The corridor narrowed as they advanced, the walls seeming to close in while shadows stretched long across the floor. Three threats. Three directions. No space to retreat.
Erza's voice remained low, controlled.
"Positions."
Kael stepped forward first, feet grounded, shoulders squared, eyes locked ahead. Zane stayed in the center, gripping the metal rod tightly—too tightly.
"Relax your grip," Erza said without looking at him.
"I am relaxed," Zane whispered, his voice betraying him.
"You're not," Mira muttered. "Your hands are about to snap that rod."
Zane loosened slightly. "…Okay, now I'm relaxed."
"Too much," Kael added.
Zane exhaled sharply. "…I hate all of you."
A flicker moved along the left side. Yuki reacted first—not rushing, not hesitating. She slid into position, low and silent, her eyes locked into the darkness. "Left confirmed," she said quietly.
On the right, another shadow shifted. Mira leaned slightly, adjusting her angle. "Right confirmed. Fast movement."
Noor's calm voice followed, steady as ever. "Unpredictable pattern. It's not following a straight path."
From the front came a heavy step. Kael's jaw tightened. "Front confirmed."
Erza inhaled slowly, processing. Three targets. Different speeds. Different patterns.
"Kael holds front." He didn't respond—he didn't need to.
"Yuki engages left—but don't overcommit."
There was a small pause. "…Understood."
That pause meant everything.
"Zane," Erza continued, "you support where needed. Don't chase."
"…Don't chase. Got it."
"Tala—stay behind him. If he drops, you move."
Tala nodded. "I'm ready."
"Mira, Noor—call movements."
"Already doing it," Mira smirked.
The shadows moved. Fast.
"Now."
The front drone lunged. Kael didn't step back—he stepped in. The strike came down fast, but he raised his arm and blocked, the impact echoing through the corridor. Instead of absorbing the force, he redirected it, twisting his wrist and guiding the attack aside before countering with a sharp strike to the drone's center. It staggered—but didn't fall.
"Stronger than before," Kael muttered.
On the left, Yuki engaged. No wasted motion. She stepped in, angled her body, and slipped past the drone's attack, moving too close for comfort. Her shoulder brushed its frame as she turned and struck—but the drone adapted, blocking her precision. Her eyes narrowed. Faster reaction.
On the right, the drone zig-zagged unpredictably.
"Zane, right!" Mira called.
Zane turned too quickly, losing his footing.
"Careful!" Tala warned.
"I'm fine—!"
The drone lunged. Zane reacted, swinging wildly—missing completely. "…I am not fine."
"Again!" Erza called.
Zane steadied himself this time. He didn't rush. He watched. The drone moved again—closer—and Zane swung.
Clang.
A clean hit. The drone stumbled. Zane blinked in disbelief. "Okay… okay I can do this—"
"Don't celebrate!" Mira snapped.
Too late. The drone recovered and lunged again. Zane froze.
"MOVE!" Erza shouted.
Yuki broke formation instantly, dashing across the space and intercepting mid-air. Her strike collided with the drone's attack, deflecting it away from Zane. Both of them slid back slightly.
For a brief second, silence settled.
Zane stared at her. "…You came back."
Yuki didn't look at him. "Stay focused."
But she didn't move away.
At the front, Kael was holding—but barely. The drone adapted again, its strikes faster and heavier. He blocked one, then another, but the third slipped through and struck his side. A sharp exhale escaped him.
"Kael—!" Tala stepped forward instinctively.
"Stay back!" he snapped.
Erza's eyes sharpened instantly. Front weakening. Right unstable. Left adapting.
"Rotate," she said.
Everyone paused for a fraction of a second—then moved.
"Yuki—support front."
No hesitation this time. Yuki slipped past Zane and joined Kael. Two against one. Kael adjusted immediately. "Left angle."
Yuki understood. She moved low, drawing the drone's attention. It shifted toward her—and in that opening, Kael struck hard. The drone staggered. Yuki followed with a precise blow.
Crack.
It dropped.
"Front cleared," Kael said.
Zane exhaled loudly. "Okay—THAT was teamwork."
"Not done," Mira replied.
The right-side drone remained—still active, still unpredictable. But now, three of them faced it.
Erza stepped forward. "This one moves irregularly."
Noor added softly, "It reacts to pressure. The more chaotic we are, the stronger it becomes."
Zane blinked. "…So basically it feeds off me."
"Exactly," Mira said.
"…Great."
Erza looked at him. "Then don't be chaotic."
Zane froze. "…You're asking a lot."
A pause. Then he nodded slowly. "…Okay. I'll try."
They moved together—slow, measured. No rushing. No panic.
The drone hesitated. Its pattern began to break.
"Now it's confused," Noor observed.
"Good," Erza replied. "Kael—pressure."
He stepped forward, controlled.
"Yuki—flank."
She moved silently into position.
"Zane—wait."
"…Waiting."
The drone turned toward Kael. Yuki closed in. It shifted again—unstable now.
"Zane—NOW."
He moved—not wild, not panicked. Focused. He swung.
Clang.
A direct hit. The drone staggered. Kael struck. Yuki followed.
Final impact—
Crash.
Silence.
All three drones lay motionless.
Zane dropped to the floor, breathing hard. "…I didn't die."
Mira smirked. "Proud of you."
Tala rushed forward. "Is everyone okay?"
Kael nodded once. Yuki stepped back quietly.
Erza remained still, watching—not the drones, but the team. No hesitation. No solo actions. No collapse.
From above, Nexus observed. "Unit performance?"
A pause.
"Coordinated."
Another pause.
"Effective."
Below, Zane looked at Erza. "…That worked."
Erza gave a small nod. "Yes."
A brief silence followed. Then, quietly—
"We worked."
This time, the silence that followed wasn't empty.
It was earned.