The steel walls and ceiling of the barrack gleamed coldly in the dim pre-dawn light. Four cots were arranged in a neat row, their occupants still asleep despite the early hour.
On the left, Aoroi's face was relaxed, his breathing deep and even. But his fingers twitched against the thin mattress, hinting at the coiled strength in his swimmer's body.
Beside him, Bombshell snored loudly, mouth hanging open. His hands were curled into loose fists near his face as if ready to strike even in his sleep. Mirrai lay flat on her back on the next cot, arms crossed over her chest, her expression severe as if deep in focused thought.
And on the far right, Shin slept with his back to the others. Only the top of his head was visible above the blanket pulled up to his ears. He stirred slightly, sensing the coming dawn.
In the stillness of the barrack, the four teammates slept on, unaware of the intense training that awaited them at 05:00am sharp. The reinforced walls and ceilings would soon bear witness to their combined might. But for now, the squad rested, gathering their strength for the challenges ahead.
The shrill blare of alarms shattered the quiet night as the barrack was suddenly plunged into chaos. Red emergency lights flashed wildly as the room began to rapidly fill with water pouring in from vents in the ceilings and walls.
"What's happening?!" Mirrai cried out, bolting upright in her cot.
Bombshell leapt to his feet, fists clenched. "We're under attack!"
"No! Look!" Shin pointed to a large digital clock on the wall as it ticked down. "It's some kind of timed training exercise!"
The water was already up to their knees and rising fast. Mirrai rushed to the locked steel door and pounded her fists against it to no avail.
"The door's not budging!" she yelled over the blaring sirens.
Aoroi dove under the surface, swimming swiftly around the perimeter of the barrack, searching for any way out. But the walls and floor were seamless. Desperately, he burst back above the churning water. "There's no exit down there!"
The squad looked around in dismay as the water reached their chests. This was no ordinary training - it was a fight for their lives, a fight for survival. They only had minutes left before the entire barrack would be completely submerged.
Mirrai treaded water, keeping her head tilted back to grasp the final breaths of air as the waterline crept up the walls.
"Bombshell, can you blast us out of here?" Aoroi shouted over the blaring alarms.
Bombshell swam to the nearest wall, pressing his palms against the cold steel. His brow furrowed in concentration as he summoned his explosive energy. The metal began to heat and glow red under his touch but remained firmly in place.
"It's no use, this stuff is reinforced!" Bombshell yelled in frustration, smoke wisping from his hands.
The squad clung desperately to the final handholds along the ceiling as the churning water engulfed them completely. Their lungs burned for air in the dim underwater world.
Aoroi pounded his fist against the ceiling in anger and despair. Were they meant to die here? What was the purpose of this twisted test? His thoughts grew sluggish and dim as his vision darkened.
Mirrai grit her teeth and turned towards the nearest wall. She planted her feet and wound up her fists, ready to vent her rage. With a roar, she unleashed a devastating punch on the steel. The impact resounded through the barracks like a gong. But the wall barely dented under her superhuman strength.
She punched again and again, her knuckles splitting as the skin tore. Blood sprayed with each blow, but the cold metal refused to yield.
"It's no use, Mirrai," said Shin softly, laying a hand on her shoulder. "We tried everything already."
She slumped against the wall, nursing her mangled hands.
"We'll get through this," Shin continued. "This is just one of the captain's first test. We just have to keep going."
Mirrai looked at her squadmates, seeing the exhaustion and determination in their eyes. She took a deep breath and nodded.
"You're right. We're just getting started."
The squad turned towards the door, ready to face whatever Captain Ghost threw at them next. They would survive - together.
Mirrai wiped the blood from her hands as the squad gathered in the center of the barracks. Shin gave her an encouraging smile, though his own fatigue showed in the dark circles under his eyes.
The countdown clock on the wall ticked down to the final minute. The rising water now lapped against the ceiling, leaving only a small pocket of air.
"No way out, huh?" Bombshell said, scanning the reinforced walls. "This Ghost guy really built this place to contain us."
"There's got to be something we haven't tried yet," Aoroi said. He dove under the surface yet again, swimming along the floor in search of any hidden exit. But the room was sealed tight.
Surfacing, Aoroi shook his head grimly. The final seconds counted down as the water rose over their heads. The squad took deep breaths, exchanging determined looks.
Suddenly, the clock stopped at 00:00. The lights cut out, plunging them into darkness
Treading the water, Aoroi gathered the team around him.
"Listen up. I have a plan," he said. "Bombshell, you're our demolition expert. Mirrai, you've got the strength of ten men. Together, we can blast our way out."
Bombshell nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "I like the way you think, chief."
Mirrai flexed her massive arms. "Just tell me where to hit."
"On my signal, Bombshell, you lay explosives along the ceiling joints. Mirrai, you get into position below. At the moment of detonation, punch upward with all your might."
The two got to work prepping the attack while Shin and Aoroi cleared the area. Time was running out - the water had nearly consumed the chamber again.
"Ready?" Aoroi shouted over the blaring alarms. His squad gave him thumbs up. "Blow it!"
A deafening blast rocked the barracks. Chunks of steel rained down as Mirrai's fist burst through the breached ceiling. Sunlight streamed in from above.
"Go, go!" Aoroi yelled, propelling his team members up the opening. They scrambled out gasping, collapsing in a heap on the ground. The test was over. They had escaped as one.
Mirrai collapsed onto her back, chest heaving as she caught her breath. Bombshell whooped and pumped his fist, adrenaline still pumping through his veins.
"We did it!" he cheered. "Man, I could use a drink after that."
Shin sat silently, arms draped over his knees. Though exhausted, his mind was already analyzing their performance, calculating where improvements could be made.
Aoroi rose to his feet and surveyed the destruction they had wrought. The reinforced barracks now lay in ruins, sunlight streaming through the mangled ceiling.
Then, a blinding light appeared above them as a section of the ceiling retracted. Fresh air rushed in along with the hovering form of Captain Ghost.
"Well done," his voice boomed. "You have passed the test of survival. Now comes the real training."
The team looked up to see Captain Ghost descending towards them, his boots never touching the ground. "But this was merely a warm-up."
The exhausted team pulled themselves up and stood at weary attention. What fresh horrors awaited them next.
Mirrai shook the water from her hair, glaring up at Captain Ghost.
"A test? You nearly drowned us!" she shouted angrily.
The captain remained impassive. "As imperial heros, you must be prepared to face death itself. I needed to see if you had the drive to survive at all costs."
"Do not be disheartened," Ghost continued, his face unreadable behind his mask. "You have shown promising teamwork today. But true unity requires more than a shared goal - it requires trust. Your bonds have strengthened, but the road ahead remains long."
He waved his hand and a course of tires and obstacles appeared before them.
"Now," he intoned, "the real test begins. Survive...if you can."
And with that, he vanished, leaving the exhausted but determined team to face their next trial.
Mirrai let out an exhausted sigh as she stared at the obstacle course materializing before them. Her muscles ached from punching through the barracks ceiling just moments before. The last thing she wanted was another intense physical challenge.
Beside her, Aoroi stood tall, refusing to show any weakness. He knew he must do everything possible to overcome his limits but Inside, however, his limbs screamed for rest. Breaking the surface tension and swimming down repeatedly to find an exit had drained his energy.
Bombshell groaned loudly, voicing the protest on all their minds. "Come on, we just got out of a death trap! Can't we get five minutes?"
Shin stayed silent, simply staring at the course ahead. He calculated they had approximately 60 seconds before the exercise commenced. Hardly enough time to recover. But he trusted Captain Ghost's methods, however ruthless they seemed.
Shin turned to his teammates. "I know we're tired. But we can do this. We just proved we're at our best when we work as one." He held out his hand. "We go again...together."
Mirrai placed her hand on his, then Bombshell. Finally, Aoroi joined in. They held the pose for a brief moment, gathering their strength.
Then the countdown began, and as one they charged forward to meet the next challenge. Their focus now was on survival, on trusting their training, their team, and themselves. Step by step, obstacle by obstacle, they persevered.