After hearing Roxxy's three knocks on her door,
Jody Johansson instantly sat up in bed in her workout gear.
The day had come—the one she'd been waiting for.
But excitement wasn't what showed on her face.
Quite the opposite.
Her expression was tense.
Her mind was swirling with worry over what lay ahead.
In truth, she'd probably been awake for a while,
just lying there, trying—unsuccessfully—to force herself to sleep.
There was no telling what Syd's mother had planned for her today...
She rose, walked into the bathroom, and splashed cold water on her face.
Deodorant. Lip balm. A moment to breathe.
"Phew..."
Slap! Slap!
She patted both cheeks—waking herself up.
Then came socks, sneakers, a stretch, some light twisting.
All ready.
It was time.
Training hall.
The same one Syd had once brought her to for aura training.
But today, it looked nothing like she remembered.
Some equipment had been removed.
Others she'd never seen before had taken their place.
And most noticeably—a full-size boxing ring now stood in the center,
lined with protective gear, blunt weapons...
and rows of replica firearms.
Jody stood stretching beside Sera and the others—Mickey, Roxxy, Toshi.
As she flexed her arms, a thought struck her.
"Hey, Mickey."
"Yeah?"
"You guys all have codenames, right?"
That got all four of them—Roxxy, Toshi, Sera, and Mickey—to perk up.
"How'd you know that?"
"Annie mentioned it. Hers is... Starless, right?"
They exchanged glances.
Yeah.
It was true.
"I asked Syd too. He has one."
"Oh? What is it?" Toshi asked.
"TheBeast."
"..."
"...Ah."
"What about you guys?"
"Can I not say—"
Roxxy made the mistake of locking eyes with Sera's wide, sparkly gaze.
Even trying to look away, she couldn't help glancing back—flushed.
"...Mine's IceCube."
"Wow! IceCube! That's so cute. Like a little frozen pebble!❤"
Roxxy: "I hate it. With my whole soul."
"Aww..."
"What, because it makes you sound small and harmless? Hmm?"
Jody playfully ruffled Roxxy's hair. The younger girl huffed and turned away.
"Bullying. I vote we murder her."
"Whoa whoa—take it easy!"
Jody let go, laughing.
"What about you, Toshi?"
"X. Just X."
Sera: "Where'd that come from?"
"It's from algebra. X is a variable. Could be anything."
"Just like you—you could be anyone."
"Exactly."
Toshi pulled out his mask and used his ability to transform—into Sera.
"See? Look at me. 'Maaannnniiixxx~'"
"HEY! NO. Turn back, right now."
Sera cocked a fist.
"You, Mickey?"
"Electrix."
"Literal."
Sera: "Lame."
"Ends with an X. That's cool," Jody offered.
Eventually, she wandered closer to where Syd was inspecting a rack of blank guns.
He noticed her approach. Looked up. Then turned back to the guns.
And raised one—pointing it at her.
"What would you do if I aimed this at you right now?"
Jody didn't flinch.
She raised both hands.
"Wow. Just like that? No fight in you at all, huh?"
"If I tried going full John Wick, you'd pull the trigger and I'd be petting his dog."
"At this range? You could take me down."
"I wouldn't know how."
She lowered her hands and ran her fingers along the equipment beside them.
Syd watched her. Something was off. He noticed.
"...You look tense. Didn't sleep well?"
"...Tense?"
She blinked, like she hadn't even noticed.
"Yeah. You're not even fun to tease today. Something up? The sushi got to you?"
"Same sushi you had."
"Seriously. What is it? Or is it..."
He paused, turning serious.
"...Still thinking about what my mom said yesterday?"
"..."
Of course she was.
The words Annie had spoken yesterday left both of them silent for hours after.
"Don't stress it. She exaggerates. All the time. She wouldn't have known a thing if that damn ninja hadn't snitched."
"...I was thinking about it. I feel bad. Like... I dragged you down too."
"Hey."
Syd raised a hand, cutting her off.
"My mom never said anything like that. No one's blaming anyone. She just acts tough. Trust me."
"...I'll try."
Jody picked up a rubber training knife and gently poked Syd's side with it.
"...Stab. Gift's dead."
"You'd be dead first. Gun still pointed."
"Ughhh... I'm bleeeeding~"
"Drama queen."
He plucked the knife from under his arm with a smirk.
Even if Jody was trying to act normal, Syd could see through her.
She was nervous.
Putting on a brave face.
"Why won't your mom let me train with you?"
She asked, just as he handed the knife back.
It clearly bugged her.
She trained aura with Syd—why not this too?
"She probably thinks I'll kick you across the room."
"Be serious."
"She said it's better if someone else trains you. Said if I did it, it'd mess with your growth since we're already close. So, she found someone else."
"...I see..."
—
Elsewhere, the trio of agents watched Sera warming up.
"You weren't in your room this morning," Toshi said casually to Mickey, arms crossed.
At that, Sera nearly tripped mid-stretch.
"I was sleeping."
Mickey replied flatly.
"I rang ten times. You didn't budge?"
"Mm."
"Really? You? Mickey?"
Roxxy, hands on hips, looked skeptical.
"Ten times. I thought you were gone."
"Mm."
Sera broke a sweat—just one drop—but that was telling.
How the hell was Mickey still so deadpan?
Luckily, before the interrogation deepened, the training room doors slid open.
Whhhrrrr.
All six turned.
Jody glanced up at the digital clock.
10:00 sharp.
Three people entered.
Skyler.
Annie Barrett.
And a new woman.
Annie looked pleased.
"Good morning. I hope you all slept well?"
It wasn't a question that needed an answer.
She smiled and stepped aside, revealing the newcomer.
"This is Marie. She'll be your trainer for the next two weeks, starting today."
Marie looked to be in her early twenties.
Brown hair with amber-orange tips.
She wore a green tank like a boot camp sergeant, one red glove, and an arm wrap on the other.
Judging from her features, Jody guessed a blend of Asian and Middle Eastern descent.
But what caught her attention was something Annie had said...
"Two weeks?"
"The medical team estimates Priya's earliest recovery would be in two weeks," Skyler reported.
"That's your window. However, if she wakes up sooner, the mission proceeds immediately."
Annie looked at the two girls.
"You'll remain on the team. But the others will deploy. If she doesn't wake, they stay. Do you accept that?"
They nodded silently.
"Marie will train you. In these two weeks, you get three chances to land a hit on her. One injury—any kind. But no powers. Fists, feet, elbows, knees, even biting—anything goes. When and how you use those chances is up to you."
Annie explained firmly.
"She was trained in the same batch as Toshi. But they've never met. You don't know if she has powers."
Marie stepped forward, addressing them both.
"No hesitation. No holding back. You can strike anytime. But if I notice, it counts."
Her voice was slightly husky—commanding. A drill sergeant's voice.
"That's Test One. The second test will be only for you, Jody."
"...Just me...?"
"You're the Elementalist. Your test will be more intense. You'll learn what it is when we meet again in two weeks."
Annie's voice was gentle, but the pressure hung in the air like smoke.
This wasn't just a challenge—it was a statement.
And then, Annie continued...
"Marie won't go easy on you. She's currently... on probation. Her future depends on this training. Just like yours."
Marie visibly tensed.
So the trainers were under pressure too.
"What happened?" Syd asked his mother in Thai.
Annie replied in English.
"That's none of your concern."
Syd huffed, but didn't argue.
"If Marie can't defend herself from you two, her career ends. But if neither of you land a hit—then you won't remain on the team. Understood?"
Silence.
Even Marie swallowed hard.
"And now... it's time to tell the truth."
Annie turned toward Marie.
"This is Jody Johansson. Wind Elementalist."
"!!"
Marie's eyes widened in shock.
"You've found one?!"
"She's right there."
Syd said dryly from the sideline.
"Sorry for not being upfront. Her status is top secret."
Marie bowed in acknowledgment.
And now Jody understood just how tight-lipped the organization really was.
"Y-...Yes, Ma'am..."
And that was when Jody realized—
A secret known only within a very tight circle...
Even this Agent had been kept in the dark... Or maybe "withholding" isn't quite the same as "lying"? After all, no false information had been given...
Anong explained everything clearly—transparently. The objectives were laid out in full detail.
"Does anyone have any questions?"
"......"
"......"
"I'll be heading back today. No questions, then?"
Fffsh.
Jody raised her hand.
"Yes... Miss Jody?"
"Are we allowed to use weapons...?"
Jody asked,
"Like sticks... or rubber bullets?"
"Ah, yes. You're allowed to use any kind of weapon or equipment—except firearms,"
Annie clarified, offering an explanation:
"The goal of Test 1 is close-quarters combat. I understand, in a real field mission, no matter how skilled you are—if you get shot, it's over. That's the harsh truth... But what if your opponent is unarmed? Will you fight—or let them choke you to death?"
"...."
That... was something to think about.
She had a point.
Jody had seen it for herself—Syd knocking guards out with a single punch... or Roxxy, who nearly destroyed a whole group of enemies.
"Oh... I almost forgot..."
Annie turned toward her children—Syd, Roxxy, Mickey, Toshi.
"For the rest of you, I trust your intelligence and training will make this clear the first time I say it. But I'll need to emphasize this for Syd in particular..."
Annie said, smiling as she spoke:
"None of you are allowed to assist Jody or Sera during the trial. You may give tactical advice—but any attempt to gang up on Marie and help them directly will be considered cheating. If that happens, Jody and Sera will be disqualified and immediately removed from the team. Am I clear?"
"...."
She walked up close to her son.
"Especially you, Gift. I always keep my eye on you."
She knew her golden boy's nature too well—he was the sly one, always plotting.
She gave Syd a firm hug.
"I want you to understand something, Gift. You might ignore me... you might go help Jody anyway. But I want you to think long-term. If you help her through this... sure, she might stay on the team. But what good would that do? What if she gets hurt on a real mission? What will you do then?"
"......."
"........."
"You might be thinking, 'I'll train her myself afterward.' But what if 'afterward' is too late? What if danger comes for your team on the very next mission?"
Syd didn't respond. He just sighed—long and deep.
Of course, he wasn't happy. But... he had no argument against her.
"...Would it be better for Jody to fail and be sent somewhere safe to train, or for you to help her pass—only for something tragic to happen later? You decide, Gift."
That's what's so frustrating...
His mother always had this infuriatingly flawless logic. And when you actually sat down and thought about it, she was always right.
"You too, Karn."
Annie turned to her daughter.
"And the both of you."
"Yes, ma'am..."
Mickey and Toshi bowed their heads in acceptance.
Even Roxxy, though silent, showed with her expression that she agreed with their mother.