Before Shiori could speak, Raizo stepped forward.
"I'll go," he said, his voice low but steady.
Across the room, eyes shifted. Even Kaiori looked mildly surprised. "Didn't expect him to speak up first," she muttered to Hannah.
"Neither did I," Hannah replied, her eyes still trained on Raizo.
But then, before Shiori could confirm, another voice broke in—soft, direct.
"I'll fight him."
Miyu Kuroda. Her tone didn't rise or waver. She just took one step forward, her expression unreadable, shadowed eyes locked on Raizo.
The room stilled for a beat. Whispers spread between the other squad members.
Raizo met Miyu's gaze. His eyes flicked momentarily to the others before turning back to her.
Shiori looked between them, crossing her arms. "Both volunteering? Fine. Let's see what you've got."
The two stepped into the center, neither looking away from the other. The silence grew thick.
Kenji, standing on the periphery, raised his hand slightly, his voice calm but respectful. "Permission to step away for a moment?"
Shiori's eyes flicked to him. She narrowed her gaze, clearly irritated, but paused. "Make it quick."
Kenji gave a small nod and turned, exiting the room silently. He moved with purpose, his footsteps echoing as he slipped through a side door and into a quiet hallway.
Down an unused corridor, Kenji reached a storage room filled with older equipment—heavy crates stacked along the walls, shadows lingering in the corners. He pulled a sleek, dark device from inside his coat—a small, phone-like object.
He held it up to his ear. The device flickered for a moment before a deep, distorted voice crackled through.
"Report."
Kenji's tone was flat. "Phase one complete. I've successfully integrated into the RRD squad. No suspicion yet."
A beat of silence, then the voice responded. "Names. Strengths. Weaknesses."
Kenji's mind shifted through what he had learned in his time with the squad, every detail critical. "Squad Gamma. Still inexperienced but sharp. Raizo—balanced, precise. Kaiori—powerful Rift user, she can summon rift creatures. Hannah—potential support-type. Ren's abilities unknown. Shiori's a strong leader. Unpredictable. I'll continue gathering profiles."
The voice on the other end hummed with approval. "Good. Stay embedded. Observe. Report patterns."
Kenji's expression remained unchanged. "Understood."
"Do not engage. Continue observing. When we initiate the Extraction Protocol, we'll give the order."
Kenji's face didn't change. "Understood. Awaiting further instructions."
"Maintain cover. We'll contact you again when it's time."
Click. The connection ended.
Kenji stared at the device for a moment before slipping it back into his coat. He was impassive as he turned and made his way back to the training hall.
Back inside, the fight had already started.
Miyu was a blur of motion. Her foot flashed toward Raizo's neck in a spinning kick.
Raizo blocked it clean, bracing with one arm, and immediately countered with a jab to her ribs. Miyu twisted just in time, avoiding the blow by inches, then flipped backward to reset the distance.
"She's fast," Raizo thought, his eyes narrowing. He shifted his stance slightly.
Miyu didn't wait.
She dashed forward and launched into the air—left leg raised in what looked like a flying kick. Raizo braced himself, but—
Faint.
She switched feet mid-air, striking with her right instead.
Raizo barely caught it, grabbing her ankle and pushing downward. Her foot slammed back into the floor, and Raizo jumped back, resetting as well.
Shiori watched intently, eyes tracking the movements. "Miyu's got control—but she's not reading his reactions yet."
Takumi scoffed under his breath. "She better be careful."
And then, without missing a beat, Miyu surged forward again. A blur of kicks, elbows, and short punches. Each attack flowed into the next with precision and deadly rhythm. Raizo blocked high, ducked low, and stepped back when needed—but never lost focus.
"She's relentless," he muttered under his breath. "But I can keep up."
He ducked under a roundhouse aimed at his head. As her leg sailed above him, still mid-air—
Open.
Raizo struck out with a hard left kick—shin to her face.
The impact cracked through the air.
Miyu stumbled back, a hand to her nose. Blood leaked through her fingers as she stumbled but steadied herself.
"…Did he copy my move?" she whispered, blinking hard in surprise.
But Raizo didn't stop.
He dashed forward, fists flying in tight, sharp combinations—left hook, right cross. Miyu blocked, ducked, and weaved, but it was harder now. Raizo's rhythm had changed. It was methodical, unyielding.
Raizo kicked low, and Miyu's balance faltered. In that split second, he stepped in with a brutal uppercut.
Crack.
Miyu staggered back, knees giving out. She dropped to one hand, blood now dripping freely from her nose, a dazed look in her eyes.
Shiori stepped forward immediately, raising a hand. "Enough—"
BZZZT.
Her walkie-talkie crackled to life.
The sharp voice that came through was urgent, filled with static.
"Shiori. Your squad is needed for backup. Emergency response detail, A rift portal has opened in sector six."
The entire room tensed. All eyes shifted to Shiori as she grabbed the radio.
Ren, finally talking, says, 'On the first day?'
Shiori ignores and listened briefly, her eyes narrowing. "Location?"
"West Sector. Four kilometers from Echo Ridge. Report to the gate immediately."
Without wasting another moment, the team began to move quickly to the lockers, preparing gear.
Back in the squad room, the atmosphere shifted to something more serious. Squad Gamma had already returned, and they began gearing up quickly for the Rift portal mission.
Shota's squad had just left, and they began to leave the room. As the tension lingered, Shota turned toward Izan, his eyes cold and filled with fury.
"You pick a fight…" His voice lowered, darkened. "…and you lose?"
Izan stiffened, his usual cocky demeanor slipping. His gaze darted nervously to the floor.
Shota's glare intensified. He stepped forward, grabbing Izan roughly by the arm and lifting him up. "How could you be so careless?"
Without warning, Shota twisted Izan's arm, and with a sickening crack, Izan screamed as his arm broke.
"Next time, think before you act," Shota spat, his voice cold as ice.
Shota turned and walked out, leaving Izan alone in the room, clutching his broken arm, his face pale as he tried to steady his breath.