Training.

Ritsuka, Anis, Rapi and Marian were gathered in the Training room, as they looked at each other.

Then, Ingrid Walked in and looked at the Group. "I am Ingrid. Your couch for today. Welcome to the Simulation Room. This is where I will be putting your communication skills to the test".

Ritsuka looked at them as he spoke. "So, um what is happening".

Rapi sighed as she spoke. "If I have to guess, she is here to test Us more like Test you and see how good you are as a rookie".

Ritsuka spoke in his head. "Great, it's Chaldea Morning Drill when Olga was in Charge Again".

Anis took a good look at her as she spoke. "Isn't that the CEO of Elysion? What is she doing here?".

Marian chuckled as she spoke. "Her company owns this place, and it is a hobby of her".

Ingrid looked at them as she spoke, annoyed. "No Chit-Chat while I am taking".

She then calmed herself down as he continued. "Next you will face a battle simulation in the Simulation Room, I can tell you. You better not be lax and think it is just a Simulation; the Simulation Room is the Arc pride and joy. Not only can it run all types of f Simulations, but even Virtual Rapture, Tactics will be needed to handle this, Got it".

Ritsuka looked at her as he spoke mentally. "Should I scan her with my Ai Chip? I mean, what can go Wrong?".

Buzz!

[NAME: Marian RACE: Human STATUS: Alive EMOTIONAL STATE: Mood swings

HP: 100% STRK: 130 SPD: 150 STAMINA: 140 DURABILITY: 100 INT: 230

Note: She is responsible for running Elysion and the mass production of Nikke made by Sed company

Ps: She might be on that time of the Mood swings]

Ritsuka spoke in his mind. "I did not need to know the last part"

Ingrid clapped her hands, the sound echoing through the training room. "Alright, simulation start!"

The lights in the room dimmed slightly as the floor beneath them shifted and shimmered, transforming into a mock battlefield—ruined buildings, debris-strewn streets, and the distant echo of simulated Rapture growls.

Rapi immediately went into a crouched stance, her weapon materializing from her back. "We'll take point. Ritsuka, stay behind and analyze the situation before making a move."

Ritsuka nodded. "Got it."

He whispered in his mind, "AI Chip, give me a tactical scan of the battlefield."

Buzz!

[Scanning...]

[3 Hostiles detected. Simulated Rapture models: Ground Type. Weakness: Armor-piercing rounds. Estimated threat level: C-class.]

[Suggested action: Let Marian draw aggro, while Rapi and Anis flank. Host may use ranged fire or offer strategic support.]

Ritsuka blinked. "...Did that just analyze everything in seconds? Alright then."

"On your left!" Marian shouted, launching herself into the fray with surprising speed, her gun blazing. She moved like a seasoned veteran, weaving through simulated blasts with the ease of someone who's done this thousands of times.

Anis whooped. "She's still got it!"

Ritsuka quickly relayed, "Two flanking from the rear! Rapi, Anis, cover Marian's blind spot!"

"On it!" Rapi moved in sync with Anis, and together they pinned down the flankers. Ritsuka, meanwhile, took a calculated shot with one of the borrowed simulation rifles—and scored a direct hit.

Buzz!

[Enemy eliminated. Tactical efficiency: 85%. Good shot, Host.]

Ingrid watched silently, her arms crossed and her expression unreadable. As the final enemy went down, the simulation faded and the room returned to its original state.

She finally spoke. "Hmm… Not bad for a first-timer. Your communication wasn't perfect, but you responded well under pressure."

Ritsuka gave a half-smile. "Thanks, I guess."

"Don't get cocky," Ingrid added with a faint smirk. "Tomorrow's sim will be harder. This was a warm-up."

Anis groaned. "You call that a warm-up?!"

Ritsuka whispered to himself, "Yep… just like Olga's training drills…"

Meanwhile, from the Camera, Andersen was watching in his Office as he narrowed his eyes. "He is good, almost like he has been through Multiple Battles".

Shifty sighed as she Spoke. "Great, now add that to the list of things we are suspicious about this Guy".

Andersen leaned back in his chair, his eyes still focused on the screen. The footage replayed silently—Ritsuka's precision callouts, his quick scan of the battlefield, his calm under pressure.

"He's too composed," Andersen muttered. "No hesitation, no panic. That's not how rookies act."

Shifty crossed her arms, projecting her holographic form beside his desk. "Exactly. First, he survives a Rapture ambush. Then, the AI scans show zero background data. Now he handles a simulation like a veteran field commander. It's all too clean."

Andersen rubbed his chin. "We've seen Commanders crack under simulation pressure, even those trained for months. But he was giving orders."

Shifty added, a trace of sarcasm in her tone, "Not to mention, Marian and Ingrid both seem to be watching him closely… and not in the 'just suspicious' way."

Andersen glanced at her. "Keep monitoring. If he does anything out of line, I want to know before he pulls something."

Shifty sighed. "I'll add it to the file. The 'Who the hell is this guy?' folder."

Andersen turned back to the screen one last time. "Either he's exactly what we need… or exactly what we should be afraid of."

Shifty looked at him, as she spoke. "So, what now?".

Andersen spoke looking at him. "After tomorrow's training, I am sending him on a Mission: keep out the All Seeing Central Government's eyes as long as possible".

Shifty looked at him as she spoke. "Why?".

Andersen leaned forward, his fingers steepled under his chin as he stared at the static image of Ritsuka on the paused monitor.

"Because," he said slowly, "the Central Government isn't like us. They don't ask questions—they assume answers. If they see a man with no records, no family, and a military skill set that outclasses most Commanders we've seen, they'll label him a threat before we can understand what he is."

Shifty frowned. "So you're protecting him?"

Andersen shook his head. "No. I'm buying us time. Time to figure out whether we've been handed a miracle... or a ticking time bomb."

He glanced at Shifty. "Keep an eye on him. Monitor his comms, his vitals, his behaviour—everything. But don't interfere, and don't let the Government sniff around him. The last thing we need is them getting involved."

Shifty nodded reluctantly. "Understood... but we better be ready, because if they do find out—"

"—then this place becomes a warzone," Andersen finished grimly.

Back with Ritsuka, as the training was over, he stopped as he saw something.

Buzz!

[Host Speed has gone up by one, current Speed 40 →41]

Ritsuka spoke in his mind. "Yeah, how exactly do the stats work Ai chip?".

Buzz!

[As has been stated Host, 1 = 10, your stat points represent your physical growth, with the Growth in that particular area of the Body, increasing the Points, daily training might improve it, or doing a periocular activity

Note: Every 10 points roughly doubles the performance in that area. So going from 40 → 41 is a ~2.5% improvement but over time these gains compound.]

Ritsuka mentally nodded. "So it's not just flat numbers… it's exponential scaling. That means at higher levels, even small increases will mean a lot in a fight."

Buzz!

[Correct. For example:

A normal human averages between 10–15 in most stats.

You, currently with Speed at 41, are operating at approximately 4x the reaction and movement capability of a peak athlete.

This is further amplified when combined with your tactical experience.]

Ritsuka glanced around to make sure no one noticed his brief pause, then followed the others out of the Simulation Room. He spoke mentally again, "Any way to accelerate growth outside of training?"

Buzz!

[Specialized items, combat experience, and emotional spikes may accelerate stat growth. High-stress battles or near-death experiences yield the highest stat gains.]

Ritsuka sighed. "Of course, it's either train like a lunatic or almost die."

Ingrid stood in front of the group, arms crossed, as the simulation ended. Her eyes scanned each of them—then narrowed at Ritsuka.

Ingrid: "Not bad… for someone with no official background or military training."

Ritsuka scratched the back of his head, chuckling nervously. "Beginner's luck?"

Anis leaned closer and muttered under her breath, "More like suspicious luck…"

Ingrid ignored the side comment and continued. "Your reactions are faster than expected. You adapted to the Rapture formations in under two seconds. That's… abnormal."

Rapi stepped forward, shielding Ritsuka slightly. "Does it matter if he can get the job done?"

Ingrid raised an eyebrow but didn't challenge it. Instead, she walked over to the console, tapping a few keys.

A hologram appeared, showing heat maps and reaction times from the simulation.

Ingrid: "Marian and Anis, steady. Rapi is flawless, as always. Ritsuka… above average. But here—"

She pointed to a sharp spike in data.

"—This is where you dodged a blast before the simulation even rendered the threat. Either you have incredible intuition… or you've fought something like this before."

Ritsuka: "Say nothing. Deflect. Think fast."

He gave a sheepish grin. "Guess I'm just lucky."

Ingrid didn't smile.

Instead, she turned and began walking toward the exit. "Tomorrow, you're going out. A real mission. You'll be joining another team. Your skills will be tested… properly."

She paused at the door.

"And Ritsuka… luck doesn't save lives out there. Tactics do."

With that, she left.

Ritsuka let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Anis whistled. "Man, she doesn't like you."

Rapi looked at him. "She doesn't trust you yet. You'll have to earn it."

Ritsuka nodded slowly. "Then I guess I better be ready."

Ingrid then spoke. "Also, Ritsuka one more thing".

Ritsuka turned around as he was thrown, and he caught it as he saw it. "ID Card".

Marian looked at the ID card as she spoke. "This is a very well makes Fake".

Ingrid looked at them as she spoke. "Correction, the Id is real; the Information outside of the Birthday and Height, are fake, made by Andersen, also this".

Ritsuka caught another one, this was a folder, as he looked at her. "Make documents".

Ingrid looked at him as she spoke. "Papers real, Information is Fake".

Ritsuka looked down at the ID card in his hand. The photo was his, crisp and official-looking. Name: Ritsuka Fujimaru. Role: Commander Trainee. Birthday: Completely wrong. Height: Off by a good few centimetres.

Then he glanced at the folder. Inside were papers—transfer documents, prior "battle experience" logs, and psych evaluations, all stamped and signed.

Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "So this is my official story now?"

Ingrid nodded, arms folded. "You don't exist in our system. That's dangerous. If the Central Government starts poking around, they'll want answers. These documents give them enough to be satisfied, at least for now."

Marian leaned closer, flipping through a few pages. "Fake or not… this is a high-level forgery. Only Andersen has this kind of clearance."

Anis gave a low whistle. "Man's gambling on you, huh?"

Ritsuka looked up at Ingrid. "Why go this far to protect me?"

Ingrid didn't answer right away. Her eyes were cold, calculating.

"Because Andersen wants to see what you are. If you're an asset… or a threat."

Then she turned and walked out, her coat flowing behind her.

Rapi stepped beside Ritsuka. "Let's make sure we stay in the 'asset' category."

Ritsuka nodded, gripping the ID tightly. "Yeah… let's."

Anis then looked at him as she spoke. "So, Commander, what are you gonna do?".

Ritsuka looked at her as he spoke. "Get a Coffee or something".

Marian looked at Ritsuka as she spoke. "Should we come with Commands".

Ritsuka looked at the girls as he spoke. "Yeah, no need, I know the layout".

Rapi looked at him as she spoke. "Just don't get lost".

Ritsuka chuckled as he spoke. "I won't, plus I got money, funds Andersen gave me yesterday".

Ritsuka then walked out and started to make his way to the coffee shop, which was Ark's standard shop; it was odd that the Ark had a place like a futuristic Starbucks.

You would think they would be more focused on Running the Military, but you could also guess the fact they wanted Moral of the People to be high, as that would lead to more Commanders leading the Nikke.

So he made his way to the shop, opened the door and walked. He showed his badge, and now he could cut the line, but that would be seen as rude to normal people.

His files may have said Commander, but he was not even military-trained; he didn't feel right to take advantage. He kept walking, and after a while, he arrived; he ordered a normal "Iced Matcha Latte with extra cream", and after waiting for a bit, he took it.

"Thanks". He thanked the barista and remembers doing a part-time job in high school as he paid.

Ritsuka decided to sit near a table and drink his head when saw a girl complaining, she was a short young Woman, who was 4 foot and 8 inches, she looked a bit Korean, she had black hair and wearing a revealing outfit which was a purple skirt and white dress with a white coat over it.

[Insert image of Syuen]

From what Ritsuka could see, and was complaining about something, he does Remember the workers saying something along the lines of them not having much milk for the day. "Oh, well. I guess I didn't help by ordering my drink as well".

As Ritsuka sipped his iced matcha latte, he casually observed the petite girl throwing a minor tantrum at the counter.

"I specifically asked for extra milk! Are you seriously telling me you've run out?" the girl huffed, hands on her hips. Her voice was high-pitched and demanding, drawing the attention of a few other customers nearby.

The barista looked nervous. "I-I'm sorry, Miss Syuen, we only received a partial shipment this morning. The military requisition took priority—"

"Military this, military that! Ugh! Even the Commanders drink my milk!" she grumbled, clearly oblivious—or uncaring—about how ridiculous that sounded.

Then a drink was put in her face, as she looked at Ritsuka, as she took it, Ritsuka just looked at her as he didn't say anything, he didn't know her and he just didn't want the people to deal with this or the poor worker

"Here".

She took it, as Ritsuka just left the store, ready to find a different coffee shop, not knowing the domino effects he set up for the Future.

As Ritsuka exited the shop, the door sliding shut behind him with a soft hiss, he took a long sip from the straw of his now-missing matcha latte… only to realize halfway through the motion that it was no longer in his hand.

He looked down at his empty fingers, blinked, and sighed. "Right. Gave it away…"

Behind him, Syuen stared at the cup in her hand, slowly lowering it after taking a hesitant sip. Her eyes trailed after the boy who had simply handed her his drink without a word, not seeking attention or favour. Just… giving.

"…Huh."

She glanced down at the latte again, then at the nervous barista who was still apologizing, and waved them off absentmindedly. "Forget it. Cancel my complaint."

The barista blinked, stunned. "W-Wait, what?"

"I got what I needed," she said, sipping again as she turned and walked off, eyes still tracing where Ritsuka had vanished.

Outside, Ritsuka wandered through the Ark's commerce district, the dim artificial sunlight above humming as it cast sterile warmth. He wasn't particularly upset about losing the drink—he'd survived on worse before—but something about the girl's reaction bothered him.

"…Was that necessary?" he muttered.

Unbeknownst to him, Syuen was already pulling up his ID on her terminal, lips curled into a thoughtful smirk. "Ritsuka Fujimaru… huh? New commander, Just graduated and he is polite. Interesting."

She tapped her chin. "Guess I'll be seeing more of you, Commander."

To be continued

Hope people like this Ch and give me power stones and enjoy