Thivi let out a small scream, nearly dropping his weapon. Raphael merely glanced over, calm as ever. Radit narrowed his eyes, caught between shock and admiration.
"Planning to shoot your ex with that thing, Fel?" Radit joked with a nervous laugh.
Felicia replied flatly without turning around.
"If the law allowed it, I'd do it again and again."
A strained laugh broke out—tense, yet relieving.
Then Livia stepped forward, her voice soft.
"Are these weapons… really for us?"
The officer nodded.
"Yes. Each of your weapons will be customized to match your abilities. Take good care of them. They're not just tools—they're extensions of your bodies."
Slow footsteps echoed from the doorway.
Everyone turned.
Levan stood at the edge of the pale blue light, his posture straight, his face calm. A black tablet rested in his hand, a faint smile on his lips.
"I have the latest footage of Kaivan," he said quietly, yet every word cut through the air. "After you see this… you'll be speechless."
Silence fell.
Their gazes sharpened.
Felicia slowly lowered the Solothurn, her eyes locked onto Levan.
In a laboratory far from Kaivan's location, cold air drifted from the ventilation system. White lights reflected off steel walls, casting faint shadows of those inside.
At the center of the room, a large screen displayed footage of Kaivan's training and missions.
His friends gathered around, each wearing a different expression.
Frans rested his hand on his chin, staring at the screen.
"Is that really Kaivan?" he murmured, loud enough to break the silence.
Levan stood before them, adjusting his glasses before speaking.
"Yes. Kaivan has grown rapidly. He went through intense training. We even created a bank infiltration simulation guarded by military forces. The result—he cleared everything with ease."
A trace of admiration hid within his voice.
The video showed a Kaivan unlike anything they had known.
His movements were sharp and efficient. Every step was calculated with perfect precision. He leapt from corner to corner, using the environment as if he could see patterns invisible to ordinary people.
Ethan turned to Raphael, who sat behind them with a serious expression.
"You've fought him before, right?"
Raphael nodded, his eyes still on the screen.
"Yeah. But I didn't know he'd become like this. If we fought again now… I'd probably lose badly."
His voice was low, honest, and filled with respect.
Felicia stood with her arms crossed, studying Kaivan's every movement.
"He's fast," she said calmly. "But not because he's stronger. From what I see, his physical output hasn't changed."
In the corner, Isabel sat alone. The steel wall behind her reflected the blue glow of the holographic screen. Her shoulders were slightly hunched, forming a fragile silhouette amid the militaristic atmosphere.
Her face remained cold, but her fingers clenched the hem of her clothes, trembling faintly as she held back emotions she refused to show.
Nearby, Thivi sat cross-legged on the steel floor beside a table filled with modified weapons. His short black hair was messy, and his bright blue eyes sparkled with curiosity.
He leaned forward, tilting his head.
"Have you guys noticed?" he said suddenly. "Kaivan looks… shorter now."
Radit stopped playing with the trigger of his SCAR and raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean? Shorter how?"
Thivi shrugged.
"I don't know… it's like he never grew taller. I remember it clearly—he's always been the same. Still around 160. We've all changed, but him? He's exactly the same. Not even a little different."
Raphael, who had been leaning against the weapon rack, opened his eyes slightly wider. He didn't comment, but his brow twitched—a subtle sign that his thoughts were racing.
Steady footsteps sounded from behind the screen.
Levan, his white lab coat fluttering softly, walked to the center of the room. His black leather shoes gleamed against the metal floor, creating a tense rhythm as he approached.
He stopped before the holographic display, slipped one hand into his coat pocket, and studied each member of the team with a calculating gaze.
"Good observation," he said calmly, his voice deep and measured. "That's something we've noticed as well… and something we're currently investigating."
Zinnia turned slowly, her eyes filled with questions. Thivi straightened his posture. Radit lowered his weapon onto his lap, his expression growing serious.
Felicia, who was holding the Solothurn, gradually lowered its barrel.
It felt as if the entire room now revolved around Levan.
"That's right," Levan continued. "Kaivan isn't experiencing physical growth the way he should. Our biometric scans show that his bone structure has barely changed over the past year—stagnant in a way that's… suspicious."
Silence swallowed the room.
Only the hum of cooling systems and the soft buzz of the holographic screen remained.
"But that's… strange," Livia murmured softly.
She stood beside the weapon rack, hugging her CheyTac rifle tightly, like a treasured doll.
"Seventeen is supposed to be a growth spurt, right?"