"Miko, scan the building and its perimeter first. We'll act accordingly after the first sweep," Sora ordered, voice calm but sharp through the comms.
"Roger that!" Miko replied, already tapping rapidly on his laptop.
Within seconds, two small drones buzzed to life and flew toward the building. One circled the perimeter, scanning for Drive Core signatures and heat signatures, the other drifted around the back for a visual recon.
"Alright," Miko reported. "I'm seeing six scout bots in front of the entrance, three more on the first floor interior. Two stationed on the rooftop, and four patrolling the second floor interior. Hold on, checking the back door, maybe we can sneak through—"
A sudden flash of light burst through the drone's feed, and then static. A sharp cut, like a sword of light.
"Never mind. Back entrance is a no-go. Captain's guarding it herself. My drone got sliced in half before it could even blink." Miko sighed.
"Tch, figures," Sora muttered. "No choice then. Seth, clear the rooftop."
"Already on it," Seth replied with an expressionless tone.
A moment later, the sharp crack of a sniper rifle echoed across the field.
Boom! One rooftop scout bot's head exploded in a burst of sparks. The second one became alert, scanning the area.
Seth fired again. The bot twitched mid-movement, dodging the shot… or so it thought.
The bullet bent in midair, curving like a whip and struck the bot clean in the back of the head, disabling it instantly.
Ren's eyes widened.
So that's his Drive Ability… a sniper who can bend his bullets at will? That's terrifying.
"Rooftop's clear," Seth confirmed casually. "Proceed with infiltration."
Sora glanced at Ren. "You're up. Let's move in before the rest of the bots shift formation."
"Got it." Ren tightened his grip on his katana, lightning crackling faintly at his fingertips.
Let's see how far I can push myself alongside these guys.
"Ren, take out the bots up front while I deal with the door. It's reinforced metal, but I can probably melt through it. Kaela, put up a barrier and cover Ren, also, keep an eye on my back," Sora commanded sharply.
"Three… two… one… Go!"
Ren surged forward, lightning crackling faintly under his steps as Kaela followed close behind. Sora split off to the side, heading for the entrance with swift, silent steps.
The six bots raised their rifles in unison, unleashing a storm of bullets toward Ren.
But before a single shot could reach him, glowing pink petals swirled into the air and solidified into a radiant wall.
"Petal Wall!"
"Thanks," Ren muttered, glancing at Kaela, still amazed by the beauty and precision of her Drive Ability. She didn't respond, just kept her focus, barrier held steady, eyes tracking the incoming fire.
She really isn't the talkative type but her strength says everything.
The moment the barrage paused for a reload, the petal barrier dropped.
Ren didn't wait.
"Storm Leash!"
A violent surge of lightning burst from his body, travelling through the ground like wild chains striking and paralyzing four of the six bots instantly. Sparks flew as their circuitry overloaded.
With a flash of movement, Ren dashed forward, lightning dancing along his blade. In a blur of slashes and footwork, he weaved through the four stunned bots, cutting them down one by one.
By the time he stood still and sheathed his katana, the bots collapsed behind him in pieces.
"Thunderstep," he whispered.
"Two slipped past!" Kaela warned through the comms. "Sora watch out!"
"No worries. I'm done here anyway," Sora replied calmly, her voice like steel cooled in fire.
The door glowed bright red, a melted gap now wide enough for the squad to pass through.
The two remaining bots raised their weapons, aiming for her back, but Kaela was faster. A wall of petals shot up between Sora and the incoming fire, deflecting the bullets with a sharp clatter.
In the blink of an eye, Sora had already moved. She appeared behind the two bots in a flash, her dual daggers glowing red-hot.
Shing!
Both bots dropped to the ground, smoke rising from the molten slashes across their necks.
"Miko, scan the second floor. Seth, get into position and eliminate targets from above," Sora commanded.
"Roger!" Both Miko and Seth responded simultaneously.
"Three bots still on the first floor, four on the second," Miko reported a second later.
"Alright," Sora nodded. "I'll deal with the bots down here. Ren, proceed to the second floor and eliminate the targets, locate the hostage if possible. Kaela, throw up a petal barrier around the stairs to cover his ascent. Seth, assist Ren, take out as many as you can from above."
The three moved without hesitation.
As soon as the trio advanced, the first floor bots locked onto them. But Kaela reacted instantly, forming a dome of swirling petals to separate herself and Ren from the incoming fire, allowing them to safely rush up the stairs while leaving the bots to Sora.
"I'll play with you guys," Sora said to the bots, her voice laced with a smirk as she drew her glowing red daggers.
"Yo, Seth do your thing," Ren spoke through the earpiece as he neared the top.
"Already done," Seth replied casually. "Took out two bots a few seconds ago. You've got two left up there."
"Couldn't you have taken all of them?"
"Nah, reloading takes time. I'm not a miracle worker you know."
"Oh, so that's how it works. Thanks. I'll clean up here." Ren said with a grin.
As soon as the last two bots spotted Ren, they fired immediately, burst shots aimed at his chest.
But this time, Ren didn't wait for Kaela's petals.
"W-Wait—!" Kaela called out, reaching toward him.
Too late.
Ren vanished in a flash of speed, electricity bursting from his feet. In a blur, he appeared between the bots. His katana shimmered with lightning.
Crack!
A single slash later, both bots were down, sparks coming from their severed necks as their metal bodies crashed to the floor.
"All bots eliminated on the second floor," Ren reported over comms.
"Same here. I'm heading up now, wait for me before you secure the hostage," said Sora.
"Seth," she added, "relocate to a higher vantage. We might need a clean shot soon."
"Already on it," he replied smoothly.
The team was moving like a well-oiled machine, and the mission was progressing better than expected, but even amidst the success, a faint shadow crossed Kaela's face.
She'd lowered her hand slowly after reaching for Ren. Her lips parted as if to say something, but the words never came. By the time Sora reached them on the second floor, Kaela had already wiped the emotion from her face.
No one noticed.
"Miko, any findings?" Sora asked through the comms.
"Yep. Hostage and the captain are both in the far end room of the second floor. Proceed with caution, my scan's picking up anomalies. Could be traps."
"Roger that," Sora responded, her tone firm.
"Oh, one more thing," she added, turning slightly toward Ren. "You need to know this. Our captain, Warden Aeri, uses light. Her Drive is called Glint Drive. She can generate illusions of herself, create solid weapons and barriers from light, and she's fast. Way faster than either of us."
Ren nodded, gripping the hilt of his katana. "I'll keep that in mind."
The group tensed up.
This was the final stretch of the simulation but it didn't feel like a game. The bots from earlier had packed enough force to injure or disable them. They knew better than to take this lightly. The tension in the air was sharp, almost suffocating.
"Kaela," Sora said, eyes focused on the hallway ahead. "Can you send out a line of petals down the corridor? Check for any traps."
"S-sure," Kaela nodded.
She raised her hand. In an instant, a stream of soft pink petals came out of her fingertips, sweeping forward along the corridor like a wave of delicate sensors. The petals scattered gently across the floor, gliding and fluttering every corner.
Everyone held their breath, watching the hallway for any signs of activation.
Just when they thought the corridor was clear, the petals brushed against the left wall and suddenly, sparks of light ignited.
Blades of pure energy, like sabers, burst from the walls along the second floor.
"Kaela! Now!" Sora yelled.
Without hesitation, Kaela raised her hands and a dome of glowing pink petals swirled around them, forming a barrier just in time. The sabers slammed against it from every direction, sizzling as they struck the delicate shield.
"I can't hold this for long! The attacks are too powerful!" Kaela gritted her teeth, straining as the sabers continued to hammer the barrier.
"Hold on just a bit more," Ren said, stepping forward with a focused look in his eyes. "Trust me."
Sora gave a quick nod. Kaela clenched her jaw and maintained the shield for just a few seconds more before shouting, "Now's your turn, Ren!"
The petal barrier dropped instantly.
A wave of glowing sabers surged toward them.
Ren drew his katana in a blur, electricity surging pulsing across the blade. With a wide, arcing slash, he unleashed a lightning-infused crescent that crackled through the air like a whip cleaving through the barrage and deflecting most of the light sabers mid-flight.
"Spiral Surge!"
"Still more incoming!" Ren shouted.
"Leave it to me!" Sora called out.
She threw her glowing red daggers forward with precision. The heated blades cut through the remaining sabers midair, deflecting the last of the light traps with ease before flying back into her hands.
"Guys? What's happening there? You still alive?" Miko's voice cracked through the comms.
"Yeah," Sora replied, breathing a little heavier. "Barely. Thanks to Ren and Kaela."
Ren blinked, caught off guard, his face blushing red from the praise he just heard.
"We won't be able to take the captain head on, not even with all five of us," Sora said through the comms. "That's just how strong a Warden is."
"Then what's the plan?" Ren asked.
"We act as bait. Ren you will draw her attention and as soon as we find the slightest opening, Kaela and I will go in. While she's focused, Seth lines up the cleanest shot he can. If it lands, we grab the hostage and get out. Fast."
All of them gave a firm "Roger" through the earpiece.
"Alright, here's how we do it…"
A few seconds later, everyone took their positions.
Ren dashed into the room first, lightning crackling across his body and katana. Inside stood Aeri, smiling serenely in front of the hostage tied to a chair.
He flicked a small lightning spark at her, not to attack, but to confirm if she was the real one.
Aeri caught it effortlessly and tossed it back.
"W-What?" Ren's eyes widened as he dodged. "At least I know that's not an illusion."
Let's see how my strongest move holds up against a ZEAL Warden.
He zigzagged around the room. Up walls, along the ceiling, darting across the floor, lightning trailing behind every step. He wasn't attacking yet. He was testing. Looking for any opening.
Aeri didn't move. Her eyes followed him, calm and unfazed.
Outside the window, Sora watched in silence.
He's fast… Really fast. And still going even faster.
Then Ren vanished for a split second.
"Thunderclap!"
He reappeared above Aeri and sliced downward, aiming for a decisive blow.
His blade cleaved through her body, only for her form to dissolve into a flicker of light.
"An illusion?! She switched places with it at the last second?"
Before he could react, an arm wrapped around his neck, Aeri now behind him.
"Caught you!" she whispered, slamming him to the floor.
"NOW!" Sora yelled, leaping through the window.
Kaela launched a barrage of razor-sharp petals, and Sora followed with a fiery mid air spiral.
"Red Bloom Drive!"
Sora spun midair, her daggers glowing red as they slashed toward Aeri, but in a blink, Aeri vanished and reappeared behind her, catching her mid-spin with one arm around her neck, all while keeping Ren pinned to the ground with the other.
The petals that Kaela sent flying collided with a shimmering protective light barrier that emerged from Aeri's back.
In a split second, a circular light burst from beneath Aeri's foot then kicked it toward Kaela at blinding speed, slamming her into the wall with a thunderous crash.
Three of them were knocked down. In seconds.
But there was a final attack. Their last ray of hope in this simulation.
From outside, a glowing huge green bullet shot through the air like a comet straight for Aeri's head.
But she only chuckled.
"Now now. That's dangerous.."
She tilted her head slightly as the shot narrowly missed.
A massive boom echoed as the second floor exploded with dust and debris.
"Did we get her?" Seth asked over the comms.
Before anyone could answer, a light beam ripped through the smoke.
Aeri burst out of the cloud, her hand glowing with a circular beam. She flew straight toward Seth's position outside and slammed him into the rooftop.
"Found you, little rat!" she grinned as the ground beneath Seth cracked from the impact.
One by one, her squad members lay unconscious. Only laughter filled the air.
"BWAHAHAHAHA! I'm too strong!" Aeri laughed, hands on her hips.
Footsteps approached from the stairwell.
"Yeah, yeah, we get it already." Miko said, raising his hands in surrender. "You win again, Captain. Can't believe you're amused by this."
Aeri let out a final chuckle before relaxing. "You guys actually did well. Better coordination this time. The new guy even fit in very well. He's got good sense. But you've still got a long way to go if you want to face enemies as strong as me."
"As strong as you?" Miko tilted his head. "I doubt there are people out there as strong as you wardens."
Aeri's playful tone shifted into something heavier.
"There are people out there who can fight me. I don't know about the leader, but there are definitely a few out there who can fight us wardens."