Buzzing with ideas, Cadell paced up and down Psycho’s Asylum. Despite knowing the exact reason why, he couldn’t help but be surprised by his wide grin and rapid heart rate.

This is it, boy, the Voice boomed. This is the training arc.

Training arcs had always fascinated Cadell. There was something deeply satisfying about seeing a character rapidly improve and even more so the end result. It didn’t matter what the medium was. Comics, novels, films-- if executed properly, the scene or collection of scenes would always leave a stupid grin on Cadell’s face.

And now… he was about to play a part in his very own training arc with the role he’d always thought was best-- The mentor.

Cadell’s logic was very simple. For the most part, the mentor didn’t have to do shit. They simply nodded wisely and stroked their beard while bossing their apprentice around. Of course, there was the teaching part but that was miles better than struggling to learn a cool move. The mentor already knew the cool move, even blessed with the ability to demonstrate it on their victim- apprentice. Apprentice.

Just as Cadell put on the Psycho mask, a cry pierced the air followed by a loud thud.

Hazell sprawled on Psycho’s Asylum floor, groaning.

“Get up,” Cadell said in the coolest voice he could. “We must begin.”

Hazel stayed on the ground. Cadell scratched the back of his head. “Was the portal too high up?”

“No,” Hazel wheezed. “I’m fine.”

Perfect, boy, the voice praised. Now finish her--

Cadell cleared his throat on purpose, then helped Hazel up. “Moving on, I will teach you a few things soon. But first, look around. This is Psycho’s Asylum, our headquarters. I’m going to be honest with you, I don’t use it much. It’s mostly a library with a big ass hologram computer. We’ve got a pretty impressive comic collection too.

Hazel walked between two of the many rows of bookcases filled with comics. A purple light illuminated every surface, creating an eerie atmosphere. She picked out a manga and read the title.

“Berserk Volume one. Interesting. You’re into that Japanese stuff huh? What’s it called again?”

Cadell froze. His heart sunk. “What did you say? You what?”

Hazel looked back with a blank, innocent expression. “Oh. I’m not really into that kind of stuff so I was just curious.”

“You’re not really into that kind of stuff so you were just curious,” Cadell repeated back verbatim He nodded too quickly. “I see, I see.”

“Yeah.” Hazel laughed nervously.

There was a silence.

A black portal swallowed them both, sending them into Dimension zero. The world was nothing but a black background, a flat surface and a dim light erupting from an unknown source.

Cadell sat down, legs crossed, and closed his eyes. He had conquered the most volatile aspects of his superpowers in this location. Time was frozen in Dimension Zero but from Cadell’s perspective, he had spent decades if not centuries in the area. In fact, most of his memories were of staring into the black abyss.

A mental war was won here. The area was almost considered sacred. Unfortunately, now it was tainted.

“What do you mean you’re not really into this kind of stuff?”

“Where are we, Cadell?”

“Another dimension. Now answer my question.”

Hazel shrugged. “I haven’t really read any comics. They’re not my thing, I guess. Can we start training now?”

Cadell sighed heavily. “I guess you’re right.”

A thick book landed at Hazel’s feet. It was Berserk’s first volume. Another thick book landed perfectly parallel to the first book. It was Berserk’s second volume. Cadell opened glowing purple eyes while thirty-nine portals simultaneously placed another thirty-nine volumes of Berserk, all of them positioned perfectly parallel in a row.

“Read them all.”

Hazel sheepishly smiled. “All of them? Now?”

Underneath the Psycho mask, Cadell smiled back. He meshed two hands together.

“Yes. All volumes. We have a lot more manga to get through but take your time. Really savour every page. We have all the time in the world.”