Several weeks after the tumultuous events of that night, morning was still young within the headquarters of the Research Team. Nine young members sat gathered around a long wooden table. The light of oil lamps cast long, wavering shadows across the walls—a soft contrast to the sharp, pristine lines of District Air.

  It was the first time Zack and Eli had been here, a world utterly different from the raw chaos of District Fire. Zack felt uneasy in the ordered space. Celia sat upright, her face a mask of determination. Eli remained motionless, his eyes as empty as the ocean floor, as though his thoughts were drifting far away.

  Natasha rose and moved to the head of the table.

  “Alright,” she began, her voice clear and composed. “This is the first time all of you are present together. For those who haven’t met them yet, these are our three newest recruits: Zack, Eli, and Celia. Some of you already know them. Today, you’ve been gathered for joint training, and Tony will arrive shortly with a special guest to explain our new mission.”

  A mix of nerves and excitement surged through Zack. He glanced at Celia, who caught Thomas’s eye and gave a faint nod.

  A small, slender girl rose from her seat, her movements surprisingly quick and precise. Before Zack could blink, she was standing in front of him. She reached out, pressed her fingers briefly against his bicep, then leaned in and took a quick, almost imperceptible sniff near his neck.

  Startled by the sudden contact, Zack recoiled.

  “Huh—what are you doing?”

  The girl—Lizzy—ignored him entirely and returned to her seat, her gaze sweeping coolly over the three newcomers.

  “What are their ranks?” she asked Natasha, as though nothing else mattered.

  “Eli is A-rank,” Natasha replied.

  A wave of admiration rippled through the group. Whispered reactions filled the room—Wow… That’s insane… So cool.

  Natasha continued, “Celia falls between B- and A-rank. Zack is C-rank.”

  The words struck Zack like a blow to the stomach. Shame and a sharp, burning fury surged through him.

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  A C-rank?

  He had defeated a demon—one stronger than himself. How could his rank be so low? He glanced at Celia and Eli, already regarded with respect and awe. Beneath the table, his fists clenched. The dream he had carried for so long—to wipe out demons and become a hero—suddenly felt painfully distant.

  The protest burst from him before he could stop it.

  “A C-rank? How is that even possible?”

  A heavy silence fell over the room. The whispers died. All eyes turned to him. The tension thickened, palpable.

  Then, just as the silence became suffocating, the heavy door flew open with a thunderous bang.

  Every head turned.

  Tony stood in the doorway—and beside him, with quiet, smoldering anger in her eyes, stood a familiar face.

  Zack shot to his feet, his frustration over his rank instantly drowned by sudden joy.

  “GINA!” he shouted, a wide smile breaking across his face. “You’re okay!”

  He hurried to her and pulled her into an embrace. Celia stepped forward as well, greeting her with a soft, relieved expression.

  But Gina’s posture was rigid, her mouth set in a hard line. She had missed Zack—yet she could not conceal the disappointment simmering beneath her gaze. He had left the WDF. Left her. Without a word.

  She returned the hug stiffly, though a flicker of deep gratitude flashed in her eyes. Then she gently pulled away and met Eli’s gaze.

  “Thank you,” she said softly, her voice quiet but heavy with meaning.

  Eli merely nodded, his expression unreadable.

  “Silence.” Tony’s voice cut through the moment like a blade. “Sit down.”

  The sharp authority in his tone brought immediate stillness. An icy hush settled over the room as they resumed their seats, the air thick with unspoken tension.

  Tony’s gaze swept across them, grave and pressed for time.

  “We don’t have time for a sentimental reunion,” he said. “Several missions require immediate execution. They are too important to delay.”

  He began with the first.

  “The reason Gina is here is not for a visit. We are entering a collaboration with the WDF.”

  The group exchanged curious glances. A collaboration with the WDF? Zack felt a flicker of hope—and unease. Would that mean venturing beyond the Wall again? Was Gina truly recovered?

  Gina stepped forward. Her voice sliced cleanly through the silence.

  “Benny… found something.”

  She let the words hang, scanning their tense faces.

  “People. Alive. Outside the Wall.”

  A shockwave rippled through the room.

  “People outside the Wall?”

  “There’s life out there?”

  “Other cities?”

  The questions erupted all at once.

  For a fleeting instant, something flared in Eli’s eyes—pure shock. It vanished just as quickly, his face settling back into its usual stillness.

  Only Tony noticed.

  “Gina, Natasha, Kevin, Thomas, and Eli,” Tony continued without hesitation. “You will report to Benny and investigate. This discovery could alter history itself.”

  They nodded, rose, and left the room without another word.

  Six members remained.

  Tony turned to the others.

  “For the next mission, I require a scout and a researcher.” His gaze moved deliberately from face to face. “James as scout. Lori as researcher. And Zack—”

  He paused.

  “You will work under my direct command to uncover the truth. The truth behind the demons. We have intercepted signals pointing toward their origin.”

  The words struck Zack like thunder.

  His mission. His dream. The chance to destroy the demons was suddenly within reach. His anger over his rank dissolved, replaced by a fierce and burning resolve.

  Tony gestured toward the door.

  “You three. Wait for me outside.”

  They stood and moved toward the exit.

  Just before they stepped out, Tony issued one final command.

  “Lizzy, Remy—you will escort Celia to Lucius. He wants her transferred to the Royals.”

  Celia froze.

  The calm composure she had worn all this time fractured—just slightly. Her eyes met Zack’s, and within them flickered a quiet fear he had never seen before.

  This was no mere assignment.

  It was destiny tightening its grip.