As Dante heard it, his breath got heavier, his body rooted to the ground. His mind reeled.
A test? A fucking test.
All this was a test. His family's death, his desperation and all that endless battle, was a simple test. He could not make himself listen to word of the Enforcer, any further.
Rage rose from his chest, the more he listened to it. But there is something worse beneath all that rage— doubt.
Soon that doubt turned to intent, intent filled with raw emotions. As reflecting to the state of Dante, the air around him also started to dance violently, creating a massive storm of razor sharped winds.
Just as the storm was about to break, it crumbled suddenly by a casual flick of the Enforcer. With just a flick it erased as it was never existed at all.
"Relax boy, save that rage for later.", The Enforcer said.
Then the Enforcer snapped, suddenly crack began to appear all around Dante. Before his eye, the world crumbled as revealing him to a world full of lake and plants.
He could even see the hills that penetrating the clouds in the horizon. As a Stage 1 Terra Dominion Resonant, his senses could cover almost 4000 km (2485. 48 mile) in radius.
The sudden quantity of information overwhelmed his sensory system for a couple of second. After calmed down a look of confusion appeared on the face of Dante.
There was nothing around him that can tell a cataclysmic battle happened here. There was neither the destruction caused by that dome attack from his replica nor that area wide devastation caused by his Zero-Point Ignition.
But what confused as well as surprised him more was that there is no blood or remnants on him anymore. His clothes were pristine like before the destruction of their ship.
"Sir…?", Dante was about to ask expectingly.
"Name is Raion, and yes, they are alright."
Enforcer Raion introduced himself, as well as confirmed that his family are alive.
The moment Dante heard it; a look of joy and relief appeared on his face. But it soon turned into that of fury and hatred, before he could say anything, the Enforcer interrupted him again.
"I understand your emotion but it is the path you chose.", Raion explained.
Dante scoffed as he held back his overflowing emotions, "What could be reason for this devious test, Enforcer?"
"It is military."
This word invoked a sense of confusion inside him even when his emotions were riddled with fury.
"Military...?", Dante asked to Raion.
"Before that you have to upgrade your knowledge of our Psion system, as yours was limited only to the Stage 10.", Raion told Dante. To which Dante nodded as reply.
Raion then started, "You know about the ER procedure at Stage 3 in the Awakening realm. That is where you chose the future Path of yours and got your Special attribute."
Dante nodded again, that much he knew.
"It is not the only time where ER was done, Dante."
Dante as he listened it, didn't understand the implications and asked, "What do you mean by it, Sir?"
Raion nodded and explained, "You have to do another ER at Terra dominion realm. The first ER set the path and potential for the future; it can't be undone. But you will get chance to do another ER at Terra Dominion Realm, it is generally done with a weapon. Thus, allowing you to have a weapon, that can be used only by you."
A look of realization appeared on the face of Dante. Raion saw it and continue his explanation.
"This second ER solidify the previous foundation and slightly enhance the IR as well as your potential. It is also the process for advancing into the Terra Dominion Realm."
As Dante heard the last sentence of the Enforcer, he muttered under his breath in confusion.
"Didn't I become a Terra Resonant without it."
Raion heard this from Dante and replied, "Boy, that's where the test came."
"How come, sir?"
Not understanding the role of the test in it, Dante asked.
"As we know the Psion is volatile and has the property of both the mutation and adaption. So, the militaries when torturing someone at the Stage 10, discovered this method. The Psion of that person soared and started to search the reason for it, when it detected that his bearer was both in physical and mental turmoil, it started adapt to it and mutate his bearer."
"That means…..", finally Dante understood.
"Yes, it mutated him to become a Terra Dominion Resonant, improving all things from IR to ER tremendously. The best thing about it, that you can always do a second ER which will further improve your base."
"After that many experiments and tests were done to find the safe methods to do it."
"Does everyone who now advance to Terra Realm, go through this method.", Dante asked suddenly.
Raion shook his head, "This method is strictly maintained by the military and royal family of Solaria Empire."
"Also, there are many safe methods like inducing artificial pain time to time with large Psion. But military chose the emotionally turmoil method. They first sedate the recruit without their knowledge and use a URVR, where the show the harm done by hostile races to their loved ones. It is their method of inducting to the military, also it shapes the mind of recruits towards the hostile races."
For a long moment, Dante said nothing, his thoughts flying between fury and calculation. "So, the military's shaping monsters in the name of soldiers," he muttered.
"Heroes.. Monsters, these are all the same only limited to the perception of onlookers and manipulated by the victors. In the end it all depend on the individuals and how they will endure it."
As Dante heard it, his mind calmed still filled with fury, but not clouded by it. He already chose his path and there is no regret to think about it again. Then suddenly a question about the test came to the mind of his.
"But sir, there was a replica of mine instead of the other races, who destroyed the ship and fought with me in the name Crook family."
When Raion heard it, a light smirk appeared on his face.
"Oh that…. That is the attribute of mine. It is called Mirror Fantasy. It allows me to descend a reality where it shows the fear of the opponent, it also allows me some limited situational manipulation inside it."
The jaw of Dante was hanged open, saying he was shocked to hear this will be an understatement, he was beyond surprised by it.
That's an overpowered Ability, and here I thought only mine was overpowered. It pales in comparison with his ability.
In far future Dante will came to correct himself here, one for underestimating his Special Attribute and for one other reason.
"That's all…"
"Now, do you have any questions, Dante Grimwold?", Raion asked.
Unlike other time, there is no playfulness during this time. It was full of formality, like a boss asking question to his subordinates.
Dante straightened his posture as he heard this. He placed the right fist on the upper chest of left side, then replied.
"No, Sir."
"Good, now let's left to the HQ to complete your promotion.", Raion said as he waved his hand.
With it both he and Dante disappeared from their position and teleported to the HQ.