Antarctica’s Myth

FLOOR 1/100, DAY 1, 300 REMAINING

A huge hologram displayed those words and numbers in the sky.

"Now I see why we have seven days…" Katsuki dryly laughed.

"I believe that later on it will be easier to ascend the floors. Less people to fight so we could slip by while they all fight," August said as he then glanced around their surroundings, "But we need to focus on now."

They seem to be in the middle of a forest with no exit in sight. The trees stand tall, but short enough to see sky above them. There seems to be an artificial sun on the 1st floor and artificial clouds. It could be an illusion of some sorts but there is no way to tell.

A deafening explosion from afar shakes the ground below them. The mushroom cloud could be visible from where they are and a chain of explosions follow suit.

It's at this point that it is safe to say that skirmishes throughout this seemingly endless forest has started.

"Let's go!" August shouts.

The two sprint forward in hopes to find a door of sorts or a cave that says "EXIT" right above.

They came to a complete stop when they came across a cocoon built by sticks, leaves, and soil. Katsuki and August could sense someone is in there, but are they friend or foe?

The cocoon opened to reveal a man wearing only undergarments of leaves, "The trees told me to beware of your presence."

Katsuki and August both exchange confused looks as the man steps out from the cocoon.

"They tell me that you are not of this natural world," He said as he glares at Katsuki. "So I must do what must be done."

Two trees behind Katsuki and August come alive, growing arms and legs.

August sees the trees coming alive and takes it upon himself to face them while Katsuki faces the barely naked man.

"Katsuki, I'll handle the trees." August then charges forward with what seems no intent to fight the trees.

Katsuki unsheathes the sword on his back and uses a new technique that he learned from K. He has no name for it yet, but he will soon.

This new technique alters the space between him and a target by shrinking or increasing the space between the two. From another person's perspective, which is the nearly naked man's perspective, it seems as if Katsuki is teleporting.

Closing the distance between the two, Katsuki reaches the man so fast that he has no time to react to the next attack.

Using the flat edge of the blade, Katsuki strikes the man with an unbelievable amount of force that causes a shockwave in a radius of about a mile. The surrounding trees all flatten or explode from the force of Katsuki's attack as he lands on his feet.

"You didn't kill the bastard, cat!" August yelled as he approached Katsuki.

"Huh? Cat? What do you mean, August?" Katsuki was confused by an approaching August… August with an accent?

"August? No, it's Rowan."

Katsuki is clearly confused and wonders if August is pulling a prank. Or could it be real?

"Erm, Rowan…?"

"I knew August had a lapse of judgment when he said that you could kill…" Rowan scoffed.

"Hey, I didn't say I was gonna kill. Besides, killing isn't mandatory," Katsuki argued.

"If you wanna live then you have to. That guy will come back ten times stronger or ten times angrier and get the surprise on us. He speaks to the trees! That's an advantage we don't have!" Rowan then sighed in frustration, "Let's get moving before he comes back. One good thing you did was put distance between him and us." Rowan then took lead and sprinted in the eastern direction with Katsuki trailing behind.

Meanwhile, in the viewing room….

I can only hope Katsuki can handle his personality split… Emilia thought to herself as she watched her two Juniors through an orb that followed them from the air.

But her attention would be caught when the double doors that lead to the viewing room swing open. Emilia's brow raised, recognizing who walked in, Camilla Eternelle.

All eyes shifted to her as she entered the room and began to look around at every screen that display Juniors and what they're currently doing. She moved gracefully, taking a moment to watch every Junior for a few seconds before moving onto the next screen. Her eyes shifted, her face having no expression, and her ears actively listening to all the chatter around her.

The chatter around the room was mostly along the lines of "She's actually here" and "What is she doing here?" It turns out that Camilla actually submitted her own name into the Exam with a Junior she chose.

Emilia watches carefully as Camilla soon comes to a stop, turning her whole body toward the screen, and moving forward a bit.

"Who's Junior is this?" Camilla asks.

Who was she talking to? The whole room? Since she was too close to the screen, nobody could tell who she was talking about until she moved out of the way, pointing at a live video of Katsuki and Rowan sprinting.

Emilia gulped. Should she raise her hand? Why did she want to know? Debating for a second to choose, Emilia rose her hand, "He's my Junior."

The other Slayers in the room turn to Emilia, murmuring amongst themselves.

Camilla walks to the sofa Emilia is sitting on and sits beside her, "What is his name?"

"Why?" Emilia glares at Camilla.

"I am curious. What is his name?"

"Katsuki."

"Ah, and what is your name?" Camilla smiles.

"Emilia."

"Is there a place where we could talk that's more private, Emilia?" Camilla tilts her head.

What does she want? Emilia thought to herself before speaking, "I suppose we could talk at my apartment."

"Wonderful. But before we leave, who was the man from earlier that was being mean to you?" Camilla's expression turned to concern.

"Hm? How did you-"

"What is his name?"

"Arcanis Storme…" Emilia said softly, worrying of the repercussions.

"I shall see to it that he will learn about manners, Emilia. Now, lead the way to your apartment."

Despite Emilia's stoic demeanor, she couldn't help but be a bit nervous around Camilla. Not only is seeing a family member from the Eternelle so rare, but to be acquainted with one is an honor that not even some Grandmasters have.

The Eternelle are known as a "royal" family in the Guild as they are widely known as the most powerful and influential family in the Guild. But even with their high status, their presence is barely even documented as they rarely come out to the public due to their strict rules. And as of right now, it seems that Camilla broke through Emilia's walls and got to see a side of her that almost no one has ever seen.

The walk to Emilia's apartment was a journey from the viewing room, but not a long one. Despite the less luxurious lifestyle Emilia lives, Camilla didn't seem to mind and enjoyed learning of another side in the Guild that is barely talked about.

Inviting her in, Camilla immediately recognizes the cleanliness of the apartment, "Wow, it's more clean on the inside than the outside." Camilla says.

Closing the door behind them, Emilia then speaks, "What did you wish to discuss, erm, Miss Eternelle?"

"I grant you permission to call me Camilla. Is that what you want to hear?" Camilla laughed as she took notice to Emilia's serious demeanor.

"What did you wish to discuss, Camilla?"

Keeping a smile, Camilla took a seat on the sofa, "You know, I'm surprised you found him first."

"I'm sorry?"

"Did you know I was there during the invasion, Emilia? In Eyon, I mean." Camilla asked her as she gestured Emilia to take a seat beside her.

"No, I did not," Emilia then sat herself on the sofa beside Camilla.

"Do you know who found him when the invasion came to an end?"

"It was Grandmaster Lyon Garnett."

"Can I tell you a story, Emilia?"

Emilia nods, "Go ahead."

"A day before the invasion, I had a dream. In the dream, I saw a man standing before me until he couldn't anymore. When he fell to the ground, I could hear him call for help, call for me. It was as if I could feel his presence. It was as if I could sense a beacon coming from him. So, when I woke up, that's when I knew it wasn't a dream anymore. I could still sense him. And it felt like I could sense from anywhere on the planet because it was that strong, but light at the same time. I took it upon myself to find him. The closer I got to Eyon, I felt his presence grow. That's when I found him. I found Katsuki working at a café and I knew he was the one who I saw in my dream. My father called me a bit crazy, but I knew at that moment, I wasn't."

Emilia took a moment to process the story and how Camilla was able to "feel" Katsuki's presence.

"On the day of the invasion, that's when things changed. Something about him changed that I couldn't explain. Everything increased tenfold and it was if I could pinpoint where he was at all times and feel what was he feeling. I wasn't allowed to be there during the invasion, however… But when the fight was coming to an end, there was so much destruction that no one found him until me. My father doesn't allow our Family to get involved in stuff that might get us hurt so I informed Grandmaster Lyon Garnett where Katsuki was while you and other Slayers fought off the invasion. When I found out that he was gone from the Slayer hospital and that he had gone with a Slayer to become her Junior, I had to find out what was going on. I followed you two for a while and eventually learned the truth about everything."

"The truth?"

"I can sense my father, my brother, my sisters, and all the rest of my family from where I sit right now. Do you know why that is?" Camilla's expression turned a bit cold.

Taking a moment to find an answer, Emilia thinks she has the right answer, "You're all telepathically linked?"

"Sort of, but no. It's because my family is part Antarctican..." Camilla's eyes narrow as she stares into Emilia's eyes, "So, the only way I would be able to feel Katsuki's presence only means one thing, and that's he's Antarctican as well."

Emilia got caught off guard by her reveal of her family heritage and finding out Katsuki's secret. She couldn't find words to deny, but why deny in the first place? If Camilla says who she says she is, of course she would know Katsuki's secret. The evidence is herself.

"Don't be surprised, Emilia. You not knowing my Family's true history is basic Guild behavior to save face. If everyone knew that they were influenced and friends with Antarcticans, there would be chaos. Why do you think we're not allowed anywhere near the Guild or allowed to be in combat zones? Why my father has strict rules about us going out into public? It's all to make the Guild look good and keep us out of public image, especially the Humans."

"I didn't expect them to hide that…"

"There's a lot you don't know, Emilia."

"You're going to tell the Grandmasters now that you found out about this?"

"Why would I tell on my own kind? Don't you know what they'll do to you and him? I'm here to help you, Emilia."

"Help us? How?"

"Let me worry about that. Just know I'm on your side, okay?"

Emilia struggled internally to trust Camilla, but she couldn't help it. Something told her deep down to trust Camilla, and so she listened, "Okay. I trust you."

Camilla smiles and looks a bit giddy, "Wow, I've never made a friend before."

"H-Huh?" Emilia is a bit thrown off by the use of the word "friend," but she also doesn't mind it, "M-Me too." Emilia replies.

The Exam…

Rowan and Katsuki stop to breathe as they enter a more desert environment and the words "NEXT FLOOR" in bright colors above a white light.

"We're… Here!" Rowan exclaims, panting between words.

"Come on! Let's go!" Katsuki taps Rowan's shoulder, taking a few steps ahead.

But he's stopped when a huge boulder slams into him, sending him flying.

"You… Imbeciles!!" The nearly naked man returned again.

"Shit! I thought he'd take a bit longer to show up." Rowan turns around to see the man walking around from the forest and stepping onto the desert environment.

"Get out of my way, disorderly man."

"Fuck off," Rowan stands his ground and summons an executioner axe.

"I already know how your axe works. Everything I use has no consciousness."

"This ain't for whatever you're gonna throw at me, this is for you."

"That's if you can even reach me."

Before Rowan takes his first step, Katsuki comes in hot and tackles the man back into the forest where he can face the man alone.

"August, give him support while-"

"Hey…" A rough, deep voice cut off Rowan before he could change with August.

Turning around to see an man's abs that are like a God's, Rowan looks up to see a huge, muscular man towering over him, "You're one big dude…" Rowan's voice slightly quivering.

He backhands Rowan to the ground and he laughs, "All bark, no bite!"

Disoriented by the backhand, Rowan groggily gets back on his feet, "Shit… Yeah, I'm gonna struggle with this."

Wish Katsuki and I could trade fighting partners… Rowan thought as he readied himself to fight the big man.