Jihu's new approach required patience. Influence wasn't gained through force or recognition—it was built in the unseen spaces between words, in the moments when people didn't realize they were being guided.
And right now, his team was beginning to notice the shiThe cadets stood in a dimly lit auditorium, awaiting their next assignment. The academy's holographic interface flickered to life, displaying a large, detailed map of an abandoned lunar outpost.
"Your objective: Secure the outpost, retrieve classified data, and neutralize any hostiles that may have taken refuge."
It sounded simple. But Jihu knew better.
It's never that simple.
Selene stood with her arms crossed, watching the mission details with narrowed eyes. Garron cracked his knuckles, already anticipating combat. Aeris silently analdata, her expression unreadable.
Jihu, as always, remained quiet.
He had already obtained classified intel the night before—information the academy hadn't provided. This mission wasn't just a training exercise. The outpost had been compromised a week prior by an unknown force. If the academy was sending cadets, it meant something larger was at play.
They were walking into an ambush.
But that was fine.
Jihu had already plannTheir shuttle descended onto the barren surface of the moon, kicking up clouds of silver dust. The outpost stood before them—silent, dark, abandoned.
Too abandoned.
Jihu was the first to speak. "We don't move as a group. That's how we get eliminated first."
Selene frowned. "Then what's your plan?"
Jihu turned to Aeris. "You already analyzed the entry points. Best option?"
She adjusted her visor. "The west wing. Limited sightlines, but possible instability."
Jihu nodded. "That's where we enter."
Garron scoffed. "Why not take the main entrance? Quicker, direct."
Jihu's gaze was sharp. "Because the academy expects us to. And if the enemy has intel on our training, they'll know we favor direct approaches."
Selene's eyes narrowed. She was beginning to understand. "You think they set a trap?"
"I know they did," Jihu said.
There was a brief pause. Then, to his surprise, Selene smirked. "Fine. We do it your way."
Aeris gave a small nod of agreement. Even Garron, though skepticalfurther.
They were starting to listeAs expected, the main entrance was a slaughterhouse.
Jihu and his team watched from their concealed position as another cadet squad—Team 7—moved through the front gate. For a moment, everything was quiet. Then, without warning, automated turrets activated, cutting them down in seconds.
Screams filled the comms before the channel went static.
Selene clenched her fists. Garron swore under his breath. Aeris simply adjusted her headset.
Jihu remained still. It was necessary. He had already warned Lucian in passing—a subtle nudge to avoid the front. If Team 7 ignored the signs, that was theiNow, with the enemy's attention focused on the entrance, his team could move undetected.
Control the battlefield. Let others take the fall when needed.
He led them through the west wing, bypassing security systems he had already decoded beforehand. Step by step, they infiltrated deeper into the facility, each movement calculated.
This was how he operated. Unseen. UnchallThe moment they reached the control center, Jihu felt it.
They weren't alone.
A shadow moved—silent, lethal. Jihu barely had time to push Aeris aside before a blade cut through the space where she had stood. The attacker landed in a crouch, their suit absorbing the dim light.
Selene moved first, her blade flashing in a counterstrike. The assassin evaded, but it was enough for Garron to charge, fists colliding with reinforced armor. The enemy barely flinched.
Jihu didn't wasHe tapped into the console behind him, activating the security override he had planted the night before. Instantly, the room sealed, cutting off escape routes.
"Selene, left flank. Garron, force them into position."
They moved without hesitation. Jihu had spent weeks studying their strengths, their weaknesses. Garron's overwhelming force drove the enemy back, Selene's speed cut off their movements. Aeris, in the background, accessed the base's defenses, rerouting power to lock down the corridors.
Trapped.
The assassin hesitated for a fraction of a second. It was all Jihu needed.
He moved—not with brute force, but precision. A hidden blade from his sleeve, a swift strike to the exposed joint of the attacker's armor. A calculated wound, disabling movement.
The enemy staggered. Selene took the final strike.
Silence followed.
Jihu exhaled. Perfect execution.
Revelations
As Aeris decrypted the data, her expression shifted. "Jihu… this isn't just mission logs."
He stepped closer, reading the lines of text. Then he saw it.
The outpost had been used for more than training. Classified experiments. Human enhancements. The academy had been hiding something.
And worse—someone on the inside had been leaking information to an unknown faction.
Selene's expression darkened. "What the hell is this?"
Jihu closed his eyes for a brief moment. Then, when he opened them, his mind was already moving three steps ahead.
The academy was playing its own game.
But now, so was he.
To Be Continued...
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