Chapter 41: Analysis

The streets were alive with neon lights and endless chatter, but one sign stood out among them all—the glowing red characters of a Chinese restaurant. An Avenger vehicle slowly came to a stop outside. The door hissed open, and Leon Black stepped out.

At the nearby outdoor tables, the squad members instantly stood at attention.

"Captain!" they greeted in unison.

Leon gave a casual wave, his tone calm but commanding. "Sit. We'll talk over food."

His presence alone put everyone at ease, his voice carrying that quiet weight of authority.

The group settled back into their seats as Leon turned toward the restaurant and called out, "Uncle Mo! Bring us a fish!"

From inside came a hearty voice: "On it!"

Leon strolled over to the drink stand, grabbed a few cans of beer from the display fridge, and tossed them to his team. He cracked open one for himself and took a small sip, relishing the crisp taste.

"Start from the beginning," he said simply, eyes focused on Ethan Cross.

Ethan nodded, took a breath, and began recounting the details—how they took on the priest's commission, their search efforts, the mission itself, and finally the ambush. He left nothing out.

Leon listened quietly, sipping his beer, never interrupting. His eyes, though calm, absorbed every word.

When Arasaka Yuto finally finished, Leon placed his beer down with a soft thud and leaned forward.

"Now… can any of you guess who we're dealing with?"

The question hung in the air like smoke.

The team glanced at each other uneasily.

"Someone willing to abduct a high-ranking Arasaka operative isn't some back-alley gang," Arasaka Yuto said cautiously. "Either they've got deep connections… or they've gone insane."

"Anyone who can kidnap Lily Cross in under two minutes, even with preparation, is no joke," Ethan added. "They're elite. Coordinated. That narrows the list."

Leon nodded faintly. "And who fits the profile?"

"Two teams," Yuto answered. "Biotech and Militech."

Leon raised an eyebrow.

"Biotech makes sense," Yuto continued. "We did steal something valuable from them. Retaliation is expected. Taking one of us is just bait."

"And Militech?" Leon asked.

"That's more complicated," Ethan said. "I think we messed up—maybe followed the wrong target. Or someone tipped them off. Either way, they tracked us and used Lily to control our response."

Leon was silent for a moment, then gave a slow nod.

"Good," he said. "You're thinking. That's a start."

Everyone understood the implication. Lily was likely still alive—because she was useful. But that didn't make the situation any less dangerous.

This was no small side quest. This was the main storyline, and they'd triggered the next arc.

Leon picked up his chopsticks and started eating as the steaming fish arrived. "Mike and I will handle the next phase. You two rest."

Ethan and Yuto fell silent. Again. Left behind.

It was starting to sting.

This time, Lily had explained what this mission meant—to prove they belonged on the team. And yet, they'd failed. Again.

Was it because they were weak? Because Leon didn't trust them? Because they were just… extras?

During normal operations, Leon and Lena Fox shouldered the majority of the work. Missions had always seemed too easy. In hindsight, it wasn't that the missions were simple—it was that they had never been tested.

This ambush had revealed every weakness.

They hadn't even guessed who their enemy was until Leon laid it out in front of them. No wonder he looked disappointed.

A long silence followed. Then Yuto finally spoke, his tone low but firm.

"…We want in."

Leon paused mid-bite. His eyes sharpened instantly, like cold steel. "I said—rest."

Squad Seventeen had few rules, but one of them was ironclad: obey orders without question.

Leon didn't care about their personal lives—drinking, gambling, crime, even murder didn't matter to him as long as it didn't affect the mission.

But defy an order… and the consequences were always the same.

Many had tried before. Arrogant members. Secret rebels. Loose cannons. All of them met the same fate—dead, usually during a mission gone wrong.

It was almost like a curse. Or maybe Leon just didn't save the ones who disobeyed.

The squad was supposed to have seven members. It never had more than five.

"Captain," Ethan spoke up again, voice wavering but resolute. "This time it's Lily. How can we just sit back and rest?"

Leon's face darkened. His chopsticks slammed down on the table with a sharp thwack.

He wasn't tall. He wasn't muscular. But in that moment, he radiated an overwhelming pressure, like a wild beast ready to strike.

"I said, rest," he growled, voice low and frigid.

Yuto's hand twitched near the holster at his hip. His fingers wrapped around the grip. A reflex. A warning.

Ethan shifted his stance, feet shoulder-width apart, lowering his center of gravity.

They were ready—for what, even they weren't sure.

Leon let out a cold laugh. "Rebelling now, are we?"

It was almost nostalgic. He'd seen this scene before—comrades insisting on taking a stand, claiming loyalty, fighting for a cause… all to be used up and discarded like pawns.

"Captain, we're not defying you!" Yuto said, breathing hard. "But Lily's our teammate. Our friend. We can't just do nothing!"

Ethan joined in. "We want to earn our place. We don't want to be carried anymore. We want to stand beside you—not behind."

Leon's eyes narrowed, unreadable.

Seconds passed. The air grew heavier.

Then… something shifted.

The tension in Leon's shoulders loosened. The fire in his gaze cooled. A smile tugged at the edge of his lips—small, but unmistakable.

"…Good," he said finally. "That's what I wanted to hear."

Yuto and Ethan blinked.

"…Huh?"

Leon leaned back, picking up his chopsticks again. "I'm satisfied."

Both men looked at each other in confusion.

What just happened?

Off to the side, Mike Taylor, who had been silently watching this unfold, let out a chuckle.

He'd seen this coming. This was the test.

Leon wasn't just analyzing data or tracking leads—he was watching them. Measuring their resolve.

The team finally had more than one or two real soldiers.

Leon's tone returned to its usual calm. "Eat first. Then we move."

Mike nodded and resumed eating without another word.

Ethan and Yuto sat down slowly, still stunned but with a growing sense of pride blooming in their chests.

They had passed. They were in.

The next mission would be a real one.

They tore into their food with renewed energy. Every bite was fuel. Every minute was a countdown.

Finally, as the table emptied and the last of the sauce was wiped clean with bread, Leon stood up and brushed his hands clean with a napkin.

"Alright, boys," he said. "Let's get to work."

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

pàtreøn (Gk31)