REUNITED

The conversation between Taizen, Mionara, and Luna continued, flowing naturally as they caught up on everything they had missed. Taizen and Mionara were noticeably different—more reserved, their words carrying the weight of their experiences. Luna, always her usual lively self, picked up on it but didn't press too hard.

"So, what do you guys plan to do now that you're back?" Luna asked, leaning back against her chair.

Mionara sighed. "I guess we'll train and get back into routine. But honestly, it feels strange being here again."

"Yeah," Taizen agreed, his eyes fixed on the floor for a moment before glancing at Luna. "It's almost like we don't fit the same way we used to."

Luna gave them both a small, understanding smile. "You guys have been gone a while, and I'm sure things over there changed you. But you'll get used to it again. And I'll be here to make sure you don't become boring loners."

Before either of them could respond, there was a sudden knock on Luna's door. She got up and opened it to see Sky and Elza standing there.

"Yo, Luna, we were about to go do some training. Wanna come?" Sky asked, adjusting her gloves.

Luna grinned. "Of course! Oh—actually, let me introduce you guys!" She turned back to Taizen and Mionara. "This is Sky and Elza."

Taizen's gaze landed on Sky, and for a brief moment, something about her caught him off guard. She had a quiet confidence, sharp eyes, and an athletic build that told him she was no stranger to hard work. There was something effortless about the way she carried herself.

"This is Taizen and Mionara," Luna continued. "They just got back from training with the Beast Organization."

Sky looked at them both and nodded. "Nice to meet you. Luna's told us a bit about you."

"Yeah," Elza added with a smirk. "She made it seem like you guys were formidable."

Taizen cleared his throat and gave a small nod. "Something like that."

Mionara, ever the observer, glanced at Taizen for a moment before turning back to Sky and Elza. "You guys train together often?"

"Pretty much," Sky said. "Might as well get stronger before they start throwing us into missions."

"Are you guys coming?" Elza asked.

Mionara shook his head. "Not right now. Still need to settle in."

"Fair enough," Elza said. "We'll see you around then."

As Sky and Elza turned to leave with Luna, Taizen watched them go—his gaze lingering on Sky for just a second longer than necessary. Then he quickly looked away, pushing whatever that feeling was deep down.

Mionara, noticing the look, smirked to himself but didn't say a word.

After parting ways with Luna, Taizen and Mionara headed to their assigned rooms. The complex was new to them, but they didn't spend much time taking it in. They just wanted to settle in and get their bearings.

"I'm going to unpack," Mionara said, rolling his shoulders. "Not that I brought much with me."

"Same here," Taizen replied. "After that, let's go find Ragra. Haven't seen him since we got back."

Mionara nodded. "Yeah, I want to hear what he's been up to."

They parted ways and entered their rooms. Taizen tossed his bag onto the bed and looked around. The room was simple—just a bed, a closet, a desk, and a display screen mounted on the wall. It felt impersonal, but that didn't bother him. He wasn't here to get comfortable.

He unpacked quickly, then stepped out into the hallway, where Mionara was already waiting.

"Ready?" Taizen asked.

"Yeah, let's go," Mionara said.

They took the elevator up to the 15th floor and walked down the hallway until they found Ragra's door. Taizen knocked twice.

A few seconds later, the door swung open, and Ragra leaned against the frame, smirking. "Look who finally decided to show up."

"You weren't gonna come find us?" Taizen asked.

"Nah, figured you two would come crawling to me first," Ragra joked, stepping aside. "Come in."

Taizen and Mionara entered the room. It was barely lived in, much like their own, but Ragra had a couple of personal items lying around—a combat knife on the desk, some old mission notes pinned to the wall. He'd never been the type to decorate.

"So, how was it?" Ragra asked, crossing his arms.

"Different," Mionara said.

"Yeah," Taizen added. "Good experience, though."

Mionara leaned against the wall. "So, how was your time the assassin organisation ?"

Ragra exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "A lot. First of all, I met your brother."

Taizen raised a brow. "Which one?"

"Keito."

"What was he like?" Taizen asked.

Ragra shrugged. "Hard to read, but definitely sharp and an amazing leader. You can tell he's been in this game a long time.

Mionara crossed his arms. "Anything else interesting happen while you was away?"

Ragra's face darkened slightly. He exhaled sharply and sat down on the edge of his bed. "Yeah. The assassin HQ got hit hard. The mages launched an attack on them."

Taizen and Mionara exchanged looks of shock.

"They managed to fend them off, but it wasn't easy. There were casualties on both sides, but the assassins took down most of the mages in the end."

Mionara narrowed his eyes. "Why would the mages go after the assassin HQ?"

Ragra hesitated for a moment before answering. "Because they were after me specifically."

Taizen stiffened. "What? Why the hell would they target you?"

Ragra looked between them before leaning forward slightly. "They think I know something about opening a portal to the Gods."

Silence hung in the air.

Mionara scoffed. "A portal to the Gods? That sounds like some insane religious fantasy."

Ragra shook his head. "It's not just some myth to them. They believe there's a way to bring the Gods down to our realm, and they think I have information on how to do it. Apparently, it has something to do with my bloodline."

Taizen's expression hardened. "Because you're royal family."

Ragra nodded. "Exactly. But here's the real issue—only the Agency knew I was at the assassin HQ. So now the assassins are suspicious of them, also why all the agents over there got sent back early."

Mionara's jaw clenched. "You're saying the Agency sold you out?"

"I'm saying something isn't adding up," Ragra said. "And that's not the only thing that's been bothering me."

Taizen sighed. "There's more?"

Ragra leaned back against the bed frame. "Think about this war between Delria and Nordia. Who benefits the most?"

Taizen frowned. "The Agency uses sicarii from both sides and vice versa . They profit regardless."

"Exactly," Ragra said. "But what happens if one side wins? They'll only have to pay one price for Sicarii usage instead of two. And who do you think is more likely to win this war? Nordia. They're bigger, stronger, and better funded. If they conquer Delria, that means one unified nation under their rule."

Mionara exhaled sharply. "And one stable contract with the Agency."

"Bingo," Ragra said, tapping his temple. "The Agency wouldn't have to negotiate with two different countries anymore. One nation, one deal."

Taizen shook his head. "No way. There's no way the Agency is corrupt. They've kept the balance for years."

Ragra chuckled dryly. "Come on, Taizen. You've been out there, you've seen how things work. Who really benefits from a never-ending war? The Agency does. And if they had a hand in orchestrating this chaos, would you really be that surprised?"

Mionara sighed. "That's a wild theory, Ragra. You better keep that to yourself before you get yourself killed."

"I know," Ragra admitted. "That's why I don't know who I can trust anymore."

A brief silence filled the room.

Then, Ragra changed the subject. "Anyway, I've decided I want to join the Ranger Division."

Mionara raised an eyebrow. "Ranger Division? We don't even know how the divisions work yet."

Taizen nodded. "Yeah, no one's explained anything to us since we got back."

Ragra leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Of course, they didn't. They just threw you guys in here and expect you to figure it out yourselves." 

Ragra leaned back, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, listen up. The Agency is divided into several specialized divisions, each serving a different purpose. You don't just pick a division—you get selected based on your performance and abilities. Let me break it down for you."

He held up a finger. "First, Special Operations."

"This is the elite of the elite. Only top-performing agents get chosen for Special Ops. Unlike the other divisions, it's not a permanent squad. The lineup is always changing depending on the mission. When an extremely dangerous or high-priority job comes up, HQ handpicks a Special Ops team—usually five to ten agents—to handle it. If you want to be in this division, you better be on top of your game. One slip-up, and you won't make the cut."

Taizen nodded, already interested.

"Next, Rangers."

"This division is for long-range, deep-territory missions—far beyond normal assignments. If you get put in Rangers, you'll be spending most of your time away from HQ, traveling to the most remote, dangerous areas in the world. It's physically demanding, requiring extreme stamina and endurance. But it's also one of the most lucrative divisions. If you can handle the isolation and the long missions, the rewards are worth it."

Mionara tilted his head. "You're trying to join this one, right?"

Ragra smirked. "Yeah. The idea of being out in the world, away from all this corruption… it sounds better than staying here."

"Then there's the Hunters."

"This division is all about assassinations and capturing high-value targets. Anyone can be assigned an assassination mission, but the Hunters are the specialists. If HQ decides you've got the skills—precision, speed, ruthlessness—you might get recruited. It's one of the most respected divisions, but also one of the deadliest. You slip up, and you're the one who ends up dead."

Mionara crossed his arms. "Sounds brutal."

Ragra shrugged. "It is. But so is this life."

"Lastly, Intelligence."

"This division is for stealth and recon specialists. Not everyone here is a frontline fighter. Intelligence agents gather information, infiltrate enemy bases, and report back to HQ. You don't have to be the strongest to join, but you do need to be smart, fast, and extremely discreet. If you get caught behind enemy lines, no one's coming to save you."

Taizen glanced at Mionara. "Seems like we're best suited for Special Ops."

Mionara nodded. "Yeah. That's where we belong."

Ragra chuckled. "Figured as much. But be careful. The stronger you get, the more they'll use you."

His words lingered in the air for a moment. None of them fully trusted the Agency, but for now, this was their path.