"Ultima, what are we doing?" Lapis asks, walking behind the silent soldier. Seeker and Amber were also walking, although they both were staying quiet. Lapis only asked because his chat was restless. He also wanted to know himself.

"Gareth's orders were to preform team exercises. I have interpreted this a certain way " he answered flatly, continuing to walk. Everyone was just given a mission to wait for his arrival, so they did, and now they were following him down the corridors of The Ark. It was exactly twenty-four hours after they established The Amissa Lumina, or as the players called them, The Lost Lights, because to them Latin was too flowery. In those twenty four hours, the three players were forced to stay online for at least twelve. It was chaotic, but slowly, players accepted being monitored more closely in exchange for still being able to do missions and slowly build favorability, albeit at a reduced rates since they were trusted less. Of course, with this chaos, there were some rebels. Respawning worked one of two ways, you could respawn where you died, or respawn back at your spawn. Spawn so far only changed in one way, that being your faction. So, spawning back at The Ark, or spawning back in a cell. At the very least this gave rebels a chance to escape, but so far no one had succeeded. 

They went to sleep for eight hours before waking up and immediately jumping back into 'Reality Dive' one at a time, at which point they received a new mission courtesy of the allies function. Ultima enjoyed being able to give them missions without needing to actually see him. He asked Arron to prepare a room, and the doctor was invited to watch and observe by him, because he found something interesting about the Lightforms.

Finally, Ultima stepped into a room. It was a room with a softened floor and a lot of green screens on the sides. Arron was sitting in the corner and waves at him and the players "Oh good! You finally arrived, Ultima, what do you think? I figured you wouldn't mind having a bit of a more unique place rather than the typical training areas" he said. Training area, that didn't sound to good, as the players looked between each other.

"Looks interesting, will you be monitoring in here?" he asked, to which the doctor shakes his head and responded "No, I'll be watching on some cameras, so cut loose" he said, chuckling. Now the players were all worried, looking at the back of Ultima. "Hey, good luck you three!" Arron says, quickly leaving and locking the door behind him after saying this to them.

A few moments passed "You know, I have a feeling there's more to your kind than revivals. You know what will be fun about this" the word fun rolled off his tongue with a dull and uninterested tone even so "I get to go all out, because I don't need to worry about killing you three" he hummed, walking across the area and turning around when he reached the end.  The players all stood there in shock, or at least it seemed like it, as he sent them a new mission.

Ultima stood there "Arron?" he called "These screens change I'm guessing right? Please, give us something menacing" he asked. After a moment, the green screens were replaced with a stock looping video of a city burning, the light's dimmed and the temperature upped a few notches to simulate the feeling. Ultima suppressed a smile, if there was one thing he liked more than anything, it was a good fight. 

The three players looked to each other "What did you guys pick?" Amber asked "I um, picked Inventor" she said quietly while Ultima just stood there, menacingly.

"Well, uh, I picked Magician, cause it seemed cool, are we really going to use our abilities with that doctor watching though?" Lapis asks, gulping as he also looks at Ultima.

"We're going to have to to survive, besides, they'd see it at some point. I'm a warrior by the way" Death Seeker said, rather proudly as he moved up in front of them both "You're both support, so you stand back then" he sighed. Amber moved and stood beside him "Don't worry about me, I need to be closer to even see stuff you know" she huffed.

Unlike the player's Ultima was very calm, because of his own new toys, and his eyes had already changed color to a vibrant rainbow.
However he had yet to feel any enragement because of his improved skill.

Ultima looked his own status over one more time before loudly announcing, and knowing Arron was listening in as well "I've grown stronger recently, like I've reached a new level of strength! I'm eager to test it on you three!" he chuckled, his voice becoming a low growl towards the end "If you three don't mind starting, I'll let you all have the first shot" he said, making sure he sounded cocky as he raised his fists into a standard fighting stance.

Arron watched through the camera as Ultima announced this, and seeing that he was about to display new skills, quickly produced his notebook and got ready to write. The city burned in the background, even if it was simulated, it still felt like the room was more heated, there was even the sound of crackling flames, but no screams or cries for help. In the menacing light, Ultima stood at one end of the room, ready to battle as he smirked, a new expression from rage, Arron noted for later.

Death Seeker rushed out first, he didn't have a weapon, but what was he going to do, make one out of thin air like Ultima could? He quickly closed the gap, and Amber wasn't far behind, sticking a bit back to watch as he began to clash with the smirking soldier. Lapis began to think about what spell to use when they clashed fists.

For the time being, Ultima decided to not use his release, as his fist met Seeker's. There was the sound of knuckles clicking before he jumped back, and then moved back in, going to punch his stomach. Ultima's vibrant and glowing rainbow eyes met Seeker's brown ones as he grabbed his fist to stop it. "I'm not going all out you know, I can control my strength now. Let's see how long you last though" he spoke, distracting him with words before trying to sweep his leg. 

Seeker dodged his attack and moved back, meanwhile Amber was frantically trying to scan Ultima, but the system just kept saying the NPCs' stats are hidden at this time. After the third try she got a reply, finally, it was helpful in one way, and not good in the other.

Amber bit her lip before looking back at Lapis who was still standing back "He can't take any attack you do Lapis! Just keep switching it up!" she yelled, and when Lapis got a notification he nodded, learning about it through Amber's Learning Aura. He raised on finger "Snowflake descend upon this foe!" he said, and a flurry of cold flakes rushed at Ultima. They conjured themselves out of thin air, and when they hit him he felt much colder than before. This slowed him down enough for Seeker to actually get a hit in, clocking Ultima in the jaw. There was a resounding thump as the shorter man stumbled back, slowly touching his jaw. Everyone went quiet for just a moment.

Ultima slowly moved his hand away from his jaw, and looked at Seeker "You..." his voice shook with deep rage, as a rainbow blade suddenly formed from his hand "Let me show you some colors!" he yells, slashing at him. Seeker could barely dodge out of the way as his stats suddenly jumped and he formed the blade in a single motion. Ultima charged forward at him, growling as an ember hit his eyes, but he powered through it. 

Ultima continued to push Seeker back, who could barely keep up with just dodging, and that was only because Ultima's killing intent was so outrageously strong he could actually feel where he was going to attack. Amber had to back up as well, she learned another thing, Ultima was enraged. A minute passed with Seeker dodging, and on occasion getting saved by Lapis casting a spell that distracted him for a moment. A minute was usually his limit, and for a second he slowed, panting. They thought they won, as they watched Ultima's weapon beginning to disappear. 

Ultima watched Seeker, who was panting but also smiling, smiling at him. Ultima growled "You think that it's over?" he said "I'm just getting started!" he yelled suddenly. Everyone watched as instead of forming a formed sword, a blade suddenly jutted out of his fist when he punched forward. Seeker dodged the fist, but not the blade, which would've cut his cheek had he been able to feel it. Amber, Lapis, and Arron both watched in shock as he didn't stop there. The blade disappeared as he swung his leg with a high kick, a chain and flail flying out of his ankle that Seeker took with both his arms with a crack. Seeker jumped back and quickly activated his Fighting Spirt, which helped to ease the fractures but not fully fixed them, as well as fix the long cut he got. His trick of working on killing intent was now shot, because now Ultima wasn't just using a sword, he was using his body like a full weapon.

Ultima did many things in the span of another minute, Lapis' spells stopped working on him period, Amber had learned they were no longer affecting him, stronger magic would work, but they didn't have that. She tried to activate focus mode, and scanned him again when a wave of calm washed over her despite the situation. A new message greeted her, a countdown, which Seeker and Lapis both learned as well and paid attention to. By the time one minute was up, and the countdown reached zero, Seeker was badly hurt, and he felt like he was close to 'dying' with all his wounds. 

Ultima panted, slowly stopping and falling down to his knees. Sweat poured off his body from the heat, and from the exertion. Despite what he said, he wasn't looking to actually kill Seeker with his released power, but the fact he got close too for sure made him more menacing. Lapis caught the whole thing from a good distance, and there were for sure people in his stream who recorded it. Seeker moved away slowly, collapsing against the door "Hey, Amber, can you please just...finish it...I don't think this will heal on it's own for awhile" he asked the girl. The girl came down from her focus mode and glared at him "No, not gonna do that, Lapis, don't help him" she said, coming over to the group. Their mistake was leaving Ultima unattended. Arron saw through the camera as they started talking that Ultima slowly began to rise, and he began to feel a sense of dread. Pure dread, but he wasn't going to warn the Players, if they died, they would revive. So he continued to watch.

Ultima slowly stood up as he activated his newest ability, he was informed to make some more substantial changes that would take effect before it worked. His cloudy eyes turned vibrant again, he decided to focus on the eyes, his pupils each splitting into two. Wisps of rainbow began to come off him before he felt it kick in. He shuddered in place, before Seeker died suddenly, turning into shining light as he was mid sentence.

Seeker felt like he was hit, but before he could even speak he was already dead. He quickly logged out and opened up Lapis' stream, but by that point it was already over, he looked back on it to see what happened.

A moment after he died, Amber looked back at Ultima, who had suddenly appeared in front of her. He raised his hand fast, and a blade entered her head, no wound appeared, as usual, but she dissipated instantly. Ultima looked down at Lapis though, who was cowering in the video, falling back and looking up at him. He looked murderous, his pupils were split in two, and shining brighter than before, wisps of rainbow smoke floated off of him.

Ultima stared down at him "Wasn't done yet..." he said softly, quietly, like he wasn't even mad. "Well...Lapis" his tongue clicked "You survived, isn't that good? It's very good, isn't it? It's good you survived, because that's good. Right?" he asked, talking in loops as he stared at Lapis right in the eyes, and by extension the audience, like he could see every single one of them.

Lapis' vision shook "Y-yeah...Ultima...you aren't going to kill me?" he asked, breathing heavily. Ultima slowly smiled "Now why would I do that, your spells, that's what they were right? They weren't that annoying, just interesting. Interesting. So now show me more sometime, show me more spells, cause they were interesting, and I like interesting things. So you're interesting." It was at this point Lapis moved as Ultima collapsed on top of him. Breathing heavily but clearly passed out now. 

Arron came in and helped Ultima up and dismissed Lapis, at which point he shut down the stream to go and get a drink and relax.

Ultima groaned as he woke up hours later, sitting up in bed, his body was killing him, he could recall scarcely recall what happened. Only that he remembered activating Limit Break, there was a feeling of sudden calmness, much different from him being enraged. Then, just as suddenly as he felt that, his memory was blank. His mind was working overtime, examining the room, but everything was just the same.

He looked to the door as it opened, Arron and Gareth both stepped in, along with Seeker, Amber, and Lapis. He took a moment to look at them "What happened? How long, have I been asleep?" he asked, his tone back to being neutral. That relieved everyone in the room as Arron began to explain.

"You've been out for an entire day Ultima, whatever crazy thing you did, well, it knocked you out" Arron said "You killed Death Seeker without even moving, so I think it was your Shockwave Impact, following that you more or less appeared behind Amber and killed her. You then talked to Lapis for a few seconds before passing out. Ultima, do you not recall anything?" he clarified.

He couldn't refuse a direct order "Beyond feeling a sudden moment of calmness, I don't recall anything beyond that" he told truthfully, slowly laying back down "Seeker, Amber, and Lapis. I profusely apologize if I scared you" he said this without any emotion, but the players received a notification regarding his sincerity. 

Amber and Death Seeker both eyed the first reward. Amber eyed it because as an inventor, it was important that she was able to actually scan and analyze her enemy. Death Seeker eyed it because he didn't want to have a negative relationship at all with Ultima, and the access was useful anyway.

"I accept your apology, this time Ultima" Amber said, sighing, getting the notification that the mission was completed. Death Seeker spoke up next "I do too!" he said, nodding. That only left the small and masked Lapis, who was still standing there.

Lapis slowly took a deep breath, he wanted to forgive him, but the terrifying feeling was not just felt by him, but all his viewers. He had to think of them as well, and besides that, he was more interested in the second reward anyway. He turned and left the room, and as he stepped past the doorway, Arron and Gareth both moving so he could leave, he received the ability. It was togglable, so he didn't use it for now.

"We will leave you to rest" Gareth said, ushering everyone out as he looked at Ultima, who had already laid back down and turned away from being able to see the door. Despite the fact his expression was neutral, it didn't take an empath to tell he was saddened by what happened.

Ultima heard the door close, and took a moment to think before he opened up the notification he received, it was one of the reasons he really grasped just how badly his power apparently affected not just his three player companions, but also the entire stream Lapis had going.

Ultima sighed, closing his eyes and getting some more rest. It wasn't all bad at least, any publicity was good publicity right?