CHAPTER 16: THE LAUGHING ONES

"Ren, last three bots headed your way," Sora’s voice cracked through the comms.

"Roger!"

Inside Squad 4’s simulation buildings in their basement, a dimly lit room with no windows was filled with tension. Three combat bots cornered Ren as their guns were aimed directly at him.

In a split second, bullets rained down like a storm, but Ren was already gone.

He leapt toward the ceiling, lightning crackling at his right foot, and came crashing down with a thunderous axe kick.

"Thunderfoot!"

The first bot shattered on impact. Before the others could adjust, Ren dropped low, dashing low through the floor with immense speed. Bullets passed over his head as he lunged forward and delivered a sharp right hook to the second bot sending it crashing against the wall.

Only one remained, standing at the center of the room.

Ren raised his index finger. A crackle of lightning formed in a split second. Then.....

BOOM!

A beam of lightning burst from his fingertip, piercing straight through the bot’s head and blasting a massive hole clean through the wall.

From a distance, Miko was watching via drone feed and whistled in awe. He’s improved so much in just two weeks.

Sora climbed up to the second floor and greeted Ren with a high five. Moments later, Kaela and Seth joined them, giving thumbs up.

"Alright, guys! Simulation complete. We’re really getting there!" Miko’s voice rang through the comms.

"I guess that Pulse Control Breathing really made a difference," Sora said, sheathing her two daggers. "And your hand to hand combat? Way sharper."

Ren chuckled. "Well, I hope you keep coaching me on that."

"B-b-but... I think his Drive Power just improved a ton," Kaela murmured.

"Yeah, no kidding. He did that with one finger too." Seth added, pointing to the massive hole in the wall.

Ren scratched his nape with a shy smile. "Guess we’ve all gotta keep pushing, huh?"

They cleaned up the basement, sharing short and casual conversations before heading upstairs for breakfast. After their training session, the squad gathered in the living room for lunch andrelaxed in front of the TV. With no current mission, they would hang out like this pretty often, and call it "Team Building".

"I just can’t believe how much free time we have. Not that I’m complaining, but it’s kinda making me uneasy," Miko muttered.

"Well, after uncovering something as serious as that Core Bleed, this peace does feel too good to be true," Seth added.

"Always stay sharp," Sora warned. "We’ll get a mission sooner or later. Until then, the best thing we can do is keep training."

Since they took down Drake. Things had been relatively peaceful, giving them much needed time to grow, both as individuals and as a team.

Squad 7, on the other hand, had their hands full defending their newly claimed turf in Ward 11. The fall of the Skullframes spread through Aetherpolis like wildfire, attracting other gangs eager to seize power and control over the ward. But with Shin Amano and Valen Cruz standing guard, their enemies didn’t stand a chance.

Meanwhile, the other Wardens had been focused on joint training sessions with allied gangs. Mei, Thorne, Rago, and Aeri led the sessions, working tirelessly to reinforce their forces. Kaien, along with Junia’s squad on the other hand, had been moving across wards to expand their influence and reach.

As for Ren, the last two weeks had been nothing but pure, relentless training. Mornings were spent with the team on coordinated drills. Afternoons were for one on one hand to hand combat sessions with Sora. And evenings were reserved for honing his Drive Core through Pulse Control Breathing.

And the results spoke for themselves. His Drive output had grown immensely in both speed and power. Thanks to Sora’s training, his movement had become sharper, fluid and refined even when using his ability.

Just when they thought the day would pass like any other, Sora’s phone rang, cutting through the idle chatter and drawing everyone’s eyes toward her.

She answered immediately.

"Yes?" she said, her voice composed. "I’ll inform them and wait for your arrival."

A few silent nods followed as she listened closely. "Roger. Safe travels, Captain," she concluded before ending the call.

The group watched her intently, anticipation was written across their faces.

"So...?" Miko leaned in, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"It was the Captain," Sora said, slipping her phone into her coat pocket. "She’ll be arriving later. We’ve been given a mission. We leave tonight."

Ren’s fists tightened as a quiet smile formed at the corner of his lips.

Finally. The only true way to measure my growth... is through battle. This is perfect timing.

The squad spent the rest of the day doing nothing else but wait for Aeri. They were filled with excitement and curiosity as they wondered what their captain had in store for them.

As expected, Aeri arrived shortly after dinner.

The moment she stepped through the door, she glanced at the squad paused. It had only been two weeks since she last saw them. Most of their communication was limited to brief phone calls while she handled her duties as a Warden. But now, standing in front of them, she felt it clearly.

They’ve grown stronger. Just as I expected. She thought with a smile.

"As you already know, it’s your turn."

The squad immediately gathered around her, their eyes were sharp and ready for orders.

"There’s been a report from one of our allied gangs," Aeri began, her arms folded. "One of their scouts stumbled upon something strange, possibly connected to either the Core Bleed technique or the gang using it. Even worse, there may be ties leading to the Shikkoku."

Sora stepped forward. "Which ward, Captain?"

"Ward 8," Aeri replied. "The ward is controlled by the Smileys. They’re lunatics. A self proclaimed cult that calls themselves ’Saints.’ But don’t be fooled. They are harbingers of chaos, violence, and destruction."

"So, you’re saying the Shikkoku might be controlling them?" Asked Ren.

"That’s the theory. Our informant reported seeing civilians bursting into uncontrollable laughter before violently exploding from unstable Drive Core energy."

Silence fell. For a few seconds, the squad was filled with thoughts inevitably directed to Ren who had once nearly suffered the same fate.

Even Ren looked uneasy as a flicker of worry crossed his face. He knew the comparison wasn’t far off to what almost happened to him.

"Don’t worry," Sora said, breaking the silence. "Ren’s situation was different. He didn’t laugh uncontrollably. His power surged from intense emotion. On the other hand, these people are laughing uncontrollably. They’re clearly being manipulated."

Aeri nodded. "Exactly. Either it’s a Core Bleed effect or someone’s Drive ability forcing it. We don’t know much about the Smileys yet. What we do know is that they have three elite members, or what they call their ’Saints.’ Their leader is still a mystery, name, face, and ability unknown. But those three? Each of them is considered a 6 star threat."

Miko’s eyes widened. "That’s basically three Drakes!"

"Which is why you’re not going in to fight," Aeri said, tone firm. "This is an investigation. Recon only."

Seth let out a small laugh. "Yeah, like that’ll go smoothly."

"Regardless," Aeri continued. "avoid direct conflict at all costs. Same orders as last time. If battle becomes unavoidable, rely on your teammates and prioritize escape. I know you guys grew stronger. But out goal here is intel, not victory. Or at least not yet"

"Roger!" they all responded in unison.

"Anyway, here’s all the intel we’ve gathered on the Smileys." Said Aeri as she laid out several papers and a detailed map of Ward 8.

Ward 8 was significantly larger than Ward 6, making it much more difficult to pin down the location of their leader or confirm the presence of a Core Bleed circle. However, the vast landscape could also be used to their advantage. There will be much more room to move under their radar unlike with their previous mission. Even with a force of around 200 active members, the Smileys couldn’t possibly monitor every corner of the ward which can definitely be used to their advantage.

"I’ll leave the planning to Sora. I trust her tactics more than mine. I was never the best strategist anyway." Aeri said with a light laugh.

The team gathered around as Sora took the lead in strategizing their approach. Aeri would place suggestions here and there, but Sora was clearly the one guiding them toward a solid plan.

Watching her, Aeri couldn’t help but smile.

She’s grown so much. A better tactician, and a stronger leader. She supports the team when they need it, just like she did earlier when the topic of exploding Drive Cores came up. I can’t believe it’s already been two years since she came to ZEAL.

Just then, Aeri’s phone rang. She answered quickly, exchanged a few brief words, and then turned to the group.

"Well, I’ll leave the rest to you guys. I’ve got to head back to HQ for a meeting with the Leader and Warden Valen. Trust in each other. Be careful out there," she said, offering them one last smile before heading out of the apartment.

After finalizing the plan they all agreed on, the group made their last minute preparations and headed toward their vehicle. This mission felt different, more deliberate, more grounded. Unlike the first time, Ren wasn’t blindly diving into the unknown. This time, he had experience, real experience and with it came confidence as well as trust in his squad.

As they approached the vehicle, Sora eyed it suspiciously before entering.

"Hey, Miko, tell me you didn’t install anything ridiculous again." She pointed toward the car like it owed her an apology.

Miko smirked. "Relax. After all the complaints last time, I kept it clean. No extra gadgets, I swear."

"Good," Sora nodded, then she turned her head. "Ren! What are you daydreaming about over there?"

Ren stood by the apartment door, his eyes fixed on the black handkerchief wrapped around his left wrist.

"Hop in already!" Sora called out.

Ren snapped out of it upon hearing her voice. He jogged and climbed into the vehicle without another word.

And just like that, they were off toward Ward 8, toward the Smileys, and toward the next Chapter of their journey