The next session made it obvious.
Tiger Squad was last.
No announcement. No explanation. It showed itself in small details.
Rotations were called. Eagle first. Then Viper. Then Elephant. Then Rhino.
Tiger moved last.
Kai noticed it immediately.
Not once. Every time.
They stood waiting while the others completed their drills. By the time it reached them, the rhythm had already been set. The standard had already been shown.
They were not part of the pace.
They followed it.
"Start."
Tiger Squad stepped forward.
Jin-Sensei stood at the front.
He did not repeat the drill.
He did not explain it again.
He had already said it once.
That was enough.
Mateo moved first.
Clean.
Controlled.
Exact.
Luna followed.
Smooth.
Balanced.
Kai moved last.
Late.
His timing slightly off.
His stance still imperfect.
He corrected mid-motion.
Still behind.
"Reset."
They reset.
Kai glanced briefly across the mat.
Eagle Squad had already moved on to the next sequence.
They were not watching.
Viper was mid-drill.
Elephant maintained structure.
Rhino adjusted with force.
No one looked at Tiger.
No one waited for them.
They were not being measured against the others.
They were being processed after them.
Kai felt irritation rise.
This was deliberate.
Not spoken.
But clear.
They were last because they belonged there.
"Again," Mateo said.
The word came before Jin-Sensei spoke.
Kai looked at him.
Mateo did not look back.
He was already resetting his stance.
Already preparing for the next repetition.
Kai followed.
Jin-Sensei said nothing.
He allowed it.
Mateo set the pace.
The drill resumed.
Kai pushed harder this time.
Faster.
Trying to close the gap.
His movement lost control.
His balance slipped.
He corrected too late.
"Stop."
Mateo stepped back.
Not from the drill.
From Kai.
"You're rushing," Mateo said.
Kai frowned.
"I'm trying to keep up."
"You're not keeping up," Mateo replied. "You're disrupting the sequence."
Kai stepped forward slightly.
"You think I don't know that?"
Mateo finally looked at him.
Direct.
Sharp.
"Then fix it."
Kai's jaw tightened.
"I just need to adjust."
"You need to understand," Mateo said.
Kai did not respond immediately.
That word again.
Understand.
It meant nothing without explanation.
Luna spoke quietly.
"You're breaking timing."
Kai looked at her.
She met his gaze briefly.
Then looked forward again.
"You're moving before the sequence finishes," she continued. "That forces correction."
Kai exhaled through his nose.
"I said I'm adjusting."
"No," Mateo said. "You're guessing."
The word landed.
Accurate.
Kai knew it.
He was guessing.
Watching.
Trying to match what he saw without understanding why it worked.
"Reset," Jin-Sensei said.
They reset.
The drill resumed.
Kai forced himself to slow down.
To match the pace instead of chasing it.
It felt unnatural.
Like holding himself back.
But it stabilized him slightly.
Not enough.
Still behind.
Still off.
Still visible.
"Rotate."
They stepped back.
Another squad moved in.
Tiger moved out.
Last.
Again.
Kai stepped aside.
He watched the others.
This time, he paid attention to something else.
Not just movement.
Attention.
Where the instructors looked.
Where they focused.
Eagle Squad received constant observation.
Small corrections.
Frequent feedback.
Viper received sharp adjustments.
Elephant received measured guidance.
Rhino received direct control.
Tiger received almost nothing.
Jin-Sensei stood with them.
But he did not intervene.
He did not correct.
He did not guide.
He watched.
That was all.
Kai felt it clearly.
They were not being developed.
They were being evaluated.
And not prioritized.
A student from Viper passed nearby.
He glanced at Tiger Squad.
Then away.
"Still the same," he said quietly to someone beside him.
Kai heard it.
The other student responded.
"They always are."
Not loud.
Not meant to start anything.
Just fact.
Or what they believed was fact.
Kai felt irritation tighten in his chest.
He looked at Mateo.
No reaction.
At Luna.
None.
They had heard it.
They did not respond.
That irritated him more.
"You're just going to ignore that?" Kai said.
Mateo did not look at him.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because it doesn't matter."
Kai stepped closer.
"It does matter."
Mateo turned slightly.
"It only matters if it's wrong."
Kai paused.
Then spoke.
"And it's not?"
Mateo held his gaze.
"Not yet."
The answer was calm.
Certain.
Kai felt it hit.
Luna added quietly.
"Reputation is based on pattern."
Kai looked at her.
"If the pattern doesn't change, the reputation doesn't change."
Simple.
Clear.
Kai looked away.
He understood the logic.
He rejected the conclusion.
They were being judged before they had a chance.
That was the problem.
But maybe it was not.
Maybe they had already shown enough.
That thought irritated him more.
"Next rotation," Sensei Hodge called.
Tiger Squad stepped forward.
Last.
Again.
Kai took position.
He looked across the gym.
At the other squads.
At their structure.
Their control.
Their recognition.
Then back at Tiger.
Mateo.
Focused.
Sharp.
Operating above the squad's level.
Luna.
Stable.
Consistent.
Holding structure together.
Kai.
Behind.
Disruptive.
Unproven.
And Jin-Sensei.
Watching.
Allowing it all to play out.
Kai exhaled slowly.
The picture was clear now.
Tiger Squad was not just the lowest.
It was expected to remain there.
Not because of rules.
Because of performance.
Because of pattern.
Because of reality.
Kai lowered his stance.
Adjusted his footing.
Prepared.
Not to belong.
Not yet.
But to change something.
Even if he did not fully understand how.