A Chemist's Interstellar Saga

Chapter 42: A ”Friend”
Chapter 42: A ”Friend”

Ortiz received the message and looked up at Arix again, shooting her a ”you’re in big trouble” glare. Then, he opened the report.

Training Report

School: Hecaristhe Hecaris Military Academy

Grade: Freshman

Name: Arix

Training Program: Gravity

Score: Supergiant+

Ortiz rubbed his eyes and looked again. He turned the virtual screen towards Bauer, doubting much, and said, ”Dude, check this out, I think my eyes are playing tricks. I didn’t know there could be a ’+’ after ’Supergiant’.”

Bauer glanced down at the score report. Then, he looked up deeply at Arix before starting to comfort his poor colleague, ”Ortiz, it’s real.”

Ortiz’s legs trembled. Thankfully, Bauer was there to steady him, preventing any embarrassment in front of his student.

”Sir, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head out now,” Arix felt the instructors were acting a bit weird, but whether it was good or bad, she figured it was best to slip away.

”No, there’s something. You’re coming with me to another training center now,” Ortiz said with eyes fixed on Arix, his tone utterly serious.

’Is this a special extra lesson for me?’ Arix raised an eyebrow.

Then, she thought about waiting for Drexel and plus, she was also curious about the other training centers. So, she nodded and agreed, ”Alright.”

”Bauer, keep an eye on the students,” Ortiz told Bauer. Then he led Arix to the first Hypnosis Training Center.

Hypnosis is about using one’s psychic power to invade someone else’s psychic world, thereby hypnotizing their consciousness.

The training aims to strengthen one’s willpower and increase the chances of resisting invasions by others’ psychic powers.

The only caution in this training is that the invader’s psychic power level must not be lower than the invaded’s, or else it could lead to a severe backlash.

As soon as Ortiz and Arix entered the hypnosis room, they saw a captain talking with the hypnosis center instructor.

”Pritchett, got a moment? Help me test a student,” Ortiz casually called out.

”Sure, come on over.” Pritchett was amiable, always ready to help a colleague.

”Okay...” Ortiz hadn’t noticed the man next to Pritchett at first. But after a brief glance, his next words got stuck in his throat.

’Damn, why is Kellan’s rival here? Is it too late to take Arix back now?’

Ortiz thought despairingly. He quietly moved to shield Arix behind him, trying to hide.

Ortiz swallowed and averted his eyes, saying, ”Captain Cantet, what brings you here?”

”Just here for some business with Pritchett. What about you, you came here to give this student some extra training?” Cantet said teasingly, raising an eyebrow—it was clear he noticed Ortiz’s attempt to shield.

He was curious to see what Ortiz was up to.

Ortiz stumbled over his words for a moment. Then, as if suddenly remembering something urgent, he blurted out, ”Ah, I just remembered I have another thing to do. Pritchett, I’ll test this tomorrow. Sorry, Captain, I have to go now.”

He turned and immediately tried to pull Arix away, but Cantet’s leisurely voice halted them in their tracks.

”Wait a second,” Cantet said. He walked up to Ortiz and Arix, giving Arix a careful look.

Squinting and stroking his chin, he asked nonchalantly, ”This young lady looks like she’s Kellan’s sister, right?”

’No!’ Ortiz was about to object when Arix spoke up behind him.

”You know my brother?” Arix asked, curious.

Ortiz knew he should contact Kellan immediately. Just as he slightly raised his wrist equipped with an optic computer, however, Cantet saw through his intentions. Smiling, he placed a hand on Ortiz’s shoulder.

Cantet turned and warned Ortiz with a glance. Then, turning back to Arix with a smile, he said, ”Yes, your brother and I learn lessons from each other often.”

Hearing this, Ortiz opened his mouth but ended up covering his face, saying nothing.

Cantet was known for his sugar-coated barbs, a fact acknowledged by everyone in the fifth legion. Only he could make regular brawls sound so elegant and refined.

”You’re a friend of my brother? I’m Arix,” she said politely.

”Good, are you here for a test today? Let me help you, and I think Kellan would be very glad.” Cantet’s smile was disarming, but his mind was already plotting to hypnotize the girl and dig up some dirt on his rival.

”Thank you, that’s very kind,” Arix, seeing the guy dressed in her military uniform, dropped down all her guards. With her instructor present, she never imagined that the man in front of her was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

”Here, sit down and close your eyes,” Cantet instructed Arix to sit in a special chair. He eagerly extended his psychic power into the psychic space of Arix’s mind, attempting to hypnotize her consciousness.

However, as soon as Cantet’s psychic power neared Arix’s consciousness, a massive psychic force erupted from within her psychic world, instantly striking back at Cantet’s psychic world.

Thud...

The sound of a body hitting the floor startled Arix awake. She opened her eyes to see her brother’s ”good friend” lying on the ground.

The room was soon filled with medical personnel, but they weren’t there for Arix. Instead, they carried away Captain Cantet.

Pritchett, the instructor, concerned for Cantet, followed them out.

In the end, only Arix and Ortiz remained in the vast hypnosis room, staring at each other in an awkward silence.

After a long pause, Arix cautiously ventured, ”Sir, what if I say I did nothing and he just passed out by himself? Do you believe me?”

”Arix, do you know that Captain Cantet’s psychic power is Supergiant-Class? Even he suffered backlash,” Ortiz stared intensely at Arix. He then delivered a striking question, ”So, how powerful is your psychic power, exactly?”

Arix hesitated, then murmured softly, ”Can I choose to keep that a secret?”

Ortiz looked at Arix with mixed emotions and finally closed his eyes and waved his hand.

”Sir, does this mean I can go? Are we not testing anymore?” Arix asked, looking both pitiful and innocent.

”Go ahead, we’re not testing today. Or do you want to send another captain to the medical center?” Ortiz replied, glaring at Arix with irritation.

”Okay, thank you, sir. Goodbye!” Arix said, then scampered off as if on fire.

Today she had truly learned what it meant to have a fleeting thrill that could lead to severe consequences. Sending an officer to the medical center? It inevitably meant her parents might get called.

And that was what Arix found most mortifying.

However, it seemed that Instructor Ortiz was intending to help clean up the mess for her, which touched Arix deeply.

She wished all the best for the poor captain, and the kind Ortiz.