Chapter 936: A new name


    ?


    A man stood before an imposing ck structure. Rows of armed guards patrolled the


    perimeter, their watchful gazes scanning the area and the man within it, but they knew who he was.


    Barrack A3 was like Erik imagined. A heavily fortified building that housed elite soldiers in Frant.


    Erik observed the scene; his disguise as the soldier "Ben Fink" was what allowed him to be there.


    He took note of the patrol patterns, the number of guards, and any potential entry points.


    This information would be critical for his ns. When his clones were ready, attacking this ce was just one of the things he would do.


    Erik entered the imposing ck structure. His heart was calm, despite knowing he was about to meet the person who would be his mentor: Silent Scream.


    <These guys are obsessed with names, uh? >


    As he stepped through the threshold, the interior was just as fortified as the exterior.


    Disciplined ckguards moved with purpose, hiding behind masks and ck attire.


    Erik was the only one without a mask, but that was obvious. He wasn''t a ckguard yet, just a potential Initiate, the lowest rank within the ckguards.


    While outsiders would have treated him with respect regardless of his rank, among the ckguards, an initiate was just a mule to exploit.


    Though everyone there already knew who he was, Ben Fink, the new soldier under observation.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    New potential ckguards were not thatmon, after all, and it was only natural that a potential recruit would attract many people''s attention.


    He made his way through the main hall, where there were some people waiting. Suddenly, one of them rose from its chair; it was a man, of course, hidden behind a mask.


    "You must be Ben Fink," a low, raspy voice said. "I''ve been expecting you."


    Erik tensed, but maintained hisposure. "That''s me. Are you my mentor, perhaps?"


    The man nodded. "Yes. I''m Silent Scream. Nowe, we have much to discuss." They turned and gestured for Erik to follow.


    Erik trailed behind the mysterious individual. The man led him to a secluded office; the door shutting behind them with a soft click. Erik surveyed the room, taking in the sparse furnishings and the single, unadorned desk at its center.


    "Have a seat," the hooded figure said, motioning to a chair.


    Erikplied, his eyes never leaving the figure as they moved to the other side of the desk and settled into a chair.


    "As I said, I''m Silent Scream," the figure said. "I''ve been tasked with overseeing your integration into our ranks. I also have the duty to evaluate your progress and potential."


    Erik maintained a neutral expression. "I''m honored," he said, his voice level and controlled. "I''m ready to prove my worth."


    For a moment, Silent Scream studied him; his gaze was intense. "We shall see, Ben Fink. We shall see."


    Silent Scream stood up and retrieved something from a box behind him. It was a ckguard initiate''s attire,plete with a mask.


    "Put it on."


    "Must I do it here in front of you?"


    The man teased, "Are you embarrassed?"


    Erik said, "I''m not." Like that, he donned both the attire and the ck mask.


    The uniform felt strange on Erik''s body, with the mask obscuring his features, but it wasn''t like he never wore one.


    When he stole Quakestrike''s attire, he did the same. Although the armor-like uniform was different from the one he was currently wearing, there were some simrities. Mainly in the ck color and the various embroidery on it.


    Silent Scream observed him. The mask concealed his features.


    "Good. You will need to get used to wearing this. As a potential ckguard initiate, it will be your armor and your shield."


    Erik nodded, adjusting the mask slightly. "I understand."


    "Now," Silent Scream continued, "let us discuss your duties and expectations."


    Erik stood in front of Silent Scream, the unfamiliar ckguard uniform and mask, feeling strange but necessary. He listened as his new mentor outlined his duties and expectations. "We will head to the eastern district to search for rebels," Silent Scream said. "But first, did you retrieve the study materials they provided at the enlistment center?"


    Erik nodded. "Yes, they were sent to my phone. I''ve already been reviewing the content."


    What Erik didn''t reveal was that he had already absorbed the knowledge through his biological supeputer shortly after he got back to the gate.


    He had no intention of wasting time studying things. It would take him 10 seconds to learn. Besides, having a firm grasp on this information would make things easier for Erik, since he would need and anticipate what the ckguards were going to do when he faced them.


    The supeputer had allowed him to process and integrate the study materials, granting him aprehensive understanding without the need for extensive review.


    "Good," Silent Scream said.


    "It''s important you familiarize yourself with our protocols and tactics. We can''t make any mistakes out in the field. Since you already received basic training at the military school and advanced training within the army, you went past most of the hardest stuff. You had been lucky. Most individuals do not enjoy such privileges. People from the army usually stay in their mediocre roles for the rest of their lives."


    Erik maintained hisposure. "I know that, sir. Thank you for the opportunity..."


    "There is one other important thing I need to tell you," Silent Scream said, his masked face giving away no emotion.


    "What is it, sir?" Erik asked, keeping his tone respectful.


    "Your new name," Silent Scream said. "From this day forward, you will be known as ''Savage Blood.""


    Erik raised an eyebrow beneath his own mask. "Savage Blood?"


    "Yes. That is the nickname the other ckguards have given you after observing your skill in thest battle against the thaids. The higher-ups liked it, and so that will be your name from


    now on."


    Erik mulled over the name, not dissatisfied by it. "Savage Blood," he said. It had a certain ring about it-fierce and unyielding.


    "Wear it with pride," Silent Scream said, a hint of approval in his tone. "You have shown potential, and this name reflects the ferocity we value in our ranks, and what we expect from


    you. Do not shame this name, private."


    Erik nodded, epting the new moniker. "I understand, sir. Savage Blood it is."