Gray fog filled the sky from the outskirts of Agatha and rolled toward the Blackscale Citadel like a damp shroud when morning came.

Chills ran down Leon’s spine when he cracked his eyes open and found himself sleeping on the cold marble floor. Though he had no memory of getting up and lying on the floor.

As he pushed himself up, the hum of the elevator, the distant marching of soldiers, and the drip of a faucet which was three floors down all hit his ears like a physical blow.

"Ouch," he muttered as he squeezed his eyes shut, then pressed his palms on his ears when the door to his room hissed open like a blast.

Hei Yung entered and saw Leon’s devastated look. He calmly moved forward and felt Leon’s left arm. "Get up."

Leon blinked twice when he saw Hei Yung wearing a tactical coat with a fur collar. ’Why is he dressed as if he is going to a high-class occasion?’

Hei Yung stepped back, tilting his head slightly as Leon walked to the bed and sat down. "Aren’t you ready for the ceremony?"

Leon lifted surprised, dozy eyes toward him. "Ceremony?"

Hei Yung smiled faintly and moved a step closer. "The ceremony for the Ghost Squad. It starts in an hour."

"Oh, I forgot," Leon said in a calm voice. He began rubbing the back of his hands against his eyes. "That’s fine. Since I’m part of it, I can just join later."

"Later?" Hei Yung’s head snapped back. "You’re the guest of honor. In Agatha, that usually means you’re the one everyone is waiting to see first."

Leon looked at Hei Yung with a straight face. He shifted his gaze to the window and the collapsed glass wall before looking back. "Me, Leon Storm?"

Hei Yung didn’t reply. He simply walked to the side and sat in a foamy chair, relaxing as he shook his head.

’Me, the guest of honor? When did it get to this? Me, Leon Storm.’ Leon spoke to himself in his mind, his chest heaving with unstoppable laughter.

He walked to the bathroom and splashed water on his face. Leon looked into the mirror and smiled. ’Kim was right. My eyes.’

He focused on the gold color that spiked at the center of his pupils like trapped stars, spinning slowly in the dark.

...

Hei Yung was already standing at the door, scanning the burned walls and the ceiling when Leon exited the bathroom. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Hurry up; time is not on our side," he said. He glanced at Leon before shifting his gaze back to the once-solid plaster that was now crumbling.

Leon walked to the wardrobe and pulled out the outfit he liked best, black trousers and a shirt. He put them on without hesitation.

"I’m ready," he said, nearing Hei Yung.

"Ready?" Hei Yung looked at Leon as if he were a disease that needed a cure, then he laughed. "That outfit is not good for a ceremony. Take this instead."

Leon turned toward a box he hadn’t noticed Hei Yung bringing. He crouched at its side. "What is inside?"

"Open it and find out for yourself," Hei Yung whispered. He began walking toward a cracked triangular glass table while scratching his chin.

The moment the lid hissed open, a dull silver glow filled the room. Leon stood up abruptly.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw the black and silver plating of the war suit. It was crammed into the shape of a normal everyday outfit.

When he pulled it out and brushed his palms against it, the fiber surface rippled under his skin like waves.

"Is this made with the same alloy the Blackscale Citadel has?" Leon asked as he turned to look at Hei Yung.

"Just wear it and see how it reacts with your body. If you don’t, I won’t answer any other questions."

Beneath the cloth was a kit-shaped shield. When Leon pulled it out, he smiled and placed his palms on it. The shield retracted and curved, shifting its form until it became a large, circular disc with a handle in the center.

"WHOA!" Leon screamed in joy, shaking his shoulders. "Are these all for me?"

Hei Yung looked at Leon with a satisfied smile. "Yes. That one is a kinetic-drift shield."

"A kinetic-drift shield?" Leon asked, lowering his gaze to the device.

Hei Yung giggled and moved a step forward. "Yes. It folds for combat, but if you lock the core, it generates a localized gravity field. You can stand on it and fly through the air at an unmeasured speed."

Leon lifted the disc, which felt much lighter than it looked. He saw countless reflections of himself scattered on the surface. ’A flying disc.’

Hei Yung looked at the sky outside and then turned back to Leon. "You have forty-eight hours to master syncing your Solflare with the suit’s dampeners."

His voice dropped as he squeezed his fist. "The world outside won’t go easy on you once you get out this time."

"What does that mean?" Leon asked, pausing as he put on the suit.

Hei Yung didn’t answer right away. He looked at Leon, smiled, and shifted his gaze back to the window. "I will let you know once the ceremony is over."

...

At the grand hall of Agatha, countless soldiers and officials from Seol-Mujin sat calmly. They watched the three soldiers who had been tasked to stand at the podium.

The moment Leon and Hei Yung moved toward the front seats where Hei Luo, Lu Wang, Lord Luo Fang, and Hayes were, an empty can flew through the air. It hit the back of Leon’s head.

Hayes sighed and snapped his head slightly. "Even the soldiers of Agatha are not pleased with you."

Leon’s eyes remained locked on Hayes for a moment. Then he shook his head and sat beside Lu Wang.

"Hey kiddo," Lu Wang said. He ran his hands through Leon’s jet-black hair and smiled. "You look good in your new suit."

Leon shifted his gaze to Lu Wang and smiled back. "Thank you."

Hayes snarled as he looked at Lu Wang. "Always protecting the weak with his fragile strength, instead of aiming for the strong ones."

He turned and winked at Samir at the far end of the row, then shook his head.