Chapter 56: Rescue Ops Start Point

Chapter 56: Rescue Ops Start PointElara froze for just a second before covering her mouth, absolutely refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

Kimi, the pink-haired squadmate, visibly perked up, her eyes lighting up like she just found a new favorite source of entertainment.

Yusuke barely reacted at all—just closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose, as if this was all beneath him.

And Yui?

Yui, in the most deadpan voice possible, simply muttered,

"Bunch of idiots."

Elias’ brain caught up a second too late.

His mouth opened—"I-I’m talking about the exosuit! And the—"


Elara’s hand slammed a button on the console.

The ship blasted off at full acceleration.

Elias felt his soul leave his body as the sudden G-force slammed him back into his seat, his stomach lurching as the thrusters roared. His words were lost entirely as he was pinned back from the force.



Dot’s, who had been floating casually just a second ago, was now gripping onto his shoulder for dear life, shouting over the engines, "YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK SHE DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"

Elara, perfectly calm, sat at the controls like nothing happened.

---------------meanwhile--------------------------------------

Kikaru sat at the end of a seat, arms crossed, her head tilted slightly downward in a light slumber.

In the depths of her mind, a voice echoed.

"Perfection... Perfection... Have... to be perfect..."

Her lips parted slightly, and the words slipped out unconsciously.

Before she could sink further into the dream, the ship suddenly lurched, shaking her awake.

Kikaru’s eyes snapped open just as Colby, seated beside her, gave her a sideways glance.

"Finally awake?" he asked.

She exhaled, rubbing her eyes.

Colby leaned back against his seat, his fingers tapping restlessly against his knee. "I wish I could have grabbed a bit of sleep, but I’m honestly way too nervous."

Kikaru sighed, stretching out her legs. "No reason to be nervous. We’re just along for the ride here. They’re going to massacre everyone, and we’re just given front-row tickets to the carnage."

Colby blinked. "Wow. I forget you have military connections sometimes."



Kikaru smirked slightly. "Well, technically, I’m in the military. I just never went the officer route because I wanted a grounded experience before going all the way to the top. But things have gotten... derailed in that regard. For now."

Colby nodded slowly. "Ah, I see. That does make sense. Well, hopefully, once this is over and we prove our worth, I can go back and keep taking care of my sister."

Paul chuckled lightly and just stated; I’d like to go back to Cerulean to finish my degree; but other than that I don’t have much else going... though I do have my worries.

As he finished talking a pressurized hiss released as the dropship’s internal stabilizers adjusted, slowing their descent.

The soft vibration under their feet faded, replaced by a low mechanical thrum as the landing gears extended.

Kikaru exhaled, shifting her weight as the overhead lights flickered to signal descent procedures.

The front door dropped, releasing a burst of compressed air as a woman stepped forward onto the platform. Her posture was sharp, movements precise, as she scanned the assembled soldiers before giving a curt nod.

"Alright, everyone, file off and get ready for briefing."

Her gaze snapped toward the shard users, expression unreadable but firm.

"You all stay put and wait for Captain Jeice for instructions."

She continued speaking, reiterating the standard security measures about protecting the ship and ensuring no unauthorized personnel entered the operational zone. Kikaru and the others, however, barely paid attention—they had already heard the spiel from Captain Jeice earlier. Instead, they simply nodded along while keeping their focus ahead.

As Kikaru watched the main platoon disembark, another figure appeared a few minutes later, stepping onto the platform with a steady stride. Captain Jeice .

He held three files under his arm, his uniform pressed perfectly into regulation standards, every detail on his gear meticulously arranged. His eyes, however, carried something different—a mix of analysis and quiet judgment.

As the trio stepped off the ship together, he turned slightly toward Kikaru.



"So, you’ve been serving for a bit, is that right?" His voice was even, calculated. "And the surname is Yirazawa?"

Kikaru nodded. "Yep. That’s him..."

Jeice let the words linger for a moment before continuing. "I see. Well, that doesn’t change what you are now. And even with a prestigious name like that around your neck, you still aren’t trusted... more so, your shard isn’t viewed as being needed."

Kikaru, already growing irritated, shot back. "I get it. I think we all do. We’re just doing what we can and what we’re told at the moment. Most of us, I’m sure, are just trying our best to stay afloat."

Jeice let out a quiet gruff exhale, pulling his attention away as he dug into a side pouch strapped to his waist. Without another word, he retrieved three small, sleek devices and held them out.

"These are eye pieces. They’re linked to my helmet’s HUD, so you can see what I see. It’ll give you a good view of the mission, without getting in the way and allows you to at least observe the operation in real-time.

It also lets me keep tabs on you. Just place them over your eyes; they’ll adjust automatically."

He paused, his gaze hardening. "Don’t do anything stupid. Your job is to stay out of trouble, and if things go south, we can still handle things. Take it as a chance to see how things are done."

They all nodded as the off loaded and noticed they were high up on a cliff surrounded by a large grass patch.

Kikaru spoke up and stated as she attached the lens as numbers began to flair around it "This is a pretty good landing zone; how far away are we from Warden Dr Anders?

"Roughly two miles," Captain Jeice stated, his tone flat but unwavering. "The objective is to extract Dr. Anders with little to no resistance."

He shifted his gaze toward Kikaru and the others, his stance unmoving. "Your job is simple. Keep the ship secure. No wildlife, no disruptions. Keep it clean."