"You're telling me the Church trains people with weapons?" Mira blinked, stunned.
Sarah laughed, shaking her head.
"Of course not! I trained entirely through video games!"
"Video games?!" Mira's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"I'm no fighter, but I have perfect aim!" Sarah smiled confidently. "Anyway, I'm out—I've been eliminated." She casually stepped away and joined Fiona at the sidelines.
Mira was still trying to process what she'd just heard.
These outfits... these fights... this isn't something normal people can do, she thought, watching the ongoing battles.
"I've taken out three!" Thais beamed proudly.
"I got one too!" Viviane added, equally excited.
"How are the others doing?" Thais asked.
"They're coordinating well, reacting fast. They're good!" Viviane replied, watching closely.
Thais nodded thoughtfully.
"They seem younger than us, but they're already trying to become soldiers. We shouldn't underestimate them."
San and Dan vs. The Opponents
San and Dan were facing off against two opponents at once. One of them wielded a paint-shooting weapon, firing rapidly while darting around to avoid getting hit. San and Dan zigzagged, constantly shifting positions and closing the distance.
"I can't aim if they keep running! I'm almost out of ink—cover me!" the opponent shouted.
"Got it!" his teammate called, stepping forward with a foam sword raised.
San and Dan exchanged a glance, grinning.
"Too late!" they said in sync—and struck, landing a clean hit to the first opponent's head.
The second didn't even have time to react before they tagged him too.
Their teamwork had prevailed.
Fiona's Frustration
Watching from afar, Fiona clenched her fists in frustration. Her teammates were falling one by one.
They really are working well together... and there are still those three. What are they up to?
"Did we win?" Dan called out excitedly as the last opponent fell.
"We won this fight—but not the whole battle," Thais replied cautiously.
"A win's still a win!" San grinned.
"She's right!" Viviane agreed.
"Can I keep this gun?" Thais asked eagerly, eyeing the paint weapon.
"Uh..." the defeated opponent hesitated.
"Go ahead. Our team's already out," Fiona called, arms crossed, her tone unreadable.
The opponent handed over the weapon. The eliminated players moved to the edge of the arena.
One Missing
Mira began counting those who had been eliminated.
Six, seven, eight, nine... wait, one's missing! Her eyes widened.
She sprang to her feet and shouted, "Guys, the one with the sword—!"
Suddenly, a foam sword flew from the trees, aimed at the group.
"Who?!" someone shouted, startled.
"Kay!" Mira called, spinning around.
Kay opened his eyes just in time, lazily dodging the blade as it lodged in a nearby tree.
"You let your guard down," Kay muttered, still half-asleep.
Thais didn't hesitate. She aimed up at the tree and fired—hitting the last opponent square in the forehead.
"Bullseye! Nice shot," Kay said, getting up slowly.
"Target practice," Thais replied, proud.
"Now we just hand over the flag and it's our win!" Mira said, already heading for the objective point.
"Not yet," Kay interrupted, walking over to Aurion, who stood nearby.
"What do you mean?" Mira asked, puzzled, pausing with the flag in hand.
"The other teams are still fighting for it. Let them tire each other out. It'll be easier that way," Kay explained, sitting down beside Aurion.
"Kay, that's...!" Mira hesitated, unsure.
"There's no honor in the battlefield—only results. Take the tests seriously!" Fiona snapped from the corner, glaring.
"Kay, even for you, this is kind of low..." Mira said, her voice filled with doubt.
Both teams looked on, clearly irritated by Kay's nonchalance in the middle of a fight.
But Kay seemed unaffected. He slowly stood, pulled the flag from his jacket, and handed it to Mira without a hint of urgency.
"I want coffee," he said flatly.
Mira sighed, accepting the flag.
"Here," she muttered, walking over and handing it to Aurion.
Aurion nodded, and a loud alarm sounded through the arena. All fighting stopped instantly as soldiers stepped in, signaling the end of the test.
Revealing the Real Rule
Sarah approached, smirking.
"I knew you'd pull something like that," she said to Kay.
But Kay's expression was unreadable as he turned to her.
"Let me ask you something. Why did you stop fighting?" he asked.
Sarah blinked. "Why...? I got hit. I was out."
Kay gave a small smile and shook his head.
"There were no rules saying you had to stop if you got hit. Everyone just assumed that because of the red paint," he said, looking pointedly at Fiona.
Fiona's eyes widened as she turned to Aurion.
"Is that true?" she asked, visibly shaken.
Aurion nodded, his voice serious.
"There's no guarantee an injury is lethal. If you can still move, you continue the mission. That's battlefield reality," he said. "If the situation allows, you must complete the mission—no matter your condition."
Fiona clenched her fists, frustration bubbling up.
"We could've kept going! Why didn't you say anything?!" she snapped.
Aurion met her gaze firmly.
"Orders come fast in the field. You must interpret them correctly and act efficiently. Delay, and it could cost your comrades—or civilians—their lives. Learn quickly. There won't always be time for explanations."
Fiona stood frozen, anger and realization mixing in her expression.
"Move on to the next test," Aurion announced.
Kay's Advice
Kay's team headed out first. As they walked, he glanced at Mira.
"Hey, Mira. You had a chance to tell Sarah the truth. Why didn't you?"
Mira averted her gaze, clearly uncomfortable.
"I... I wasn't sure..."
"Don't be afraid to speak up," Kay said, his calm tone laced with authority. "Whether you're right or wrong, that's up to the team to decide. Whether it works or fails—that's everyone's responsibility. Your job is just to share what you think."
Mira took a breath and nodded.
"Okay... I get it," she replied quietly.
Kay smiled, his tone shifting.
"Good. But if we'd lost, I was doubling your training."
"No way!" Mira laughed, tension breaking. It was exactly what she needed.
Next Test – Waiting Room
The team entered the waiting room for the next trial. Everyone looked exhausted, but there was a strong sense of victory in the air.
Ravena approached, flanked by Kratos and Slayer.
"You're already here?" she asked, frowning. "Why don't you guys look tired?"
Kratos glanced at Kay and chuckled.
"Kay looks totally wiped out," he said, pointing.
Mira laughed, shaking her head.
"He's always like this. Try working with him—it's a full-time job."
"We're ready. The machines are set up for a hundred. Fifty will test now; the rest later. Begin entering," Aurion announced.
"Which team won the test?" Ravena asked, stepping closer.
"You didn't hear? It was ours!" Viviane said with a wide grin.
"Seriously?" Ravena's eyes widened.
"Yep!" the team replied cheerfully.
Fiona arrived shortly after, her face tense.
"They won using cowardly tactics... but a win's a win," she said, her voice laced with disdain.
"What do you mean by that?!" Kratos growled, scowling.
Mira quickly stepped in, trying to cool things down.
"It's... Kay came up with a plan—"
She briefly explained their strategy. By the time she finished, Ravena's expression had turned furious. She stormed forward and grabbed Kay by the collar.
"You bastard!" she shouted.
"Wait! It was a team decision!" Thais said, trying to separate them.
Ravena let go but didn't calm down.
"I wasn't part of that decision!" she snapped.
Kratos approached, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Relax. We had the head start. We've got no right to complain."
Slayer stepped in as well, his voice calm and firm.
"Any tactic that completes the mission is valid—so long as there's no betrayal within the team."
Ravena glanced at him, surprised by the support.
That's expected from an assassin... but Kratos? I thought he'd explode... she thought.
Then she looked again—and her heart skipped a beat.
Kratos was silent, but his face was flushed red. The veins in his neck were bulging.
He is angry... he's just holding it in.
Meanwhile, Dan peeked out from behind her brother, San, staring nervously at Kratos.
"He scares me..." she whispered.
Kay looked back at Mira with a groan.
"Mira..."
She sighed, already sensing what was coming.