Beyond the mission

"You're always like this!" Jason's mom exploded, her voice echoing through the room. "You do nothing for this family, just lounging around, drinking all day! I've had enough!" She threw up her hands in frustration.

Jason's dad didn't flinch, too caught up in his beer to notice the storm brewing around him.

Jason sat between them, his ears plugged with his palms, overwhelmed by the toxic atmosphere. Anger and desperation swirled inside him. "I've had enough!" he burst out, his voice shaking with emotion. "I don't want this life! I don't want this!"

He shoved through the door, escaping the suffocating tension. His mom barely registered his departure, too engrossed in her argument. This wasn't the first time Jason had fled, and she knew he'd be back.

Jason had no plans of going back home. Worn out from constantly running, he sank into the shade of a tall tree, finally letting himself breathe. Just then, a tall, slim woman stepped out from the shadows.

"Well, well... What's a young man like you doing all alone in a place like this?" she asked, voice smooth and teasing.

Jason glanced at her from head to toe, unfazed. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

She chuckled, a low laugh that hinted at danger. "Feisty. I like that. Makes me want to recruit you."

That threw him off. He frowned. "Wait... are you a cop? Did my mom send you? If so, save it-I'm not going back to that house."

Her smile widened, a glint in her eye. "I'm not with your mom. Or the police." She leaned in slightly. "Let's just say... I work in the shadows. I'm a secret agent."

Jason smirked. "Right... and next you'll tell me unicorns are real too."

The woman laughed, clearly entertained. "You've got jokes-I like that. But I'm serious. Come with me, and I'll show you. I can turn you into someone powerful. Someone people respect... maybe even fear."

Jason raised a brow. "Ma'am, with all due respect, you sound like the beginning of every bad decision in a horror movie. You really think I'm just gonna walk off with a stranger in the woods?"

He crossed his arms. "I'm young, not dumb."

The woman finally sighed, turning away. "Alright, have it your way. I'm out. Just don't say I didn't offer you a shot."

Something about her tone hit differently. Jason hesitated, a flicker of doubt creeping in. 'What if this was the one chance he needed?' As she began to walk off, he blurted out-

"Wait!"

She paused, glancing back over her shoulder.

Jason shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I... I want to believe you. I really do. You swear you'll keep your word? That everything you said-was real?"

She turned fully now, a confident grin spreading across her face. "Kid, I don't say things I don't mean. I never break a promise."

Without another word, Jason stepped forward. Moments later, he was riding beside the strange woman in a sleek black car, heading into a future he couldn't yet imagine.

The car purred to life as they drove off, the city slowly fading behind them. Jason glanced out the window, his mind racing with questions. He didn't even know her name.

"So..." he began cautiously, "you got a name? Or do I just keep calling you 'mysterious lady in black'?"

She smirked without looking away from the road. "You can call me Raven. That's all you need to know for now."

"Raven, huh? Sounds like someone who's into secrets and trench coats."

She chuckled. "Only one of those is true."

Jason looked around the car-sleek, high-tech. Way too advanced for a regular agent. "Where exactly are we going?"

"To a place where the real world starts," she said. "Where people like you don't just survive... they evolve."

Jason raised a brow. "You make it sound like I'm joining a superhero league or something."

Raven gave him a sideways glance. "Superheroes are fiction. What we deal with is real-messy, dangerous, and nothing like the movies. But if you can handle it... you might just become something greater."

Jason leaned back in the seat, the weight of his decision settling in. Whatever was ahead, he knew there was no turning back now.

Everything Raven said was true-or at least, most of it. She did run a spy agency... but that was just the surface. Beneath the polished offices and high-tech gear lay something far more dangerous: a covert organization that trained assassins-highly skilled operatives hired for missions that governments wouldn't dare admit to.

Inside this shadow network, assassins weren't just agents-they were weapons. Each was ranked based on skill, experience, and control under pressure. The hierarchy was brutal: D-rank at the bottom-rookies barely trusted with a blade. Then C, B, and A-the rising predators. S-rank was elite, deadly and refined. But SS-rank? That was legend. Ghosts in the dark. Killers so precise, some believed they weren't even real.Jason had no idea what he'd signed up for... but he was about to find out.

Raven gave Jason the grand tour-though 'Grand' wasn't the right word. Above ground, the agency looked like any top-tier intelligence facility. But below the surface... that's where the real world existed.

Beneath layers of steel and secrecy was the true core of the organization-a brutal training ground for assassins. As they descended, Raven explained the ranks, the rules, and the reality: this place wasn't about saving the world-it was about doing what others couldn't.

Jason's journey began that day.

Now, one year later, the time had come-his first official ranking.

D-rank. The bottom of the barrel.

It stung.

Despite a year of sweat, bruises, and near-death drills, Jason was still labeled a rookie. Worse? Everyone in the agency already had an opinion of him. Arrogant. Rude. Uncooperative. He wasn't exactly making friends-and he didn't care to.

They ignored him. Some mocked him. Most just hoped he'd quit.

But Jason? He had no intention of backing down. Because deep down, he knew something they didn't-

'He wasn't meant to stay at the bottom'.

Jason sat alone in the cafeteria-like always-poking at his food, lost in thought. The chatter around him buzzed, but no one dared come close.

Until someone did.

"Hey, D-rank," a calm voice said behind him. "Mind if I join you?"

Jason didn't even look up. He figured it was another clown trying to get a laugh at his expense.

"Get lost, would you?" he muttered. "I'm not in the mood for games."

But when he finally glanced up, his words froze.

The guy standing there wasn't just anyone-he was wearing a black badge. S-Rank.

Jason's eyes narrowed. "What's an S-Rank doing down here? Don't you have elite missions or something?"

The stranger chuckled and sat down anyway. "Can't a guy take a break without getting interrogated? Name's Simon."

Jason leaned back, unconvinced. "Yeah, sure. Spare me the friendly act. You know exactly who I am. I've got a reputation around here-bad enough that half the room's probably whispering about me right now."

Simon gave a smirk of his own. "That's exactly why I'm here."

Jason narrowed his eyes. "What's that suppose to mean?"

Simon leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, calm but direct. "You stand out. Not because you're D-rank, but because you don't care that you're D-rank. You walk around here like you're untouchable... like the system doesn't apply to you."

Jason scoffed. "Because it doesn't. The system's rigged for people like me to fail."

Simon tilted his head slightly, amused. "Or... it's built to see who can break it."

Jason paused, the words hanging in the air.

Simon continued, "I was like you once. Loud, angry, alone. Then I figured something out: people fear what they don't understand. You've already got that part down. Now you just need control."

Jason looked at him, skeptical but listening. "Why are you telling me this? You don't even know me."

Simon smiled. "Not yet. But I know potential when I see it. You've got fire-raw and untamed. I just want to see what happens if someone actually fans it instead of putting it out."

Jason looked down at his tray, then back at Simon. For the first time in a long while, he didn't feel completely alone.

"...So what, you're offering to train me or something?"

Simon paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You know... I was actually hoping we could be friends. Companions, at least."

He gave a half-awkward laugh, trying to downplay the sincerity. "So... what do you say? Wanna be friends?"

Jason blinked, caught completely off guard. 'Friends?'His cheeks were already warming up-not that he'd admit it.

He scoffed, trying to mask the blush. "Why would I want to be friends with someone like you?"

Simon smirked, clearly seeing through the act. "Alright, alright..." he said dramatically, standing up like he was offended. "If you're gonna break my heart, I'll just leave."

"Wait!" Jason blurted out, a little too fast. He looked away, flustered. "I mean... if you're serious, I wouldn't 'hate' the idea. I... I guess I wouldn't mind being your friend."

Before he could finish, Simon grabbed him in a sudden side hug. "That's it-we're best buds now!"

Jason's face went scarlet. He shoved Simon off with a scowl. "Hey! Who said you could just jump on me like that? I said we could be friends-not start a bromance!"

Simon laughed, backing off with his hands up. "Alright, alright! No bromance. Just a solid handshake and maybe a fist bump."

He reached out jokingly. "Or a hug? Just a little one?"

Jason narrowed his eyes, instantly suspicious. "Touch me again and I'll break your leg."

"Fair enough," Simon said with a grin-just before Jason lightly kicked him in the shin.

"Ow-yep, I deserved that."

Jason chuckled-for the first time since joining the agency.

And just like that, a real connection had begun.

Four years. That's how long it had been since Jason became friends with Simon.

Four years of grinding, training, and being constantly overlooked.

And yet... he was still a D-Rank.

Frustrated and restless, Jason knew something had to change. If the system wouldn't lift him, he'd find out why-and there was only one person he trusted enough to ask.

He found Simon in the gear locker, suiting up-fully armed, dressed in all black. He was prepping for something big.

An S-Rank mission.

Jason's eyes lit up as he approached. "I'm coming with you," he said, sparkles of hope in his voice.

Simon froze, then turned sharply. "What? No way!" he barked. "This isn't some training run, Jason-it's an S-Rank mission. You can't just tag along.This mission's classified S-Rank only, your still a D "

He ruffled Jason's hair, trying to lighten the mood. "Your time will come, man. You're gonna be great-I know it."

But Jason wasn't having it. "No, I'm done waiting. I've been here for years cleaning up after higher ranks-doing garbage work. I want a real mission. I need to prove I'm more than a D-Rank."

Simon's face tightened. "You know that's not how this works. It's risky, you step out of line and you get kicked out. And you know what happens to people who get tossed."

Jason clenched his fists, then sighed. "...Fine. Guess I'll go train. Again."

As the S-Rank team prepared to leave-Amelia one of Simon's trusted allies, walked over to Jason, she had seen the whole thing

"Hey," she said, offering a soft smile. "Don't let it get to you. Simon'll be back before you know it... and when he is, you'd better be ready for the hardest training of your life."

Jason forced a grin. "Thanks, Amelia," he muttered, though it didn't reach his eyes.

Amelia turned to Simon. "Come on-we're up."

The team moved out, leaving Jason standing there, surrounded by silence... and frustration.

But just as the door closed behind them, Jason's eyes locked onto the large black case by the exit-the weapons crate for the mission.

His heart raced. Don't think. Just move.

Without a second thought, Jason cracked open the lid, climbed inside, and sealed it shut from within.

He was going. No matter what.

His heart pounded. Logic screamed no-but his gut said go.

Without a second thought, Jason pried the crate open and slipped inside, sealing it shut from the inside.

He was going.

But in the shadows above, perched silently on a beam near the ceiling, a figure watched him-a girl with piercing eyes.

She smirked to herself.

"Bold move, D-Rank."

And just like that, Jason was smuggled into his first real mission-

and someone else had just taken an interest in him.

The S-Rank operation had finally begun!.

The convoy rumbled through the hot afternoon,shadows flickering across the metal walls of the armored vehicle. Inside the crate, Jason's heart hammered against his ribs-half excitement, half fear.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to steady his breathing. This is it. No more waiting. No more hiding.

The crate jolted as the vehicle stopped. The sounds of footsteps and voices filled the air outside. Jason pressed his back against the cold metal, every nerve on edge.

Jason stepped out of the crate unnoticed, the mission beginning-and the real test of who he was about to start.

Gunfire tore through the air inside the dark compound, bullets ricocheting off walls and slicing through debris. The mission was chaos.

The S-Rank team was pinned down.

Their objective: retrieve a highly classified file from the enemy vault. But the enemy wasn't making it easy-they were everywhere, firing relentlessly, giving no room to breathe.

Amelia ducked behind cover, gritting her teeth. "Simon! We're boxed in! Do we push?"

Simon, reloading with mechanical precision, glanced over at her between bursts. "No. Not like this. We'll get shredded."

She knew what that meant. "Plan B?"

Simon nodded once. Bait and steal. One draws fire-one grabs the package.

Before she could respond, Simon had already sprinted into the open, drawing the attention of half the enemy force. Bullets chased him as he weaved through crates, flipping over a barricade with deadly grace.

Amelia moved fast, slipping through the chaos and disappearing down a side corridor toward the vault.

Meanwhile, deep in the enemy's command zone, their commander narrowed his eyes. Something didn't add up.

"They're pushing too hard," he muttered. "Why aren't they retreating-wait..." His face twisted. "They're distracting us!"

By the time he shouted, "They're going for the vault! Stop them!" it was too late. Simon was already sprinting back, file in hand.

"They've got it!" a soldier yelled.

"Don't let them escape!" the commander roared. "Light them up!"

As Simon and Amelia ran for the exit, gunfire followed like a swarm of wasps. But amid the chaos, one of the enemies spotted movement near the wreckage.

"Sir... there's a kid. Is he with them?"

The commander didn't even blink. "What part of 'kill them all' don't you get?"

Jason stood frozen, heart in his throat. This wasn't training. This was death.

The enemy soldier raised his rifle, aiming right at his chest.

Jason couldn't move, couldn't think. His legs locked. His voice cracked as he screamed-

"SIMON!"

In a blink, something slammed into him. Not a bullet-a body.

Jason hit the ground hard. When he looked up, Simon was standing over him, shielding him.

Blood poured from Simon's side. He turned slowly, smirked weakly, and said,

"Idiot... I told you not to come."

Then he collapsed.

Jason caught him, shaking. "Simon?! Simon-!"

The building shook violently. A distant explosion roared as support beams cracked and the ceiling began to cave.

Outside, Amelia turned at the sound. Her eyes widened.

"Simon's still inside."

Without hesitation, she sprinted back toward the crumbling ruins-unaware of the boy standing inside... cradling the man who'd just taken a bullet for him.

The ceiling groaned above, chunks of concrete crashing down around them. Dust and smoke filled the air, but Jason didn't move.

He was frozen-kneeling beside Simon's body, still cradling his mentor's weight in trembling arms.

"Simon... wake up... please..." his voice cracked.

Simon's blood soaked through Jason's sleeves. Another chunk of the ceiling collapsed just feet away, snapping him back.

He looked up-the whole place was coming down.

Jason clenched his jaw. No... I can't leave him here.

Suddenly-a burst of static in his earpiece.

"Jason?! Jason, answer me! Are you in there?!" It was Amelia's voice, panicked, coming through the comms.

"I-I'm here..." Jason rasped. "Simon's hurt... really bad."

"You have to get out NOW," Amelia said. "The building's seconds from going under. Move!"

Jason looked down at Simon's pale face, then gritted his teeth. "No. I'm not leaving him."

The tremors got stronger. Fire crept along the edges of the hallway, eating its way toward him. Jason's heartbeat pounded in his ears. The panic...the fear...it started to shift-into something else.

Jason's world slowed to a crawl.

The roar of fire, crumbling steel, and collapsing walls faded into silence as he stared at Simon's body-still, broken, and drenched in blood.

His lungs tightened. He couldn't breathe.

He dropped to his knees, trembling. "Simon... no, no, please..."

Then-a weak touch on his arm.

Simon opened his eyes slightly, blood on his lips but a smile on his face. "Jason... you're safe. That's all I needed to know."

Jason's lips quivered. His voice came out small. "Don't say that. Don't talk like that. You're going to be fine, I'll get you help-just hold on."

Simon gave a dry chuckle, coughing hard. "I always figured I'd die on some badass rooftop or mid-air explosion. Not... under a pile of cement with your loud crying in my ear."

Jason laughed through his tears. "Shut up... shut up and hold on."

Simon's hand tightened on his arm. "Jason, listen to me... the building's not gonna hold. You have to go."

"I'm not leaving you," Jason whispered, panic rising again.

"You have to." Simon's voice cracked, fading. "You're gonna do great things, kid. You're stubborn, reckless, arrogant as hell... but you've got something the others don't. Heart."

Jason's vision blurred. "Please don't leave me. I swear-I'll listen next time. I'll do whatever you say. Just stay."

Simon exhaled slowly. Then, with a weak grin, he said,

"Before I go... just one thing."

Jason leaned in, heart pounding.

"I totally cheated in our last game," Simon whispered. "Swapped cards when you blinked."

Jason let out a sharp laugh, tears still falling. "You think I didn't notice? I just let you have that one."

Simon's grin widened, faint but real. "Heh... punk. That's the last thing I needed to hear."

And with that... his eyes closed.

Gone.

Jason froze.

Then-the scream ripped from him.A raw, aching sound no one should ever have to make. He clutched Simon tightly as the world collapsed around them.

Just as the roof gave in, Amelia burst in. Her eyes locked on the scene, and without a word, she grabbed Jason and dragged him out.

Outside, the building caved in behind them.

The other S-Ranks stared in stunned silence as Amelia, bruised and bleeding, carried Jason-eyes empty, arms limp, tears still rolling.

No one spoke.

Someone finally asked, "What the hell happened in there?"

Amelia answered, voice hoarse she filled them on what had taken place

Jason didn't say a word.

He just stared at the ground-knowing this from this moment on...

Everything has changed.

Back at the agency, silence hung thick as the surviving agents marched down the corridor, their boots echoing against the cold floor. They entered Raven's office, handing over the secured file.

Raven barely looked up from her desk. "Well done. The mission was a success."

Then she paused, her eyes scanning the group.

"...Where's Simon?"

The room fell quiet.

Too quiet.

Amelia stepped forward, her voice barely above a whisper.

"...He didn't make it back, ma'am."

Raven's fingers froze mid-turn of the file. Her expression didn't change-but her voice sharpened.

"Explain..what happened."

Ava, one of the top S-Ranks, stepped forward with venom in her eyes.

"Oh, we'll explain. Simon's dead-because he happened." She pointed directly at Jason.

Jason, eyes red and swollen, shook his head, tears spilling again.

"I didn't mean for this to happen... He told me not to come, but I didn't listen... and then he... he..."

Raven cut in, her voice cold and mechanical. "There's no point crying over it now. Simon's gone. We'll fill his position. The agency can't afford empty seats."

The words hit the room like a slap.

Ava's eyes widened in disbelief. "Replace him? You don't just 'replace' Simon. He wasn't a desk filler-he was one of the best! We're barely holding the line as it is!"

Jason clenched his fists. His voice, shaky but determined, broke the tension.

"Then I'll do it... I'll replace him."

Every eye in the room turned to him.

Ava laughed bitterly. "You? You're the reason he's gone in the first place. The one person who actually gave a damn about you-and you let him die."

Jason's jaw tightened. He didn't speak.

Ava wasn't done. She smiled, cruel and deliberate.

"Even your own parents didn't want you. Raven had to pay them just to forget you existed-and they didn't hesitate. You were always just a mistake they cashed in on."

Jason stood frozen. The words stung-but not like they used to.

Because now... something inside him had shifted.

Raven's tone darkened. "That's enough, Ava."

But Jason slowly looked up, his voice icy.

"...Do you really think I care about that anymore?" He gave a small, cold laugh. "My parents can rot. They were gone long before this."

He stepped forward, meeting Ava's glare head-on.

"But Simon? He was the first person who actually saw me. And yeah, I messed up. But I'm not staying down."

He took a breath, steel in his eyes."I will become an S-Rank. Not to prove it to you... but for him. And when I do-you'll remember this moment."

The room fell silent again-only now, it wasn't out of shock.

It was the quiet before a storm.

Raven finally looked up, and for a split second... there was something unreadable in her eyes.

"Then prove it i'd like to see you try."

Years passed, and Jason rose through the ranks like a storm-pushing beyond limits, breaking records, and mastering skills no one his age ever dared to attempt. Eventually, he stood at the top-an S-Rank assassin, feared, respected... greater than even Simon had ever been. But despite the glory, something still felt hollow. A piece of him was missing.

Meanwhile, at the Agency, something unusual was stirring. Raven summoned every assassin from D to S-Rank into the central hall. It was rare-unheard of even-for such a gathering to be called, and the air was thick with curiosity and tension.

Stepping onto the platform, Raven's voice rang out strong and clear:

"Over the years, I've watched many of you grow... sharpen your skills, hone your instincts, and bleed for your progress. But today," she paused, scanning the room, "today, I'm going to reward not just your strength-but your potential."

A ripple of surprise ran through the hall.

"I'm selecting six individuals," Raven continued, "for a mission like no other. Complete it, and you'll ascend beyond S-Rank... to Phantom Rank. SS-Rank."

The hall erupted in shock and excitement-SS-Rank was legend. Untouchable. Rumors and whispers danced through the crowd. And then the names were called.

Jason-of course.

Then others followed. And finally, the last name echoed through the hall:

"Daphne Amari."

Silence.

Heads turned. Confused murmurs spread like wildfire.

"Who?"

"D-Rank? Did she say D-Rank?"

"Is this some kind of joke?"

At the back, Daphne stood frozen. Her eyes wide. Her breath caught.

"Me?" she whispered. "There's no way. This has to be a mistake. I just got ranked last week... This has to be some sort of joke!"

As the murmurs intensified, Raven simply smiled. "That'll be all," she said. "Chosen assassins, report to my office. Now."

Jason stood, calm and unreadable. The others followed with pride. And Daphne? She stood on shaking legs, stepping toward the unknown... with the eyes of the entire agency burning into her back.

Inside Raven's private office, the atmosphere was cold and sharp-just like her. The six assassins stood before her in a line. Jason, arms crossed, unreadable. The others-seasoned, focused, confident. Then there was Daphne, trying hard to steady her breath, completely out of place.

Raven stepped back and pressed a button on her desk. Instantly, the lights dimmed and a holographic projection shimmered to life-at the center, a sprawling, high-security mansion pulsed in red.

She spoke calmly, but her tone was laced with gravity.

"Your target is a child. First name: Liam. Last name : Hugh. Age: Ten. Location: Saint Lucian."

The room went still.

"This boy isn't ordinary-he's an asset. Classified. You're to infiltrate the compound, extract him alive, and eliminate all traces of the facility afterward."

The hologram zoomed in, revealing layers of security: guards, lasers, armored drones.

"You get in. You get the boy. You burn it all down."

She locked eyes with them.

"Failure is not on the table."

No one spoke.

Raven paced slowly in front of them, heels echoing on the marble floor. "What I'm about to assign isn't just a mission," she began. "It's a test. A gauntlet. A gateway to Phantom Rank."

Her gaze swept over them. "Five of you are top-tier-S-Rank, well-decorated, trusted. And one of you..." she paused in front of Daphne, "...is an anomaly."

Daphne stiffened. The others shot her a glance. She wanted to disappear.

"But I've seen something in you," Raven continued. "Not raw power, not experience-but something more dangerous. Instinct."

Jason raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Then Raven added, "Only those who make it back alive... will earn the Phantom Rank."

Daphne's throat tightened. Jason finally looked at her-studying her-but not judging. More like... curious.

"And remember," Raven said darkly, "this isn't about fairness. It's survival."

She shut the map. "You leave at dawn."

As they turned to exit, Raven called out, "Jason."

He paused.

"Watch her."

Jason's eyes narrowed slightly. "If she slows us down-"

"Then leave her behind," Raven finished coldly. "No attachments."

Daphne felt a chill run down her spine.

Jason didn't answer. He just walked out.

Daphne clenched her fists and whispered to herself, "...I'll prove them all wrong."

As they left Raven's office, tension sparked immediately. Seraphina, one of the chosen S-Ranks, clicked her tongue in annoyance, her heels echoing down the corridor.

"I still don't get why we're stuck with a D-Rank on a Phantom-level mission," she scoffed. "She literally got ranked last week. What a joke."

Riley, walking beside her with an icy expression, didn't even blink. "Why not just get rid of her? She's gonna die anyway."

Seraphina smirked but sighed. "Trust me, I've thought about it. But we'd be breaking protocol-we can't kill teammates."

Riley turned, eyes cold as steel, fixing her gaze on Daphne. "Listen, D-Rank. Don't for a second think you're one of us. If you slow me down, I'll make sure you disappear. You're deadweight. Just a tool waiting to be discarded-and when I say 'discarded,' I mean dead."

Daphne froze, her voice barely a whisper. "Yes, ma'am... I won't get in your way."

Seraphina scoffed, disgusted. "Ugh, look at her. Shaking like a wet dog. So pathetic."

The two walked off without another glance.

Daphne stood alone in the hallway, hands clenched, trying to hold herself together. That's when Jason's voice cut through the silence.

"Watch your back," he said flatly, not even turning to face her. "They will kill you if you let them. I'd do it myself if it weren't against protocol. They're S-Ranks, yeah-but they act like rabid dogs. It pisses me off that I share a rank with them."

Before she could reply, he vanished down another hallway, leaving only the echo of his boots behind.

Suddenly, a warm hand touched her shoulder. She turned to see Howl-another S-Rank, but his aura was different. Calmer. Kinder.

"Don't let them get to you," he said gently. "It's gonna be rough, no doubt... Honestly, I still don't know why Raven picked you, but hey-maybe she sees something the rest of us don't."

Daphne lowered her eyes. "I don't even know what I'm doing here..."

Howl smiled. "Relax. If anything goes wrong, I've got your back. I won't let anything happen to you. That's a promise."

Daphne blinked, surprised. "You'd do that? For a D-Rank like me?"

"We all started there," Howl shrugged. "Some of them might've forgotten, but I haven't."

He leaned in slightly, voice dropping. "Oh-and don't mind Jason too much. He acts like he cares, but truth is... he doesn't. Even Raven lost his respect, somehow."

Daphne's eyes widened. "Wait... Madame Raven?"

"Yeah," Howl said, turning to leave. "Long story. Maybe you'll figure it out. Get some rest-we deploy at dawn."

As he walked away, Daphne stood a little taller. She still didn't feel ready-but maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as alone as she thought.

Daphne collapsed face-first onto her bed, groaning into the pillow like the world was ending. Her roommate, Cindy, peeked over from her side of the room, eyes twinkling.

"So... Miss Soon-To-Be-SS-Rank, how does it feel to be famous?" she teased, already grinning.

Daphne rolled onto her back, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Like I've just been sentenced to death... with glitter on top."

Cindy gasped. "Seriously?! Everyone would kill to be in your boots right now!"

Daphne raised a brow. "Yeah, and I might literally be killed in mine."

Cindy slid closer, eyes glinting mischievously. "Okay, but the best part is..."

Daphne turned her head, suspicious. "What?"

Cindy beamed. "You're going on a mission with Jason! You know-Jason! Your ultimate crush from last year!"

Daphne's face turned red instantly. She launched a pillow at Cindy. "SHHHH! Not so loud! That was just a tiny crush!"

"Tiny?" Cindy caught the pillow like a pro. "Girl, you wrote his name in your training notebook with little daggers and hearts."

Daphne buried her face. "Okay, maybe I liked him... but that was before I realized he wouldn't blink twice if I got vaporized on this mission."

Cindy threw the pillow back. "You don't know that. He might secretly care."

Daphne sighed, her voice dropping. "Or he might let me 'accidentally' get eliminated and say it was a 'tragic loss'."

Cindy's smirk faded. "Okay... real talk... you don't actually think they'll kill you, right?"

Daphne gave her a tired look. "Cindy. They're S-Ranks. The 'rules' bend when you hit their level. If I mysteriously trip into a volcano on this mission, no one's asking questions."

Cindy went quiet, the smile gone. She watched Daphne slowly curl into a ball. "You're stronger than you think, Daph... just don't die before proving it."

"Great pep talk," Daphne mumbled into her blanket before dozing off.

The Next Morning

The team gathered at the port. Everyone was geared up and ready-except two persons.

Seraphina tapped her foot like she was auditioning for a speed-drumming contest. "Where. Is. That. D-rank?"

Howl stretched lazily beside her. "Relax, Seraphina. You just got here two minutes ago."

Seraphina scoffed, arms crossed. "Yeah, but at least I didn't show up like it's a fashionably late brunch. She's already slowing us down and we haven't even left yet."

Riley chimed in, deadpan. "Maybe she got lost in her own panic attack."

Daphne came sprinting up the docks, hair a mess, breathing like she'd just outrun a pack of wolves.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't mean to be late!"

Howl turned with a calm, easygoing smile. "Relax. You're here, that's what matters. Besides..." -he checked his watch- "we're still one idiot short."

Right on cue, a voice rang out from behind, full of swagger:

"Ladies and gents! The fun has arrived!.. Sorry I'm late traffic wasn't easygoing today!"

Everyone turned to see Brandon, sunglasses on indoors, flipping a snack bar in one hand like he just walked off a red carpet.

Seraphina crossed her arms. "Brandon, there's no traffic inside a high-security assassin facility!"

Brandon gasped, feigning offense. "You're telling me that teleport jam at the East Hall doesn't count? Shame on you."

His eyes finally landed on Daphne. "Wait... is that a D-Rank? We got baby assassins on this mission now?"

Seraphina nearly exploded. "Oh my God, Brandon, were you even at the briefing yesterday?!"

Brandon shrugged. "Mentally? No. Spiritually? Also no."

He then spotted Jason standing nearby and sauntered over like he'd just spotted his best man at a wedding.

"Jay-Jay! My cold-hearted brother in arms! Why didn't you wait for me?"

Jason shot him a stare cold enough to freeze sunlight. "I don't remember ever being close enough to you to wait."

Brandon clutched his chest dramatically. "You wound me! Jason, after all we've been through-"

Jason turned away mid-sentence. Conversation: TERMINATED

Brandon pouted, then turned to the group with a spark of curiosity. "Hey, real talk... that kid we're supposed to 'adopt'-Liam, right? Don't y'all think he kinda looks like Jay-Jay?"

Howl chuckled. "Actually, yeah. The kid's got the same gloomy 'I-hate-everything' energy."

"Right?!" Brandon grinned. "If Liam had silver hair, I'd swear Jason cloned himself out of spite."

Jason didn't even flinch. "If you're done comparing me to a 10-year-old, maybe focus on not getting killed."

Suddenly, the air shifted-heels clicked against the dock floor.Raven arrived, as poised as ever, with Ava right behind her.

Ava smirked when she spotted Jason. "Well, well... if it isn't Mr. Ice Cube himself. Miss me, Jay?"

Jason didn't even blink. "Like a knife to the ribs."

Ava grinned wider. "Still sharp. I love that."

Howl muttered, "Great. They're flirting again."

Daphne just stared at them all like she'd stepped into a reality show titled

"Assassins Gone Wild."