SICARII

The standby squad regrouped with the others and immediately tended to the injured. Taizen and Mionara were hurt but stable, and after receiving first aid, they were carefully assisted onto the boat bound for Delria. The journey back was somber, the weight of failure hanging heavily in the air.

At the back of the boat, inside the cabin, Taizen and Mionara lay on adjacent beds. The rhythmic sway of the vessel and the distant crash of waves offered a hollow solace. Taizen, though in pain, was wide awake. His mind replayed the battle with Felix in a relentless loop, each moment a bitter reminder of his limitations. Frustration churned within him, a mix of anger and helplessness. He knew, deep down, that his inability to use Inner was a glaring weakness he couldn't afford to ignore any longer.

Beside him, Mionara stirred and groaned as he regained consciousness. His eyes fluttered open, scanning the unfamiliar room. "Where am I?" he asked groggily.

Taizen glanced over and smirked faintly. "Oh, you're finally up. That was some knockout." He chuckled lightly. "What happened, Mionara? You don't usually react like that and charge in. That's more my thing."

Mionara's expression darkened as he propped himself up slightly. "I don't know what came over me," he admitted nervously, avoiding Taizen's gaze. "I just… I couldn't stand him. Something about Felix… he just made my blood boil."

Taizen nodded understandingly. "That's fair enough. It gets like that sometimes." He paused, his tone softening. "But, man, we both need to get stronger. Strong enough to take down guys like Felix without even breaking a sweat."

Mionara turned to face him, his jaw tightening. "You're right," he said with conviction. "We do."

Taizen leaned back, staring at the ceiling of the cabin. "Anyway," he continued, "we're heading back to Delria now. They took Ron. The mission was a failure." His voice wavered slightly as he spoke, the words bitter on his tongue. "I didn't think missions were going to be this tough… and we haven't even officially joined the Agency yet."

Mionara sighed, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

"This world of the Sicarii," Taizen added, "it's ruthless. Brutal." He paused, glancing at Mionara. "But you know what? I'm just glad we didn't lose anyone today."

Mionara nodded slowly, the two of them sharing a moment of silent agreement. The journey back to Delria stretched on, but in that moment, their resolve to grow stronger became a bond as unbreakable as steel.

As the boat gently rocked on its course to Delria, Lino stepped into the cabin, his presence immediately commanding attention. He glanced at Taizen and Mionara, both visibly weary but alert.

"Head up, boys," Lino began, his voice steady and reassuring. "You guys fought well. These things happen—missions where the intel isn't enough are always the hardest to prepare for. Honestly, we'd have sent out a stronger squad if we'd known Felix was in the mix."

He paused, giving them both a rare smile. "That said, you held your own against the other members of TAK. That's no small feat. I haven't seen this much potential in a long time. So take some pride in that."

Taizen and Mionara exchanged glances, the praise offering a sliver of comfort amidst the weight of their failure.

Lino continued, "We'll be getting back to Delria late tonight. When we do, just head straight to sleep. We'll debrief in the morning."

The rest of the journey passed in reflective silence, with the two warriors processing the battles, the losses, and the lessons learned.

Back in Delria

The team arrived in Delria under the cover of night, exhausted from the mission. Taizen and Mionara collapsed into their respective bunks, sleep claiming them almost instantly.

By morning, the first rays of sunlight filtered through their windows, and Rachel appeared, knocking briskly on their door. "Morning, guys," she said brightly. "Let's go. There's a briefing, and some good news to share."

Taizen groaned, rubbing his eyes, while Mionara sat up and stretched. Together, they followed Rachel to one of the briefing rooms, where the entire squad was gathered. At the front of the room stood Lino, his commanding presence steadying the group.

Once everyone had settled, Lino addressed them. "Alright, let's get into it. First off, the mission was a failure. We didn't bring Ron back, and Felix got away. But let's be clear—this isn't the first mission to go sideways, and it won't be the last. What matters is that we learn and come back stronger."

Lino's expression softened slightly. "On the bright side, I've got some good news. Reports from the Agency this morning confirmed that Ron has been released. Apparently, his father paid off TAK with money and weapons to secure his return. So, Ron's safe."

The room buzzed with quiet murmurs, a mix of relief and concern.

Lino raised a hand to quiet them. "Now, the downside. A criminal organization like TAK just got their hands on a load of cash and firepower. That's a problem, but it's the Agency's problem for now. Our priority was to keep Ron alive, and we succeeded in that, indirectly or not."

He paused, scanning the room. "You've all earned a break. Take the next couple of days off. Explore Delria, get some training in, or just rest. The next mission will come soon, and we'll brief you when it does. Until then, regroup, recharge, and be ready."

With that, the team was dismissed, leaving the room with a mix of relief and determination. Taizen and Mionara lingered for a moment, exchanging a silent nod. The journey was far from over, but for now, they would take the time to prepare for whatever came next.