The atmosphere in the main PILAR headquarters' equipment room gradually settled after the junior Agents finished choosing their primary weapons.
"Okay, Agents!" exclaimed Agent Thomas, his voice echoing in the room filled with advanced gear.
"Now it's time for you to get better acquainted with your new friends." He pointed to the equipment they were holding.
"Today, you will train for three hours before departing for the mission at a later date. Practice according to your respective roles. Team C and Team D, combine your skills."
The Mentor Agents then separated, leading the juniors to specialized training rooms for their roles. Agent Fuad signaled to Dhoost and Kazuha.
"Shadows, follow me."
Dhoost nodded obediently, his eyes still amazed by the complexity of this new headquarters. The corridors they passed through were wider, the walls emitted a blue light, and every few meters there were holographic panels displaying real-time data. It was very different from the dark, dusty underground warehouse headquarters.
The Shadow training room left Dhoost impressed. It was spacious, lined with dark gray floors and walls capable of projecting various environments, from urban settings to wilderness. Artificial shadows moved dynamically, creating near-perfect simulations of real conditions.
"Show me some of your basic skills," commanded Agent Fuad in a flat voice.
Agent Fuad initiated the simulation. A holographic field materialized around them. Dhoost tried attacking with the two knives sheathed at his sides towards a target, but his movements were far from perfect.
Kazuha, on the other hand, moved agilely. Her katana sliced through the robots blocking her path.
"Don't just stand there, Dhoost!" reprimanded Agent Fuad. "You're not a rock. Move! Shadows are alive, not just walls. Kazuha, your speed is good, but your attack patterns are predictable."
They trained non-stop for hours. Dhoost learned to compensate for his equipment's weaknesses by moving faster and utilizing the natural shadows projected by the walls. Kazuha learned to read Dhoost's defensive tendencies and use them for surprise attacks.
After three hours, Agent Fuad stopped the session. "Enough. You may rest. I will collect your training data." He left, leaving the two of them in the now silent room.
Dhoost watched Kazuha cleaning her katana. His breath was still ragged. This was his chance.
"Kazuha," he began, trying to sound casual. "I'm curious... how did you and Minji initially become partners in PILAR Asia?"
Kazuha raised an eyebrow, then smiled faintly. "We met at the PILAR Academy branch in Seoul. During the elimination tests, we kept defeating each other." She chuckled softly. "I was once beaten by one of Minji's dirty tricks, and vice versa. Our mentor said we were both stubborn and couldn't work alone. So, we were paired as a team."
Dhoost smiled. "And how did you become fluent in Indonesian?"
"Intensive training for a full year," Kazuha answered. "PILAR sent us to Maykarta for cultural and language observation. We've been living here for three years before the tournament was held."
Dhoost nodded, then the question that had been bothering him came out. "Has... anything unpleasant ever happened during your time here?"
Kazuha's face suddenly turned serious. She glanced at Dhoost before answering. "Yes. Three years ago, there was a major fire at the Maynginap Hotel where we were staying. We were still trainees then." Her voice was low.
"Minji was trapped on the 12th floor.The fire suppression system failed, and the evacuation routes were blocked by smoke. We almost lost her."
Dhoost froze. His heart pounded wildly. "Then... how did she survive?"
"I don't know,"said Kazuha, shaking her head.
"The rescue team found her unconscious near the emergency stairs on the 10th floor,wrapped in a wet blanket. They said a teenager carried her down, but that person disappeared before they could ask for identification." She looked at Dhoost meaningfully.
"Minji is still curious about who saved her. It's one of the reasons she wanted to return to Maykarta."
Dhoost fell silent. His mind drifted to the past. He remembered a night three years ago. Thick smoke. Panicked screams. He saw a girl his age staggering in a dark corridor. Without thinking, he carried her, wrapped her in a wet blanket he took from a room, and brought her down the smoke-filled emergency stairs. He remembered leaving her in a safe spot before the authorities arrived, then leaving because he was afraid of being scolded by his parents who had forbidden him from going to the fire area.
Was that Minji?
But he had no proof. Only a vague memory that might be wrong. He looked at Kazuha, who was checking her shuriken again, and decided to keep it to himself... for now.
"Are you okay?" asked Kazuha, breaking the silence.
"Yes," Dhoost answered quickly. "I'm just... tired."
Kazuha nodded, but her eyes said she knew Dhoost was hiding something. However, she chose not to pry too much. It wasn't her business, at least not for now.
The Shadow training room door opened with a soft mechanical sound. Agent Fuad entered, his expression as flat as usual. In his hand, a tablet emitted holographic data visualizing Dhoost and Kazuha's performance.
"You've made progress," he stated, his voice flat but sounding satisfied.
"Kazuha, your attack speed increased by 18%. Dhoost, your attack accuracy also improved, but your attack patterns still need more variation." He then turned off his tablet.
"Training for today is over. Dhoost, you may go home now, store your equipment and suit at the headquarters. Kazuha, return to the Trainee Mess."
Dhoost nodded, taking off his Shadow suit with mixed feelings. Tired, but satisfied he could survive the intensive training with Kazuha. He stored his Suit and equipment in the special locker provided, while Kazuha had already turned and slipped away like a shadow.
In the central room, Dhoost found his friends in various conditions.
Radhif looked like he'd been tortured. He was leaning against the wall, still panting, his clothes soaked with sweat and a small scratch on his cheek.
"Dhif, did you just finish training or a war? Your face is even scraped!" quipped Nadhyfa, who looked fresh and energetic, only her hair was slightly messy.
Ryn, who was carefully counting the remaining cigarettes in his pack, looked the neatest. There was only a speck of dust on his arm.
"Anchors are meant to be sacrificial lambs, Nad. We're just the backup, that's why it's more relaxed."
Nadhyfa then looked at Dhoost as he approached with a blank face.
"Dhoost! What's wrong? You look confused."
Dhoost sighed." Just tired, Nad. Training with Kazuha feels like being herded by wolves."
"You're hiding something!" Nadhyfa exclaimed, homing in on Dhoost's awkward expression.
"Did Agent Fuad scold you? Or... don't tell me you're thinking about that Korean girl again?"
Dhoost sighed even deeper. He knew Nadhyfa wouldn't stop interrogating him. "Later, I'll tell you at home."
"Really? Okay, okay! Promise!" Nadhyfa immediately perked up, like a child promised a toy.
They then walked along the corridor towards the lobby where they first arrived. A problem arose when they got there. The slide hole they used to enter could be used to get into the headquarters. There were no visible buttons, doors, or panels to get out.
"How do we get out of here?" asked the still-exhausted Radhif. "We can't possibly climb back up through this slide, right?"
"Don't tell me we have to wait here until tomorrow?" complained Nadhyfa, starting to worry.
Suddenly, a very familiar voice sounded from right behind them.
"Excuse me for a moment."
All five of them jumped in surprise simultaneously. Agent Fuad stood directly behind them, hands locked behind his back, his face still expressionless. No one had heard him approach.
With a quick movement, Agent Fuad pressed a hidden panel on the wall near the slide hole. A section of the wall that had looked plain transformed into a smooth elevator door.
"Be careful on your way," he said briefly.
They entered the narrow elevator. Once the door closed, the elevator moved upward smoothly. The journey lasted only about ten seconds before stopping. Instead of the door opening, the elevator's roof opened slowly, revealing the night sky of Maykarta and fresh air.
One by one, they climbed out. Dhoost was last, and as soon as he stepped onto the ground, the elevator roof closed perfectly. The hole they used as an exit had now transformed into an ordinary round manhole cover next to the public toilet in Maykarta Square. There was no trace of the secret headquarters beneath their feet, just as they had suspected.
They looked at each other, equally silent in shared astonishment. Nadhyfa finally broke the silence.
"So... what time is it now?"
TO BE CONTINUED...