The training room buzzed with low murmurs.
Rookies filled the hall shoulder-to-shoulder, lined up in uniform rows as a commanding officer stood at the front with a digital clipboard in hand. Behind him, the large briefing monitor flickered to life, revealing a grainy map of the outskirts of Tokyo — red circles marking Hollowborn sightings.
"This is not a simulation," the officer began coldly. "Tomorrow at 0600 hours, all rookies will be deployed to a live field assignment."
Gasps and anxious shifting rippled through the group.
"This operation will determine your qualification. If you perform well, you'll earn the right to become a KIBOU Soldier. If not—"
He didn't finish.
He didn't need to.
Yuuki stood in the third row, eyes steady. His face, once uncertain, was now carved with quiet resolve. A month of exhaustion, bruises, drills, and restraint had changed him.
And now… the battlefield awaited him again.
I survived it once.
This time, I'll do it right.
"Team assignments will now be displayed."
On cue, the wall monitor flashed with names.
Yuuki's eyes skimmed until he found his—
Team 7:
Kazuki Arata (Leader)YuukiSugouNatsume RyotaJin HiraiKeiko Ayane
His shoulders stiffened.
Sugou.
They met eyes across the room.
The disgust was mutual.
Elsewhere – Private Briefing Room
In another part of the base, Kazuki leaned against a steel desk as Rei reviewed a series of evaluation reports on a tablet.
"You've been watching his growth," Rei said without looking up. "What do you think?"
Kazuki didn't answer right away. He stared out the nearby window where a few rookies jogged across a practice field.
"He's quiet. Obedient. Doesn't lose focus," Kazuki replied finally. "But there's something buried deep in him. Like a sword still sheathed."
"You think he's dangerous?"
"Not yet."
Rei set the tablet down and turned.
"Then let me ask something else—was it intentional?"
Kazuki glanced at him. "What?"
"Putting him and Sugou in the same squad. You approved the teams. You had a dozen other configurations."
Kazuki gave a lazy shrug. "No particular reason."
Rei smirked knowingly. "Right. No reason at all."
He stepped closer, placing a hand on Kazuki's shoulder.
"Good luck then. You're leading Team 7. Try not to get anyone killed."
Kazuki gave a wry half-smile.
"No promises."
That Night – Rookie Quarters
Yuuki stood shirtless in the dim light of his dorm, lacing his gear slowly. The hum of the fluorescent ceiling bulb filled the silence.
He sat on the bed and stared at the wall.
A battlefield again…
His hand instinctively reached toward his chest.
He clenched it into a fist.
Then opened his palm.
A flicker of light.
In a breath, the blade formed in his hand — same as before, black metal and glowing veins pulsing faintly along its edge.
He stared at it.
This power… came from someone.
But I'm the one using it now.
The sword shimmered away, dissolved into the air.
He exhaled.
"…I won't lose control."
Across the Compound – Training Bay 3
Sugou slammed his fist into the training dummy again and again, his sweat dripping onto the mat.
The image of that duel — Yuuki's effortless takedown — kept flashing in his head.
No matter how hard he hit, it wasn't enough to erase the shame.
He growled and struck harder.
"You made me look weak…"
One final punch cracked the plastic shell.
Sugou stood, panting.
Then, under his breath, almost like a curse:
"…You better watch yourself tomorrow."
The Next Morning – En Route
The truck rumbled over gravel as it sped toward the outer zone of Sector 9 — a partially abandoned district that had become Hollowborn territory over the years.
Inside the back of the vehicle, Team 7 sat in silence.
Yuuki kept his eyes ahead, dressed in his field armor — reinforced black with faint blue trim.
Beside him, Jin and Natsume fiddled with their gear. Keiko quietly reviewed the mission map on her holo-pad.
Sugou just stared at the floor, jaw clenched.
Kazuki stood at the front of the truck, holding the briefing terminal.
He tapped a few buttons, and a schematic popped up on the wall.
"This is your first battlefield," he began. "It's not a test. It's not a simulation. You will face actual Hollowborn. There is no guarantee that you'll survive."
His voice was calm, but every word carried weight.
"You are not soldiers yet. You are candidates. You will act as a unit. You will follow orders. You will not break formation. Do that, and you might live long enough to earn your title."
He let that sink in.
"Team 7 will enter from the west ruins. A recon drone detected Hollowborn movement inside a collapsed department store. Expect close-quarters combat. Once we clear the area, we regroup and extract. Understood?"
Everyone nodded.
Then Kazuki moved and sat next to Yuuki.
He didn't speak for a moment.
Then he leaned in close and whispered, just low enough for only Yuuki to hear:
"I'll be watching you. Closely."
Yuuki turned to him.
Kazuki's eyes were hard but not unkind.
"Show me you're human."
Yuuki didn't respond — just nodded.
Kazuki leaned back again, arms crossed.
"…And don't use that power unless I say so."
From across the truck, Sugou's glare sharpened.
His fists were clenched.
Something simmered behind his eyes — not just resentment.
A plan.