Our new handler, Praveen, entered the briefing room carrying a stack of files. The room went quiet immediately.
Unlike the instructors during training, he didn't waste time on introductions or motivational speeches. He placed the files on the table and looked at each of us in turn.
"Your first assignment as members of the Special Operations Department is considerably more dangerous than anything you faced during training."
Nobody spoke. Even Khan, who usually couldn't stay quiet for more than a few minutes, stayed silent.
"This mission has already claimed two teams."
My attention sharpened. "Two Bloom teams were deployed before you. Neither returned."
The atmosphere grew noticeably heavier.
Praveen distributed the files. I opened mine and scanned quickly — maps, satellite images, energy readings, mission logs. Most of the important details had been partially redacted.
"This assignment involves investigating an area experiencing unusual energy fluctuations," Praveen explained. "Based on information recovered from previous teams, Bloom suspects Night Organization involvement."
The Night Organization again. Every time that name came up, people got serious. Whatever they were, they weren't ordinary criminals.
"There are currently five known locations around the world displaying similar energy signatures. Your team has been assigned to one of them." He paused. "If the situation becomes impossible to handle, your priority is information." His expression never changed. "Survival is secondary."
Nobody laughed. He wasn't joking.
"If you discover anything important, transmit it to Bloom immediately."
I leaned back slightly. So this was how Special Operations worked — no wonder operatives looked terrified when they got their assignments. Bloom had zero reservations about sending people into impossible situations. If this were a novel, this would be the moment the protagonist unlocked some ridiculous cheat power.
Unfortunately, reality wasn't that generous.
Praveen pressed a button. Several compartments in the table opened, revealing equipment.
"Standard field supplies for Special Operations personnel."
The first item was a pair of plain black glasses. I put them on, and the world immediately changed — streams of colored energy appeared throughout the room, some floating in the air, others surrounding people like invisible auras. The sight was so sudden that I nearly reacted out loud. Instinctively, I suppressed my passive absorption, briefly worried the glasses might flag something unusual about me.
Nothing happened.
"Energy Analysis Goggles," Praveen said. "They identify and analyze most known energy signatures."
Bloom really didn't do anything halfway.
Next came the weapons — sleek firearms placed on the table, no traditional barrels, no magazines, more like props from a sci-fi film.
"Laser rifles."
My eyes lit up. Now *that* was interesting.
After that: medical kits, emergency beacons, communication devices, a handful of other items. Then Praveen revealed the final piece.
Armor. Or what looked at first like a small metallic suitcase. He pressed a button, the case unfolded and expanded, and within seconds a complete body suit was sitting on the table.
I stared at it. That was genuinely cool. It looked more like athletic clothing than military equipment, but according to the manual, it could withstand attacks from E-Rank Awakeners and absorb a significant amount of kinetic force. The material could stretch several times its normal size while maintaining its defensive properties.
Whoever designed it was a genius. If Bloom could build something like that, could they eventually build flying suits? The thought immediately excited me — flying had been a childhood dream. I filed that one away for later.
"You have one hour to familiarize yourselves with your equipment. We leave immediately afterward."
I grabbed my gear and found an empty room. The armor fit perfectly and weighed almost nothing — if I hadn't read the manual I'd have thought I was wearing sportswear. Then I tested the laser rifle. The weapon felt nearly weightless. I aimed at a reinforced practice target and pulled the trigger.
The target didn't crack. It didn't shatter. It started melting. Within seconds, a section of the supposedly Bloom-grade alloy had turned into glowing liquid metal.
I blinked. That told me everything I needed to know about the gap between Bloom's technology and whatever "normal society" meant in this world.
When I came back out, Ira and Khan were already waiting. Anita was not.
Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then forty.
Finally, nearly a full hour later, the door opened and Anita stepped out, looking entirely satisfied with her setup.
I exchanged a glance with Ira. Neither of us said anything. Some battles weren't worth fighting.
We headed to the hangar on hovering transport boards — one of the perks of being actual operatives now rather than trainees. The hangar was enormous, several aircraft already preparing for deployment. We boarded one that looked nearly identical to the transport from my infiltration mission.
Khan rushed straight for a window seat, excitement obvious on his face. "This is amazing. Have you guys flown in one of these before?"
"During my first mission," Ira said.
Anita nodded. I smiled slightly.
The aircraft lifted off, and as soon as we reached cruising altitude, Anita activated her telepathic connection. The familiar sensation spread through my mind, her voice settling in.
"No one outside this network can hear us."
Incredibly useful ability.
"Have all of you started your meditation methods?" A round of yeses. Then Ira looked at me.
"How long until you reach D-Rank?"
"One to two months."
Shock rippled through the connection. "That fast?" Khan asked.
"The method I chose is highly compatible with me." Not exactly false — I just left out the part about the passive absorption organ. That secret was staying with me.
I turned to Anita. "What about you? Since your power can connect directly to Universal Energy, shouldn't your development be faster?"
She shook her head. "Connection and absorption aren't the same thing. I can establish a link, but there are limits to how much energy I can actually pull through."
Made sense. I looked at Khan. "Can your Enhancement apply to energy absorption?"
He blinked. Then his eyes brightened. "I never thought about that." He immediately started working through the idea in his head.
Good. The kid had enthusiasm.
Then Ira's expression shifted, and the mood followed. "What about our escape plan?"
Khan straightened. Anita answered first. "I've been gathering information." She tapped her temple. "Using my power, I've been mapping Bloom facilities, security checkpoints, nearby terrain, possible routes. If an opportunity appears, I'll know which path gives us the best chance." A small smile. "I'll be ready."
That was reassuring. Freedom still felt distant — but we weren't sitting still.
Then Anita looked at me. "The control chips. Have you found a way to remove them?"
I considered my words. "I can probably remove my own. My precision is at the point where I could move it out without causing damage." Everyone focused on me. "But removing someone else's is more complicated. I need more experiments before I'm confident." The disappointment in the connection was brief. "However — when I reach D-Rank, I plan to further specialize. At that point, chip removal should become significantly easier."
"Are you serious?" Khan asked.
"Very."
My plans for my power were much larger than any of them realized.
The conversation faded as the aircraft began descending. Through the window, the scenery had changed — the gleaming cities were gone, skyscrapers replaced by scattered settlements and aging buildings, and then even those disappeared. Below us stretched a vast wasteland: miles of barren land in every direction, nothing moving, nothing growing, the landscape strangely lifeless.
The plane began its final descent.
I looked out the window one last time. Somewhere in this desolate region, two Bloom teams had already vanished without a trace.
Now it was our turn to find out why.
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