The next morning, I received news from Grelmure through my tablet that starting today I could stay in the headquarters barracks.
Ohh… I was very happy to hear that. He also said I didn't need to worry about food and clothing because everything was already provided there. Indeed, besides being much closer, I would no longer have to spend money on them. And importantly, I could visited Hellraider's house several times.
Upon arriving at the headquarters, just like yesterday, Gruzhnil welcomed me. The four of us immediately headed back to the military order's base complex. This time we drove to the storage and maintenance building for The Graendall's shuttlecraft.
We walked to one of the shuttles, and the head of production explained the parts of the craft to me and Hellraider. These shuttles were all the same size as the one I saw for the first time and armed with machine guns and rocket launchers. Some of them were already equipped with lasers.
The soldier who served as a pilot demonstrated the flight. All of us except Grelmure boarded the shuttle and headed into the cockpit. Hellraider and I were explained how to pilot it. The shuttle flew only once around the building and then landed again.
I wondered whether Hellraider had been able to understand everything they had said since yesterday. I saw he remain silent and not utter a single word. Honestly, I felt that he already knew everything, as if there was some strong connection in every world Hellraider entered in the gameplay.
We moved on to another building, which this time was the production facility for ground combat vehicles and bipedal robots. I saw that the combat vehicles here still used off-road tires. The Graendall-style tanks had actually existed for hundreds of years, back when technology was not as advanced as it is now, and they were still being produced in certain numbers.
Then we were taken to the bipedal robot production unit. Several robots were already fitted with various kinds of weapons. They stood at around five meters tall, equipped with booster rockets on its back and single-seated. We went to one robot that had not yet been equipped with any weapons and the technician explained to us. I took the initiative to try using it by asking permission from Gruzhnil.
I tried to follow the instructions explained by him. At first I was clumsy and almost fell over. Grelmure looked very anxious watching what I was doing. After a while, I was able to control it and walk around smoothly and steadily. Thankfully, there were no weapons installed; if there had been, I could have endangered others.
Gruzhnil then took us to the final location, which was building for the graganthurions. We arrived at the giant robot storages. The head of maintenance said that there were currently twenty-five units. The head of maintenance said that the graganthurion stood about eighty meters tall. I saw that its design was almost similar to Gruzhnil's full armor, but without the mantle and cloak.
We went to one robot that had just finished being cleaned and repaired. Gruzhnil invited Hellraider and me to enter the robot's main control room through the elevator available at each robot station. When we entered, the control room was located in its head. Gruzhnil then explained the control components to us and said that he had piloted graganthurion several times. The control was just for one pilot consisted of advanced wireless gloves, a small support seat meant only for leaning, and pedal-like devices to move the robot's legs.
Suddenly, Gruzhnil asked me to have Hellraider try it. I was quite surprised to hear that—apparently he simply wanted him to try one of The Graendall's strongest military assets. After I conveyed his words to Hellraider, he immediately climbed into the pilot seat and activated all the robot's systems. I could hear the robot's engines begin to work, and the view ahead of us started to open outward. Everyone outside immediately moved to the sides. Hellraider put on every equipment and instantly the robot walked out the building. I was in awe of his ability to control this on the first try. Gruzhnil said that the robot was also equipped with booster rockets.
Hellraider then accelerated the robot's steps toward an open area and suddenly activated the booster rockets and jumped. My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest seeing his action. Fortunately, the robot was able to descend and land smoothly with the help of those rockets.
"Hahahaaa… Sir Hellraider certainly knows how to show off! I didn't expect him to surprise us in that way!" Gruzhnil said while laughing, after having been startled like me.
He immediately walked back toward the station building. The Graganthurion wielded the same weapons as ordinary soldiers, only on a much larger scale, stored in the central part of the complex. I remembered that in the gameplay, The Graendall used the Graganthurion to face Arch-Judgementor and Arch-Licot, the giant versions of those hell monsters.
After we finished riding the robot and completed the tour, Gruzhnil told me that next would be physical and survival training which would begin tomorrow. As for Hellraider, his next activities would be adjusted separately. We returned to headquarters and I was free to rest.
Grelmure and I walked to the headquarters barracks. Upon arrival, the barracks chief was already there to welcome us. The barracks building was also large, consisting several floors. Each floor was occupied by soldiers of different ranks. I was directed only to the ground floor and when I entered one room, there was a row of cubicles that functioned as private bedrooms. I also saw several soldiers there immediately salute Grelmure and the barracks chief. I occupied one of the sleeping quarters. He said that if I was still confused about anything, I could simply ask the soldiers there.
I thanked him and they left me. Shortly after, the soldiers in that room approached me and wanted to chat with me. I gladly accepted and was invited to a corner of the room that was fairly spacious and carpeted. The soldiers said they already knew about me from the colosseum incident. They wanted to know how I came to Grivendal and what my relationship to Hellraider which they called The Beast.
I actually didn't want to tell too much, especially since I didn't yet know them well. But they seemed very enthusiastic about this shocking event, and I had already become part of their shared room. I told them all the events starting from the invasion of hell monsters in my world—though I fabricated the reason again—and what I faced in that realm along with Hellraider. I didn't tell them that all of this happened because The Mayhem had become reality.
They looked stunned and amazed upon hearing my story. They stared wide-eyed when they learned that The Beast was actually nicknamed Hellraider. They praised me as someone who was not a soldier for being able to survive in that realm and even interact with Hellraider.
"Are you already blessed with Our Lord Archangel Marsiel, Johann?"
"I don't know either, sir. I had never heard His name before..."
Night fell, and I was invited to have dinner together in the barracks hall. It turned out that many other soldiers welcomed my presence here. Apparently, I had indeed become that well-known because of my connection to Hellraider. What I knew from the lore was the soldiers felt very wary and tended to be fearful when near him.
The next morning, I was underwent The Graendall's military physical training. I immediately ran outside and behind the barracks building, there turned out to be a wide area that had been specially prepared as a military training field. I was told to line up with others whom I saw as dozens of cadets. A soldier, shouting loudly from a podium in front of the formation, began giving instructions about today's training. I heard that this was similar to standard military training in my own country.
I began undergoing the training. Somehow, I didn't find it very challenging. I could pass through all the training courses that were given. Was it because my experience surviving in the hell realm had greatly increased my physical abilities? Perhaps that was the biggest factor. I was able to complete it better than the average cadet here. After finishing all the training until midday, the instructor praised me and allowed me to rest freely. I thanked him and immediately left the field, where many cadets were still being punished for failing to complete the training properly.
I returned to the barracks to bathe, change clothes, and eat lunch. I wanted to visit Hellraider's house by driving a go-kart. When I arrived at his house, I didn't find him in the front yard where he usually trained with melee weapons. I felt very reluctant to knock on his door. If he opened the door and saw only me standing there, he would most likely looked angry and slam it shut immediately.
I decided to wait by walking around enjoying the view from the foothills. From the direction of the rocky river, I saw someone standing a bit far from its edge. This felt rather strange to me. Suddenly, for the first time in Grivendal, my interface slot appeared again. I was quite startled to see it and immediately remembered the binoculars I had. I took them out and looked through them to see who that person was. As I had suspected, it turned out to be Hellraider.
I immediately went toward the river. Fortunately, there was a road that this vehicle could pass through. I parked my go-kart a little distance away from where Hellraider was standing. I walked toward him. As if sensing my presence, Hellraider turned his body toward me. I saw his eyes widen, his facial expression somewhere between surprise and anger.
Ohhh… did Hellraider still not want me to approach him?