One morning, as the fog lifted from the training grounds, Colonel Davide gathered them around in the arena. "Your next challenge is a survival mission," he announced, his voice carrying the gravity of the situation. "You will be dropped into the Grey Zone with only the gear on your backs. Your objective: locate and secure a high-value target before the other teams do."
Kai felt a knot tighten in his stomach. The Grey Zone is the only place after Ground Zero anyone could venture into. It gained its name from the numerous battles that were fought over the years between the gormorkers and the inhabitants of prime Earth. Now bandits and outlaws ran the place.
This was no longer about sparring in a controlled environment; this was about real combat, real danger. The colonel's eyes lingered on him for a moment before he continued, "You'll be out there for twenty-four hours. The team that returns with the target will be rewarded. The rest will face consequences."
