After receiving the mandate from General Dosh, five people, including Cain, planned not to attend training the next day. They decided to meet somewhere to discuss the division of roles and other matters.
Cain, who was stepping out of his private room, froze when Abel, who was already dressed in casual clothes: a blue t-shirt with beige trousers, stood before him showing his bright smile.
He scowled as if seeing the sun appear behind Abel like an angelic halo.
"Good morning, Cain."
"Morning, you're fast."
"Ahaha, I feel restless knowing we don't have to train today."
The gray-haired boy raised the corner of his lips, then closed his room door and gestured to Abel to leave the dormitory together. Cain peeked to his side, finding that the blonde boy seemed to have fully recovered.
"How is your body condition?"
Abel looked to the left, instantly widening his lips broadly.
"Um, it's better now."
Normally, Abel's condition should have required several days to recover. However, thanks to the mutation potential he possessed beyond limits.
After an overnight rest, Cain was sure that Abel could follow General Dosh's brutal regimen without problem.
Walking in the silent corridor where the cadets' rooms were lined up. The atmosphere there felt empty; only Abel's chirping sound echoed, giving the place a nuance of life.
Soon after, they stepped out of the building and paused when they saw a pair of girls in casual clothes standing not far from the entrance.
"So you guys are here, that's fast."
Cain blurted those words as he strolled closer to the girls. However, the statement was not well received by Rika, who frowned.
Rika stepped forward as she pressed a finger on Cain's chest. A blue vein was twitching in her temple.
"Hey, what do you mean by that, huh? You think we women who take a long time to get ready will waste time. Huh, are you genuinely thinking like that!?"
Early this morning, the gray-haired boy let out a heavy sigh. Thinking why every word that came out of his mouth instead became a spark that ignited the embers in the red-haired girl's eyes.
Cain swept his gaze up and down, paying attention to Rika's casual clothing, which included a black t-shirt tucked inside a red jacket. For the lower half, she wore short pants, black stockings, and sneakers (training shoes).
On the other hand, Louise appeared in a neat style, wearing a white dress that gave an elegant, comfortable impression thanks to its short sleeves.
"Good morning, Louise."
"Eh? G-Good morning."
Louise widened her eyes, her breath choked as she became Cain's escape target to avoid Rika's anger.
"Hey, answer me, Cain!"
"Okay, that's enough for both of you."
Abel cut in between them, and Louise, who caught the signal from Abel, pulled Rika back and made the red girl snort unhappily.
Rika's attitude made Cain avert his gaze, trying to escape from the reality he was in.
'Will this group be alright?'
At the same time, the door of the men's dormitory opened, revealing Peter, wearing a tight white T-shirt that highlighted his trained physique and navy jeans that reinforced his image as a handsome man.
"Sorry, I seem to be late."
Cain faced Peter, moved to Abel, then to the girls. They all had above-average looks and style. He looked down to see his own usual clothing, a combination of a black t-shirt and white shorts, which somehow made his vision teary.
'Well, I'm aware, I'm average so what?'
…
The five of them chose to move to a park near the dormitory area surrounded by small trees. A straight path covered with paving blocks led them to an open area.
Cain glanced to the right, seeing a stretch of green carpet with a towering tree. Its canopy casts a soft shadow underneath.
"Let's discuss it there."
He turned his upper body and saw the other four nodding.
'Well, at least this place is far from people's attention.'
Why did they choose to discuss in an open place like this?
First of all, Abel suggested discussing it in the cafeteria, but seeing the sparkle in his eyes, Cain refused. He was aware of the greed that plastered across Abel's face, and the other possibility was that their voices would echo in the empty place.
Although it was a safe place, the boy was somehow reluctant that their voices would be heard by the android staying there.
Then, for the dormitory, unfortunately, there were strict rules that did not allow someone of the opposite sex to enter a dormitory that was not their own. If someone broke the rules, they would be sanctioned regardless of the reason.
The arena was too far for them; in the library, they were afraid of making noise; and finally, they chose an open place like this.
Well, the primary reason was that Cain wanted to blend with nature from time to time.
Cain sat under the tree, followed by the others, forming a small circle. As if welcoming their arrival. The world exhaled fresh air that filled Cain's lungs, making his thoughts clear. The leaves rustled, singing a nature song that soothed the heart.
"Alright, let's begin. By the way, you read the details of the document yesterday, right?"
Abel, Peter, Rika, and Louise nodded. They wore calm expressions, yet Cain could see a burning ember in their eyes.
"Good, first of all, who wants to nominate themselves as team leader?"
No one raised their hand; instead, the other four people, besides Cain, exchanged glances and pointed their index fingers at him simultaneously.
That made him choke. Cain raised both hands and opened his mouth.
"Woah, wait a minute, aren't you guys too quick to decide, this concerns..."
"Kay, stop being indecisive like Abel and take the role already."
Rika sharply interrupted Cain's conversation. Her red eyes glared at the gray-haired boy because of his attitude, which was mirroring Abel's naivety. She and Cain stared at each other for a few seconds until finally, the boy let out a short sigh and said.
"Alright, I will take command."
The girl and the other three exchanged glances. They agreed on Cain's appointment as their leader, judging from his track record and great analytical ability.
"Since I am already the leader. Rika, I nominate you as the vice."
"Ha!?"
Rika froze, her blank eyes staring at Cain, who was grinning as if he had won against her.
"W-Wait a minute, should we!?"
"Okay, no one objects, right?"
This time, it was Cain who asked for confirmation from the other comrades. They all agreed by shaking their heads vertically, causing the red-haired girl to bite her lips in frustration.
The five of them continued the discussion, including what formation they would use in battle, thoroughly understanding each other's abilities and not forgetting to set a schedule for meals and rest if the expedition would take several days.
The discussion went peacefully. Cain, who was appointed leader, demonstrated his capabilities and sought to consider other opinions before making a final decision.
Time passed quickly as the golden sun hung right above their heads, coupled with the rising temperature.
"Alright, let's end this meeting for now. Before that."
Cain raised his smartwatch and started sending friend invitations to the others.
'This is a bit late, but better than never.'
He looked at his other comrades exchanging contact information, and a smile formed on his face.
His black pupils shrank when he saw a blue light flickering in the corner of his sight. Then, it turned into a blue panel that blocked his vision.
[Null sequence update is complete]
[NULL SEQUENCE v0.1.0 → v0.2.0]
[Adjusting the accumulating Integrity point.]
[Skill Scan Protocol Proficiency up!]
[Level 1 → 2]
…
[Integrity Sync Complete.]
[Integrity 100% Reached]
> Level Up → 15.0
> Parameters boosted → All stats +1
> Bonus Point 5!
…
The boy raised his hand to cover his quivering lips, unable to contain the grin that appeared on his face.
'Finally.'
***
A few days passed. Cain and his squad used the days allotted by the higher-ups to discuss and train together, familiarizing themselves with the formation they had created.
They also didn't forget to give each other feedback when there were shortcomings in themselves.
After preparing everything for days, today, the five of them were standing in front of the cadet training gate, waiting for the time before the vehicle that would take them to see the outside world arrived.
"The door will be opened."
The rumble of the thick gate opening drowned out the guard's voice. Cain raised his foot to step over the last barrier. He saw a grey Humvee along with General Dosh and his assistant standing, waiting for their arrival.
"Good morning, cadets. Are you ready to undergo your first mission?"
The gray-haired boy turned back, observing the expression on his comrades' faces. The four nodded solemnly, their eyes blazing with a determination that ignited the spark in their leader's heart.
Cain grinned and turned to face General Dosh, he answered.
"Never better!"