PROLOGUE

"Arashi, can you take care of the reports? Devon and Koi are calling me for the rookie's sword training session at the yard. Rika also needs me to have a look on her sniper rifle as soon as I'm finished with the rookies." Xander pats the captain on his shoulder while he walked towards the front door.Not able to give him a reply, Arashi sighs. He went inside the captain's office, and he immediately notice a pile of paperwork reports that needs to be done by today. Before starting, he stared at the pile of papers. As he groans softly, Arashi sits on the chair, and starts with the first report.Unlike Xander, who usually fills the report with simple yet quite detailed writing, Arashi hates the hassle, and wrote simple sentences regarding the previous mission. Every time it's his turn to report something, Xander always needs to make sure that the captain writes the report carefully and to not be lazy when writing it.As he was writing, a knock was heard from his office door. Without wasting any time, the boy called in the person in question. The doorknob slowly opens. Behind the door, was none other than one of his teammates and the unit's high officers, it was Antho. He approaches Arashi who was busy filling up the reports."May I take a seat captain?" She asked."Sure, go ahead." He replied while he dribbles on the paper.The atmosphere was quiet than usual. This is most likely since it's only been a few days after their Edifier left them alone, while still in the middle of a mission. Not only that, but a few casualties also happened along the way, all thanks to the previous Edifier who doesn't know how to navigate the battlefield well.He peeked of the report that he's writing. She chuckles."Captain, if Xander knows this, he'll be very angry with you." Antho says as she took out a chocolate bar from her pocket."... Don't let him know then." Arashi replied, with his eyes still locked on the report.Antho is one of the members who was transferred along with Koi, Beetle and Rose. The reason she's quite close with Arashi, is due to that both are the same age, have the same background and interest. Not only that, just like Arashi, she also uses a sword as her weapon of choice. Meaning, she'll usually attend Devon's and his training whenever she's free.The captain then takes the next paper of the report. Gently, the paper was placed on the wooden surface. He took the pen to his right and starts to write it. However, none of the ink came out, making the paper stayed clean."Do you need a new pen?" Antho asked."Yes, thank you." He replied, accompanied with a soft gaze.Seeing the captain slowly changes, she smiled. Since the first time they met, he was too wary of the new members, now he's not only comfortable with her but with all of them.Now, due to a lack of an Edifier, all the reports won't be reviewed even if they wrote it, hence why Arashi didn't care much about it in the first place.Antho stood up and walked behind her, where a shelf was built. A bunch of stationaries are placed there. Old books, old reports, old writing materials and much more. As she was looking for a pen that the captain can use, she saw an old photograph that was slid in between two books.She carefully takes it out. A writing was visible on the back of it. "Remember us." She quoted the text. As the picture was flipped, her eyes widened.The picture shows an old picture with the previous Specter Unit members, along with the previous captain. At the time, the captain was a female, since she was older that most of the members. Her eyes move to the right, Antho became stunned. On the corner, a young Arashi, possibly around fourteen-years-old was standing next to a few members who were older than him.Remembered what she's here for, Antho quickly places back the photograph between the book earlier. She crouches, as she finally found the pen box that she's been looking for. The box was taken with her as she goes to Arashi's desk. Carefully it was place to his right.The boy lifts the box's cover and takes a pen. "Thank you, Antho." She said as he nods softly. Arashi continues to scribble on the paper to fill up the report. She stares at the boy who's doing his work with awe. Somehow, she felt safe around him, and she knows that the others feel the same way.A sigh came out from her. The girl stands up."I'll be going now, I don't want to disturb you working." Antho said as she heads to the door with her hand holding the doorknob. "Antho." A voice was heard from behind. The soft tone that she rarely hears. Slowly she looked behind her. "Good job, please take it easy for the rest of the day." Arashi said with a soft gaze. Even though his face expression stayed the same, she can tell how sincere he was based on his tone alone.A grin was carved on her face. "Wow captain, who knew you were a sweet talker." She said as she left the room.Dumbfounded, Arashi's eyes twitched with confusion. "Sweet talker...?" He said with an emotionless tone.⚔"STRENGHTEN YOUR DEFENCE!" Devon yelled as she swiftly strikes the other members with her training sword. Every training, they will be using a wooden sword that was carved by the previous Paladin who was good with wood carving. Since then, the training sword was used by the current members of the unit.Sounds of clashing were heard on the field. As Xander was walking around, spectating the area, he bumped into Carl who was sitting on a wooden bench near the training area.The fifteen-years-old boy was sitting with a drawing book on his hand, to his left was an eraser, along with an unused pencil as a backup. Seeing the boy drawing, Xander takes a seat next to him."What are you drawing, Carl?" He asked."Ah, just a landscape of the field. I'm currently waiting for my turn to join the training." Carl replied as he continues doodling on the page.Hearing that, Xander carved a thin smile. "Try drawing the captain a portrait, maybe he'll like it." He said as he pats Carl on the back. He looks back at Xander with a smug face. "... Oh, I have drawn him, I'd say it's my finest work!" The boy yelled as he praises himself. Immediately, Xander laughs as the words were uttered from Carl's mouth."CARL, YOU'RE UP!" Devon shouted from afar, calling the boy for his session.Instantly, he stood up while placing the book and pencil back on the bench. He then looks at Xander. "Though, don't tell the captain. I still want to live another day." Carl said as his finger was placed in front of his lips, telling Xander to keep it a secret."CARL, HURRY UP!" Devon continued to shout to him."ALRIGH, ALRIGHT!" He replied.Carl sprints to where Devon was standing with the other paladins. Xander leans back on the bench while staring at the clear blue sky. White clouds were moving slowly to the left, with a big one covering the sunlight. Windy breeze causes his hair to waver, along with his unbutton uniform.As he was about to have some shut eye, a ringing sound was heard from the PASCOD. The Vice Captain moves his finger and touch the device on his ear. A loud voice was heard from the speaker. He immediately covers his left ear with his left hand."The hell was that Rika?" He asked with a confused tone."Ah, I'm sorry Xander. Me, Beetle and Rose were inspecting our guns when a flashbang went off out of the blue. Can you come to the weaponry room?" Rika asked as she grabs the blown off flashbang earlier from the ground, and immediately throws it in the trash can.He sighed while making a worried smile. "Alright, let's hope nothing else explodes before I arrive." The boy moves from the bench and walks inside towards the room Rika mentioned earlier. As he was on his way, he passed a few rooms that was placed on their base: a kitchen, living room, separate dorms, captain's office, and lastly the weaponry room.Xander finally reaches the weaponry room's door. His hand touched the doorknob and turns it lightly, since his grip is quite strong than an average sixteen-year-old. As the door opens, another light explosion was heard coming from the inside. A strange feeling was felt throughout his body, as if something is coming right towards him."XANDER, DUCK!" Rose shouted as she pushes the boy to the floor, avoiding the flying object.PAP!Both of his eyes were widely opened due to the shock. He blinks a few times before he cocks his head, looking behind him to see what was it that was flying towards his face.His jaw immediately drops when he saw what it was.While Xander was on his way to the weaponry room, Beetle was fixing his Assault Rifle, since it was jammed when he was using it in training earlier. Rose, who was also with him when he was on the firing range, came with him to the weaponry room since she wants to inspect her Glock as well.It turns out, when Beetle was shooting at the dummies, a bullet was jammed near the trigger area, making it stuck in between the barrel and spring. Not wanting to damage his gun even further, the two of them called for Rika who was on the other weaponry room, since she's an expert when it comes to all types of fire arm.Right as she was trying to figure out how to fix the rifle, the weapon was knocked over to the ground, and making it immediately shoots the jammed bullet earlier towards the door. That's when Xander opened the door, with a bullet flying to his face. If it wasn't for Rose, his face would have a hole, like a doughnut."Rika... Are you that desperate to kill me, for drinking your strawberry milk this morning...?" Xander asked as his eyes are still locked on the bullet that was laying on the ground.Rose, who was next to him when the two of them fell, groans as she sits herself back on the floor, towering herself from Xander."You... did what?" Rika said as her eyes twitched, with her face makes an angry expression.Noticing the eerie atmosphere, Beetle dragged Rose and dashed outside the room, leaving the two of them alone.Realizing the two paladins bailed on him, he looked at Rika with a genuine, acceptance look. Slowly, she approaches him, while her hands formed a fist. As he gave up trying to talk it out, Xander whispered."... Oh shit."