Medical teams rushed across the hangar, carrying the wounded toward the medical wing.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Fear filled every recruit's eyes.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"I don't want to be here… I'm scared."
"I don't want to die…"
"What happened to them?"
"What could have done that to them?"
Everyone's attention was drawn to a soldier whose arm had been torn completely off.
His screams of agony echoed throughout the hangar.
The massive medical doors slammed shut behind the injured as the doctors disappeared inside.
The hangar fell deathly silent.
Sanju walked toward a nearby microphone.
His voice thundered throughout the hangar.
"Stand at attention!"
Every recruit immediately straightened into formation.
The sergeants stood at the front of their assigned teams, waiting for orders.
Sanju's sharp eyes swept across the room.
"As I said earlier, remain with your assigned sergeant. They will be your guide from this point forward."
He paused before continuing.
"Each team leader will report directly to me. We depart tomorrow at dawn."
His expression remained cold.
"I expect every one of you to survive long enough to prove why you were chosen."
Another pause.
"Do not disappoint me."
"You are dismissed. Follow your sergeants to your assigned quarters."
Every recruit saluted.
"Yes, sir!"
Without another word, General Sanju turned and walked away with his subordinates.
⸻
A tall man wearing the insignia of a sergeant approached Red Team.
The group immediately stood at attention.
"My name is Sergeant Bill."
He looked at each recruit one by one before speaking.
"Listen carefully."
"Everything you do…"
"Everything you say…"
"And every decision you make…"
"…will be evaluated."
"This isn't school."
"This is war."
"Your actions determine not only your survival, but the survival of the people standing beside you."
He slowly scanned their faces.
"The reputation you build here will follow you throughout the military."
Finally, his eyes settled on Rose.
"After everyone gets settled, you'll report to General Sanju."
He checked his watch.
"You have twenty minutes."
Looking back at the team, he asked,
"Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good."
"Follow me."
⸻
Only a few minutes later, they stopped outside Room 301.
Sergeant Bill unlocked the door.
The room resembled a small military dormitory.
Inside was a modest living room connected to a dining area and a compact kitchen.
Two separate hallways branched off from the main room.
One for the boys.
One for the girls.
Rose quietly smiled to herself.
So they didn't expect us to all sleep in one room.
She felt relieved.
⸻
Once everyone entered, Sergeant Bill turned to face them.
"This will be your quarters."
"You'll eat here."
"You'll sleep here."
"You'll train together."
"And you'll learn to trust one another."
His gaze moved across the room.
Most of the recruits remained calm.
Only Claudette struggled to hide the fear in her eyes.
Sergeant Bill noticed immediately.
He sighed.
"What you witnessed in the hangar…"
"…was only the beginning."
"When you reach the battlefield…"
"You'll hear things."
"You'll see things."
"You'll lose people."
"For now…"
"This is paradise."
His voice became quieter.
"I hope each of you is strong enough to endure what's coming."
"Because your survival matters."
He turned toward Rose.
"I'll return in fifteen minutes."
"Be ready."
Rose nodded.
"Yes, sir."
The rest of the team answered together.
"Yes, sir!"
The moment Sergeant Bill closed the door behind him, the room fell silent.
Everyone let out the breath they had been holding.
Some dropped onto the couch.
Others leaned against the wall.
The weight of what they had witnessed in the hangar still lingered in their minds.
Rose looked around the room.
Tomorrow…
They would be walking onto a battlefield together.
If they were going to survive, they needed to know one another.
She stepped forward.
"Before I meet with General Sanju, we need to know who we're fighting beside."
Everyone turned toward her.
"I want each of us to introduce ourselves. Tell us your name, your abilities, and anything important that could help us survive."
No one objected.
Irish slowly raised her hand.
"I'll go first."
She smiled nervously.
"My name is Irish Baptiste."
"I'm a healer."
"My healing magic isn't the strongest yet, but I can treat injuries during battle."
She paused.
"I also have enhanced speed."
"My true form is a hybrid between a cheetah and a sheep."
Several members nodded with interest.
Sophia stepped forward next.
"I'm Sophia Williams."
"My true form is a Siren-Mermaid hybrid."
She raised one hand, and a ribbon of water floated above her palm before gently returning to the air.
"I control water."
"My abilities are strongest near rivers, lakes, or the ocean."
Next came Claudette.
"My name is Claudette Perry."
She looked a little nervous.
"I'm a hybrid born from an elf and a rabbit beastkin."
"My magic allows me to control earth."
She smiled shyly.
"And I'm also a tracker."
"I can follow almost any trail."
James folded his arms before speaking.
"James Sine."
"My ability is Sonokinesis."
He snapped his fingers.
A sharp vibration echoed through the room, causing several glasses in the kitchen to rattle.
"I manipulate sound and vibrations."
"My hearing is far beyond normal."
"If something moves nearby…"
"I'll hear it."
August grinned.
"My turn."
He picked up a wooden spoon from the kitchen counter.
The moment it touched his hand…
It transformed into a polished steel battle axe.
A few teammates blinked in surprise.
"August Morris."
"I'm a dwarf."
"I can turn almost anything I touch into a weapon."
He laughed as the axe changed back into a spoon.
Benny leaned casually against the wall.
"I'm Benny Waller."
A small gust of wind circled around him before lifting him several inches off the floor.
"I control wind."
"I can fly."
He landed softly.
"I'm also a Level Three martial artist."
Achelous stepped forward without changing his expression.
"My name is Achelous Palet."
Within seconds…
His face shifted.
His hair changed.
His body transformed into an exact copy of Benny.
The room fell completely silent.
A moment later, he returned to normal.
"I can shapeshift."
He pulled a combat knife from his belt and spun it effortlessly across his fingers before catching it by the handle.
"I'm also professionally trained with knives."
Ryder finally spoke.
"My name is Ryder Hawthorne."
His voice was calm.
"My ability is Veilstep."
Without warning…
He vanished.
Several recruits instinctively looked around.
A heartbeat later, he reappeared behind the couch.
"I specialize in infiltration."
"And assassination."
No one had even heard him move.
Only Selene remained.
She stepped forward quietly.
"My name is Selene Crescent."
"My ability is called the Third Eye."
"I can perceive people, magical energy, and movement within a three-mile radius."
She looked toward the window.
"If someone approaches us…"
"I'll know."
Silence settled over the room.
Finally…
Every eye turned toward Rose.
She smiled awkwardly.
"I guess it's my turn."
"My name is Rose Maxwell."
"I'm… a hybrid with multiple bloodlines."
She paused for a moment.
"My abilities are… complicated."
Several teammates exchanged curious glances.
Rose couldn't help but smile.
"You'll probably find out soon enough."
The room filled with quiet laughter.
For the first time since arriving at the front lines…
The tension eased, if only for a moment.
———————--
Part 2 : The Knights of Red Team
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.
Sergeant Bill stepped inside.
Immediately, everyone stood at attention.
"Are you ready to leave?" Sergeant Bill asked. "Did you sort out everything you needed to?"
Rose nodded.
"Yes, sir. We established everything we needed for now."
She saluted her team before turning to follow Sergeant Bill out of the room.
As they walked through the corridors, soldiers and officers greeted Sergeant Bill with respectful nods.
Eventually, they stopped in front of a pair of large double glass doors.
Sergeant Bill opened them.
Inside, General Sanju stood beside two other generals.
The leaders of the other color teams were already seated around the conference table.
As Rose entered the room with Sergeant Bill, everyone's attention shifted toward them.
Both Rose and Sergeant Bill saluted.
General Sanju returned the salute.
"At ease."
He gestured toward the empty seat.
"Take a seat."
Rose quietly sat down.
The gentleman standing beside General Sanju stepped forward.
"My name is General Baxter."
He looked around the room before continuing.
"Some of you may already know me. Others may not."
"Unfortunately, this is not the way I hoped we would meet."
His expression grew serious.
"I'm here to brief you on the current situation."
The room fell silent.
General Baxter began explaining the battlefield conditions.
"The Shadows have overrun several villages."
"Our casualties continue to rise."
"Do not underestimate the High Shadows."
"They are intelligent… and far more dangerous than ordinary monsters."
For the next several hours, the commanders discussed military strategy, enemy movements, supply routes, and rescue operations.
Each team leader introduced themselves.
When it was Rose's turn, she shared everything she knew about the Shadows.
She explained that the only Shadows she had personally encountered were high-ranking ones.
General Baxter carefully listened to every detail.
Before anyone realized it, nearly three hours had passed.
General Baxter closed his folder.
"That concludes today's briefing."
"You are dismissed."
Everyone stood.
The officers saluted before leaving the conference room one by one.
Rose saluted Sergeant Bill.
"I'll head back to my team and make sure everyone gets some rest."
Sergeant Bill nodded.
"Very well."
Rose turned and walked away.
As Sergeant Bill watched her leave, a single thought crossed his mind.
Please… let this girl be the one who changes this war.
Because once she steps onto that battlefield… she'll discover this isn't a playground.
Rose suddenly stopped walking.
She slowly glanced back over her shoulder.
Sergeant Bill had already disappeared around the corner.
She frowned slightly.
I heard his thoughts again…
Only Marina and Momo knew she could read minds.
No one else knew.
If the others ever discovered her ability, they might never trust her again.
They would assume she constantly invaded their privacy.
Rose hated doing that.
She could control her gift most of the time.
But whenever she let her guard down…
It was like a switch flipped inside her mind.
Thoughts drifted into her consciousness without warning.
Sometimes she wondered…
Was it truly her own power…
Or had the Blackwell Queen awakened something inside her?
Shaking the thought away, Rose continued walking.
By the time she reached the hallway leading back to the dormitory, she realized how late it had become.
Dinner…
She remembered passing the cafeteria earlier.
Hopefully it was still open.
As she entered Room 301, everyone looked up.
Claudette and Selene had been talking quietly.
Rose smiled.
"I'm back."
She looked around.
"Did anyone eat yet?"
Silence.
Sophia slowly stood.
"We wanted to…"
She sighed.
"But everyone wanted to wait for you."
She crossed her arms.
"What kind of leader keeps her team waiting so long that they miss dinner?"
Rose's smile disappeared.
She silently looked at Sophia.
Her golden eyes slowly began to glow.
A suffocating magical pressure filled the room.
Sophia instinctively stepped backward.
Her heartbeat accelerated.
She couldn't breathe.
She stared into Rose's glowing eyes, unable to speak.
Claudette immediately walked over.
Without hesitation, she gently grabbed Rose's arm.
She smiled.
"I'm starving."
"Come on."
"Let's go eat."
Rose blinked.
The golden glow faded from her eyes.
The crushing pressure instantly disappeared.
She looked at Claudette before giving a small smile.
"Yeah…"
"I passed the cafeteria earlier."
"Let's all go together."
Everyone quietly exhaled in relief.
As Rose and Claudette started walking toward the door together, Rose suddenly stopped.
Without turning around, she spoke calmly.
"One more thing."
Everyone froze.
"Since all of you chose me as your leader…"
"We need to make one thing clear."
She slowly looked over her shoulder.
"I may be kind."
"I may be patient."
"And I may be sweet."
"But don't mistake my kindness for weakness."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
"If you're coming…"
"Let's go."
Rose continued walking with Claudette.
One by one, the others followed.
Behind them…
Several members were still trying to catch their breath.
Some were excited.
Others were frightened.
The same thought echoed through nearly everyone's mind.
When she said her powers were complicated…
She wasn't exaggerating.
Sophia remained standing in place.
Her legs trembled.
Irish stopped beside her.
She placed a hand on Sophia's shoulder.
"Here's some free advice."
"Stop provoking people."
"If you keep it up…"
"One day, you're going to get yourself killed."
Irish shrugged.
"I don't sugarcoat things."
She walked out.
Benny paused beside Sophia.
"I hope you don't do anything foolish."
He looked toward the hallway where Rose had disappeared.
"She killed a High Shadow."
"Stay in your lane."
He walked away.
Sophia's knees finally gave out.
She collapsed onto the floor.
Her heart raced.
Her mind refused to settle.
What… was that?
For the first time…
She questioned whether she could ever defeat Rose Maxwell.
Slowly…
Her expression darkened.
A single emotion began taking root inside her heart.
Jealousy.