Its title consisted of only a few words:
"List of Equipment and Assignments"
With a soft mechanical sound, his left prosthetic hand reached out and slowly pulled the document toward him. He opened the first page and began to read.
Normal:
Radit: SCAR with vertical grip, Compound Bow M9, kukri. (Ambush) Thivi: Fully modified VSK, P90 MC, stun gun. (Infiltration) • Zinnia: F2000 semi-sniper mod, silenced MP9, stun gun. (Infiltration) Ethan: Modified M4 CQB-R + custom EV shotgun, Beretta 92F, katana. (Close combat) Frans: M249 Para SAW, stun gun, Tec-9. (Driver/Pilot) Raphael: Custom M4 SR + grenade launcher, custom combat knife. (Ambush & Infiltration) Isabel: Fully modified RPD + Raging Bull scope. (Ambush) Livia: Custom CheyTac sniper, Jackal SMG with vertical grip. (Finisher/Long-range support)
Unique:
Felicia: Automatic DB shotgun, triple-stick nunchaku, custom Solothurn special + 100mm explosive rounds. (Heavy warfare) Kaivan: Dual modified Vector chainsaws, support bracelet, dual chained kujang, bionic eye scope, right leg and left arm prosthetics. (Extreme warfare)
"Squad name: Undecided"
Kaivan read it again and again, his eyes narrowing.
"Wait…" he whispered, barely making a sound.
His voice trembled—not from fear, but from a deep unease gnawing at his chest.
"This data shows my friends… They've already been armed? Already assigned?"
He stared at the list for a long time, as if looking at something that should never have existed.
His heart pounded violently, colliding with his heavy breaths. His fingers tightened around the paper until its edges crumpled.
"What is Levan really planning…?" he murmured, quietly, yet heavy with meaning.
His thoughts spun in circles, trapped by questions with no answers. The paper in his hand now felt unbearably heavy—not because of its contents, but because of what it represented.
Without waiting any longer, Kaivan moved forward. The corridor ahead was silent and cold, filled only with the echo of his footsteps against damp metal walls. Dim lights flickered weakly, reflecting his restless silhouette. He opened each door slowly, his eyes searching for a figure he could not find.
The silence felt like a trap. His breathing grew shallow, yet he kept going—as if the force in his chest was stronger than fear. Every step became a small act of resistance against the despair lurking in the darkness.
At last, he stopped in the middle of the corridor and opened the Tome of Omnicent. A faint glow flowed from its pages, dancing across his pale face.
"Where can I find Fabrizio?" he asked softly.
Slowly, words appeared on the surface:
Behind the steel cabinet at the end of this corridor. Slide it to the left, and you will find an elevator leading to Level Nine. There, Fabrizio is waiting.
Kaivan closed the Tome in silence. His steps were now quick and resolute. The air around him grew colder, biting at his skin.
He stopped before a massive steel cabinet, stared at it for a moment, then pulled its left side with all his strength. The metal groaned heavily, revealing a hidden panel behind it.
"Just as the Tome said," he whispered.
He pressed a button on the panel. A small door slid open, revealing a narrow, armored elevator. Kaivan stepped inside and pressed the only button available. The doors closed, and the elevator began to descend—slowly, with a faint vibration.
Inside the confined space, his heart beat irregularly. He knew that whatever awaited him below might not be comforting—but he could no longer turn back.
When the elevator stopped, the doors opened with a cold hiss. Blinding white light pierced his eyes.
At the center of the vast room stood Fabrizio—bent over a large worktable, surrounded by devices blinking like artificial stars. The boy seemed lost in thought, completely unaware of Kaivan's presence.
Kaivan's footsteps echoed through the dark corridor of Level Nine. The air was heavy and cold, carrying the sharp scent of metal and chemicals. When the steel door opened with a mechanical hum, what lay beyond was not an ordinary laboratory, but a futuristic armory: racks of weapons gleaming coldly, tables filled with prototypes, and blue neon light reflecting off metal, making it feel as if he had stepped into the heart of a war machine.
The sound of his steps blended with the distant hum of machinery. Each footfall felt like a heartbeat struggling to keep its rhythm under the crushing air. Kaivan's bionic eye adjusted to the lighting, scanning shadows and softly trembling neon lights.