It was the morning of the new month. Most had already cruelly long forgotten about the death of Marcel. After all, today was the day they would embark on their first mission. Alphonse looked around at all the recruits in class E.

‘How many will die?’ He thought for a second and then shook his head.

His eyes rested on those who didn’t take the training seriously. Even at this point, they still believed it was a game. Either that or they had been broken from the constant training they were forced to undergo.

>

Everyone's eyes lost focus as they looked in front of them as they opened up the system to look at the sudden message. They had been waiting for it and the contents made their hearts drop.

Recruits immediately make your way to the assembly hall. -

An order boomed through the intercoms inside the barracks, as the entire Class E was forced onto their feet.

“Hard difficulty, shit.” Dillan said, as they all rushed together.

“60% mortality rate for Class E recruits.” Ellena said, her incessant fighting spirit seemed somewhat squashed as they recalled the history records of the Garden of Eden.

“No matter what, we need to survive.” Isobelle said as she clutched at her arm as her thoughts returned to home.

They entered the assembly hall. It was a massive room that could accommodate all the classes together. It was around 1100 people. The different classes all huddled together, making sure that they didn’t mix with another class.

“You all should have been given your mission by now.” Noel Wilcox, one figure of Seven, a scholarly-looking man, spoke in an authoritative, stuck-up tone. He was wearing an exquisite three-piece suit and looked at everyone down below. However, it was the woman standing to the side that Alphonse paid attention to. Esdeath stood still, her hands comfortably in her pockets but her charisma and coolness attracted countless gazes, her long wild hair looked like it was alive as it moved from the slight breeze in the hall.

“You are all entering uncharted territory today… This will be the first time there has been an irregularity within the system. I hope you have all trained hard.” Noel adjusted his cufflinks on his shirt and continued. “Your life depends on it.” Noel’s words filled the room with a deafening silence.

“Your guides will take you to the gateway. Class E will be first as the advance troop.” Those were Noel Wilcox’s last words as he left the stage.

All the classes D and above looked over at Alphonse and the others. Their facial expressions said it all. Class E was to be the fodder that entered first.

Lance corporal Bennet arrived in front of class E. His face was grim as he looked at everyone. “Follow me.”

They were brought to a large elevator in the centre of the ship. It was far larger than any other. Obviously, to hold many people. The doors closed, and they began their ascent. It was eerily quiet inside the elevator. No one was in the mood to talk. He could faintly make out the sound of heartbeats next to him.

Then he felt the gravitation shift as the elevator came to a gentle stop. The doors automatically opened up with a noise that sounded like compressed air being released.

They followed Lance Corporal Bennet into a colossal stadium like room. People filled the seats in the tens of thousands. Class E was being watched as they entered the room. A different assortment of weapons lined the entranceway to a large platform that shimmered in a myriad of different colours.

Lance Corporal Bennett gestured towards them. “Select your preferred weapon, then walk up and onto the platform. That’s all you need to do. Good luck everyone.”

The guide left Class E on their own as he exited the colosseum. Alphonse walked over to the weapon rack as he picked out his preferred weapon, a mace with strong blades covered the face. He liked the simplicity. After choosing their weapons, they climbed to the top of the platform.

‘So this is the system's gateway.’ Alphonse looked down as the colours on the floor beneath him squirmed, as if they were alive somehow.

He noticed the officers around constantly checking their watches. It must near the time that the gateway activates. Alphonse’s usual calm heart beat with slight anxiousness. He hated the fear of the unknown.

The floor suddenly shimmered with a brighter glow than before as it pulsated. It was like water trapped underneath glass.

“It’s time! Get ready!” He wasn’t sure who, but one officer shouted towards Class E.

The gateway below looked like the water was boiling. Alphonse and the others could feel the rumbling from underneath. Like a beast was being awakened from its long slumber. The multi-coloured water quickly turned a scarlet blood red.

“Is this normal?!” Dillan shouted out as he panicked. He wasn’t the only one. Everyone was trying to stay balanced as the floor shook uncontrollably.

< Gateway mutation has occurred, updating mission information… >

< Discover the secrets of the Veiled Cavern. [ Difficulty: Extreme ] >

Alphonse looked at the others as he saw the horrified expressions on their faces.

The officers held shocked expressions as they looked at the Class E recruits glowing in a scarlet hue.

The Figures of Seven smashed through the doors of the colosseum as they witnessed the scene. Lady Esdeath looked at them with a grave expression. Her body, moulded in wars, faintly trembled at the sight of the blood like red.

Alphonse’s vision blurred. It felt like something inside his head abruptly popped and everything turned black. He felt like his body was being tugged and pulled in every direction, an incessant mumbling entered his ears. The low drumming sound of the voice scratched at his ears.

“Hungry… Eat… Devour…”

An obscure figure appeared in his blurred vision but the next moment, his body had ‘landed’ Alphonse opened his dreary eyes.

‘What was th-’ He peeled his eyes open and immediately dodged to the right without thought.

A large axe tore through the air, as it barely missed him. As a result, the axe sunk into the shoulder blade of a girl his age. The axe’s blade continued downwards as it split the girl in two. Intestines spilled on the grass below as the smell of urine and blood assaulted his senses.

Standing in front of him, a hulking bluish-green humanoid casted a black veil of shadow over him, large tusks protruded from its mouth. It completely hid its hefty muscles behind thick plate armour.

“Alphonse!” Dillan sprinted to his side. His skin had a tint of grey as he slammed into the green humanoid with his shoulder. Despite Dillan’s size and his toughened skin trait, it had little effect. The hit barely moved it as it threw a backhanded slap straight to Dillan’s chest, sending him hurtling to the floor next to Alphonse.

“You idiot, save yourself.” Alphonse said, as he scrambled up onto his feet.

The bluish-green humanoid readied its axe. Alphonse closely watched, getting ready to dodge in any way that he could. He knew he couldn’t run. The moment he showed his back, he was dead.

At that moment, a fist sized flame was hurled straight at the monster’s face. Although it didn’t do any damage, it at least blinded it for a second, giving them a second of reprieve.

“Save yourself, my ass. Run!” Isobelle’s hands, that were holding a small wooden staff, were trembling as she screamed at her friends, while running towards a nearby forest.

Alphonse, Ellena and Dillan listened as they all followed behind her alongside some of the scattered Class E recruits.

Alphonse turned his head just as he was about to enter the thick tree canopy. He glimpsed the bloody battlefield that he had escaped. Mangled bodies were being torn apart as the hulking green men cleaved straight through the bone like a hot knife through butter. Wretched screams scratched at his eardrums as the monsters watched them enter the woodland.