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For the first time in what felt like an eternity, the Battalion Vanguard Academy felt... quiet.
No drills.
No shouting instructors.
No crushing simulations.
Just sun, silence, and the slow realization among Unit 06 that they were, in fact, being allowed to rest.
"Is this a trap?" Henry asked, squinting suspiciously at the blue sky. "Like... Leo's gonna jump out with a stick and yell 'SOUL BURST!' or something?"
"Bro," Kayden said, already shirtless and stretching, "relax. It's a miracle. Enjoy it."
"And I know exactly how," he added with a smirk, yanking a pair of tennis rackets from under his bed. "Devin!"
Devin looked up from where he was disassembling a small gadget. "What?"
"Rematch. Right here. Right now."
"We don't even have a court," Devin pointed out.
Kayden grinned. "Then we make one."
And they did. Sort of.
Using two crates, a roll of caution tape, Henry's spare bedsheet (which he did not approve of), and four bricks Kira casually "borrowed" from a nearby construction zone, the team had a very rough, very improvised tennis court in the training yard.
"Welcome," Henry announced dramatically, "to the Kayden vs Devin Rematch of Destiny! Brought to you by boredom and one man's pride!"
Zane pulled up a chair, popped a soda, and said, "This is gonna be a disaster."
And it was.
Kayden served with all the finesse of a charging rhino. Devin retaliated with calm, robotic precision. The makeshift court creaked and shifted under every step.
"Bro, you're hitting like a gorilla on steroids!" Devin snapped after a particularly wild volley.
"It's passion!" Kayden yelled. "This is warrior's tennis!"
Henry fell off his chair laughing, holding a homemade scoreboard that just read:
KAYDEN – chaos | DEVIN – actual points
Meanwhile, Elliot had slipped away from the chaos. The laughter behind him grew distant as he walked through the academy toward a familiar destination:
The Vanguard Nexus.
The sleek, glowing corridor welcomed him like an old friend. The VR section sat calmly, the pods humming with low energy. Elliot approached the terminal and scanned his credit chip.
> Access Granted – 10 Credits Deducted.
Climbing into the pod, he connected to the system and immediately checked his friend list.
> Stonegod – Offline.
"Still?" Elliot muttered. He shook his head with a smile. "Fine. I'll train without you."
He entered the battle queue. Fought. Won.
Again. And again.
Each opponent brought something new—dual swords, plasma cannons, wind shields—but Elliot tore through them with precise, fluid strikes. His mind was sharp. His instincts honed. Shadow Slash? He didn't even need it yet.
By the end of his run, he'd clocked nine wins in a row.
> Stonegod – Still Offline.
Elliot leaned back, exhaled, and typed:
> "Guess I'll see you after the tournament."
As the pod opened and warm air kissed his face, he walked back across the academy.
From a distance, the chaos of Kayden and Devin's match was still alive—this time with Kayden tripping into his own net while Henry yelled, "THAT'S TEN POINTS OFF FOR STYLE!"
And for once, Elliot allowed himself a small laugh