The team materialized back in HQ, the familiar rush of teleportation fading into the equally familiar aftermath: a round of nausea for Bo, Riggs, and Fon. Bo had barely stumbled forward before he collapsed, clutching his stomach, his face pale as a sheet. Riggs braced himself against a nearby wall, eyes squeezed shut, while Fon leaned over, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but there.

Ember, striding through the room with the same swagger as if he'd just walked off a parade ground, took one look at the three of them and burst into a loud, gleeful laugh. His cackle filled HQ, echoing off the walls and drawing amused glances from nearby operators.

"Look at you three!" Ember crowed, crossing his arms with a grin so wide it was practically wicked. "All it takes is a little teleportation to take down the mighty Team Unknown!"

Bo shot Ember a withering look, the effect somewhat ruined by his wobbly stance. "Some of us," he muttered, still clutching his middle, "weren't born with cast-iron stomachs."

Fon gave Ember an appreciative nod, his eyes glistening. "You… you might be our only hope."

Ember smirked. "Don't thank me just yet." He turned back toward Dr. Lewis, who had observed the entire exchange with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Doc, we'll need anti-nausea meds on standby. Let's make it routine for missions—something to keep these three from spilling their guts on every deployment."

Dr. Lewis shook his head, suppressing a smile as he tapped a note into his tablet. "Noted. I'll have them prepped before the next mission."

As Bo, Riggs, and Fon offered their silent, angel-eyed gratitude, Ember merely snorted and waved them off. "Alright, you three can rest easy for the day. Tomorrow, though…" He grinned, an unsettling gleam in his eyes. "Tomorrow's a different story."

The trio exchanged uneasy glances, each of them already wondering what that grin could mean.

The next morning, as Team Unknown assembled in HQ's training area, Ember was already waiting for them, hands on his hips, a devilish glint in his eye. They hadn't even stretched when he motioned for them to circle up.

"Alright, everyone. Here's the rundown." Ember's gaze swept over them, settling with particular amusement on Bo, Riggs, and Fon. "The higher-ups have decided Team Unknown should put on a demonstration."

"Demo?" Riggs asked, eyebrows rising.

"Not just any demo," Ember replied, leaning forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "A demonstration for a group of our very own Rubra and Aurum-ranked military soldiers."

Bo's eyes widened. "Wait, Clareo Soldiers?"

"Exactly," Ember confirmed with a grin. "They want to show off what we're made of. Apparently, the brass thinks a little display will 'inspire discipline' among the ranks." He shrugged, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. "So we're going to give them one."

Val, standing slightly to the side, remembered the brief conversation Ember had with Dr. Lewis earlier. He'd agreed to ramp up the team's training in preparation for the event, a request that would've sounded simple enough if not for the gleam in Ember's eyes when he'd accepted.

---Flashback---

Ember had strode into Dr. Lewis's office the day before, folding his arms and giving the doctor a raised brow as he mentioned the military demonstration. Dr. Lewis had barely finished the explanation before Ember's grin stretched across his face.

"Oh, Doc, don't worry," he'd said, voice dripping with mock innocence. "I'll make sure Team Unknown does a proper job."

Dr. Lewis hadn't missed the dangerous glint in his eyes and immediately held up a hand. "Keep it within reason, Ember. These soldiers aren't used to your… particular brand of training. The last thing we need is half the ranks limping back after a 'demonstration.'"

Ember shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Who, me? I'm harmless." His tone was anything but reassuring.

Dr. Lewis had merely sighed. "Just—please, Ember. Make it a demonstration, not a massacre."

---Flashback End---

Back in the training area, Ember clapped his hands together, snapping everyone's attention back to him. "So, today's training is going to look a bit different. We're splitting into pairs. Bo and Riggs, you're together. Fon, you're with me."

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Val smirked. "And me?"

"Oh, I've got something special planned for you, little brother," Ember replied, his grin widening.

Riggs exchanged a look with Bo, whispering, "Why do I feel like we're about to regret everything?"

Ember overheard and shot them a wicked grin. "Oh, you should be. Let's start with evasive maneuvers!"

Bo groaned, already bracing himself for the worst. Ember's idea of "evasive maneuvers" usually translated to one thing: relentless pursuit.

The drill began, with Ember and Fon chasing down Bo and Riggs, both using every trick in the book. Ember darted around them with speed and precision, his movements sharp and unpredictable, while Fon struggled to keep up, occasionally firing off a friendly curse under his breath.

"Pick it up, Bo!" Ember yelled, darting past him with barely contained amusement.

Bo was panting, trying to keep his form. "Easy for you to say… I swear, you're half cheetah!"

Ember laughed, circling them effortlessly, his voice a taunting singsong. "Come on! I want to see some speed! Don't tell me that's all you've got!"

Meanwhile, Fon was doing his best to keep up with Ember's pace. "I can't… you're… too fast!" he gasped, the words coming out in broken breaths.

"Complaints already?" Ember called back, still grinning. "This is just the warm-up!"

The "warm-up" continued for far longer than any of them had anticipated, and by the time Ember finally called it, Bo, Riggs, and Fon were sprawled on the floor, gasping for air.

Val crossed his arms, chuckling at their misery. "That was just the first exercise. You guys ready for more?"

The three of them shot him withering glares, but Val just shrugged, looking as if he were enjoying every second.

"Alright, enough resting," Ember announced, still radiating an annoying amount of energy. "Next, we're doing sparring drills. Full force. And don't worry—I'll go easy on you."

Riggs snorted. "Yeah, right."

Fon shook his head, still catching his breath. "Easy for him probably means no broken bones this time."

Ember gave them a mock innocent look. "Hey, I'm a gentle soul. I wouldn't hurt a fly."

Bo muttered to Riggs, "Fly, maybe. Us? Not so much."

They paired off again, and as the sparring began, it quickly became evident that "going easy" meant something entirely different to Ember. He darted in and out, his strikes fast and relentless, each hit packing enough power to remind everyone why he'd been given command again. Val, watching from the sidelines, smirked as he observed his brothers' ruthless efficiency.

Bo barely managed to block one of Ember's hits, the impact reverberating through his entire arm. "Easy, he says. This is anything but easy."

Ember just grinned, sending a quick jab that Bo dodged by a hair. "Keep talking, and I'll show you hard mode."

Riggs, on the other hand, was locked in a similar battle with Fon, both of them laughing as they dodged and countered, trading friendly insults between punches.

"You've lost your touch, Riggs!"

Riggs grunted, sidestepping another jab from Fon. "Lost my touch? You couldn't keep up with a snail if your life depended on it."

Fon responded with a quick feint, landing a light jab to Riggs's side. "Pretty sure I just did, you cocky bastard."

Ember's voice cut across the room like a whip. "Enough chatter! Speed it up! If I don't see you moving faster, we'll start all over from the top."

Bo threw Riggs a look of pure desperation, wiping sweat from his brow. "I swear, he's trying to kill us. I didn't sign up for… whatever hell this is."

Ember smirked, catching the comment. "Oh, you didn't sign up for it? I'll make sure to send a note to HQ about that. Maybe they'll schedule a special training regimen just for you, Bo."

Riggs, wheezing between breaths, shot Ember a tired grin. "This… this is exactly what I remember from when you and Exeo were in charge. You call this training? It's torture."

Ember didn't miss a beat. "Torture? Oh, Riggs, if you think this is torture, you're in for a world of pain tomorrow. This is a warm-up—a little taste."

Fon let out a groan. "We're screwed."

Val watched it all with a quiet smirk, crossing his arms as Ember and Fon resumed the next grueling phase of the session: agility drills.

With an evil glint in his eye, Ember led them through an insane gauntlet, alternating between sprinting, evasive rolls, and precision target practice, all while shouting at them to keep up.

Every missed shot, every stumble, and every hesitated move earned them a colorful string of curses from Ember. The once straightforward drills morphed into an unending chain of tests and taunts. By the end, Bo, Riggs, and Fon looked like they'd barely survived a warzone.

Fon took one final lunge at a target Ember had set up, but his hand fell just short, and he crumpled to the floor in defeat, gasping, "I… I think I might actually die here."

Ember crouched beside him, chuckling. "Oh, come on, soldier, where's your spirit?" He nudged Fon with his foot. "Can't handle a little light training?"

Fon rolled his eyes, his voice barely more than a hoarse whisper. "Light? I can feel my ancestors calling me from the other side. This isn't training—it's a slow, painful death. Ah...my ancestors are calling me..."

Riggs in the background trying to reach Fon, flinched, "Geh! Don't Fon! Don't follow the light!" while wobbling his arms.

Ember barked out a laugh. "I'll make sure to tell them you went out in style. Now, all of you—get on your feet!"

Bo let out a loud, desperate groan, pushing himself up with his last reserves of energy. "Is this what we're gonna do in front of those military recruits? Because if it is, they're going to need a body bag… or several."

Ember gave him a grin that promised no mercy. "Not just any recruits. Rubra and Aurum ranks. They think they're hotshots—let's show them what real training looks like."

Fon managed a half-laugh, half-sob. "I don't think they know what they're in for."

Val's laughter echoed through the training room, watching his brothers whip the team into something bordering on insanity. "Welcome back, Ember."

Ember turned to Val, that wicked grin in place. "Oh, little brother, this is just the beginning. Tomorrow, we're going to give these so-called elites a demonstration they'll never forget."

As Bo, Riggs, and Fon staggered toward the exit, Bo shot Ember one last withering look. "I hope those soldiers realize that if they survive tomorrow, it'll be a damn miracle."

Ember just winked. "That's the plan, soldier."