Echoes of Emotions

The Mission Begins

The air in the briefing room was heavy. The recent battles had left the team exhausted, but one issue remained unsolved—Lathan. His deception had rattled them to their core, and now Kazuki and Leon were determined to uncover more about him.

"We need to stop being on the defensive," Kazuki said, arms crossed as he leaned against the table. "If we keep reacting to Lathan, he'll always be one step ahead. We need to track him, figure out his patterns, and find out what we're really up against."

Leon nodded. "I agree. If we can infiltrate an enemy outpost, we might get some real intel on how he operates. Maybe even something about his past."

Emjay considered their words before nodding. "Alright. You two go. But keep it quiet, and don't engage unless necessary. We can't afford to lose anyone."

With that, Kazuki and Leon geared up, their mission set. The two slipped into the night, making their way toward an enemy outpost rumored to store important documents.

Infiltrating the Enemy Outpost

The enemy's territory was darker than the night sky itself. Kazuki and Leon moved with careful precision, avoiding patrolling guards and staying in the shadows. Their goal was simple—get in, gather intel, and get out.

As they approached the facility, Leon placed a hand on Kazuki's shoulder. "We go in quiet. If we get spotted, we retreat. No unnecessary fights."

Kazuki smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just hope they're too busy to notice us."

Slipping through the defenses, they maneuvered through the corridors of the enemy base. The halls were lined with storage crates, and every corner held the potential for danger. Finally, they reached a secured room.

Leon teleported inside, unlocked the door from within, and Kazuki slipped through. They rummaged through the files, scanning for anything useful.

Kazuki's eyes locked onto a particular document labeled Project: Hollow Veil. He skimmed the contents, his expression hardening. "Leon… this is about Lathan."

Leon grabbed another document. "This too… It explains how he got his powers."

Before they could read further, a voice echoed through the room. "Looking for something?"

Kazuki and Leon turned sharply to see Yumi standing at the entrance, her expression unreadable.

A Confrontation with Yumi

Leon stepped forward cautiously. "Yumi… what are you doing here?"

She tilted her head. "I should ask you the same thing. But I already know, don't I? You're looking for answers."

Kazuki narrowed his eyes. "Why, Yumi? Why did you join them? What did the traitor offer you?"

Yumi exhaled, her fingers twitching slightly. "It's not about what he gave me… It's about what I lost."

Leon clenched his fists. "That's not an answer."

She sighed. "You wouldn't understand."

Leon took a step forward. "Then make us understand. You were part of Emjay's team once. You fought beside us. So why?"

Yumi's expression darkened. "Because Emjay's team was never really mine."

Kazuki and Leon exchanged glances before Yumi continued. "I was always… different. I never belonged, not really. When the traitor found me, he gave me something none of you ever could."

Leon's voice softened. "And what was that?"

She smiled bitterly. "Control."

Leon vs. Yumi

Without warning, Yumi raised her hand, and a wave of invisible energy pulsed through the air. Leon's chest tightened, and his mind clouded with emotions that weren't his own.

"She's manipulating emotions," Kazuki warned, stepping back.

Leon gritted his teeth. "Yeah… I noticed."

Yumi's power dug deep into his psyche, making his anger sharper, his sadness heavier. But Leon had fought through worse. With a teleport, he closed the distance, striking out at her with a knife. She dodged, countering with another wave of raw emotion, but Leon vanished before it could overwhelm him.

The fight was relentless. Leon teleported around her, using his unpredictability to stay one step ahead, but Yumi adjusted quickly, sending waves of fear, regret, and despair toward him. His movements grew sluggish, and doubt crept into his mind.

"You weren't always like this, Yumi," Leon said between heavy breaths. "You were different before. Even before Emjay's team."

She scoffed, but something in her eyes flickered. "You really want to know who I was? Fine."

Yumi's Past

Yumi took a slow breath before continuing. "Before the war, I was just a girl trying to survive. My loved ones barely noticed me. I was the quiet one, the forgotten one. Then… I discovered my power."

She took another step forward, and Leon prepared for an attack, but she didn't strike. Her eyes darkened as she recalled the memory.

"It happened when I was thirteen. My parents were fighting. Again. Screaming at each other about things I didn't understand, things I didn't care about. I was in the corner, like always, waiting for it to be over."

Her voice became distant, lost in the past. "That night, something changed. My mother was sobbing, my father was throwing things. I wanted it to stop. I wished, more than anything, that they would just… be happy."

She clenched her fists. "And then they were."

Leon frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know how it happened," Yumi admitted. "One moment, the house was filled with rage. The next, my parents were smiling. Laughing. My mother wiped her tears, my father held her hand. They acted like nothing had ever been wrong."

Leon's expression hardened. "You manipulated their emotions."

Yumi nodded. "At first, I thought it was a miracle. I thought maybe I had finally done something right. But then I realized it wasn't real. I had forced them to be happy. I had bent their emotions to my will."

She let out a hollow laugh. "The worst part? It didn't last. The moment I stopped focusing, the happiness faded, and they were back to screaming. But this time, they weren't just mad at each other—they were scared of me."

Leon's grip on his weapon tightened. "So that's how you found out."

Yumi's voice dropped to a whisper. "That was the first time I felt powerful. And the first time I realized emotions are nothing more than a weakness to be controlled."

She took a breath before continuing. "I left home not long after that. I wandered, trying to find a place where I could belong. But no one ever truly welcomed me. People always sensed something was off, even when I tried to hide what I could do."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "And that's when you met Emjay?"

Yumi nodded. "He found me in a rundown city, just another street kid trying to get by. But he didn't look at me like I was some freak. He offered me a place in his team, a purpose. I thought… maybe this time, I wouldn't be alone."

Leon watched her carefully. "And why did you leave?"

Yumi's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Because I never truly belonged. No matter how much I fought alongside you all, I knew deep down—I was different. And the traitor? He saw that. He gave me what Emjay never could."

The Final Moments

Leon knew there was no saving her. The Yumi they had once known was gone. This was someone else entirely.

Their fight resumed, Leon pushing himself to his limits. Yumi sent waves of emotion to disorient him, but he countered each time, teleporting unpredictably and keeping her off balance.

Finally, with a swift movement, Leon reappeared behind her, pressing his blade against her back.

She froze. "So this is it?"

Yumi's grip on her weapon weakened, her breathing ragged. She looked at Leon with an unreadable expression before speaking softly, "Leon... are they really your team?"

And in that moment of Leon's hesitation, Leon struck.

Yumi collapsed, her body hitting the floor as she exhaled one last breath.

Leon stood over her, his mind racing. He had killed enemies before, but this… this was different.

Kazuki placed a hand on his shoulder. "We need to go."

Leon nodded, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He had won the fight—but lost something far greater.

As they left the outpost, the documents on Lathan's past tucked securely in their bags, neither spoke a word. They had what they came for.

But at what cost?