The next morning

“What the hell was Yan thinking to say that?” Kay grumbled, sitting down, holding his sights in his hands.

A few minutes earlier, the division led by Yan had gathered in the courtyard for training.

“Now that you’re all here, I have an important announcement. Some of you might like it, but most, or almost all, will probably hate it,” Yan said, looking at the group.

“Is it a hassle?” one of the veterans asked, looking worried.

“It’s not exactly work, but it could end up being work. I’m recognizing recruit Kay as deputy leader of this division!” Yan declared.

“What?!” everyone present exclaimed, incredulous.

“The decision has already been passed and approved by the captain. I don’t want to hear any objections!” Yan stated firmly.

“Wait a minute, is this a joke? It’s already April? There’s no way I can accept that!” one of the veterans protested, indignant.

The other veterans murmured in agreement.

— Calm down, I understand your rejection, since he's not exactly the ideal type of soldier to lead anything. The fifteen recruits here will be the ones he'll lead! In our division, he's only below me — Yan explained, trying to reassure them.

— What? I refuse to have him as my leader! — Raven declared, with disdain.

Fiona nodded, supporting the rejection.

— Excuse me... Kay agreed to be vice-leader? It's hard to imagine that! — Mira said, surprised.

— No! He's still sleeping! But he won't have the right to refuse! — Yan said, laughing.

— I don't see Kay being a good leader — Mira said, skeptical.

— If our division fails in any mission, I'll blame him. You don't have to obey him, the title is just decorative! — Yan added, with a smirk.

— So that was it!, he'll be a scapegoat for the division! — said Raven, letting out a sigh of relief.

— Yes! So, nothing will really change in our division! — said Yan. — And this is an order: don't tell him any of this. It goes for you too, Mira!

— That's mean to Kay... — protested Mira.

— He doesn't care about the army, so let him take responsibility for our division's mistakes! — said Fiona.

— Anyway, you can go train and... — began Yan.

Meanwhile, in another part of the base...

— I already said no! You asked for a baton because you wanted it, so I can't ask you for another weapon, let alone two! — replied the scientist Fernanda, walking quickly to escape Kay.

— The baton will be my main weapon, but I just wanted other secondary weapons to eliminate a larger number of ghouls! — said Kay, following her, holding a bottle and a cup of coffee.

Fernanda stopped and turned to him, pointing her finger in his face.

— Listen, the army has rules, the world has rules. Until your weapon is worn out or broken, you won't get another one! That's why the aptitude test exists, to avoid unnecessary weapon changes! — she said firmly.

— But I have aptitude for almost all weapons, I think I'm the only one Kratos wouldn't be able to use... — Kay argued.

— Aptitude isn't just about knowing how to use it, Kay. The suit and the weapon have to be in tune or it doesn't make sense. — Fernanda started walking again.

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— I get it. It's a shame! — Kay said, feigning discouragement.

— I'm glad you finally understood! — she replied.

— You have the nerve to wake me up to say nothing and still don't help me... — Kay muttered, irritated.

— You got angry that a beautiful girl brought you breakfast in bed, you ungrateful thing! — Fernanda retorted, provoking.

Kay smiled and said calmly:

— Really, it's a shame... maybe Emília will be sad to know that her conversation was being listened to.

— What are you talking about? — Fernanda exclaimed, surprised.

— Such a serious and professional person bugging a recruit's cell phone without consent and listening to a private conversation... Emília will be so disappointed. It's a shame. — Kay turned her back, disguising herself.

Fernanda tensed up. "If this gets out, it will tarnish my name, even more so now that the institute has recognized me!" she thought, worried.

— Okay, I can suggest these weapons as secondary weapons! — Fernanda reluctantly agreed.

— Thank you, I knew I could count on you! — Kay said, smiling.

— That's blackmail! — Fernanda murmured, indignant.

— Speaking of which, you have to... — Kay began, but was interrupted.

— Good morning! — the leaders greeted, approaching, except Yan.

— Good morning! — Kay and Fernanda replied.

— You seem wide awake now. Grab your suit, we have a mission for you! — Joana said.

— Why me? — Kay asked, surprised.

— You're the most capable! — Joana replied, with a smile.

— I'll pass! — Kay said, unconcerned.

— I haven't heard any reports of ghouls, why are you wearing your suits? — Fernanda exclaimed, suspicious.

— It's just training! — Ryuji whispered in Fernanda's ear, trying to calm her down.

— We need your help. Are you going to deny it even with lives at stake? — Joana exclaimed, appealing to Kay's sense of duty.

Kay stood still for a moment, considering.

— Okay, as long as it's quick. I'll go get my suit! — he said, leaving with a sigh.

When Kay left, Joana smiled, satisfied.

— It wasn't hard! — she commented.

— What kind of training will you do? — Fernanda asked, curious.

— Three-on-one combat! — Ryuji replied, amused.

— Three captains against one recruit? Don't you think that's too much? — Fernanda exclaimed, worried.

— No! The captain said that the boy was trained by Rem, the captain's wife! If that's true, with 100% compatibility in the suit and using her fighting style, the "Terror of the Ghouls", it'll be fun to face him! — Joana replied, excited.

— Are you sure? You've lost to him before. Is this some kind of rematch? — Fernanda asked, skeptical.

— I told you, it's just training! — Joana replied, avoiding admitting any personal motivation.

Moments later, in the training arena...

— Why are we here? Wasn't it to kill ghouls? — Kay asked, confused, looking around.

Ryuji locked the training room door behind him.

Kay noticed that all the soldiers were away, while Fernanda, excited, held a tablet and a cell phone, looking ready to record. He looked at the center of the arena, where he was surrounded by the three leaders.

"I see... I was tricked!" thought Kay, taking a sip of coffee with a resigned sigh.

Kay took a deep breath, staying relaxed, but with his full attention on the three captains surrounding him.

— Just to confirm, this is really a training session, right? — he asked, discouraged.

— A training session for us, but a test for you, — Joana replied, with a competitive glint in her eyes. — We want to see how long you can last.

Ryuji gave Kay a serious look and, in a teasing tone, said:

— Let's see if all this fame is really deserved, boy.

— Is this kid really going to face the three of them? — the audience murmured, a little incredulous.

Meanwhile, Fernanda, who was holding the tablet and recording everything, couldn't help but smile mischievously:

— This kid is interesting. If he can manage well here, I'll have material for days of analysis!

Joana then took a step forward, without taking her eyes off Kay, and announced with a smile:

— Let's start slowly... or do you think you won't need that?

— Just to make it clear, when this is over, will you leave me alone? — Kay exclaimed.

— Yes! — Lena replied.

— Win or lose? — Kay asked.

— Do whatever you want, if you win, you can even take my position if you want! — Lena said.

— Is she betting the leader position on a newbie? — the veterans murmured, worried.

— I'm out, I give up! — Kay said, as she poured more coffee into the cup.

— It's too late to give up! — Joana said.

— Why would I want something so laborious? I'd rather stay here and relax! — Kay said.

— If I beat the three of them, I'll ask the captain to let you go once a month to go wherever you want! — Joana said.

Kay laughed.

— Not even he goes out that much, why would I believe that? — Kay asked.

— The captain is different; he needs to coordinate the army. We, the leaders, can go out once a month! If all of us here present talk to the captain, he'll let you go! — Joana explained.

— And if that's not the case? — Kay asked.

— I'll let you go on my days! — Joana said.

The other leaders also made the same proposal.

Kay finished her coffee and put the cup and bottle in the corner.

— What are the rules? — Kay asked.

— You just need to win without causing serious damage to your opponents! That goes for us too! — Joana explained.

“Okay!” — Kay said, starting to stretch.

The veterans, watching from a distance, were tense. Some whispered, worried about the proposal.

“She can’t be serious! A recruit getting a month off? That’s unheard of!” — one of them muttered, still in shock.

Kay finished stretching, shrugged his shoulders, adjusted his posture, and faced the three captains. He gave a slight smile as Lena, Joana, and Ryuji took their positions around him.