The metallic tang of the training facility still clung to us as we stumbled back to our shared quarters. Kaito dropped onto his bunk with a groan, his limbs screaming in protest. "My arms are dead," he mumbled, staring blankly at the ceiling. "And my Spectra... feels completely drained."
Emi, ever the more composed, sank onto her own bed, rubbing her temples. "Mine too. That Ascent of Burden was just... immense. It felt like trying to lift the world." She glanced at me. "How you managed that final push, Akira, I still don't understand."
I leaned against my bunk's cool metal frame, the memory of that raw, emerald surge still a phantom hum beneath my skin. It was terrifying, powerful, and utterly beyond my control. "He wasn't just observing," I said, my voice rough from exhaustion. "He was trying to break us mentally. To see if we'd accept defeat." I met Kaito's gaze. "Your frustration, Emi's methodical approach... he was pushing us beyond what we thought we knew about our Spectra. He wanted us to find something else."
Kaito pushed himself up, managing a weak, frustrated grin. "Well, he definitely found something in you. That green glow was... intense."
"It felt intense," I admitted. "But it worked."
We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of Kai's unconventional methods settling over us. The 0700 debriefing loomed, a stark reminder that this wasn't over.
Six Months Later
For six months, Kai's training wasn't just brutal; it was comprehensive. It hammered at our physical limits with relentless endurance courses, zero-G combat drills, and hand-to-hand sessions against drones that moved with unnerving human-like precision. It probed our mental limits through stress-inducing scenarios, sleep deprivation tests, and split-second decision-making drills under duress. And it sharpened our intellect with complex battle simulations, intricate tactical puzzles, and rapid enemy profiling exercises designed to make us think five steps ahead.
We were no longer the overwhelmed recruits from that first day. We were faster, stronger, more adaptable, and smarter. Our reactions were now instinctual, our movements fluid, and our understanding of combat principles had deepened immensely. We could handle ourselves in a fight, capable of facing challenges that would have seemed impossible half a year ago.
My own Green Spectra had grown far more potent and refined, capable of creating stronger defensive barriers and more precise environmental manipulations. Yet, that raw, primal surge that had allowed me to lift the Ascent of Burden remained just that—primal. I couldn't intentionally tap into it. It was still an unpredictable force, manifesting only under the most extreme duress or deepest emotional trigger.
Kaito's Blue Spectra had become incredibly nuanced. He could weave more intricate and stable energy constructs, using them for cover, distraction, or even makeshift platforms. His ability to analyze battlefield data had become blindingly fast, letting him identify weak points in enemy formations or predict their movements with uncanny accuracy. He was our strategic backbone.
Emi's Green Spectra had blossomed into remarkable versatility. Her defensive barriers were now near-impenetrable, but she'd also learned subtle environmental manipulations—shifting debris for cover, creating dust clouds for distraction, or using the earth itself to impede enemy movement. Her enhanced senses allowed her to track targets with startling precision, and she could even apply minor, rapid healing to herself or us, patching up cuts and bruises almost instantly.
Our teamwork was outstanding. We moved as a single, synchronized unit, anticipating each other's moves without a word. A glance from Kaito, a subtle shift in Emi's stance, and I knew exactly what they needed or what they were about to do. We were Squad Beta-Seven, forged in Kai's crucible.
And during that time, I often found my gaze straying to Emi, sometimes even losing focus on the drills when I should have been sharper. It started, almost always, with her amber eyes—so expressive, so direct. But it quickly became more than just that. Her unwavering personality, her fierce sense of responsibility, how she pushed herself without complaint, the sheer grace and determination in her every movement, even after grueling sessions, outlining her amazing figure... she simply drew me in. And, well, did I also mention her amber eyes?
The summons came late in the evening. No alarms, no general announcement. Just a single, coded message on our comms, directing Squad Beta-Seven to Briefing Room Gamma. The sterile, metallic hum of the room, lit by a single holographic projector, seemed to amplify the tension that immediately filled the air.
Kai stood at the head of the room, his usual cold, detached professionalism unwavering. Yet, there was an almost imperceptible undercurrent of intense focus, a grim determination etched around his eyes that hinted at something deeper than routine.
"Squad Beta-Seven," Kai's voice cut through the silence, sharp and precise. "Your first live mission begins now."
A holographic projection flickered to life on the table, displaying a composite sketch of a man with sharp features and an unsettlingly calm expression. Beside it, data scrolled by in a rapid stream.
"Your target," Kai stated, his gaze fixed on the projection, "is an extremely elusive and highly dangerous Green Spectra user. He's a key operative, and in many ways, the de facto leader, of a ruthless organization known for extensive human trafficking and black market dealings across Aethel."
My mind immediately locked onto the details. A Green user, but dangerous enough to warrant this level of Academy attention? My own Green Spectra hummed, analyzing.
"He commands a network of lower-level Green and Gray Spectra users," Kai continued, his voice dropping slightly, "making him incredibly difficult to pin down. His unique evasive capabilities, which frankly push the boundaries of what a Green Spectra user should be capable of, have allowed him to evade capture for years. We suspect anomalous traits, perhaps pushing him towards Blue-tier effectiveness in his methods of escape."
A jolt went through me. Anomalous traits. Just like my own. Kaito's brow furrowed, clearly calculating the implications of a Green user being that elusive. Emi's amber eyes narrowed, already mapping out potential tactical approaches.
Kai's gaze sharpened, cutting through us. "Conventional Elite tactics have failed repeatedly against this individual and his network. That is why I am assigning Squad Beta-Seven this mission. Your unconventional dynamic, your raw, untamed potential"—his eyes flickered to me for a fraction of a second—"and your newly forged teamwork are the very things needed to counter this specific threat."
A new image appeared on the holographic display: a dilapidated urban sector, marked with tactical overlays. "This is a controlled, isolated real-world environment. Your mission is to locate, contain, and neutralize this target and his immediate network. We believe he's operating within this sector."
Kai's voice lowered, a cold, almost venomous edge entering it. "This individual's methods have resulted in unacceptable civilian casualties and the loss of good Elite personnel in the past. This is a critical field test. The Academy is counting on you. Failure to contain this target is not an option."
The silence that followed was heavy with the weight of the mission, and the unspoken tension from Kai's grim intensity. We were going after a high-tier Green user, a ruthless gang leader named Vance Krait, and it was clear Kai wanted him more than any other target.
Kai's gaze swept over us, colder now, more focused. "Krait has been a ghost for years," he stated, his voice flat. "But that changes tonight."
He gestured to the holo-table, and the urban sector image sharpened to a specific, dilapidated building. "Academy intel has finally pinned his movements. A black market deal is going down tonight. Derelict Sector 7 district."
He paused, letting the words sink in. "High-stakes exchange of stolen goods. Krait himself will be present to confirm the transaction." A flicker of something, almost like grim satisfaction, crossed his face. "The buyer is our eyes and ears. An Academy mole. He secured a direct meeting."
Kaito let out a low whistle, and Emi's grip tightened on her datapad.
"This isn't a blind hunt," Kai finished, his voice cutting the air. "It's an interception. You are the interceptors, under my direct command. Drop zone coordinates are already loading into your comms. Mission is green."