7. Squad

The dim light of the room flickered, and one by one, the recruits began to stir from their restless sleep. The air felt heavy, as if the weight of the trials still clung to them, their bodies aching from the brutality of what they'd endured. The room, once filled with the tension of competition and uncertainty, now felt eerily silent—save for the soft breathing of the team as they came to.

Raizo's eyes snapped open, his sharp, detached gaze immediately scanning the room. The events of the trial played through his mind like a distant memory—vivid, painful, but somehow, distant. He didn't remember much, just flashes of combat, the sensation of being pushed to the brink. It wasn't the first time he'd been through something like this, but this time… there was something different. He didn't know what it was yet.

The others were beginning to move. Kaiori groaned as she shifted, rubbing her temples, the exhaustion of the trials still evident in her posture. Her eyes locked with Raizo's for a moment, but she quickly looked away, not one for lingering glances.

"Damn it…" Kaiori muttered under her breath, her voice rough from the strain of the trials.

Shiori, the ever-serene squad leader, rose gracefully from the cot beside the others. Her movements were precise, a reflection of the calmness she carried, despite the chaos that had just passed. She surveyed the group with a quiet intensity, her gaze flicking over each of them as she noted the exhaustion in their faces. The trials had taken their toll, but now it was time for the next phase.

"Everyone, gather your things. We're heading to the headquarters," Shiori said, her tone firm but not unkind.

Raizo pushed himself off the bed, his joints aching as he moved. He didn't have much—nothing more than the clothes on his back and a few lingering thoughts of the pain he'd endured. He didn't know what awaited him at the headquarters, but it was the next step. That was all that mattered. The future didn't concern him, just the immediate next move.

As the team slowly gathered their belongings, the door creaked open, and Ren stepped into the room. His face was drawn, his usual sense of uncertainty etched deeper today. His presence was subtle, but the weight of his own turmoil was undeniable.

"We ready?" Ren asked quietly, his voice betraying the fatigue that still lingered from the trial.

"Almost," Shiori replied, giving him a brief nod. "We need to wait for Jin. He's in surgery."

Raizo didn't speak up. The thought of Jin, the one who had fought alongside them but had been severed from the battle by injury, was an afterthought to him. Raizo had no attachment to Jin. The others were still processing the trials, but to Raizo, it was just another day. Another fight, another mission. He was just here because it was the path ahead.

Kaiori, however, broke the silence with a sharp exhale, standing up from her cot. "Surgery, huh? Poor bastard didn't even make it out of that damn thing in one piece."

Shiori gave her a pointed look but said nothing. It was clear that Kaiori's emotions, however rough around the edges, were not entirely without empathy. Everyone was affected by the trials—just in different ways.

At the same time, on the other side of the room , Kenji and Hannah were handling their own matters. Unlike the Fractured, they had not participated in the trials, but had instead been observing and waiting. While the Fractured rested and regrouped, the two humans stood apart from the rest, navigating their own concerns.

Kenji stood silently, his eyes distant as he gazed out the window, reflecting on the trials—not from experience, but from what he had seen. He wasn't injured. He hadn't been thrown into the chaos like the others. But the aftermath still weighed on him in its own way.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Kenji, you good?" Hannah asked, her voice soft but with an edge of concern.

Kenji turned, his gaze hardening for a moment before it softened. "Yeah. Just… a lot to process. You?"

Hannah shrugged, the exhaustion of the trials still visible in her eyes. "Same. Just glad it's over. For now."

They shared a quiet moment before Kenji nodded, taking a step toward the door. "Come on. We're heading to the headquarters soon."

As they made their way toward the transport, the mood between them was a stark contrast to the Fractured. Kenji and Hannah knew the next phase of this journey was just as uncertain, but they also knew that their role in this world wasn't going to be about combat or abilities. It was about surviving, for now.

The Fractured team was already beginning to assemble by the time Kenji and Hannah arrived, and Shiori quickly gave the signal to leave.

Raizo, silent and motionless, took his place at the back of the group as they made their way to the transport that would take them to the headquarters. With Jin still in surgery, the team was incomplete, but they would move forward.

The transport vehicle was nothing special—a nondescript military carrier built for utility over comfort. The steady hum of the engine was a low vibration beneath them, a quiet reminder that their journey wasn't over yet. Reinforced metal walls enclosed the group, sealing them off from the outside world, giving no hint of where they were headed. There were no windows. No distractions. Just the cold, pulsing reminder that they were being taken somewhere they didn't choose.

The squad sat in silence, each one trapped in their own thoughts.

Raizo leaned against the side of the vehicle, arms crossed, his gaze locked on the opposite wall. His body still ached from the trial, but the deeper pain—the kind rooted in uncertainty—was harder to ignore. The Rift energy now inside him was unfamiliar, like something coiled beneath the surface, waiting to surge. He hadn't asked for it. But now that it was there, he couldn't get rid of it.

Beside him, Kenji sat with his hands resting on his knees, eyes fixed forward. He didn't speak, but his presence was calm, focused. He had a certain quiet resilience, as if he'd already seen more than the others could guess. His friend, Hannah, sat next to him, arms folded tightly, eyes narrowed as she took in the people around her. She didn't trust the silence. Or the people. Or the system that dragged them all into this.

Kaiori, restless as ever, couldn't stay still. She bounced her knee rapidly, her jaw tight, eyes darting between everyone else. "We're almost there, right?" she asked, her voice clipped, not expecting an answer.

Ren sat farther back in the vehicle, a quiet shadow to the rest. His face gave away nothing, but there was a strange hollowness in his eyes. Like someone who was present physically, but still searching for something inside himself. His memories were fragments. His identity, a blur. But he was here. And maybe that was enough—for now.

At the front, Shiori sat with her back straight, posture flawless, eyes sharp. She didn't fidget. She didn't waver. She didn't look tired, though she had every right to be. The trial was behind them, but her thoughts were already racing ahead—calculating, assessing. She knew the next step would be even harder. But she didn't flinch. She couldn't.

Ten minutes had passed

The vehicle slowed.

The engine shifted pitch, and a second later the rear doors opened with a sharp hiss. Bright light spilled in, along with a gust of cool, sterile air. Outside, the group was met with a vast facility—gray walls, steel structures, reinforced towers lining the horizon. It was clean, organized, and alive with purpose. Military personnel moved with precision across the grounds, and the scent of metal, oil, and sterilized equipment filled the air.

"Everyone out," a voice barked from beyond the doors.

Shiori stood first, stepping out with controlled grace. The rest followed—Raizo, Kenji, Hannah, Kaiori, Ren—each adjusting to the sudden change in atmosphere. The landing pad was surrounded by walkways and sensor posts, all leading toward the main compound.

As they moved, the world around them unfolded. To the right, they passed a training field where soldiers were sparring in tight, calculated patterns. Some fired energy rifles, their shots absorbed by containment barriers. Others practiced close-quarters combat, their movements sharp and efficient. A few wore armored suits, likely enhanced by Rift technology, while distant booms echoed from what sounded like live combat simulations.

A towering wall on the left displayed feeds of Rift incidents—brief flashes of creatures, anomalies, surging energy spikes. The kind of threats they'd only begun to understand.

Kenji glanced at the screens. "They're not wasting time," he muttered.

"No," Hannah replied, eyes scanning the uniformed soldiers. "And neither should we."

The squad was herded through a series of gates and checkpoints, eventually entering the facility itself. The interior was no less severe than the outside—concrete walls, brushed metal doors, and overhead lights that hummed faintly. The deeper they walked, the more impersonal it became. Medical staff in white coats crossed paths with fully armored guards. Surveillance cameras tracked their every move.

Raizo noticed the way everyone moved—disciplined, distant. There was no small talk. No warmth. This place wasn't built for comfort. It was built to control chaos.

After several turns through narrow corridors, a soldier finally stopped and faced them.

"You'll be assigned rooms here in the east wing," he said. "You'll be notified when further instructions are available. Two to a room."

Shiori nodded, her tone firm. "Understood." She turned to face the group, her gaze sweeping over them with practiced efficiency.

"Raizo and Kaiori, you'll share a room," she said, her voice clear. "Kenji and Hannah, the second room. Ren, your room is with Jin, but since he's not here, you'll be alone for now. I'll take the last room, by myself. Is that understood?"

The group nodded.

As the soldier moved on, Kaiori scowled at the door nearest her. "These feel more like cages than rooms."

Shiori didn't turn to look. "Doesn't matter. We're not here to get comfortable."

The squad slowly filtered into their assigned quarters. The rooms were small—just enough for two beds, a sink, and a desk. No windows. No color. Just the essentials. A place to exist. Not to live.

Raizo and Kaiori were assigned to the first room. Raizo entered, standing in the doorway for a long moment before finally stepping inside. He let himself lean against the wall, eyes heavy, head low. He didn't know what was next. He didn't even know what he was anymore. But he was still breathing. Still standing. That would have to be enough.

Kenji and Hannah shared the second room. Kenji stood silently by the door while Hannah paced, her fingers brushing the cold wall.

"They're watching us," she said quietly.

Kenji nodded. "Let them. We'll see what they do next."

Ren and Jin were assigned the third room. Since Jin wasn't present, Ren sat on the edge of his bed, back straight, eyes on the floor. The stillness didn't bother him. He welcomed it. It was the only thing he understood.

At the end of the hall, Shiori entered her own room. Alone. The quiet seemed almost unnatural to her, but she didn't let it show. She had no time for weakness. She had to keep her focus.

Kaiori lay back on her bed with a groan, staring at the ceiling. "This place gives me the creeps," she muttered.

No one answered.

Because deep down, they all felt it—the weight of this place, the suffocating quiet, and the sense that something bigger was coming. The trial may have ended.

But this…

This was where the real test was.