"So this is the reason you want to send those cadets as a rescue team so badly, hmm? Your sister is on that team?"
The team leader glared at Dale with a cold gaze. Dale was clearly sweating under that intense gaze and retreated a few steps away.
"I-I will make sure that nothing happens to them-"
"Ms. Brayn!"
Dale flinched at his sharp tone and retreated again. She wanted to say something, but someone else started talking in a low voice before her.
"What will happen if the help isn't sent immediately?"
The team leader turned his head towards Kairen. Kairen's eyes were locked on a name on the paper.
"They will probably... d-die..."
Dale answered his question instead of the team leader with a slightly trembling voice.
'Die...'
Kairen felt his heart go cold after hearing that. They would die. It was scary. He didn't want to think about things related to death, he hated death. Death is cold and cruel, not for the dead, for the ones who are left alive. He didn't want anyone around him to die anymore. He didn't want to feel that scary seeling again.
"How long will it take for the help to arrive?"
Kairen asked one more question.
"They are... normally on standby near the teleportation circle, but we had to send most of them to another location this morning..."
"...."
Sent to another place?
'What happened to your well-known strategies and management? You guys can only bully weak cadets huh?'
Kairen felt angry after thinking about that. Isn't SMF the strongest organization in the country? Shouldn't you consider everything before sending people on missions? Aren't you just too thoughtless?
He knew that accidents may happen in every work, but he still felt anger.
Kairen looked at the team leader who was going around and talking to people with a serious face. He heard the team leader's loud voice at the moment.
"Why did you send the rescue unit somewhere else when your connection with Unit 6 was cut off since morning?"
He threw the documents on the table angrily and glared at the poor employee.
"I-It was an order f-from Unit 6's team leader. H-He requested help for the other half of the team that was sent to another location with himself."
The man took a deep breath as if to calm himself down.
"He divided the unit in two and requested help for the team that he himself was in?"
"Y-Yes."
The employee took one step backward seeing the team leader clench his fists.
"How many agents are there on the standby?"
"Currently, there are only 3."
He frowned after hearing that. 3 people weren't enough and there wasn't time to wait for others to arrive. There wasn't any time to waste. It was a risky act but he had to go there with only 3 people.
The team leader turned around to move when his eyes met with someone else's.
"...."
A pair of hazel eyes were staring at him angrily. He was one of the cadets that came here today. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
'Can't I really take them with me?'
He had disagreed with the suggestion before, but now that he got to know more about the situation, it seemed reasonable to some extent.
'I am sure nothing will happen to them if I go with them as well.'
He was quite confident in his skills. He wasn't a team leader for no reason after all. Also, these cadets weren't ordinary cadets. They must have excellent abilities to be able to come here today. He was sure they had the ability to at least protect themselves.
There wasn't any time to waste. The more he stood there hesitating, the more dangerous that team's situation would get. He made his mind and approached the three cadets.
"I will ask you for a favor."
The three of them turned to him.
"This isn't an order or a mission for your academy, but a request from Unit 5's team leader. You can refuse if you want to."
He touched the watch on his wrist. a few protective uniforms popped up from who knows where and held them in front of the cadets.
"Will you accompany me on a short rescue mission today?"
He said that and waited for their answer while observing them. The cadets looked at each other then glanced at him again.
Kairen, looking at the man, had a thought on his mind.
'Wow! So cool!'
A black-haired man with a good build, wearing black clothes and a black watch on his waist said some words in a cool manner and was looking at them with sharp eyes while holding some cool-looking uniforms. Even his request to go with him as a rescue team was co- wait what?
'Of course, I won't...'
"Yes."
However, what came out of Kairen's mouth was a "Yes".
'No Kairen, come to your senses!'
Serria then gladly accepted the request as well and Reyan accepted after seeing the two of his friends' answers.
"Then, follow me."
The man handed them the uniforms and started walking. Dale was looking at the scene with a surprised face. Kairen was also shocked.
'No, wait! Why did I say yes? I don't want to! I want to but I don't want to.'
He was scared and angry at the same time. He didn't know why he was angry, it was the same as what happened to him in Kain's house.
'Kairen!'
He slapped his face on his mind.
'Come back to your senses! These aren't your feelings! You won't jump into such a place for Kain!'
He grabbed a uniform and followed the man.
'Look, think logically. Kairen, You don't care about that man! YOU DON'T!.'
They used the stairs to go down as the elevator was too crowded. He shouted in his mind while running down the stairs.
'What matters to me more than anything is me myself.'
Kairen nodded his head at his own thoughts. That was right. Who would put themselves in danger for someone they barely knew? What he was going to do now has a reason! Yeah, a good reason.
'It is not like I am going to put myself in danger for someone else. I need him in order to know more about my past. That is the reason I am going there right now.'
Reyan and Serria looked at Kairen who suddenly smiled with satisfaction and nodded his head with a happy face. They exchanged glances with each other asking if he had finally lost his mind, but Kairen didn't notice that as he was in a battle with himself in his mind.
'That Kairen 1 bastard. It is all his fault. Did you really have to be soo mysterious? I really want to beat the crap out of you!'
They exited the main building and ran towards one of the smaller structures. The smaller buildings had a similar appearance to the main building but there were built in a different way. They seemed stronger and more spacious.
'What happened to security being your top priority, guys? You are bringing us to your I don't know how much important base.'
They entered the building soon. It was crowded with people who were hastily running here and there. The four people passed the crowd and headed downstairs.
A door appeared in front of them after passing lots of stairs. The team leader pressed a card to the electronic device beside the door and the door opened automatically. They could see a huge room once they entered.
A few people were in the room. All the heads turned towards them as soon as the door opened. A huge shiny circle was drawn on the floor, shining red and yellow. That was what they called a teleportation circle.
Three people wearing uniforms similar to the ones on the cadets' hands came forward as soon as they saw the team leader.
"Sir."
"Team leader Dains is here!"
Their gazes then turned to the three people behind the team leader.
"Who..."
Team leader Dains answered them briefly.
"Cadets. They're here to help."
The agents' eyes widened at that answer, they were clearly dissatisfied, yet, they didn't say anything.
Team leader Dains looked at the circle with a frown.
"How long has it been?"
"4 minutes. They blocked the way the moment we received the coordinates and we also changed the arrangements of the circle for it not to be detected."
The team leader nodded his head at the answer and walked closer to the shiny lines on the ground.
"Prepare the circle. We are moving right now."
"Now? Only the three of us?"
One of the agents asked in a confused tone.
"No. I am also coming with you, as well as these guys."
He pointed at the cadets with his chin.
"Cadets? Isn't that too risky?"
Team leader Dains closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He tapped the watch on his wrist. Two guns appeared in his hands.
"Nothing will happen to them. I will take responsibility."
He then turned to the cadets behind him.
"I don't think I have to remind you of the obvious rules. Don't move rashly, don't leave my side, and obey the orders completely. Back away immediately if you think that you are in danger."
"YES SIR."
The agents didn't say anything more. A mage came closer and cast some spells. The shiny circle glowed blue and green this time.
"It is ready."
As soon as the mage said that, seven people stepped into the circle.