The Planning Phase
The war room was tense, each member of Emjay's team gathered around the table, their eyes scanning the newest intel. The last mission had proven just how dangerous Lathan was, and now, they had to be even more cautious.
Emjay leaned forward, pressing his fingers against the table. "Alright, we're hitting another key enemy stronghold. This one is heavily fortified, but if we strike fast and coordinated, we can make a dent in their operations."
Leon crossed his arms. "But we have to factor in Lathan. We don't know where he'll be, and we can't trust our own eyes."
Kazuki exhaled sharply. "Then we prepare for deception. Assume that at any moment, one of us might not be who they say they are."
Nami nodded. "If we spot any inconsistencies in behavior, hesitation in fighting, or anything suspicious, we call it out. No second-guessing."
Crimson frowned. "Sounds great in theory, but paranoia could kill us faster than the enemy."
Kai leaned back, rubbing his chin. "Then we need a way to expose Lathan. He can mimic us, but he still takes damage, right?"
Kazuki tapped the table. "I noticed something. Lathan takes about 20% more damage than a real person when hit. It's subtle, but it's there."
Emjay nodded. "That's good. We use that to our advantage. If you're in a one-on-one fight and your opponent is going down faster than they should, there's your imposter."
The team processed this, the weight of the situation sinking in.
"We'll enter from two sides," Emjay continued. "Kai, Leon, and Crimson will take the left flank. Kazuki, Nami, and I will take the right. We push inward, take out high-priority targets, and extract whatever intel we can. If we see Lathan, we do not engage unless absolutely necessary. We can't afford more confusion."
The team exchanged glances before nodding. The plan was set.
The Battle Begins
The moment they arrived at the enemy base, chaos erupted. Bullets whizzed past as Emjay's team stormed the battlefield. Each member engaged in their respective fights, working with the precision they had trained for.
Kai dashed through enemy lines, delivering lightning-fast blows before an opponent could react. Crimson fought with sheer power, using his brute strength to clear the way. Leon used his teleportation tactically, phasing in and out of the enemy's vision, striking from unpredictable angles.
On the right flank, Kazuki provided sniper cover as Nami weaved through opponents, her blades slicing with deadly accuracy. Emjay directed them, ensuring no openings were left exposed. The fight was brutal, but they held their ground.
Amid the chaos, Kazuki found himself taking cover next to Leon, both catching their breath behind a crumbling wall.
Leon smirked. "Hell of a fight, huh?"
Kazuki nodded. "Yeah. But stay sharp. Lathan could be anywhere."
Before Leon could respond, he suddenly lunged at Kazuki, swinging his blade with precision. Kazuki barely dodged in time, confusion flashing across his face.
"Leon?! What the hell?!" Kazuki shouted, blocking another attack.
Leon's expression was unreadable, his attacks relentless. Kazuki was forced to fight back, landing a few hits on Leon, but something felt off.
Then, another Leon appeared—this one diving forward and knocking the attacking Leon away. "Kazuki! That's not me!"
Kazuki stumbled back, catching his breath. "You've got to be kidding me."
The imposter Leon smirked, slowly rising to his feet. "Took you long enough."
Kazuki's grip on his rifle tightened. "Lathan."
Lathan let out a chuckle. "Oh, you guys are just too much fun. Watching you second-guess everything is worth every second of this."
Kazuki fired a shot, but Lathan dodged, backing away with ease. "Don't worry, I'll be back. You haven't even seen what I'm truly capable of yet." And with that, he disappeared into the fray.
The battle continued, but the morale had shifted. The team finished the mission with a tie—neither winning nor losing. The damage had been done.
The Aftermath – Emjay's Team Discusses the Threat
Back at the base, the air was thick with tension. The team gathered once again, processing what had just happened. The battle itself had been difficult, but what had truly shaken them was Lathan's manipulation. He had infiltrated their ranks so seamlessly, and now, no one knew if they could fully trust the person sitting next to them.
Kai slammed his fist onto the table, frustration clear on his face. "This is insane! He played us like a damn game! We had the advantage, and he tore it away just by pretending to be one of us."
Emjay folded his arms, his gaze steady but grim. "We need a countermeasure. We need to figure out how to expose him before he does more damage."
Nami exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "Even if we come up with something, how do we implement it? If he can copy memories, mannerisms, even combat skills, then he's nearly indistinguishable from the real thing."
Kazuki leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "We already know one thing—he takes 20% more damage than the real person. That's a weakness."
Leon nodded slowly. "Which means we have to force him into direct combat whenever we suspect something. We make sure that if any one of us is acting suspicious, they prove themselves in a fight."
Crimson frowned. "And what happens if it turns out we were wrong? If we start attacking each other on a suspicion, he still wins. He wants us to doubt ourselves. He wants to break our unity."
Silence fell over the group as they absorbed Crimson's words. The weight of it settled deep in their chests—Lathan had already succeeded in planting the first seeds of distrust. They couldn't afford to let it grow.
"Then we don't give in to paranoia," Emjay finally said. "We use strategy. If Lathan is going to be among us, we make it harder for him. We start checking in more, we stick together, and we use code words before missions to confirm our identities. If someone hesitates or gets it wrong, we isolate them until we're sure."
Kai shook his head. "It's still a risk. He could be anyone at any time. We have to assume the worst."
Kazuki clenched his jaw. "No. We assume we're stronger. We assume that as long as we're prepared, he won't break us."
Emjay nodded. "Exactly. We stay vigilant, but we don't let fear control us. That's how we beat him."
The team sat in silence for a moment, contemplating everything. They had survived this encounter, but it had come at a cost. Their trust had been fractured, their sense of security rattled. But they weren't broken. Not yet.
The Enemy's Perspective – Lathan and Lester
Meanwhile, back at the enemy base, Lathan stood in front of Lester, his grin wider than ever. He leaned against the desk, completely at ease, while Lester watched him with a calculating gaze.
"Oh, Lester," Lathan drawled, shaking his head with a chuckle. "They are such fools! You should've seen them, questioning each other, hesitating mid-battle. I barely had to do anything! The paranoia is setting in already."
Lester smirked, folding his hands together. "And they didn't catch on?"
Lathan let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Not in time. They think they're smart, but fear has a way of unraveling even the strongest bonds. Give it a little longer, and they'll start tearing each other apart without us lifting a finger."
Lester studied Lathan, his amusement evident but his mind working deeper angles. "You played your part well. But tell me, how long do you think this game of yours will last before they adapt?"
Lathan shrugged, still grinning. "That's the fun of it, isn't it? Watching them scramble, watching them try to solve a puzzle they can't even see clearly. The longer they spend questioning each other, the more vulnerable they become. And if I do this right… they won't even need us to destroy them. They'll do it themselves."
Lester exhaled, his fingers tapping lightly against his chair. "It's a fine strategy, but don't get overconfident. The moment you underestimate them, they'll strike back."
Lathan waved a hand dismissively. "Please. I know exactly what I'm doing. This isn't even the peak of what I can do. I've barely stretched my legs, Lester. And they're already breaking."
Lester's smile was cold. "Then keep going. Make sure the cracks deepen. The more they doubt, the closer we are to their downfall."
Lathan stretched, sighing contentedly. "Oh, don't worry. This is just the beginning. Soon enough, Emjay's team won't even know who they are anymore."
Lester's eyes gleamed in the dim light of his chamber. "Then I look forward to watching them fall apart."
The two shared a quiet chuckle, their plans unfolding like a carefully crafted symphony of destruction. The seeds of deception had been planted, and soon, they would bloom into chaos.