The supervisor with rhino horns on his forehead replied Gustav before anyone else could, "Listen here, kid, without authorization, we can't put you in that pod so forget it. Your case will just have to be reported to the higher-ups, and you will have to wait for their next set of instructions."

"And how long would that take? Will I be able to take part in the next phase?" Gustav asked.

"You will have to forget about continuing the MBO entrance test till after their feedback, so you won't be joining the next phase. You're no longer a part of the MBO entrance test as from this mo..." Before the supervisor could complete his statement, Gradier Xanatus interrupted.

"Prepare the stage two pod!" He voiced out with an authoritative tone.

"Uhh?"

The other supervisors turned around to stare at Gradier Xanatus after he gave that order.

"But we haven't been given authorization," The supervisor with grey hair voiced out.

"I'm giving the authorization... I will handle whatever comes next myself," Gradier Xanatus replied while walking towards Gustav.

"Sir Xanatus! What are you talking about? Are you sure about this? Punishments will be meted out if anything happens to this candidate because of your decision!" The supervisor with Rhino horn voiced out.

"Do as I have said, prepare the stage two pod," Gradier Xanatus replied with a condescending tone.

Immediately they heard the tone of his voice; none of the supervisors questioned him anymore.

The supervisor with Rhino horns backed down and moved to the side.

"Why?" Gustav asked while staring at Gradier Xanatus, who was currently standing in front of him.

Gradier Xanatus placed his right palm on Gustav's right shoulder before answering, "I've been watching you... Let's see if you'll live up to my expectations,"

Gustav furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing that and didn't respond.

'I can only hope this level of the pod will be high enough to transport my consciousness into that world... It's going to be a hassle to wait for feedback from the higher-ups,' Gustav said internally as they waited.

In about two minutes, some people in lab coats with weird-looking rhombus-like helmets covering their faces came into the small room pushing a white pod.

This pod was almost twice the size of the ones in the large hall in front.

They started setting it up with a connected device, and in a few seconds, it powered up.

Tsshhh!

It slid open, and Gustav went in.

The pod closed up back as he laid down inside.

"Has it been successfully connected to the furry world?" Gradier Xanatus asked the people in lab coats.

They gave an affirmative reply and stared at the pod, which was currently glowing up.

Red bars appeared on it like the others and started filling up.

'Work this time, please,' Gustav said internally.

This was the first time he wished one of his stats was lesser than it currently was.

The bar filled up completely, and just like before, Gustav felt his consciousness being pulled out of his body.

----------------------------

[Host Brain Waves are being manipulated by external forces]

[Mental Fortitude needed for blocking Brain Manipulation: 50]

[Host has acquired enough mental fortitude to hindering Brain Manipulation]

------------------------------

'No! no! no! Not again,' Gustav said internally with a look of frustration as he saw the system notifications.

The system was about to hinder brain manipulation again.

'Hey, system... I'm sure you can hear me. It wouldn't be sensible for me to stand out beyond this because it might cause future and unknown complications. If you could just let this machine do what it's made for, that would be the best,' Gustav said, internally hoping that the system would listen to him.

[Host has acquired enough mental fortitude to hindering Brain Manipulation]

He noticed that the notification paused here because there was still supposed to be another notification after this.

He felt maybe the system decided to listen to him. Still, in the next second, a notification popped up above other notifications.

("The existence of the system shall not be exposed. I shall not tolerate entry of external forces into the Host's mind!")

The system finally chatted with him again after several months.

'Listen to me... If we go beyond this, it might put us in a compromising situation. If I'm in a compromising situation, it means you also are,' Gustav replied internally.

("If you get in a compromising situation and die, it doesn't affect me! I can always choose another host!")

The system responded coldly.

'I'm calling your bluff. After spending six months within me, there's no way you'd want to start from scratch,' Gustav said internally without a look of worry.

("Do you pride yourself on being important now?")

'How about we stop arguing and make a decision before the supervisors get too suspicious... Just listen to my suggestion,' Gustav proposed.

("Alright, go on,")

'From what I've noticed, you don't want them peeking in my head... This machine can do that, but it isn't really trying to do that now. So, the best course of action would be for you to reduce my mental fortitude below fifty for it to send my consciousness to where the third phase is happening. Immediately I'm in, let my stats return to normal. That way, even if the machine tries to pick my brain when I'm in, it wouldn't work since my mental fortitude has returned back to normal. Also, I won't be pulled out of the world since the machine only needs to send us there. It plays no role in keeping us within that world. It's like a gateway, so returning my mental fortitude stats normal will not pull me out of that world unless I find the exit,' Gustav explained lengthily to the system.

("Doesn't seem like a bad suggestion, but with all that intelligence, you could only come up with this? I'm quite disappointed")

Gustav; "..."

'The system is still a bitch,'

-

Outside the pod, the supervisors started to get worried when they saw that the bar remained red even after filling up.