RISING STARS

The simulation loaded fully, and the stark white room transformed into the dimly lit interior of a sprawling enemy base. Crates, metal pillars, and flickering lights gave the place a gritty, industrial atmosphere. The air felt charged, even though it was all virtual.

Ragra, Elza, and Sky stood in the center of the space, a small steel box at their feet. Sky crouched and opened it, revealing a set of weapons. She grabbed her ninja stars and kunai, her hands moving with practiced precision. Elza reached in and pulled out her katana, its blade shimmering faintly as though it were alive. Ragra hesitated for a moment before picking up a wooden staff, its surface smooth and unassuming.

"A wooden staff?" Elza asked with a grin, sliding her katana into its sheath. "You sure that's going to hold up?"

"You'll see," Ragra replied, gripping it tightly. "I've been using it for years."

Sky stood, her kunai in hand. "What's your inner type, Ragra?"

"Water-based," Ragra said, rolling his shoulders. "But I haven't meditated today, so my inner's running low."

Elza laughed softly. "It's a simulation, Nordian. Your inner level will automatically correlate as if you've meditated. Don't hold back."

Ragra blinked in surprise. "Well, that's good to know."

Sky stepped forward, her tone serious. "All right, let's focus. The objective is to neutralize all enemies and secure the control room at the end of the base. Let's split roles. I'll handle ranged attacks and cover. Elza, you can engage mid-range and distract. Ragra, you take point with me—close combat and crowd control."

"Got it," Ragra said, spinning his staff experimentally.

Elza smirked. "Just try to keep up."

Sky nodded. "Move out."

As they advanced through the simulation, the trio encountered their first group of enemies—simulated soldiers clad in dark armor, armed with rifles.

"Three on the left, two on the right," Sky called out, her eyes scanning the room. "I'll handle the two. Elza, take the left. Ragra, back me up."

Sky flicked her wrist, launching a flurry of ninja stars. As they arced through the air, they glowed briefly with a golden light—Solar Blares. The stars struck the two soldiers on the right with pinpoint accuracy, their armor sizzling as they dropped.

Elza darted to the left, her katana igniting with flames. She moved with precision, her strikes combining fire and wind-based inner. Each swing of her blade unleashed fiery gusts, overwhelming the enemies before they could react.

Ragra gripped his staff, water jets swirling around it in a faint blue aura. He charged at a soldier, deflecting a rifle shot with a sweep of his staff before spinning it upward, sending a jet of water crashing into the enemy's chest.

"Not bad," Elza called out, sidestepping a rifle blast and slicing through another enemy.

Sky vaulted over a crate, landing behind a soldier. With a flash of her kunai, the figure crumpled. She glanced back at Ragra. "You're holding your own. Let's keep moving."

The deeper they ventured into the base, the more intense the enemy resistance became. Waves of soldiers poured into the corridors, forcing the trio to adapt.

Sky unleashed her Lunar Veil, a crescent-shaped arc of silvery energy that disoriented a cluster of enemies. She followed up with a rapid barrage of ninja stars, taking them out in seconds.

Elza twirled her katana, combining her fire and wind inner to create a blazing vortex that engulfed multiple enemies at once.

Ragra used his water-based inner to great effect, manipulating his staff to send streams of water jetting through the air, knocking rifles out of hands and forcing enemies into defensive positions. When one soldier lunged at him, he spun his staff, releasing a burst of pressurized water that sent the figure crashing into a wall.

Sky, fighting alongside him, grinned. "Not bad for a guy with a wooden stick."

Ragra chuckled, wiping sweat from his brow. "Not bad for someone who fights from the back."

Elza called out from ahead. "Focus, you two. We're not done yet!"

The trio's performance didn't go unnoticed. Outside the simulation room, a small crowd of agents had gathered, watching the action unfold on the main screen in the lobby.

"Are those new recruits?" one agent asked, incredulous.

"Yeah," another replied. "But look at them. They're stronger than most second-years."

Sky, Elza, and Ragra pushed toward the final control room. The last wave of enemies was waiting—a group of elite simulated soldiers with heavy armor.

"Plan?" Ragra asked, breathing heavily.

Sky smirked. "Same as before. I'll cover you two. Just don't get yourselves killed."

Elza grinned, her katana glowing with fiery energy. "Let's end this."

The battle was fierce. Sky launched her Solar Blares and Lunar Veils in quick succession, keeping the enemies disoriented. Elza moved like a whirlwind, her fire and wind inner blending into devastating strikes.

Ragra stayed focused, deflecting blows and countering with precise water jets. As one armored soldier charged him, he spun his staff, releasing a torrent of water that knocked the enemy off balance.

Finally, with a coordinated effort, they cleared the room. The control panel in the center blinked, signaling mission success.

The simulation faded, and the trio found themselves back in the white room, breathing heavily.

"Not bad," Sky said, wiping her forehead. "For a pureblood Nordian, you're pretty decent."

Ragra smirked. "You're not so bad yourself."

Elza laughed. "Let's hit the showers. That was solid teamwork."

As they left the simulation room, the crowd in the lobby gave them nods of approval and murmurs of respect. It was clear that this trio was no ordinary group of recruits.

As Ragra, Sky, and Elza exited their simulation room, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd in the lobby. The trio exchanged curious glances before heading over to the massive screen displaying another simulation. The footage showed two agents mid-mission, moving with unmatched precision and power.

One of them, a medium-height boy with dreadlocks partially obscuring his eyes, wielded twin pistols that unleashed blasts of dark energy, each shot devastating the simulated enemies with deadly accuracy. His movements were fluid and calculated, showing an almost mechanical efficiency.

The other boy was taller and carried a pistol in one hand while wielding a sword with the other. Wind energy swirled around him, amplifying his strikes and sending enemies flying. He moved with unrelenting confidence, smirking as he effortlessly tore through the opposition.

"Whoa," Sky muttered, folding her arms. "These guys are insane."

Elza leaned closer to someone standing nearby, who was also watching in awe. "Who are they?" she asked.

The agent shrugged, his eyes still glued to the screen. "No idea. Just got in today. Apparently, they're new recruits."

The simulation reached its climax as the two boys faced off against a horde of elite enemies. The boy with the dreadlocks calmly reloaded his pistols, dark energy pooling around him before he unleashed a concentrated barrage that obliterated the group. Meanwhile, the boy with the sword unleashed a whirlwind of strikes, his wind energy slicing through the remaining foes.

When the mission concluded, a massive notification appeared on the screen: NEW AGENCY RECORD. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers.

The two boys exited the simulation room shortly after, greeted by agents congratulating them and patting their backs. The boy with the dreadlocks, however, seemed completely disinterested. He pushed through the crowd, his face blank and unbothered by the praise. At around 5'11", his medium build and quiet demeanor gave off an air of mystery.

The other boy, taller and cockier, with long black hair tied into a bun, basked in the attention. He high-fived everyone in sight, his wide grin radiating confidence.

"They're new recruits?" Elza said, raising an eyebrow. "They look impressive."

Sky nodded in agreement. "Yeah, setting an agency record on your first day isn't exactly normal."

Ragra remained quiet, watching the two boys as they left the building together.

"Well," Elza added with a small smirk, "I'm sure we'll bump into them later at the complex."

The three turned and walked out of the lobby, the sound of the cheering crowd fading behind them.