Shadows of Resolve

Victor joined our squadron. The moment he stepped over the threshold, Sane jumped back and armed himself—as if he could sense the strongest presence in the room. But he didn't attack Victor. Yet I still couldn’t fathom why he had been attacking me at night.

Victor was a quiet enigma. After arriving, he said nothing to anyone; he simply stared blankly at everyone before retreating to his bed. I longed to gauge his power—to understand just how much stronger he was than the other fighters I had faced. But I couldn’t challenge him; my body was still recovering from Gwendowson’s brutal attacks.

After dinner, we turned in to sleep. I was in the main sleeping quater chatting with Yukio and Zack, when Suddenly, William addressed Victor.

“I heard you’re the general’s son. Connections might have gotten you here, but they won’t help you survive this place!”

William’s remark was sudden, unrestrained and delivered without fear. And Loid Anderson wasn’t far behind.

“In our time, connections are the only way to survive. They can even make the vilest criminals appear angelic.”

“So that’s why the crime rate is so high,” Zack interjected dryly. “Everyone’s booking flights these days.”

Victor’s eyes turned sharp on William. “Your theories on how I got here are irrelevant. I read the files on every one of you before I arrived—the hotheaded detective who assaults civilians, the two knuckleheads who can’t even keep still long enough to cause trouble.”

He then swept his disdainful glare toward Diego. “And you—the puffed-up mathematician. All of you are either pushovers or rejected fools. Puppets masquerading as heroes! Perhaps you should focus on strengthening your own connections instead of questioning mine. Special class X—what a ridiculous joke!”

“It seems the serum has inflated you just like it did Gwendowson." William’s voice grew even firmer. "I advise you not to underestimate an enemy before the battle begins.” His anger resonated with the rest of the squad, each of us nursing our own scars.

I went back to sleep in the Captains quarters. The day passed, and though both Victor and I possessed great power, Sane made no effort to target him as he had me. Only our squadron knew he was a Neogen. Ever since the Gwendowson incident, many at the base began to avoid me—some feared my power, while others were eager to seize it for themselves.

Two days later, one evening after dinner in the dining hall, Victor sat alone at a corner table. He reminded me of the isolation I’d once felt at school—a sense of alienation that might have consumed me at Fort Vanguard if not for Yukio’s steady support. Determined to help him—and to repay the favor owed to the general for giving me a chance to fight the aliens—I decided to reach out.

Together with Yukio, Dmitry, and Zack, I approached Victor’s table.

“Victor, do you mind if we join you?”

“Yes,” he replied curtly. Even so, we sat down.

“We couldn’t help but notice you’re not much for talking—or for making friends,” I began. “But if we’re going to survive the training and even more so the coming war, we need to trust one another and have each other’s backs.”

Despite our hopeful words, the conversation soon devolved into discussions about military survival—a concept that often eluded me. Except for the Gwendowson incident, despite my two-plus months at Fort Vanguard, I had never witnessed such palpable tension.

“It’s natural for the weak to get trampled on. Besides, I won’t be here for long anyway,” Victor said coolly.

“What do you mean?” Yukio asked, puzzled. “I thought you were the general’s son.”

“So? You all think I cheated my way in. Everyone will be satisfied once I leave,” he countered.

I tried to lift his spirits. “It doesn’t matter how you got here—your presence makes you part of our family. We’re fighting together to save our world. Think of the lives we can protect. Let that drive you to become stronger and persevere through this!”

Zack added, “You need to decide this for yourself. It doesn’t matter if you’re the general’s son or not—we’re being turned into monsters to battle other monsters. The risks are endless, and soon they’ll come. Not everyone will survive this war intact.”

“Listen, I don’t care what you all think. I told you, I won’t stay here for long!” Victor insisted, his decision set in stone.

That’s when Dmitry stepped in. “Many are born favored, but only a few survive life’s game. When I look at you, I see a burning desire that’s carried you this far. Use it to persevere and gain the strength you need to achieve your goals. Pust’ govoryat tvoi kulaki!”

Yukio then shared his thoughts. “For generations, my family has served as private security for powerful households. From a young age, I was taught to risk everything to protect those above me. My father and my order brother trained me relentlessly. This sword is more than just a weapon—it’s a tool that defines who I am. Its blunt side reminds me of those I must safeguard, and its sharp edge of the evil I must vanquish. You need to find your own tool and let it guide you. Only then will you…”

“Alright, alright, I get it!” Victor finally relented. “I’ll… I’ll try to get along. We good?”

We thought he’d grasped our message, even if it was vague. But for Victor, the world was painted in stark black and white—a perspective hardened by the tumult of his past, where forming bonds was seen as a liability to his ambitions.

That night, as is customary after taking the serum, sleep eluded me. Accustomed to staying awake around the clock, I slipped outside at 2 a.m. to watch the stars without my blackout glasses. The soothing darkness and the steady shimmer of the stars brought me a rare comfort. And then, I saw him—Victor, stealthily leaving the barracks.

Curious, I followed him. He headed for a gated entrance, guarded by two watchful sentries. In the blink of an eye, he subdued them both and opened the gate using a key pass pilfered from one guard’s pocket.

“Where are you going?” I stopped him in his tracks.

“It’s none of your business,” he replied coolly.

“If one of us gets in trouble, we’re all punished. Didn’t you read the rules about invading everyone’s privacy?”

“My girlfriend was kidnapped by ruthless, deranged scumbags. I’m going to get her back!”

“Your girlfriend was kidnapped? If that’s true, why not tell the General? You’re his only son—he’ll help you.”

“You don’t understand my father. He won’t help me with this. Now go back to sleep and forget you saw me!”

“Wait!” I protested.

Looking at his face, I realized he was telling the truth. Perhaps it was time I used my strength for a greater cause. “Let me help. You may be super strong, but you’re still new to this. If you can’t control your power, you’ll end up hurting innocent people. Let me come with you.”

“Then let us aid you as well,” Yukio interjected, appearing alongside Dmitry. “There’s no shame in using our strength for the sake of others—even if it brings us the captain’s wrath.”

“Are you sure about this? There are countless ways this could go wrong,” I cautioned.

Dmitry grinned. “Trouble is a sign of life. Let’s face it together with unwavering valor.”

They were both ready to step in mud

“Whatever! Just don’t get in my way,” Victor conceded.

After that, the four of us set off on our mission to rescue Victor’s girlfriend. Or so we thought!