A Genius's Intuition
Kikoru Shinomiya, a prodigious talent, was sharp and perceptive. Beneath her aloof and occasionally abrasive demeanor lay a brilliant mind. Last night's cryptic remarks from Drake Myers lingered in her thoughts, and her intuition told her there was more to him than met the eye.
"Let me guess," Drake said with a casual smile. "You've figured it out. Yes, that monster was a new type. It's different from the ones we've faced before, and there will be more of them. Our world is about to get a lot stranger. The simpler times are gone."
"What? And you didn't think to report this earlier?" Kikoru snapped, visibly frustrated.
Drake met her fiery gaze with calm composure. "Would anyone have believed me? They're already more inclined to see me as a kaiju than as a human. I get it—they're cautious. But the paranoia? It's excessive. Soon, though, they'll have to face reality. People with abilities like mine will start appearing. Call them… chosen ones, if you will."
"Chosen ones?" Kikoru echoed, her voice tinged with skepticism. Kafka Hibino and Reno Ichikawa looked equally baffled, the term clearly beyond their understanding.
The Lone Hunter
Kikoru broke the silence with a pointed question. "So, what's your plan now?"
Drake leaned back against the bed, smirking. "I'll be a kaiju hunter."
Kikoru frowned deeply. She admired the Defense Force and knew countless people risked their lives for the chance to join. To her, Drake's decision seemed like a rejection of their values.
"Without proper equipment, you'll never become truly strong. Do you have any idea how many people would give anything to join the Defense Force?" she argued.
Drake laughed openly, his carefree demeanor only fueling her frustration.
A Controversial Demand
"Fine," Drake said after a pause, his tone shifting. "Have Mina Ashiro apologize to me personally, and I might reconsider."
"What?" Kafka blurted out, his jaw dropping.
Kikoru's eyes widened, and her face turned crimson with anger. "Are you out of your mind?"
Mina Ashiro was the youngest captain in the Sakura Nation's Defense Force, a prodigy whose combat liberation rate exceeded 96%. To have her apologize to anyone—let alone Drake—was unthinkable. Kikoru herself idolized Mina, as did most of the Defense Force, and Drake's audacious demand bordered on sacrilege.
"You do realize what you're saying, don't you?" Kikoru asked coldly.
Drake shrugged. "If she's really the leader everyone says she is, she'll know when an apology is due."
Kafka, still recovering from the shock, muttered, "What's Mina got to do with all this?"
Reno looked equally confused. "What happened, Drake?"
A Public Scene
The heated discussion didn't stay private for long. Unknown to them, the room was being monitored, and their every word was relayed throughout the Defense Force's channels.
At the Tachikawa Base, Kaori Kozunugi, one of the senior officers, facepalmed in exasperation. "These people have no sense of decorum. And that man—addressing Captain Mina by name? He's lucky he's not part of the Defense Force anymore, or he'd be eating dirt by now."
Many Defense Force members were seething, their respect for Mina driving their outrage.
Mina's Arrival
Back at the hospital, Kafka shifted uncomfortably under the scrutinizing gazes of Kikoru, Reno, and Drake. Just as the tension reached its peak, the door creaked open.
Mina Ashiro entered the room in full battle gear, her imposing presence immediately silencing everyone. She regarded Drake with a cold, measured gaze.
"Drake Myers," Mina began, her voice steady but commanding. "If you can prove you're human, I'll apologize personally."
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