The next few hours after training felt strangely peaceful.
For the first time since discovering Verdancy, the Superhuman Unit wasn’t being overloaded with life-changing revelations, terrifying truths, or impossible training exercises.
Instead…
Everyone finally had time to breathe.
Or at least attempt to.
The underground base remained alive as always.
Mechanical drones floated through the halls carrying equipment and supplies.
Android workers moved silently between sectors while giant reinforced blast doors opened and closed throughout the facility with deep metallic sounds.
Yet despite all the advanced technology surrounding them…
The atmosphere among the Superhuman Unit felt oddly human now.
People talked more casually.
Laughed more.
Complained more.
Especially complained.
“ONE MONTH?”
Sasha’s voice echoed through the residential hallway as several squad members walked back from the training hall.
“That lunatic genuinely expects us to manipulate universe energy outside our bodies in a month.”
Adrian walked beside her casually.
“Skill issue.”
Sasha stared at him.
“You hit a wall at mach five yesterday.”
“A tactical collision.”
“That sentence means nothing.”
Behind them Drew laughed quietly while Silver followed closely beside Sasha again.
“You know,” Drew said, “for someone constantly insulting Adrian, you spend a suspicious amount of time around him.”
Sasha froze slightly.
Then immediately pointed aggressively.
“Incorrect.”
“Interesting defense strategy.”
Silver looked between them nervously.
“Should… should I leave?”
“No,” Sasha sighed immediately.
Adrian smirked.
“You’re all emotionally attached to me already.”
“No,” literally everyone answered at once.
Meanwhile Squad Eclipse handled things far more calmly.
Mostly.
Ria stood near the transport sector speaking quietly with Sylvia.
“I’ll probably head home for a while,” Ria admitted.
Sylvia nodded.
“That makes sense.”
Ria glanced toward the distant underground city-like halls of Verdancy.
“If I’m really going to commit to this…”
Her expression softened slightly.
“…I should at least properly say goodbye first.”
Sylvia understood immediately.
Unlike some others…
Ria took responsibility seriously.
Especially the responsibility of leading people.
“You’ll come back though?” Sylvia asked.
Ria smiled faintly.
“Of course.”
Nearby Bobby overheard part of the conversation while throwing one arm around Jack’s shoulders dramatically.
“Couldn’t be me.”
Jack nodded seriously.
“Same.”
Ria looked at them.
“You two aren’t going home?”
“Nope,” Bobby answered instantly.
Jack pointed toward one of the glowing entertainment signs across the hallway.
“This base has a game sector.”
“That’s literally your reason?”
“That is an excellent reason,” Bobby corrected.
Damien happened to walk past them at that exact moment.
Bobby pointed dramatically at him.
“Damien understands.”
Damien shrugged.
“I’m mostly staying to train.”
Then after a small pause—
“…but the game systems sound interesting.”
Bobby immediately grinned victoriously.
“See?”
Jack nodded proudly.
“Brotherhood.”
Sylvia stared at them.
“We basically are,” Bobby replied honestly.
Over the next day, the base gradually became quieter.
Many members temporarily returned home.
Most of the girls especially wanted to spend time with friends and family before fully committing themselves to Verdancy life.
Ria left early Sunday morning alongside Sylvia and several others from Squad Eclipse.
Even some Nova Reign members disappeared for a while.
Sasha apparently had “unfinished business” outside the base.
Drew claimed he needed “real food and sunlight.”
Adrian announced dramatically that his “civilian fanbase deserved one final glimpse” before vanishing through the teleporter system.
Nobody knew if he was joking.
Which somehow made it worse.
By noon Sunday—
Only a handful of Superhumans remained inside the base.
And unsurprisingly…
Bobby, Jack, and Damien were among them.
“This place is gigantic,” Bobby muttered while the three walked through another metallic corridor.
The Meta Watches guided them smoothly toward the entertainment sector using floating holographic arrows.
“You think Frost secretly built this place to flex on governments?”
Jack nodded seriously.
“Probably.”
Damien stayed quiet while observing the halls around them.
Even after two days here…
Verdancy still felt unreal.
A hidden underground civilization buried beneath one of the world’s most infamous restricted zones.
And somehow—
This place was now part of his life.
That thought still hadn’t fully settled in his mind yet.
Eventually the corridor widened.
Then the doors ahead opened automatically.
And the three boys stopped walking instantly.
“…What the hell,” Jack whispered.
The gaming sector looked less like a recreation room…
And more like a futuristic sports stadium.
Massive holographic screens floated above multiple levels filled with gaming systems.
Entire sections were dedicated to different genres and simulation technologies.
Classic arcade systems stood beside full-immersion VR chambers.
There were strategy simulators, mech piloting games, neural racing pods, combat arenas, sports systems, and even bizarre experimental games Damien genuinely couldn’t understand at first glance.
One section literally appeared to simulate surviving as a cockroach during planetary collapse.
Bobby pointed immediately.
“We are absolutely trying that later.”
“No,” Damien answered instantly.
The entire place buzzed with artificial atmosphere and holographic lights.
And yet…
One section stood above all the others.
At the center of the giant gaming arena stood eight massive black gaming pods surrounding an enormous holographic screen.
Above them glowed silver letters:
FIGHTING KING SIMULATOR
Even the title sounded dramatic.
Which probably explained why Bobby immediately loved it.
The three walked toward the central arena.
As they approached, information panels automatically activated beside the pods.
> FIGHTING KING SIMULATOR
Full Neural Combat Simulation System.
Designed for Superhuman combat analysis, skill development, and controlled Aether training.
Simulates physical capability, reaction speed, durability, Aether output, terrain interaction, and combat physics with 99.98% accuracy.
Warning: Severe neural feedback may occur during extreme combat scenarios.
Jack blinked slowly.
“…That warning feels concerning.”
Bobby ignored that entirely.
“LOOK AT THIS.”
He pointed excitedly toward another section.
The terrain selection list.
And honestly…
It was insane.
Modern cities.
Forests.
Ancient ruins.
Military zones.
Deserts.
Underwater environments.
Mountain ranges.
Even orbital stations.
“The moon?”
Jack immediately looked closer.
“No way.”
The game genuinely allowed lunar combat simulations.
Complete with adjusted gravity physics.
Bobby looked horrified and impressed simultaneously.
“Dr. Frost is actually insane.”
“To nobody’s surprise,” Damien muttered.
A smaller line of text appeared below the terrain list.
> Developed by: Dr.Frost
Jack pointed immediately.
“There it is.”
Bobby folded his arms proudly.
“I knew the terrifying scientist secretly made fighting games.”
Another information panel activated beside one of the pods.
> Neural synchronization required.
Simulation replicates user physiology, reaction speed, strength, durability, and Aether output.
Combat damage will not physically harm participants, though pain feedback remains partially active for realism.
Jack immediately looked disturbed.
“Why would they keep pain active?”
Bobby grinned.
“Character development.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
The pods themselves looked sleek and intimidating.
Black metallic shells with glowing blue interiors large enough to fit a person comfortably.
Thin neural cables lined the inner sections while holographic synchronization systems floated above each seat.
Honestly…
The technology looked more advanced than most things Damien had seen in public before.
Which said a lot considering this was the year 3000.
Bobby cracked his knuckles dramatically.
“Well then.”
He turned toward Jack.
“Let’s test something.”
Jack already looked interested.
Bobby grinned.
“Let’s see whether a Version II Superhuman is actually stronger than a Version I.”
Jack smirked immediately.
“Oh?”
Bobby pointed toward the pods.
“You in?”
Jack didn’t hesitate even slightly.
“You’re on.”
The two climbed into separate gaming pods.
The doors closed around them smoothly.
Immediately blue synchronization lights activated across the systems.
> DNA VERIFIED
WELCOME USER: BOBBY V II
WELCOME USER: JACK V I
The giant holographic screen above the arena flickered to life.
Then suddenly—
The two appeared inside the game world.
Damien’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The realism was absurd.
The simulation looked completely indistinguishable from reality.
Every detail.
Every shadow.
Every movement.
Perfect.
Bobby and Jack stood facing each other inside a deserted town environment resembling an old Wild West settlement.
Dust drifted across empty streets.
Wooden buildings lined both sides of the road.
Broken signs creaked in the artificial wind.
The setting looked strangely cinematic.
Bobby rolled his shoulders while examining the environment.
“This is crazy realistic.”
Jack clenched his fists slowly.
Yellow Aura flickered lightly around his body.
Then he smiled.
A competitive smile.
“I should tell you now, Bobby…”
Jack lowered his stance.
“…I won’t make this easy.”
And across the massive viewing screen—
The simulation battlefield fell completely silent.