Calming the Storm – Kazuki's Temporary Relief
The sterile hum of the medical room was broken only by Kazuki's strained gasps. His body writhed against the restraints, muscles tense and veins bulging as if battling an unseen force. His usually sharp eyes were glassy, darting in every direction, seeing horrors no one else could. "Make it stop," he rasped, the words caught between a plea and a growl.
Yano knelt beside him, wiping the sweat from his burning forehead. "Kazuki, it's me," she whispered. "Stay with me, okay? We're going to help you. Just hold on."
Kai hovered in the doorway, his expression caught between helplessness and fury. "This is messed up," he muttered. "He's losing it... and we're just standing here."
Leon returned with hurried steps, holding a small syringe. "Sedative's ready. It's temporary but should stabilize him for a few hours."
Emjay nodded. "Do it. We can't risk him hurting himself—or us."
Kazuki thrashed, a guttural scream ripping from his throat. Yano held his arm steady while Leon carefully inserted the needle. "Deep breaths, Kazuki," Yano urged, her voice shaking. "Let the medicine work."
Moments dragged on like hours until his struggles slowed, his breathing evening out. His body sagged against the bed as exhaustion overtook him. Yano exhaled in relief, brushing his damp hair back. "He's out," she said, though concern still clouded her features. "But this isn't a solution. We're just buying time."
Kai clenched his fists. "How long does he have before this wears off?"
Leon glanced at the vial. "Six to eight hours. Less if he keeps fighting it."
Emjay turned to the group. "We'll rotate shifts. No one leaves him alone."
"I'll take first," Kai said firmly. "He needs a familiar face when he wakes up."
Leon shrugged. "Fine. Just don't let him deck you."
Kai cracked a humorless grin. "Wouldn't be the first time."
As the team dispersed to prepare for the night ahead, the weight of Kazuki's condition pressed on them like a suffocating fog.
Inside the Mind – Kazuki's Trauma
Darkness swallowed him. Kazuki stood alone in a void, nothing but endless black stretching in every direction. His footsteps echoed hollowly as he moved forward—toward what, he didn't know. Suddenly, voices erupted around him. "You let us die!" "You weren't fast enough!" "Why do you even fight? You're just a burden."
Kazuki spun, searching for the source. Figures emerged from the shadows—faces he knew. Crimson stood before him, bloodied and broken. "Why didn't you save me?" his friend asked, voice twisted with accusation.
"I—I tried!" Kazuki choked out. "I did everything I could!"
Crimson's figure dissolved into smoke, replaced by even more faces—enemies, allies, civilians. All blaming. All pointing.
Then he appeared. Another Kazuki, smirking with cruel amusement. "Face it," the double sneered. "You push yourself to protect them... but they'll fall anyway. And it'll be your fault."
"No—shut up!" Kazuki backed away, chest heaving. His surroundings morphed—gunfire, screams, the battlefield—every failure he'd endured playing like a never-ending film.
You're not strong enough.
They'll die, and you'll be alone.
It's better if you give up.
Kazuki dropped to his knees, clutching his head. "STOP!" But the voices only grew louder.
And somewhere in that darkness... he began to believe them.
Team Discussion – The Hard Truth
Gathered around the war table, Emjay's team sat in grim silence. The room's usual hum of planning was replaced with heavy breaths and darting glances.
Nami broke the quiet first. "How long until that sedative wears off?" she asked, voice tight with worry.
"Six hours if we're lucky," Yano replied. "But... it's getting worse. His mind isn't just fractured—it's breaking."
Kai slammed a fist onto the table, rattling the maps. "So what do we do? Sit around and watch him lose himself?!"
Leon rubbed his temples. "We can't keep doping him up forever. We need a real solution."
"And what if there isn't one?" Nami shot back. "What if Kazuki... doesn't come back?"
The weight of her words hung heavy. No one wanted to say it, but they were all thinking the same thing.
Emjay finally spoke, his voice steady despite the turmoil beneath. "We can't afford to stop. The enemy's moving. We've got missions to run—intel that can't wait. Kazuki would be the first to say we keep going."
Yano's fists clenched. "And if he wakes up worse?"
"Then someone stays with him. We keep him grounded." Emjay's gaze swept over them. "But we don't abandon him."
Leon sighed. "Guess we'll be fighting two wars then."
Mission Planning – Pressing On
Unfolding a map, Emjay pointed to marked supply lines. "Intel shows an enemy convoy moving east. Cargo's critical—encrypted files, weapons, maybe troop movements. We hit them hard, fast, and clean."
Nami traced the route. "It's a narrow pass. Perfect for an ambush... or a trap."
Kai nodded. "We spring it first. Better us than them."
Leon added, "If this gives us any shot at ending this faster, I'm in."
Yano hesitated. "Kazuki—"
"I'll stay," Kai interrupted. "But if he wakes up, I'm out there. No way I let you all handle it alone."
Yano smiled faintly. "Deal."
Plans were finalized—each member knowing full well that Kazuki's absence left a hole none of them could fill.
Operation Iron Fang – Striking Back
Night draped over the battlefield as the team moved into position. The wind howled through the canyon, carrying tension in every gust.
Leon whispered into his comm. "Positions set."
"On my mark," Emjay responded. "Three... two... now!"
Explosions lit the darkness. Vehicles erupted in flames as Kai and Nami charged forward. Bullets zipped through the air, a deadly symphony.
Kai ducked behind cover. "Leon, right flank's yours!"
"On it!" Leon teleported across the battlefield, disorienting enemies with rapid strikes.
Nami's knives flashed under moonlight, dropping soldiers with brutal efficiency. "Keep moving!" she called. "We've got them rattled!"
But victory was tainted. Each shot fired carried the weight of Kazuki's absence. He should be here...
Enemy Stronghold – Confidence and Cruelty
In the heart of the enemy base, Lester sat at the head of a grand table. Evena stood beside him, arms crossed. Elijah leaned over a map, tracing Emjay's team's recent moves.
"They hit the convoy," Elijah said. "Minimal losses on our side—but they got the intel."
Evena frowned. "We underestimated them."
Lester chuckled darkly. "No. We baited them. The files were doctored."
Elijah grinned. "And Kazuki?"
"Exactly where we want him," Lester replied. "Our plan worked perfectly. He's crumbling."
Evena glanced at the reports. "But they still fight."
"They'll fight until they break." Lester's eyes gleamed. "Kazuki's insanity is the first domino. Soon... the rest will fall."
Elijah leaned back. "And when they do?"
"We end this war. On our terms."
Laughter echoed through the room. The trap was set—the final moves just beginning.