HSBA Delta Branch: Where Paths Cross Again - CHAPTER 10

[HSBA Delta Training Camp Branch — Main Training Grounds | 8:53 A.M.]

The morning sky hung high above the massive training grounds.

Clear.

Bright.

Unforgiving.

And below it—

One hundred forty-four remaining trainees stood assembled in formation.

The survivors.

The last ones left standing.

Seven months ago—

There had been three hundred.

Three hundred hopefuls.

Three hundred recruits.

Three hundred people who believed they could survive HSBA.

Then came the eliminations.

Day after day.

Week after week.

Month after month.

Physical evaluations.

Combat drills.

Field simulations.

Mental endurance tests.

Survival exercises.

Leadership assessments.

Tactical examinations.

Failure after failure.

Departure after departure.

Until now—

Only one hundred forty-four remained.

And among them—

Only one hundred thirty-seven were actual candidates for graduation.

The rest—

Were secrets.

Hidden in plain sight.

Standing quietly among the formation.

Instructor Yanzhi.

Instructor Flint.

Instructor Justin.

Still wearing trainee uniforms.

Still pretending.

Still blending in perfectly.

Nearby—

Trainee Ysabelle.

Trainee Laurie.

Trainee Ashley.

Trainee Mirco.

Also standing among the formation.

Also pretending.

Also hiding the truth.

None of the surrounding trainees knew.

None suspected.

Because as far as everyone else was concerned—

Today would determine whether they lived their dreams or watched them end.

Meanwhile—

Trainee Ysabelle stood silently.

Observing.

Thinking.

A strange feeling lingered in the back of her mind.

The simulation.

Three days ago.

The blindfold.

The chamber.

The suffering.

The rescue.

The words spoken afterward.

“You all passed.”

She remembered them clearly.

Too clearly.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“…Maybe…”

Then shook her head.

No.

No assumptions.

No guessing.

No relying on intuition.

Until someone officially confirmed it—

She would treat today exactly the same.

A final test.

Nothing less.

Nothing more.

Beside her—

Trainee Laurie looked nervous.

Trainee Ashley looked pale.

Trainee Mirco looked exhausted.

All three still believing today would determine everything.

Which made Trainee Ysabelle keep her suspicions to herself.

For now.

Meanwhile—

Across the enormous field—

More trainees continued arriving.

Some looked exhausted.

Some stretched silently.

Some stared toward the evaluation zones.

Some looked ready to throw up.

One trainee sat on a nearby bench with his face buried in both hands.

“…I’m going to fail.”

Another immediately answered.

“…Stop saying that.”

A third trainee looked ready to cry.

“…I haven’t slept.”

Nearby—

Another trainee laughed nervously.

“…Seven months.”

“…Everything comes down to today.”

Nobody disagreed.

Because it was true.

Everything came down to today.

Day Zero Test.

The final gate.

The final judgment.

The final chance.

Beyond the assembled formations—

The instructors had already completed their preparations.

Medical stations.

Observation towers.

Evaluation checkpoints.

Recovery areas.

Assessment zones.

Everything stood ready.

Rows of secured equipment cases rested beside designated stations.

Including dozens of neatly arranged HSBA blindfolds.

Waiting.

Silent.

Almost ominous.

Meanwhile—

At the Medical Response Area—

Instructor Hazel reviewed supplies one final time.

Instructor Abigail checked emergency kits.

Instructor Maeve verified treatment stations.

Instructor Sharmaine finished inventory reports.

Nearby—

Instructor William stood beside Instructor Khione, Instructor Zeirah, Instructor Hajime, Instructor Renesmee, and Instructor Deia.

All supposedly focused on preparations.

All secretly distracted.

Instructor William asked quietly.

“…You noticed it too, right?”

Instructor Khione immediately nodded.

“…Everyone noticed.”

Instructor Zeirah crossed her arms.

“…Only seven weren’t affected.”

Instructor Deia frowned.

“…Actually nine.”

Instructor Hajime looked over.

“…Nine?”

“…Headmaster Gaius.”

“…Zachary.”

“…Then Instructor Britney, Instructor Sapphire, Instructor Skyrish, Instructor Amethyst, Instructor Bailey, Instructor Raphael, and Instructor Nexcialine.”

Silence.

Instructor William rubbed his forehead.

“…Exactly.”

None of them had answers.

Meanwhile—

Elsewhere—

Instructor Ashryn stood beside Instructor Autumn and Instructor Seven.

Watching the formations.

Yet their earlier meeting remained stuck inside their minds.

Instructor Autumn sighed softly.

“…Who is she?”

Instructor Seven shook her head.

“…No idea.”

Instructor Ashryn looked toward the distant administration building.

“…But everyone felt it.”

Neither disagreed.

Because everyone had.

Every instructor.

Every trainee present in that meeting.

Every person except those seven.

And somehow—

That made the mystery even worse.

Nearby—

Instructor Xavier stood with Instructor Sophie and Instructor Angel.

All three equally confused.

“…Instructor Britney’s group looked completely normal around her.”

Instructor Angel nodded.

“…Like they’d known her forever.”

“…Not just known.”

Instructor Sophie frowned.

“…Trusted.”

That single word lingered.

Trusted.

Deeply.

Instinctively.

Without hesitation.

And nobody could explain why.

Meanwhile—

At another observation point—

Instructor Morixette, Instructor Vanessa, Instructor Karylle, Instructor Zhandrieu, Instructor Lauren, Instructor Maureen, and Instructor Shayne completed final equipment checks.

Yet their attention kept drifting elsewhere.

Instructor Karylle whispered.

“…We’re really not going to talk about what happened earlier?”

Instructor Vanessa immediately replied.

“…No.”

“…We’re definitely talking about it.”

Instructor Lauren nodded.

“…Headmaster Gaius personally escorting someone?”

“…That doesn’t happen.”

Instructor Shayne frowned.

“…And why were those trainees in the meeting?”

Everyone knew exactly which trainees she meant.

Instructor Yanzhi.

Instructor Flint.

Instructor Justin.

Trainee Ysabelle.

Trainee Laurie.

Trainee Ashley.

Trainee Mirco.

Nobody had answers.

Instructor Maureen sighed.

“…At this point I think asking questions just creates more questions.”

Instructor Zhandrieu muttered.

“…Accurate”

Meanwhile—

Far above—

The observation platforms remained occupied.

Instructor Faye.

Instructor Mark.

Instructor Landrieu.

Instructor Azhette.

Instructor Syndie.

Instructor Arch Jude.

Instructor Monique.

Instructor Jonathan.

The eight chosen main instructors had finally arrived.

And the moment they stepped onto the platform—

Every instructor throughout the training grounds immediately noticed.

The signal was approaching.

Day Zero Test was about to begin.

One by one—

Conversations died.

Movements slowed.

Formations straightened.

The nervous energy across the grounds intensified.

Below—

One hundred forty-four trainees stood waiting.

Among them—

One hundred thirty-seven who truly needed to pass.

Four who had already unknowingly passed.

Three instructors hiding beneath trainee uniforms.

And countless futures waiting to be decided.

The wind swept across the training grounds.

Silence followed.

Then—

Instructor Faye stepped forward.

Her voice echoed across the entire field.

“Attention.”

THUMP.

One hundred forty-four trainees snapped upright instantly.

Around them—

Dozens of instructors stood ready at their assigned stations.

Medical teams prepared.

Evaluators prepared.

Observation teams prepared.

Every department ready.

Every checkpoint ready.

Every blindfold ready.

The training grounds became completely silent.

Not a single voice remained.

Only anticipation.

Only tension.

Only expectation.

High above—

Instructor Faye looked across every remaining trainee.

Then toward the instructors.

Then toward the prepared evaluation zones.

And finally—

Toward the beginning of Day Zero Test itself.

The final test.

The last gate.

The moment every remaining trainee had spent seven months fighting to reach.

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