The base was wrapped in stillness, save for the occasional crackle from the dying fire in front of Shin. His silver eyes reflected the flickering flames, but his face, as always, was unreadable—an icy wall that no one could penetrate. His katana lay by his side, its hilt glinting in the firelight.

Mira approached quietly, hesitant. It wasn't unusual for Shin to be silent, but tonight, there was something different in the air—a heaviness, a tension she couldn't quite place.

Mira (softly): "Captain?"

Shin didn't respond, his gaze still locked on the flames. But Mira knew he had heard her.

Mira (more gently): "The new recruits… Do you think they'll be okay?"

Shin's eyes flickered—the only sign that he was even remotely paying attention. He didn't speak for a long time, and when he finally did, his voice was as cold and sharp as ever.

Shin: "Doesn't matter."

Mira blinked, confused.

Mira: "What do you mean? Of course it matters. They're part of the team now."

Shin's silver eyes finally shifted from the fire to meet hers, his expression cold and detached.

Shin: "Not yet, they're not. They haven't earned anything."

Mira opened her mouth to protest but closed it again. She knew better than to argue when Shin was like this. Still, she couldn't just leave it at that.

Mira: "But they've shown potential. Yuna's sharp, and Kaito—"

Shin (cutting her off): "Potential doesn't matter when you're dead."

Mira frowned but didn't argue. She knew how harsh Shin could be, how the Blade system had shaped his view of the world. He didn't care about potential or kindness. He cared about results.

Before she could respond, the door to the base creaked open, and Daigo strolled in, his usual grin plastered across his face. His eyes flicked between Mira and Shin before he shrugged and grabbed a seat near the fire.

Daigo (grinning): "Talking about the kids, huh? Well, I wouldn't bet on them lasting too long, either. You know how it goes with newbies. They come, they try, and then... they don't."

His tone was light, but Mira couldn't shake the unease creeping into her chest. She knew Daigo had seen plenty of recruits come and go, but there was something about the way he said it that bothered her.

Mira: "You don't think they'll make it either?"

Daigo shrugged, leaning back and resting his hands behind his head.

Daigo: "Who knows? The boy's got heart, but heart doesn't win battles. Yuna's smart, but smart doesn't stop a blade when it's at your throat."

Shin's cold voice cut through the air again, silencing the conversation.

Shin: "They'll either survive, or they won't. Nothing we say will change that."

Mira's frustration boiled up. She hated how indifferent Shin could be sometimes.

Mira (softly, but with an edge): "They're part of our team, Shin. Doesn't that mean anything?"

Shin turned his icy gaze back to her, his voice as emotionless as before.

Shin: "No one's part of the team until they prove they can survive. Until then, they're just dead weight."

Daigo let out a low chuckle, though there was no humor behind it.

Daigo: "Cold as always, Captain. But he's right, Mira. They'll have to fight for their place just like the rest of us."

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At that moment, Takeda entered the room, his grizzled face set in a frown. His black hair, streaked with gray, was pulled back tightly as always. He nodded briefly to Mira before turning to Shin.

Takeda (gruffly): "Captain."

Shin inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment, but there was no warmth in the gesture.

Takeda (grumbling): "The new kids... they're green. Too green for this kind of mission."

Mira's eyes widened slightly at Takeda's bluntness. Even Daigo looked a little taken aback. Takeda wasn't one to openly criticize decisions, especially in front of the Captain.

Takeda: "I've trained a lot of recruits in my time. Seen more than I care to count go off to fight and never come back. These two... they've got guts, but guts don't win wars."

Mira couldn't help but glance at Shin, waiting for his response. She knew Takeda's words would mean more coming from him.

Shin's voice was as cold as ever, but there was something else there too—something harder to define.

Shin: "If they're not ready, they'll die. It's simple."

Mira felt her heart sink. She had hoped Shin might show some concern for the recruits, some sign that he cared whether they lived or died. But there was nothing. Just the same cold detachment he always had.

Takeda (gruffly): "And if they don't die?"

Shin's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone hard.

Shin: "Then they'll have earned their place. Until then, they're just two more people standing in the way."

The room fell silent again, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

Mira (softly): "Is that really all it comes down to for you, Shin? Surviving?"

Shin's eyes flickered for a brief moment, but his expression remained unreadable.

Shin: "That's all it's ever been about. The Blades don't care who you are. You fight. You win. Or you're gone."

Mira was about to argue but stopped herself. She knew Shin wasn't one to change his mind easily. The Blades were his life, and he saw them for what they were: a brutal, unforgiving system that didn't allow for weakness.

After a long moment of silence, Shin leaned back slightly, his silver eyes staring into the distance.

Shin: "I didn't become Captain because I wanted to lead. I became Captain because I survived."

He glanced at Mira, then at Takeda and Daigo, his face as cold and impassive as ever.

Shin: "If the last Captain hadn't died, I would've had to challenge him. That's the only way to stay in the Blades. You don't get promoted—you take someone else's place, or you get taken down."

There was a bitter edge to his voice now, though it was buried under layers of indifference. Mira could tell he was remembering the old Captain, the one who had died on a mission, leaving Shin to take his place.

Mira: "You respected him, didn't you? The old Captain?"

Shin's eyes flickered again, but his tone remained cold.

Shin: "He was strong. That's all that mattered."

Mira waited, but he said nothing more. She could tell there was more to the story, but Shin wasn't the type to open up about his past—or his emotions. At least, not to her.

Daigo, sensing the tension, stretched and let out a long yawn.

Daigo: "Well, it's a good thing none of us have to worry about that, huh? No one's gonna challenge the Captain anytime soon."

Takeda grunted in agreement, though his eyes stayed fixed on Shin.

Mira, still watching Shin carefully, finally nodded, accepting that this was as much as she was going to get from him tonight.

Mira: "I'll never challenge you, Captain. I'll always be your Vice-Captain."

Shin's lips twitched slightly, though it wasn't quite a smile. His voice, when he spoke, was flat and final.

Shin: "Even if you tried, I'd beat you down. Don't think about it."

There was no humor in his tone, but Mira found herself smiling anyway. It was the closest thing to a personal connection she'd ever get from Shin.

Daigo, sensing his exit, stretched dramatically.

Daigo: "Alright, Captain. I'm off to bed."

Takeda yawned, stretching as well.

Takeda: "I should head to sleep too. Gotta take care of these old bones, right? Remember that next time you make jokes about age."

Daigo: "Of course, Takeda. Rest well. Don't let the back pain keep you up."

Takeda shot him a glare before heading out. Daigo chuckled and waved over his shoulder as he disappeared into the night.

Once they were gone, Mira turned her gaze back to Shin, her voice softening.

Mira: "They were just trying to lighten the mood, you know."

Shin remained quiet, his expression as unreadable as ever.

Mira: "You don't always have to carry it all alone, Captain. We're a team for a reason."

There was a long pause before Shin finally spoke, his voice as cold as always.

Shin: "Teams fall apart. People die. I'm still here. That's all that matters."

Mira felt a chill run through her at the bluntness of his words. She looked away, knowing she wouldn't get more out of him tonight.

Mira: "Maybe. But even you can't do everything alone, Shin."

Shin gave no indication he heard her. He sat in silence, his focus remaining on the flames.

Mira stood up, brushing off her pants. She cast one last glance at Shin before turning to leave.

Mira: "I'm heading to bed. Don't stay up too late."

Shin remained motionless, not even acknowledging her departure.

As Mira walked away, disappearing into the base, she couldn't help but feel a pang of concern. No matter how strong Shin was, no matter how many battles he fought, there was something deeper beneath that cold, hardened surface. Something he refused to confront.

She knew better than to push him, but tonight had been different. He had opened up just a little, and for the first time in a while, Mira sensed there was still something human beneath the icy mask Shin wore every day.

She glanced back once more before the quiet night fully embraced them.

End of Chapter