Jaime and Juan were somehow even worse.

I watched Juan's half-asleep form slouch against the railing, his chin barely propped up by one hand. His voice drifted down to the arena floor with all the enthusiasm of a comatose sloth.

"There's a thing. To your left. I guess." Every syllable dripped with such profound boredom I could practically see his soul leaving his body. His eyes weren't even fully open as he gestured vaguely in some direction. "Do something about it."

In stark contrast, Jaime bounced on his toes with explosive energy, his massive frame vibrating with excitement. His muscles rippled beneath his shirt like tectonic plates shifting, threatening to tear through the fabric entirely. His booming voice echoed off the walls, probably audible three training arenas over.

"BE MORE SPECIFIC, MY FRIEND!" he thundered. "IS IT A THING OF GLORY? A FOE WORTHY OF MY STAR CHAIN? SHALL I UNLEASH MY FULL MIGHT UPON THIS MYSTERIOUS ADVERSARY?"

"It's a drone. Just punch it or something."

A yawn followed. Loud enough to be heard across the arena.

"I'm going back to sleep."

CRASH!

A drone slammed into Jaime's back. Sent him sprawling face-first into the dirt. The impact echoed off the walls. Added to the cacophony of shouts, metal impacts, and cursing.

"Juan! You must keep your eyes open!" Jaime called out. Pushed himself up. His enthusiasm somehow remained undimmed. Dirt streaked across his face. Yet his smile stayed radiant. "Our victory depends on your vigilance!"

"Whatever. Two more coming. From the ceiling, I think."

Juan gestured vaguely upward. His eyes were already half-closed again.

Fantastic.

Hikari and Soomin weren't communicating much better. The contrast between them was almost comical. Hikari's boisterous confidence versus Soomin's timid hesitation.

"THERE'S ONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!" Hikari shouted. Her voice boomed across the arena like a cannon. "SMASH IT!"

Soomin flinched at the volume. Her partial transformation faltered. The white aura around her hands flickered like a dying light bulb.

"How close? Should I dodge first or..."

"JUST HIT IT! NOW! WITH YOUR CLAWS!"

"I don't have claws right now! I'm trying to..."

"BEHIND YOU NOW! DUCK!"

Soomin dropped to the ground. Narrowly avoided a drone that whooshed over her head. Pink pigtails fluttered in its wake. Her panicked squeak was barely audible above the chaos.

Only Marco and Malachi seemed to function as a unit.

Malachi's quiet voice guided Marco through a series of perfect evasions and counters. They moved like they'd practiced this a hundred times. A dance of trust and implicit understanding.

"Left," Malachi whispered. Barely audible from where I stood. Those dark eyes tracked every movement with uncanny intensity. "Three steps. Duck."

Marco followed instantly. That massive frame moved with surprising grace. The drone's attack sailed over his head. Missed by millimeters.

"Up. Right fist. Now."

The drone crumpled under Marco's blow. Metal casing dented inward with a satisfying crunch.

"Two more. Nine o'clock. Wait."

A pause.

"Now."

Perfect execution.

The training ground had descended into a circus of miscommunication, stubbornness, and incompetence.

Why weren't they listening?

The exercise was straightforward. Information in, action out. What was so hard about that?

My jaw clenched tight enough to ache. These were supposed to be Hunter prospects? Half of them would be dead in a real Gate. Dead because they couldn't follow simple directions or communicate basic information.

"Vargas, pivot on your left foot!" I barked. "Miyamoto, your chains are too slow! Navarro, WAKE UP!"

My corrections only made things worse.

Raphael stopped listening entirely. Ripped off his blindfold. Stalked to the corner. Akari rolled her eyes behind her blindfold. The gesture was somehow visible despite the cloth. Juan actually started fake-snoring. Loud exaggerated sounds that made Jacob stutter even worse.

The arena floor was littered with drone parts. Scorch marks from misfired Aspects. The wounded pride of failed teamwork. My supposedly brilliant exercise was unraveling before my eyes. I could feel my control slipping with each passing second.

This was an absolute shit show.

By the time Natalia stepped into the arena, my temper had frayed to its last thread.

I watched intently as Noah positioned herself on the platform. Her posture was military-perfect. Blonde hair caught the last rays of sunlight. Emi stood beside her. Eyes wide with interest. Blue hair bobbed as she leaned forward eagerly.

"Drone approaching from behind," Noah stated.

Clear. Crisp. No extraneous information. Her voice carried authority without shouting. Confidence without arrogance.

"Low sweep coming to your ankles."

Natalia responded instantly. Jumped while unleashing a telekinetic blast downward. The drone crashed into the ground. Its attack pattern disrupted.

"Two more, flanking. Left one is faster."

A perfect pirouette. Followed by twin ice spikes that impaled both drones simultaneously. The ice glinted blue-white under the arena lights. Frost spread along metal carapaces.

"Last one. Ceiling. It's charging some kind of energy weapon."

Natalia created a telekinetic shield above her head. A shimmering dome of force. The drone's energy bolt ricocheted off the shield. Deflected back at its source. The drone exploded in a shower of sparks that rained down like electric confetti.

They were flawless.

A perfect team.

Noah's cold efficiency matched Natalia's capabilities perfectly. Natalia's graceful execution made Noah's commands look inspired. Even Emi contributed by calling out encouragement.

A team that didn't include me.

A team where Natalia shined without my guidance.

A team that made my careful planning look amateurish by comparison.

Something ugly twisted in my gut as I watched them celebrate their success. Natalia removed her blindfold with a satisfied smile. Noah offered a rare, approving nod. Emi bounced with excitement.

The feeling coiled inside me like a venomous snake. Bitter and possessive.

It felt suspiciously like jealousy.

Which was ridiculous.

Natalia was mine. My queen. My most valuable asset. I should be pleased she performed well.

So why did seeing her excel under someone else's direction make me want to break something?

Why did Noah's competence feel like a challenge to my authority?

Why did Emi's supportive cheers sound like betrayal in my ears?

I shoved the feeling down. Buried it deep. Weakness. That's all it was. A moment of weakness.

Focus on the bigger picture. Natalia performing well made the guild stronger. That's what mattered. That's all that mattered.

The fact that it bothered me was irrelevant.

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