The council chamber loomed in oppressive silence, its polished stone floors and crescent-shaped table designed to symbolize authority and order.

But as Val entered, his presence shattered that illusion. Wreathed in black shadowy tendrils, his form exuded a suffocating dominance that clung to the air like a living force.

The six council members, seated behind the crescent table, shifted uncomfortably. Though they had summoned countless warriors into this room, none had carried the weight of presence that Val—or the primordial force entwined with him—now bore.

"Which one of you," Val began, his voice cold and calculated, "decided Beta Team was ready for this mission?"

The shadows coiled tighter, their movements serpentine as they pulsated with barely contained fury. Smoke-like wisps drifted lazily, creating an eerie, almost hypnotic rhythm that made the room feel smaller, more suffocating.

An older councilwoman with silver hair tied in a severe bun attempted to meet his gaze. Her voice, though steady, faltered ever so slightly. "Beta Team's inclusion was a strategic decision based on their performance during training. Their readiness—"

"—was a lie." Val's interruption cut through her explanation like a blade. His head tilted slightly beneath the hood, and the tendrils of shadow flicked toward the edges of the table as if testing their boundaries.

"You gambled their lives and nearly cost us the mission. Do you call that strategy?"

Another councilman, younger and brash, leaned forward with a scoff. "Losses are inevitable in war. If the Beta Team wasn't prepared, perhaps the blame lies with your team for failing to compensate."

The tendrils of shadow snapped forward with startling speed, slamming into the table before him. The impact cracked the polished surface and sent an echo reverberating through the chamber.

The young councilman paled, leaning back instinctively as the tendrils writhed before him.

"Choose. Your next. Words. Carefully." The voice that followed was not entirely Val's. It was layered with a guttural resonance, ancient and infinite. The councilman's bravado evaporated in an instant.

The older woman raised her hands in a gesture of placation, though her unease was evident. "Soldier, you may be Clareo's strongest weapon, but this council governs all. You are not above us."

The shadows surged again, creeping closer to the table, and the oppressive weight in the air deepened.

"Your authority," the voice, Deleo said, unnervingly calm, "does not absolve you of incompetence. Team Unknown exists to protect Clareo, not to clean up after your failures."

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A third councilman, his voice trembling, tried to interject. "We assigned Beta Team to—"

"—a mission they were not prepared for," the Deleo interrupted sharply. "Assigned without consulting us. Assigned without understanding the consequences. You decreed their readiness as though your word alone could shield them."

The tendrils lashed again, splitting the table's edge. The council members flinched, their discomfort growing palpable.

"Your decree," the Deleo hissed, "was absolute. And we obeyed, as we always do. But do not mistake obedience for acceptance."

The silver-haired woman's voice wavered. "We underestimated the risks. It will not happen again."

"No," the Deleo replied, its finality sending chills through the room. "It will not."

The shadows receded slightly, though the oppressive presence remained. Val—or the entity entwined with him—stepped forward, the tendrils following like a living storm. When he spoke again, his voice carried a weight that seemed to press into the very walls.

"You gave Team Unknown autonomy because you knew no one else could carry the burden of protecting Clareo. Yet you undermine that autonomy by inserting untested soldiers into our missions. That ends now."

The younger councilman, emboldened by desperation, snapped, "Beta Team was your responsibility! If they failed, that reflects on you!"

This time, the tendrils coiled around his chair, pinning him in place. His breathing hitched as the dark energy pulsed ominously.

"You speak of responsibility," the voice growled, "yet you cower behind this table while soldiers bleed for your arrogance. We are not your pawns."

The council chamber grew deathly quiet, the shadows creeping toward the remaining members like a predator testing its prey.

The silver-haired woman, her composure faltering, tried again. "Soldier, this is uncalled for. The council operates for the good of Clareo—"

"And you failed," the Deleo cut her off. "Your good intentions mean nothing when they lead to catastrophe. Beta Team was not ready. You knew it. We knew it. And yet you sent them anyway."

The oppressive silence was broken only by the trembling breaths of the council members.

The tendrils, now writhing like living serpents, lashed out one final time, cracking the floor in front of the silver-haired woman. The force sent her chair skidding back slightly.

The shadows froze mid-motion as Deleo spoke again, quieter but no less threatening.

"Mark my words: if ever you so decree to insert another team or member into our missions without Team Unknown's explicit approval…"

The shadows surged violently, coiling like vipers poised to strike. The air hummed with dark energy, vibrating with barely contained fury.

"…you will see me again."

The words hung in the air, dripping with menace, as the tendrils of shadow began to recede. The council members sat frozen, the weight of the threat bearing down on them like an unshakable force.

The silver-haired woman swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "Understood."

Val straightened, the shadows coiling around him like a protective shroud. As he turned to leave, his final words lingered, an indelible mark upon the room.

"You gave us autonomy for a reason. Remember it."

The doors hissed shut behind him, leaving the council in a silence that was heavy with fear and shame.

One of the younger councilmen whispered hoarsely, "He's not just a soldier. He's…"

The silver-haired woman, still staring at the cracked table, finished his thought. "A force we cannot afford to provoke."

In the shadowed corridors beyond, Val strode forward, the faint hum of Void energy fading into the distance.

"They will remember," Deleo within him murmured.

"They always do," Val replied, his tone cold but resolute.