"Here's how this works," I said.

I strolled between them like a general inspecting his troops. The training field stretched out before us under the late afternoon sun. Sweat still glistened on their exhausted faces. Good. They needed to be uncomfortable.

"Raphael, you're with Jacob."

Jacob's face went pale. All the blood drained away in an instant. His skinny frame seemed to shrink further. Shoulders hunched inward like a turtle retreating into its shell. Raphael looked at him like I'd just paired him with a particularly annoying mosquito. Something too insignificant to kill but irritating enough to warrant contempt.

"But I..." Jacob's voice trailed off.

Raphael cracked his knuckles. The sound echoed across the field like small bones breaking. Jacob swallowed hard. His adam's apple bobbed frantically.

"Akari, you're with Isabelle."

The bombshell with chains and the regal wind-user exchanged measuring glances. Neither bothered to hide their mutual disdain. Perfect. Conflict breeds growth. Or entertaining disasters. Either way, I win.

"Jaime, you're with Juan."

The muscle-bound hero-worshipper bounced on his heels. Juan barely acknowledged his existence with a half-lidded glance.

"Hikari, you're working with Soomin."

The bundle of sunshine and the shy fox-girl. Now that would be interesting to watch.

"Marco and Malachi, you two are together."

Marco beamed at Malachi. Slapped the quiet boy's shoulder with enough force to stagger him. Malachi gave a tiny nod in response. Those violet eyes briefly met Marco's before darting away again.

"Natalia, Emi, Noah. You three are a group." I gestured to the elevated concrete platform overlooking the training grounds. Its metal railings caught the sun's glare. "Now gather round. I'm going to explain the drill."

They shuffled into a semi-circle around me. Dragged their feet through the packed dirt. Their expressions ranged from curious to mutinous. Bodies radiated exhaustion and reluctance.

Perfect.

Nothing like a little resistance to make victory sweeter.

"The exercise is called the Blind Duel." I let my voice drop into a more serious register. Watched their faces for reactions. "One partner will be the Eyes. They stand on that observation platform. The other will be the Body. They'll be in the arena, blindfolded. The Eyes will guide the Body through a combat scenario using only verbal commands. Your goal is to defeat a series of training drones."

Carmen perked up from her spot by the goalpost. Suddenly interested. She lowered her ever-present flask. Her good eye focused with surprising sharpness.

"Oh, this'll be good," she slurred. Took another swig from her flask. The smell of cheap bourbon wafted across the field.

"This tests communication, trust, and your ability to process tactical information under pressure," I explained.

I paced before them like a shark circling prey. The dirt crunched beneath my boots. Each step deliberate.

What I didn't say was that it would show me exactly who could follow orders. Who would challenge authority. Who would break under pressure. Who would be useful. Who would be dead weight. Who would need special handling.

The exercise wasn't just training. It was an evaluation. A sorting mechanism.

"Jacob will be Eyes first, Raphael the Body. Isabelle, you're guiding Akari. Juan, try to stay awake long enough to direct Jaime. Hikari, you'll guide Soomin. Marco and Malachi, decide between yourselves."

I turned to my trio. Let my eyes linger on Natalia's perfect posture. "Noah, you'll direct Natalia. Emi, observe for now."

I reached into a nearby equipment bag. Pulled out a handful of cloth. Showed them the blindfolds. Simple black cloths that would completely obscure vision. The fabric was soft but opaque. No chance of cheating.

"The drones are programmed for non-lethal combat. They will, however, hit back if you miss. And yes, it hurts. So listen carefully to your partner."

Excitement and apprehension rippled through the group like a wave.

Some embraced the challenge. Akari's eyes glinted with mischief. Isabelle's chin lifted imperceptibly. Raphael cracked his neck.

Others clearly dreaded it. Jacob's hands trembled. Soomin chewed her lower lip nervously. Juan seemed to be contemplating whether he could fake a sudden illness.

But all of them moved to their positions.

The Bodies took blindfolds. The Eyes climbed to the platform.

That told me one important thing. My authority was holding. For now.

I walked to the control panel near the arena wall. Its touchscreen glowed blue in the dimming light. I activated the training console. Set the drones to a challenging but manageable difficulty. Level C-3. Hard enough to require coordination. Not hard enough to cause serious injury.

"Begin!"

From the first command, it was clear we had a problem.

"Two drones approaching at your three o'clock, vectoring at a seventeen-degree angle!" Jacob's voice quavered from the platform. High-pitched with anxiety. His hands fluttered like nervous birds as he tried to convey information. "Optimal counter is a forty-five-degree pivot left and a concentrated kinetic blast at..."

"Just tell me where the damn things are!" Raphael roared.

He swung wildly. His muscled arm carved through empty air. Golden hair damp with sweat.

"Stop with the math!"

His fist connected with nothing but air. Momentum carried him into the arena wall. Concrete cracked under the impact.

BOOM!

A small cloud of dust billowed outward.

"Now they're behind you! I mean, one is behind you at approximately..."

"LEFT OR RIGHT, NERD! JUST SAY LEFT OR RIGHT!"

I watched Raphael stumble around. Fury building in his movements. Jacob's voice grew more frantic. His instructions became even more complex as his anxiety mounted. A feedback loop of frustration and panic.

Classic.

On the other side of the arena, Isabelle and Akari weren't faring much better.

"A drone approaches from your left flank," Isabelle directed. Her voice came out cool and crisp as winter air. "Evade and counter with a binding chain to its primary leg joint."

Akari completely ignored the instructions.

She extended a chain to feel around her surroundings like a silver tentacle. "Don't tell me what to do, darling. Just tell me where the party is."

She successfully snared a drone with a flick of her wrist. The chain wrapped around its central body. Got it in her own way. Completely disregarded Isabelle's tactical assessment.

"I said to target the joint," Isabelle repeated. Ice crystallized in her tone. From my angle, I could see her fingers tightening on the railing. Knuckles white with tension. "Not the central mass."

"And I got it, didn't I?" Akari's smile was audible. Lips curving smugly beneath the blindfold. "Results over process, Queen Bee."

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