Chapter 7: The Elite Selection
"Step forward."
The command echoed across the training ground.
Kairo didn't hesitate.
Neither did Seven.
Nor Three.
The top three stood side by side for the first time.
Silence.
But beneath it—
Tension.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Unstable.
"From today," the instructor said, "you are no longer candidates."
A pause.
"You are weapons ready for use."
Seven smirked.
"I've been ready."
Three said nothing.
Kairo remained still.
Watching.
Waiting.
The Mission
A scroll was thrown to the ground in front of them.
"Your first mission," the instructor continued.
"Failure is not an option."
Three stepped forward and picked it up.
Opened it.
Read silently.
Then—
He spoke.
"A merchant," he said.
"Travelling through the eastern road."
A pause.
"Target: eliminate."
Simple.
Cold.
Seven cracked his neck slightly.
"Finally… something real."
Kairo's eyes didn't change.
But inside—
Something shifted.
Another life.
Unstable Alliance
"You leave at dawn," the instructor said.
A pause.
"And remember…"
His eyes sharpened.
"You are a team."
Seven laughed.
"Team?" he said. "You expect that to work?"
Three closed the scroll.
"It doesn't matter," he said calmly. "As long as the target dies."
Silence.
Then—
Both of them looked at Kairo.
Waiting.
Kairo turned and walked away.
"…I'll do my part."
That was all he said.
The Journey Begins
Dawn came quickly.
The three of them moved through the forest without speaking.
No wasted energy.
No unnecessary words.
But the tension—
Never left.
Seven walked ahead.
Confident.
Relaxed.
Three stayed behind.
Observing everything.
Kairo remained in the middle.
Balanced.
Ready.
The Target
By midday—
They found him.
A merchant caravan.
Two guards.
One carriage.
The target sat inside.
Unaware.
Seven smiled.
"This is easy."
Three raised a hand.
"Wait."
Seven frowned.
"What now?"
Three's eyes narrowed.
"Too easy."
Silence.
Kairo focused.
Then—
He saw it.
A slight movement.
Hidden.
Watching.
"…Ambush," Kairo said quietly.
Seven's smile disappeared.
The Trap is Sprung
Too late.
Arrows rained down from the trees.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The guards reacted instantly.
"Enemies!" one shouted.
More figures dropped from the trees.
Not civilians.
Not random fighters.
Assassins.
Another group.
Chaos
"Looks like we're not the only hunters," Seven muttered.
Three drew his blade.
"Focus," he said calmly.
Kairo stepped forward.
Eyes sharp.
Body ready.
The battlefield exploded.
Seven charged first—
Crashing into two enemies at once.
Brutal.
Relentless.
Three moved differently—
Clean.
Precise.
Efficient.
Every strike calculated.
Kairo—
Moved like a shadow.
Silent.
Deadly.
He appeared behind one attacker—
Slash.
Gone.
Another turned—
Too late.
Thud.
Body dropped.
The Real Target
In the chaos—
Kairo's eyes locked onto the carriage.
The merchant.
Still inside.
Unprotected.
Now.
He moved.
Fast.
But—
A blade blocked his path.
CLANG!
A new opponent stood in front of him.
Stronger.
Different.
"…You're not like the others," the man said.
Kairo didn't respond.
But he felt it.
This one—
Was dangerous.
End of Chapter 7
As the battlefield raged…
Kairo faced his new opponent.
And for the first time since leaving the Order—
He realized something.
This mission…
Was never meant to be simple.
Cliffhanger:
Kairo is facing a stronger enemy in the middle of chaos… and someone in his own team might be waiting for the perfect moment to betray him.