The morning didn't feel like morning.
It felt like a continuation.
---
The cafeteria was loud.
Trays clattered.
Voices overlapped.
But under it all—tension.
---
Kael sat with Lyra beside him.
Ryden across.
Mira next to him.
Two Hybrids with them—quiet, watching, present.
---
Lyra held a cup again.
Warm.
Steady.
---
Ryden leaned back, chewing.
"…I still can't believe yesterday."
---
Mira didn't look up.
"…believe it."
---
Kael stayed silent.
---
"…they're stronger than us," Ryden added.
---
"…for now," Mira replied.
---
A pause.
---
Then—
*SLAM.*
---
A hand hit the table.
Hard.
---
Everyone looked up.
---
Three of the other selected stood there.
---
At the front—
A tall boy.
Sharp jaw.
Cold eyes.
---
Drake Morrow.
---
Behind him—
Two others.
Smirking.
Watching.
---
"…so this is where you're hiding," Drake said.
---
Ryden frowned.
"…what do you want?"
---
Drake ignored him.
His eyes went to Mira.
---
"…you really think you're something?"
---
Mira kept eating.
Didn't look at him.
---
"…you rejected him," Drake continued.
"…do you even know who you turned down?"
---
Ryden scoffed.
"…yeah, some annoying guy."
---
One of Drake's friends stepped forward.
"…watch your mouth."
---
Kael's gaze lifted slowly.
---
"…say what you came to say."
---
Drake smiled faintly.
---
"…simple."
---
He leaned forward slightly.
---
"…don't act like you're above your level."
---
Mira finally looked up.
---
"…done?"
---
Silence.
---
Drake's smile tightened.
---
"…you'll regret it."
---
He straightened.
---
"…all of you."
---
Then—
An alarm cut through everything.
---
*BEEEEEEP.*
---
The cafeteria froze.
---
"Emergency alert. D2 manifestation confirmed."
---
Screens lit up instantly.
---
A shopping mall.
Destroyed.
People running.
---
"…all active candidates report for deployment immediately."
---
Ryden stood up.
Grinning.
"…finally."
---
Mira pushed her chair back.
"…focus."
---
Kael turned to Lyra.
---
"…stay close."
---
She nodded.
---
They moved.
---
Fast.
---
No hesitation.
---
---
The transport doors opened.
---
The city outside was already in chaos.
---
Smoke rising.
Sirens screaming.
---
The mall stood ahead.
Broken.
Shattered glass everywhere.
---
"…teams will split," an instructor's voice echoed.
"…combat units engage."
"…support units evacuate civilians."
---
Some stepped forward.
Others held back.
---
Kael.
Mira.
Ryden.
Drake.
And a few others—
Advanced.
---
Lyra stayed with the support group.
---
Her Hybrid close behind.
---
"…be careful," she said softly.
---
Kael nodded once.
---
Then—
They entered.
---
---
The inside was worse.
---
Lights flickering.
Shadows stretching.
---
Silence—
Then screams.
---
"…this way!" someone shouted.
---
Support teams moved.
Pulling civilians.
Guiding them out.
---
Lyra moved carefully.
Helping.
Calm.
---
"…it's okay," she said to a child.
"…you're safe."
---
But she felt it.
---
Something deeper inside.
---
Watching.
---
---
Elsewhere—
The fighters advanced.
---
Kael's steps slowed.
---
"…it's here."
---
The air changed.
---
Heavy.
Wrong.
---
Then—
It appeared.
---
The D2.
---
Massive.
Twisted.
---
No voice.
---
No warning.
---
It attacked.
---
Instant.
---
A strike slammed into the floor.
---
*BOOM.*
---
The ground shattered.
---
"MOVE!" Mira shouted.
---
They split.
---
Ryden moved first.
---
Lightning exploded.
---
*CRACK.*
---
Direct hit.
---
The D2 staggered—
Then moved again.
---
Faster.
---
Drake stepped in.
---
Power surged from him.
---
Heavy.
Crushing.
---
He struck—
---
The D2 blocked.
---
Countered.
---
He slid back slightly.
---
"…tch."
---
Kael stepped forward.
---
Void flickered.
---
"…don't rush it."
---
Mira moved.
---
Shadows wrapped around the D2's legs.
---
Holding it—
---
For a second.
---
"Now!" she shouted.
---
Ryden struck again.
---
Lightning hit—
---
The D2 broke free.
---
It slammed the ground—
---
Shockwave.
---
Everyone was thrown back.
---
Kael steadied himself.
---
"…it's adapting too fast."
---
Drake smirked.
---
"…then don't give it time."
---
He charged again.
---
Full force.
---
Kael followed.
---
Void surged.
---
They hit it together.
---
Impact.
---
The D2 staggered—
---
But didn't fall.
---
Its body shifted.
---
Stronger.
Sharper.
---
Then—
It moved.
---
Too fast.
---
It grabbed one of the fighters—
---
"HEY—!"
---
Before it could crush—
---
*CRACK.*
---
A shadow blade cut through its arm.
---
Mira.
---
"…stay focused!"
---
The Hybrid behind her moved too.
---
Dark energy reinforced her attack.
---
The D2 recoiled.
---
Ryden grinned.
---
"…nice!"
---
Lightning surged again.
---
This time—
More controlled.
---
He struck its core.
---
Kael stepped in.
---
Void concentrated.
---
Focused.
---
"…end it."
---
He released it.
---
*BOOM.*
---
The impact tore through the D2.
---
Cracks spread.
---
Its body—
Collapsed.
---
Shattered.
---
Gone.
---
Silence.
---
Heavy.
---
"…we did it," someone whispered.
---
Ryden laughed.
---
"…that was insane."
---
Mira exhaled slowly.
---
"…it wasn't easy."
---
Kael didn't speak.
---
His eyes stayed on where it fell.
---
Because something—
Felt off.
---
---
Outside—
The support team finished evacuating.
---
Lyra stood still.
---
Looking at the mall.
---
Her Hybrid beside her.
---
"…it's getting worse," it said quietly.
---
Lyra nodded.
---
"…I know."
---
---
The teams regrouped.
---
Tired.
Bruised.
---
Drake walked past them.
---
"…not bad."
---
He glanced at Mira.
---
"…but still not enough."
---
Mira didn't respond.
---
Ryden scoffed.
---
"…he talks too much."
---
Kael turned away.
---
Because his mind—
Was elsewhere.
---
The fight was over.
But the feeling—
Wasn't.
Something bigger was coming.
And this—
Was only the beginning.