Smooth, Perhaps

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I arrived at the classroom. Well, it should be a meeting room, but the layout wasn't any different than a classroom. There were desks, small lockers for shoes and the podium for the teacher.

I looked around for a bit, I saw Woo, Eve and the others, but I didn't find him.

"Where's Ginto?" I asked Woo. 

"He's taking a day off," Replied Woo and continued, "Sit down, Sunny. We're about to start the meeting for the upcoming mission."

I looked at him for a few more seconds before finding my desk and sat. His flat expression disappointed me.

"As you all already know. It's an A+ grade mission, but all of you are exceptions, so I believe none of you will be KIA. The last few missions you've done before convince me that you're all ready. However, I will not force anyone to do it. If you think you're not set for the mission, you are free to withdraw yourself." He explained and waited for a reaction. Silence filled the entire room.

"Excellent. Now, regarding the mission. Recapping yesterday, shadows have infiltrated the ancient city, and they have created a device that's threatening the existence of mankind."

While he said those words, a sheet of steel slowly came down and covered the window, causing the entire room to be dark.

A projection came down from the ceiling and projected a bunch of photos of a strange device on the whiteboard. It was a black, round device with a rhombus shaped gem in the middle, and mysterious carvings around the device. 

"It looks like an artifact. Are you sure the shadows created it instead of finding it?" Len pondered doubtfully.

"Yes, it has been confirmed." Wo replied shortly and continued, "From our report, it is currently at the Gram's black market. It is being auctioned tonight. I want you to retrieve it no matter what.

"For the mission, it will be divided into teams. Team Alpha, and Team Charlie. Eve, you're in charge of Team Charlie. Lan, you're in charge of Team Alpha. Your members are listed here." Wo gave Lan and Eve a paper sheet before returning to the podium and said, "I expect great things from you. That's all for today's meeting." Wo stepped down from the podium and left the classroom.

The metal sheet covering the class slowly withdraws itself, allowing the light to enter. The lamp also turned on one by one.

Right after Wo stepped down from the podium, the entire classroom immediately approached Eve and Lan, wondering which team they were in.

It wasn't long before they sat with their team. Team Charlie reassigned their desks and sat on the left of the classroom while Team Alpha on the right side.

After which, we discussed how to retrieve the item. It is auctioned at the black market and we couldn't simply steal it. 

The black market has mysterious weapons and artifacts found in shadows' nests and in some heavily corrupted areas. People from all over the city, even from the surface, came to the black market. 

With so many people coming, of course the one who runs the black market wants the business to run smoothly. So, the black market will be heavily guarded by powerful Honors and their private army with its lethal weapon toward an Honor. 

Possessing such a weapon is illegal, but they were authorized by Synth. The black market itself was also indirectly allowed by Synth. If not, it would've been destroyed a long time ago.

"We don't have a choice, but to buy it." Eve suggested. 

"You've got to be kidding me. This thing is probably worth more than five billion Erk!" Refuted a pink haired girl.

"Then do you have another suggestion, Miem?" Asked Len.

Miem pinched her chin for a few moments before looking at me, "Sunny, can't you enter the vault with your mist form?"

"It'd work if their vault isn't made from lern."

Lern, a mysterious ore that appeared on earth after the shadow's existence into this world. It caused Honor power to be useless.

"I'll enter the vault. I have an artifact to change my form and disguise myself as a guard." Hakku suggested.

"I'll come with you. My ability will help you greatly."  Goo Han offered his idea. 

"That will be appreciated, Goo Han." Hakku smiled and gave him a nod.

"I'll handle the guards and secure Hakku a way out." I raised my hand.

"No, Sunny. Your combat ability is greater than all of us. I want you to stay out of sight and only move when Moose is on the move." Eve refused my idea and came up with another. I thought for a moment before agreeing. 

Moose is a powerful Honor that manipulates plasma. He's a well known Honor in the underworld. He is a tough one so I didn't think I'd win fighting him, but I wouldn't lose either.

"I have no problem with that, but I'm not sure if I can hold him if other Honors join the fight." I raised a doubt.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure they'll not join." Eve said in a reassuring manner.

I gave her a nod. 

"Me, Miem, and Ned will find more information about the artifact and who's selling it. Dre, you'll be a support if something goes wrong."

"I'm just one guy. What's gonna happen if misfortune happens to all of you?"

"I'll help." Then I took a puff and manipulated the smoke into 21 small beads. I gave three beads to each person and explained, "If you crush it, it'll change into a clone of me with 50% of my attributes, or you can change the shape into anything you want to help you escape. Just imagine the shape as you crush it."

"Thank you!" Hakku said and accepted the beads gratefully.

Each has a different reaction when receiving the bead. Miem and Len just give me a small nod. Dre, Ned, and Goo Hand said thank you. Eve accepted it without saying a word. She seemed to be distracted by something.

Len led the conversation as he asked, "Are there any questions?"

"Yes, are we getting paid if we go over time?" Eve pondered.

"Yes." Len nodded. 

"Awesome." She smiled with a wide smile.

"Let us meet again here at 12. You're free to go and prepare yourselves."

Some got up from their seats and left. Some chose to stay and talked with other members. I approached Eve.