wield
| Midweight: effective compromise between power and mobility; many derived styles
| Light: very portable and flexible; strong for ambushes but weak for direct confrontations
[Ranged]
| Artillery: low mobility and efficiency; very high area damage from Ichor splash
| Assault: aggressive and mid-ranged; high bullet output; high mobility
| Precision: long-ranged and accurate; slow firing rate; pure concentrated Ichor bullets pierce
_____________________________________________
Hm... Phin carefully reads the descriptions. I definitely won't be able to handle heavy melee... or artillery, for that matter. If my main job is a guide, the assault class won't fit me either... and I don't have enough time to hone my marksmanship. I'll just go with the humble choice...
'I think a light melee is the best fit for me,' Phin decides.
'That's a great choice - and it can be very effective if used correctly. Its small size allows you to land vital strikes on their Cores much more easily.'
Phin pictures sinking a dagger into the soft Core of a Flora, ripping through the tough flesh. If Shirasagi approves of it, then I have no need to worry. 'Wait, I have one question.'
'Yeah?'
'I noticed some Botanists, like Drasil and yourself, have weapons that don't quite fit into any of these categories.'
'Good observation. High-ranking Botanists are sometimes allowed custom weapons like, as you mentioned, Drasil's Gunsword and my Kusarigama. The Regals don't entrust those to newer members because they take significantly more time to master.'
She begins walking down the aisle. 'Come,' she says with a beckoning wave. 'I'll show you where all the lightweight melees are stored.'
The two eventually arrive at the desired section. Rows upon rows of polished knives, daggers, and miscellaneous items decorate the walls.
Phin's eyes land on a thick-bladed knife, with a straight edge and angled tip. 'What's this one?' he asks, pointing.
'Ah - the seax. It's fairly easy to handle and is great for piercing armor. Is this your choice?'
Phin nods.
As he accepts the blade, a tingle runs through his body.