Crimson Rebellion

CHAPTER 3 — THE FIRST TEST

The lights went out.

Complete darkness swallowed Crimson Rebellion HQ.

For three seconds, nobody moved.

Then—

BANG!

Something heavy crashed somewhere in the building.

Ren immediately stood up.

His heart began pounding.

“What the hell was that?”

No answer.

The entire building had gone silent.

Then a voice echoed through the darkness.

“New recruits.”

Ren froze.

Raiden.

“Get to the main hall.”

A few nervous voices answered from the darkness.

“Now.”

Footsteps began moving.

Ren stepped into the hallway.

He could barely see anything.

People were pushing past him.

Someone grabbed his shoulder.

“Move!”

Ren stumbled against the wall.

Then the emergency lights flickered on.

Red.

The entire hallway was covered in crimson light.

Ren looked around.

Dozens of recruits were standing there.

Raiden stood at the end of the corridor.

His expression was completely calm.

“The first test begins now.”

Ren frowned.

“Test?”

Raiden didn't answer.

Instead, he pointed toward the main hall.

“Everyone inside.”

The recruits slowly entered.

Ren followed.

The hall had been cleared.

No weapons.

No furniture.

Nothing except a large red circle painted across the floor.

Raiden stood outside it.

“You have ten minutes.”

A recruit raised his hand.

“For what?”

Raiden looked at him.

“To survive.”

The doors slammed shut.

Everyone froze.

Then metal shutters dropped over the windows.

There was no way out.

Ren's breathing became heavier.

“What is this?”

Raiden finally smiled.

“Figure it out.”

A bell rang.

DING!

The room exploded into chaos.

A recruit immediately punched the person beside him.

Another tackled someone to the ground.

Ren backed away.

This wasn't a fight.

It was a massacre waiting to happen.

He turned toward the nearest exit.

Locked.

A man charged at him.

Ren ducked.

The man's fist slammed into the wall.

Ren grabbed his arm and pushed him away.

Another recruit came from behind.

Ren barely moved in time.

The punch grazed his cheek.

Blood trickled down.

Ren touched it.

His fingers were shaking.

Then he heard laughter.

The tattooed recruit from earlier was standing across the room.

His face was bruised.

His eyes were filled with anger.

“You.”

Ren stared at him.

“You embarrassed me in front of everyone.”

Ren clenched his fists.

“You attacked me first.”

The recruit cracked his neck.

“Then I'll finish it.”

He charged.

Ren braced himself.

The first punch came straight for his face.

Ren blocked it.

The impact sent pain through his arm.

Another punch.

Ren dodged.

Another.

He stumbled backward.

The recruit grabbed his jacket.

“You don't belong here!”

Ren looked into his eyes.

Maybe he was right.

Maybe Ren didn't belong here.

But something inside him refused to accept it.

Ren drove his forehead into the recruit's face.

CRACK!

The recruit stumbled backward.

Ren rushed forward.

He grabbed his shirt and slammed him against the floor.

The room went silent for a moment.

Ren stood over him, breathing heavily.

Then—

The bell rang.

DING!

Everything stopped.

The metal shutters opened.

Raiden stepped into the room.

He looked at the recruits.

Some were bleeding.

Some were unconscious.

Others were simply staring at the floor.

Raiden's eyes settled on Ren.

“You.”

Ren straightened.

“Yes?”

“Come here.”

Ren walked toward him.

Raiden looked at the blood on Ren's face.

“You lasted.”

Ren frowned.

“Was that the point?”

Raiden smiled slightly.

“No.”

Ren's expression changed.

“Then what was?”

Raiden leaned closer.

“To see who would stop fighting when they realized they were afraid.”

Ren said nothing.

Raiden walked past him.

“You didn't.”

Ren looked back at the other recruits.

Some were staring at him differently now.

Not with mockery.

With fear.

Raiden stopped at the doorway.

“Get some sleep.”

He looked over his shoulder.

“Tomorrow gets worse.”

The doors closed behind him.

Ren stood silently in the middle of the hall.

For the first time since entering Crimson Rebellion...

he wondered if surviving was actually the hardest part.

NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW:

Ren survived his first test.

But survival has consequences.

As the recruits return to their rooms, Ren discovers that someone has been watching him from the shadows.

And the next morning...

Raiden gives him an order that could get him killed.

“You wanted to prove you belong here.”

Raiden handed Ren a crimson blade.

“Now prove it.”

END OF CHAPTER 3

ns216.73.216.48da2

Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically