A low hum, a soft beeping, and the clean scent of antiseptic were the first things Rose registered. Her head throbbed, a dull ache behind her eyes, and her body felt like it had been run over by a truck. The world slowly came into focus: a sterile white room, a window spilling in sunlight, and the gentle, kind face of a nurse with a warm smile.
"Rose? You're finally awake," the nurse said, her voice a comforting balm. "I'll go get the doctor."
Rose was already moving. Her feet swung off the bed, hitting the cool tile floor. A wave of dizziness made her grip the mattress, but she forced it down, her gaze fixed on the door. "Wait," she said, her voice a little hoarse. "The baboon. What happened to it?"
The nurse's smile widened. "Oh, you don't know? He defeated it while carrying you. The way he moved… I've never seen anything like it." Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she sighed, looking away to hide a smile. "I wish it was me he was carrying."
Rose was already halfway to the door. "I'll leave you to your fantasies, then. I need to get back to my squad."
"Wait, Rose!" the nurse called out. "Director Yamato told me to tell you to report to him as soon as you woke up."
Rose nodded, her expression serious. "Okay. Got it." With a newfound sense of purpose, she strode out the door, ready to face whatever came nnext
The Director's office was a study in authority. Dark wood paneling lined the walls, and awards and commendations gleamed under soft lighting. A massive, ornate desk dominated the center of the room. As Rose entered, she saw a familiar figure standing behind Director Yamato's desk: the man with the striking red and white hair. He was leaning against the desk, a hint of a mischievous smile on his lips.
Rose's eyes met the director's, and she snapped a salute. "SSD Squad 6 Commander Rose reporting in."
The man's laughter burst forth, sudden and unapologetic. It was a loud, booming sound that filled the silent office. Rose's eyes narrowed. "And what do you find so amusing?"
Director Yamato held up a hand. "Stop it, you two. Rose, I've called you here for two important reasons. The first is a bit of bad news, I'm afraid. You are no longer the commander of Squad 6. Agent Chen has been promoted and will be taking over your position."
The words hit Rose like a physical blow. The air rushed out of her lungs. Her face paled, and for a moment, the room seemed to tilt. The betrayal stung, sharper than any wound. "But… why?" she demanded, her voice firm despite the shock.
"And the second reason," the director continued, his tone unwavering, "is to tell you that you are being put into a new squad." He pressed a button on his desk, and a voice filled the room. "Security room isolation activated."
The walls sealed with a soft hum. The director's face became grave. "What I'm about to tell you must not leave this room. Do you understand, Rose?" Rose nodded, her mind still reeling from the shock.
The director sat down, his expression serious. "As you know, there are now six known squads in the SSD. But there is a seventh squad. One that has higher clearance and is more powerful than Squad 1."
The man with the red and white hair turned, his back to Rose. In bold lettering on the back of his jersey, a single digit was emblazoned: SQUAD 0. Rose's eyes widened. "But why is this squad a secret?" she asked, her confusion giving way to a burning curiosity.
The director cleared his throat. "Let me finish. Squad 0 has only five members. Each one is accompanied by a guardian… except this one." He gestured to the man with the red and white hair. "He has rejected every guardian we've chosen for him. But surprisingly, he requested you. So, you have now been selected to be his new guardian."
Rose stared at the man, utterly bewildered. "But why me?"
The director chuckled. "I don't know why, either. The fact that he requested anyone at all is what's truly surprising. So you will be his guardian, and you will be tasked with keeping him in check."
The man with the red and white hair stepped forward, a confident smile on his lips. He reached out a hand to cup Rose's chin, but she immediately smacked it away. "Don't touch me," she said, her voice sharp and defiant, a fiery glare in her eyes.
The man's smile didn't waver. He simply took a step back, his hands casually slipping into his pockets. "I mean, who wouldn't want a beautiful lady like you as a guardian?" he said, his voice a low, teasing whisper that still sent a shiver down her spine despite her defiance. "Besides, do you remember that scream from yesterday? 'I refuse to die… when I don't even have a boyfriend!'"
Rose's cheeks flushed a deep crimson, the heat rising to her face as his words hung in the air. For a moment, she was frozen, mortified. He was playing with her, toying with her embarrassment, and yet, there was a spark in his eyes that was… intriguing.
"You really shouldn't get so riled up, little girl," he continued, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You're a commander who just lost her command. You're no longer in a position to talk. The weak shouldn't talk too much." He paused, a condescending smirk on his face. "But hey, it's cute when you try to act tough."
"That's enough, Zen," Director Yamato's stern voice cut through the air. The director shot the man with red and white hair a look of annoyance mixed with amusement. "Rose, this is Zen. He's a handful." Zen finally looked away from Rose, a wide, nonchalant smile on his face as he replied, "Yes, sir."
Rose turned to Director Yamato. "Director, I have to ask. With his strength, why does he even need a guardian?"
Zen stepped in front of the director again, holding up his hand. "Let me answer that," he said, turning to Rose, his smile now a little more serious, a little more powerful. "You're asking the wrong question. You should be asking, 'What is Zen?'" He took a few steps back, his hands in his pockets, and the air in the room seemed to shift, a low vibration humming around them.
The director nodded, gesturing for Zen to continue. "The reason Squad 0 is so strong and a secret is because all the members, including myself, are Rift Walkers." He gestured to himself with a flourish. "And to answer your other question, every Rift Walker has a danger level, from 0, the lowest, to 10, the strongest."
The director's voice then took on a more formal, official tone. "Only Squad 0 can deal with all Rift Walkers at or above level 8.5, like that baboon you encountered, which was a level 8.6."
Zen leaned back against the director's desk, a confident smirk on his face. "Pretty cool, right? Good thing I was there, or you'd be baboon chow."
Rose's eyes widened, her expression now a mixture of surprise and genuine fear. Zen, however, just waved and smiled at her, his demeanor calm and reassuring. "Don't worry," he said. "I'm the good guy."
The director continued, his tone turning clinical. "All the members of Squad 0 are implanted with nano-chips that can destroy their entire body if they disobey their guardians. It's the only way to keep them in check. So, Rose, you are truly the one in charge."
The director tossed a card labeled Level 1 to Rose, who caught it with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "If anyone asks, you now work on the SSD board."
With a subtle smile, the director pressed a button, and the room's walls slid open, revealing a bustling office space. The sounds of typing and murmured conversations filled the air.
The director gestured toward the door, his smile broadening. "Now, goodbye to the both of you. I have other things to sort out, so try to get along."
With that, he dismissed them. Zen, seemingly unfazed, walked out first, whistling a light tune. Rose followed closely behind, still trying to process the rapid developments that had just upended her entire life. She was no longer a commander, but a guardian. And her ward was an enigma—a powerful, teasing, and utterly unpredictable man named Zen.