Ren Vespean 

The smell of morning dew gave a peaceful atmosphere to the Iron Turtle. Better than the rotting smell in that jail cell. I saw everyone standing around five metal cases. Typically colonels and generals get custom weapons, but according to Elizabeth, we are the best recruits in Europe and North America. 

I walked next to Racheal, and she gave me a cold hello before turning to her sister. 

“Everyone is here. Can we open our weapons now?” She asked Elizabeth, who was standing in front of Ivan, the guard from when I first arrived on the iron turtle, and another but more miniature soldier. He was not skinny but much smaller in the muscle department than Ivan. The man was caucasian with black hair that covered his eyes.

“Not yet I have to read this script first. Since Ren’s weapon is different,” She responded before taking out a tablet, “each of these weapons was designed to be compatible with you so that you may fulfill your duties to serve and protect the innocent people of earth. You may now reveal your weapons.” 

Each of us opened the cases, and a cacophony of hissing noises filled the area. My case had a dull red one-handed sword with a hilt resembling bat wings and a pistol with strange engravings. 

 I looked around and saw everyone else. Diana had a rapier that shined in the sunlight like a unicorn horn. William had a long sword, but it was more wooden than metal.

Meanwhile, Hanz was swinging his newly given battle ax with runes lining the side of the blade head. For each swing, I felt the wind brush past my face. I turned towards Racheal, and she stared at her weapon, a golden double-sided spear with the blades curved in opposite directions. She didn’t look amused or disappointed; she had a blank expression. 

Elizabeth looked around, then continued the script, “First, Diana Royal, you chose weapon R-128, a rapier made from the horn of a unicorn given to Jäger by the gods. The weapon is fast and precise, able to pierce through monsters like light through the darkness.”

Diana’s face lit up as she, like Hanz, tested the weight of her weapon. Elizabeth then turned to William, “William Kaiser, you chose LS-278, a long sword made from the branch of a demon tree in the rainforest in 2018. This sword is said to cut the very soul of monsters.” 

William didn’t do anything flashy; he just stood there and looked at his sword. Hanz jumped in front of William, pushing him aside so Elizabeth was looking at him.

 “What about me? What about me?” He asked like a toddler trying to show off his new toys

“Hanz Kaiser, you chose BA-347, a battle-axe made from a beast's tail in Africa in 2019. The weapon has devastating destruction capabilities that can leave an African elephant crippled.” She responded with a slight laugh and a smile on her face. 

Elizabeth turned towards her sister. She kept the smile, but her eyes pleaded with Racheal not to make a fuss. 

“Racheal Wallace, you chose S-15. This weapon was made from the forelegs of the insect king who ravaged Europe from 1957 to 1959. This weapon can create cutting winds that can even slice titanium.” Elizabeth said this time; Racheal reacted with surprise as if she didn’t expect to have this weapon. 

Finally, my turn, Elizabeth's face changed into a severe and stern authority figure, “Ren Vespean, you were chosen to wield one of the eight divine weapons.” She said, causing everyone, including Racheal, to be shocked. As I assume, I finally clicked into their brain what weapon I was given. 

Elizabeth continued this time. Ivan and the other man stepped forward and put their hands on their pistols, “wielding a divine weapon is an honor in Jäger as divine weapons are crafted from calamity-class monsters. You were given DWS-8 and DWP-8, also known as vampiric sword and pistol.” 

I picked up the sword and could feel the overbearing mana coming from it. Like it wanted to consume my life force and leave me as nothing more than a husk on the ground but ignoring that, I felt a weird connection to this sword and to the pistol.

Elizabeth cleared her throat as she finished the script, “the sword was made from the vampire king who defended us against the dragon king in Mongolia in 1963. While the pistol is made from one of the four fangs of the vampire army. The sword can send black lighting that can cut and sear monsters, and the pistol can shoot black lighting with explosive force.”

Elizabeth put away the tablet and moved towards Ivan and the other man. She reached down, picked up her katana, and turned back toward the group. 

“We will be training you to familiarize you with your new weapons.” She told us while Ivan took out metal Gauntlets and put them on. The other man finally spoke and introduced himself. 

“Name is Joshua Cray, rank captain of the US division 298.” He said while equipping two black and gold sickles. 

“Okay, Racheal and Hanz, go with Ivan. Diana and William go with Joshua, and Ren, you’re training with me.” Elizabeth said, her eyes glowing a green-golden hue. 

Splitting off, Elizabeth and I walked to another clearing about twenty-five kilometers away from the group. We stood across from each other, neither of us moving yet. 

“You can use 50% mana output, but nothing more.” She said while stretching and taking practice swings. 

I took a couple of deep breaths. I felt the mana surge through my suit and into my body. But this time, something felt different looking at the sword in my hand. I saw it glow from a dull crimson color to a bright blood-red color. It was sucking my mana to fuel its own power. 

Elizabeth did about five percent higher than my output, as her body was covered in a green aura. She took one step and was right in front of my face, about to swing her katana. Barely able to bring my sword up to block her blade. 

The clashing metal sound shook my nervous system, but she didn’t let me catch my breath. Continuing her strikes, I dodged and blocked the ones I could but didn’t come out unscathed. She cut me on my arms, legs, and cheek, but they all healed because of my forming core.

I could feel the sword draining more and more mana from me which slowed my movement so I could no longer dodge her attacks. Still, in return, each of my swings crackled with tiny bolts of black lighting, keeping Elizabeth at bay. Wanting to test out the weapon's capabilities, I focused mana into it; as I did, the strain on my body increased from overuse since I hadn’t practiced in a while. At last, it didn’t matter as black lighting erupted off my blade. 

Elizabeth squinted her eyes as I swung upwards, releasing the bolt in her direction. It roared as it ripped the ground in its path. After the swing, I could feel my right arm tense up from muscle fatigue, but at least I could inflict some damage on her. 

Elizabeth’s face lit up as mana burst out of her suit and into her body. She put her katana up in a defensive stance; she blocked the lightning strike, and with one swing upwards, she redirected the lightning into the sky with a resounding boom. 

I saw the carnage created by the sword. The curiosity of the pistol filled my body with excitement. Elizabeth thought the same as a smile cemented her face. She turned to me, lowering her mana output, and said 

“Up, we’re going again.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I responded while rotating my right arm and dual-wielding the pistol and sword. 

Diana Royal

About twenty minutes had passed since I got my rapier, but I could feel my body already getting used to its power. I could also tell William was finally getting the hang of wielding a longsword. But Joshua matched us step for step, using both his sickle to block or parry our attacks. 

William and I fell into a pattern of attacking and regrouping. I would start the attack sequence with three quick thrusts to Joshua’s body. Still, he would quickly dodge like a boss from my video game. Then William will come up with slashes that my eyes could barely follow. 

Yet again, this didn’t bother Joshua, and I could tell he was getting bored from sparring with us. I felt myself getting increasingly frustrated, and I let my mana leak into the rapier. 

The blade lit up as bright as a star. Joshua’s face strained from the light, and I could feel his mana output increase to about fifty percent, just slightly above my max. While he was watching me, William tried a sneak attack but was blocked and kicked in the stomach, leaving him on the ground and throwing up. 

I pulled my right arm back and pushed more mana into it. My muscles protested as the strain from the mana could no longer be nullified by the suit. I charged toward Joshua, who watched me like a hawk, and once I felt in range, I thrust forward. 

Five beams of rainbow light came from my blade, one for each thrust. Joshua tried to dodge, but one of the beams caught him in his left ankle. Seeing his face tense up from the injury, guilt immediately flooded my brain, and I stopped any further attack. 

The beams left minor cuts into the ground. Still, the surrounding trees toppled over after their trucks were destroyed by my attack. 

Joshua sat on the ground and took off his bloody boot. Rushing over to him with first aid off to the side, I inspected the injury. It wasn’t too bad, such a slightly deep cut that would heal in about three days, but not without scarring. 

“Nice power and with only forty-eight percent, too,” Joshua said while I wrapped his ankle. His voice is quiet and timid, only speaking when spoken to. 

“Thank you, but I’m more worried about you right now,” I responded by finishing up the bandage. 

“Don’t be; injuries like this won’t stop captains from fighting,” he said, getting up after putting on his boots again, “Plus, I think I hit him too hard.” 

I turned towards William and saw him get up, clutching his side, and frustration and pain expressed on his face. 

“Are you okay?” I asked while rushing over to him and ensuring he didn’t break a rib. 

“I’m fine, just need to sit down for a bit.” He responded while sitting down on a rock 

I stared at his face and studied everything while I had the chance, but a nagging feeling of uneasiness started to grip my insides. It might just be nothing, I thought to myself.