The Elite Hall wasn't grand in the way the Venusian palace had been. There were no useless banners or useless gold-plated doors. This place was purely functional: stark obsidian walls, sharp-angled light panels, and the constant, low hum of internal shielding. At the far end, centered like an altar, stood a massive platform wrapped entirely in thick glass. It was a combat simulation room, powered by Earth's tech but boosted with a deep planetary core sync.
Hana Jin could feel the power humming under her combat boots. Her bright blonde hair was pulled back tight, but her magenta eyes, the only obvious sign of her non-native origin, were fixed forward. She felt the energy surge of the Sovereign Protocol under her feet.
Queen Emica walked beside her, her hands clasped behind her back, her posture a silent challenge.
"Try not to murder anyone during the introductions, Jin," the Queen said, her voice dry.
"No promises," Hana replied, matching the Queen's detached tone. "It depends on their efficiency."
The reinforced doors ahead slid open with a soft hydraulic hiss.
Inside the large, minimalist space, three other cadets were already waiting.
The first was tall and heavily built, with silver-blond hair tied neatly in a loose knot. He had twin, wickedly sharp Steel Katanas sheathed across his back, their hilts gleaming under the angled light. He didn't shift a muscle when Hana entered; he simply watched, his expression calm and utterly impenetrable. His posture was perfect—balanced and centered, with absolutely no wasted motion.
Kotaro Sakata. Blade Sentinel. Class: Vanguard-Hybrid. SYNC: 67%.
The second cadet was sprawled carelessly on a chrome bench, with large welding goggles pushed up onto his forehead. He was chewing idly on what looked like a stripped tech wire. His boots were unlaced, and his bulky gloves, wired for Plasma Control, sparked faintly with exposed wiring. He grinned when he saw her, a wide, slightly manic look.
"Yo," Itsuki Kido said, pushing himself up. "You the scary one they wouldn't tell us anything about? The one that crashed into a fucking mountain and then asked for a sword?"
Itsuki Kido. Storm Hacker. Class: Caster-Artillery Tech. SYNC: 63%. Hana categorized him as 'Noise.'
The third one was leaning against the obsidian wall, her arms crossed in an aggressive X. She had short, sharp hair dyed an angry violet that perfectly matched the paint job on the small, spherical Violet Drone that orbited her shoulder. Her uniform sleeves were rolled up past her elbows, showcasing lean muscle. She raised an eyebrow at Hana, a look of pure, cynical dismissal.
"Another emo transfer?" Chinami Arai said in a dry, unimpressed voice. "Great. We're collecting the whole set of dark and mysterious brooding types. This unit is gonna be a social nightmare."
Chinami Arai. Gravity Witch. Class: Controller-Zonecaster. SYNC: 69%.
Hana didn't respond to any of them. She simply stepped fully into the room and let the reinforced door shut behind her with a definitive hiss. The twin sheaths containing her Black-Light Blades, a gift from Emica, knocked softly against her lower back.
"This is Hana Jin," Emica announced to the group. "She is classified as Void Sabress class. She specializes in phase-locked short-range combat using her twin blades. Her current SYNC Ratio is 74%."
The number hit the room like a physical blow.
Kotaro blinked. Itsuki's jaw dropped. Chinami pushed herself off the wall.
"No way in hell," Itsuki whispered. "Seventy-four? Is she secretly Emica's bastard kid? That's broken."
"Did she cheat the Sovereign Protocol?" Chinami muttered. "No human should hit 74% without being Level 50."
"She did not cheat," Emica said. "You three are the highest-SYNC non-natives we have. Jin is higher. You are all survivors of Protocol trauma, which makes you valuable. You are Squad 7."
She pointed to the platform wrapped in glass. "The sim room is ready. Your teamwork, synergy, and judgment will be tested. Fail this trial, and you are reassigned to basic patrol duties. You will lose your Elite status."
The four young warriors filed into the sterile, glass-enclosed space. The environment changed instantly, replaced by the visual density of a jungle ruin, thick with mist and the smell of ozone.
A display flashed to life in Hana's left eye: [Simulation Mode: Synergy Test - Difficulty: Advanced].
A digital voice echoed through the dome: "Combatants ready. Begin."
The jungle immediately roared. Six metallic shadow beasts rushed from the shadows.
Itsuki Kido immediately dove sideways, rolling behind a shattered pillar, his gauntlets already channeling energy. "I'm on it! Locking plasma towers to the main entrance! Just need ten seconds, don't die yet, you pathetic meat shields!"
Chinami Arai spread both hands wide. Her Violet Drone lit up and slammed into the ground, sending powerful gravity pulses radiating outward, slowing the lead wave of enemies. "Controller deployed! Jin, stay out of the purple field, unless you want to spend the rest of the day flirting with the floor! You won't be that efficient if you're stuck in a gravity well."
Kotaro Sakata spun into a ready stance, drawing his twin Steel Katanas. He charged the center of the first wave, cutting two beasts down with clean, economical motions. "Tighten formation! We need a central anchor! Arai, hold the line!"
Hana didn't move.
She stood in the middle, absorbing the chaos.
Then, without a word, she vanished.
Her display flashed: Skill: Blink-Step activated. Energy consumption: High.
She reappeared instantly, suspended in the air directly above the last group, drawing her twin Black-Light Blades. They weren't solid metal; they were pure, shimmering black light, the phase-locked edge visible only to Protocol users.
Skill: Void Carve - Executed.
She dropped into the group. Three rapid strikes. Two beasts dissolved into static. The third was hit by the Void Carve's secondary effect: stunned and locked in place.
Itsuki whistled from behind his pillar, firing a burst of Plasma from his gauntlet at a flanking enemy. "Holy shit, she's actually teleporting. That's not a Caster skill, that's just cheap!"
Kotaro immediately covered her unexpected flank, blocking a retaliatory attack with a cross-slash of his Katanas. "Good timing, Jin! Use the Controller field!"
Chinami flicked her wrist, tightening the gravity well on the stunned enemy, making sure her drone kept the creature pinned. "I swear, if you blink-step into my field just to see if I'd crush you, I'll never forgive myself for saving you, Jin. Don't test me."
Hana ignored the thinly veiled compliment and threat. She used her Blink-Step again, a single meter directly behind the final, frozen beast. She drove one of her Black-Light Blades cleanly through its simulated head, ending the threat.
The jungle froze. The artificial lighting snapped back on. The dome powered down.
[Simulation Complete. Time: 04:11]
Rating: Tier S
Damage Taken: Minimal (Kido: 2%)
SYNC Stability: 98% (Squad Average)
Back in the briefing room, sweat clung to their foreheads.
Kotaro gave Hana a quiet, professional nod. "Your execution was perfect, Jin. You compensated for our position instantly."
Hana adjusted her collar, dismissive. "You leave too many openings when you commit to the front strike, Sakata. I had to cover your back twice. It's inefficient."
Chinami groaned loudly. "Great. We've got a blade nerd with no personality and a superiority complex the size of that crashed Venusian pod."
"She's got a personality," Itsuki laughed, retrieving his lost tech wire and chewing on it again. "It's just 'murder,' and I respect the commitment. It's way better than pretending to be buddies."
"I'm not your friend," Hana stated, looking directly at Itsuki.
"Not yet," Itsuki grinned, completely unfazed. "Arai here probably wants to be, though. She's definitely checking out your power output, Jin. And your magenta eyes."
Chinami glared at Itsuki, then gave Hana a slow, deliberate smirk that was both challenging and appreciative. She stepped closer to Hana, invading her space slightly. "I'm checking her out, Kido. She's fast enough to be interesting. And I like that she doesn't waste energy arguing. It's hot, Jin. Don't worry. I'm all about respecting personal space, but if you ever want to test the Controller's gravity field one-on-one, let me know. Could be fun."
Hana simply stared back, processing the statement as either a tactical distraction or genuine interest. She logged it as a potential liability.
Chinami rolled her violet eyes, but her gaze lingered on Hana's rigid posture. "Ugh. This is going to be a nightmare assignment, but at least there's a good view when Jin moves."
Queen Emica watched from behind the glass, her arms folded tightly.
"She'll survive the training," Emica said quietly to King Hiroshi, who was observing beside her.
Hiroshi nodded. "A 74% SYNC at Level 30. We're going to need that kind of ruthless power. We just need to keep her pointed at Venus."