In the cafeteria, half an hour later.

“Sometimes, I think this guy is dead!” Slayer commented.

“Turn your mouth away!” Thais retorted.

“He’s lying somewhere. It’s not hard to imagine the worst!” Slayer continued.

“Sleeping on the cafeteria table… he’s really useless!” Fiona said.

Mira watched from afar, thinking: I figured something was wrong… you didn’t wake up early because you didn’t sleep again!

“Wake him up before I have to wake him up!” Takemichi ordered.

“It’s no use, he’s already been shot with rubber bullets and he didn’t wake up,” Yan said.

“He’ll wake up now,” Mira said, with a mysterious smile.

The first soldier to serve himself a coffee at the cafeteria window took a hot cup.

“It’s a matter of seconds now!” Mira murmured.

“I get it!” San said.

Kay, still sleepy, got up and followed the smell of coffee.

“I just hope there’s no fight…” said Mira.

“What’s wrong?” exclaimed the soldier, surprised to see Kay in front of him.

“I’m sorry, I almost took your coffee!” replied Kay, waking up completely and leaving to get in line.

Mira smiled proudly.

“That’s the least I can do, right?” commented Ravena.

“He doesn’t even need to wait in line, I’ve already set aside his bottle,” said Mira.

“Stop spoiling him! He’ll create more bad habits!” complained Joana.

— I need to separate them, otherwise I'll have to make coffee again later! — Mira replied.

— He's coming here! — San warned.

— He gave up on waiting in line, how lazy! — Fiona commented.

— If she's already separated them, I don't need to wait in line — Kay said, approaching.

— You need to follow the same procedures as the others! — Joana stated.

— Never! That line takes too long. I'll go ahead to get ready. You don't need to bring your weapons; just put on your clothes and come to the training area after breakfast! — Kay declared.

— Here! — Mira said, handing over the bottle.

— Thank you! — Kay thanked, smiling. — I'll wait for you there. Eat well and take your time!

— Aren't you going to eat anything? — Kratos exclaimed.

— After training. If I eat now, I won't be able to eat again later! — Kay explained.

— Is that true? — Joana asked.

— Yes. When he eats, he has to wait a while before he can eat again, even if his stomach rumbles — Mira explained. — That's why he needs a bottle.

— What a weird kid! — Lena said.

— I'll take that as a compliment. I'm going first! Besides, Captain, thinking about it, if we do the training in the room, we might end up destroying the building. Allow me to train with them outside.

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— As long as you don't hurt my soldiers or destroy anything, you're allowed! — Takemichi replied.

— Thank you! — Kay said before leaving. — If you see that the training is dangerous, I give you the authority to refuse!

— Okay! — the recruits said, getting in line.

Sky turned to Mira:

— Hey, Mira, be honest. What are the chances of this going wrong?

— What? — Mira asked, distracted.

— This training! — Sky said.

— I'd say it's high. Kay doesn't follow common methods. And since he said we should eat well and take our time, we'll either train until we're exhausted, or it'll be long and intense! — Mira replied.

— I don't want any more! — Dan said, fearfully.

— He knows what he's doing. I'm almost sure we'll be fine — Mira said, trying to calm the others down.

— In other words, you don't trust him completely — Fiona commented.

— Sometimes, he's a surprise even to me! — Mira admitted.

At one of the tables in the cafeteria...

— I didn't see Fernanda's team or her. Do you think they're with Kay yet? — Yan asked.

— I want this training too! Let me go, Captain! — Lena said.

— Go! — Takemichi replied.

— Oh, you're mean... can I really go? — Lena asked.

— Having you here makes me feel safer. I don't completely trust that boy — Takemichi said.

— And my squad? — Lena asked.

— It's under my command! — Takemichi replied.

— I'll keep an eye on them while they're away — Lena promised.

— Just don't let them get hurt! — Takemichi said, a little worried.

— Okay! — Lena replied, smiling.

— All this to avoid work! — Joana commented.

— You can't see beyond that! If I master the suit, I'll be stronger than you! — Lena replied, teasing.

— Dream on! — Joana retorted.

Outside the base...

The science team was setting up tables and monitoring equipment.

— We're going to record this training and evaluate the changes in the soldiers' suits and heartbeats. I just don't understand why we're so far from the base! — Fernanda said.

— It's to avoid breaking anything. You can stay close, but you insisted on following me — Kay replied.

— How are we going to record if we're so far away?! — Fernanda asked.

— I'll move further away so as not to hurt anyone — Kay said.

— If we can capture the training, that's fine. By the way, I got news about your order. They approved it as a test and are already preparing it, tomorrow they should be ready for use — Fernanda said.

— The people at the institute are fast! — Kay commented.

— Our duty is to keep the army well-equipped. The income allows us to develop new weapons monthly — Fernanda explained. — Your squad is on the fifth radio band, use it to communicate.

— Understood! — Kay said, serving coffee to the scientists and himself.

— That's good! — Fernanda said, drinking the coffee.

— The first two soldiers will already have study material. Then, you can go eat — said Kay.

— Only two? There are fifteen recruits! — exclaimed Fernanda.

— It's going to be the same... No! You better record them all! — said Kay in a firm tone.

The recruits, along with Lena, left the base towards the training site.

— Because of Lena? — asked Fernanda, curious.

— I hope it's not just her! — replied Kay, keeping the mystery.

He then paused and added:

— Only Raven will come to me. Ask the others to wait here and to put the communication on band five on the radio.

— You can do it! — agreed Fernanda.

Kay moved further away, positioning herself to begin the training. Soon, the group reached the scientists.

— Raven, he's calling you. The rest, wait your turn and put band five on the radio! — instructed Fernanda.

Raven adjusted the radio as she walked towards Kay.

"Has he mentioned what we're going to do?" Viviane asked anxiously.

"Not yet, but he seems to have high expectations for Lena!" Fernanda commented.

"For me?" Lena responded, surprised.

"You're the leader, why the surprise?" Kratos teased.

Lena smiled, regaining her confidence.

— You're right, I'm amazing! — she said, laughing and receiving amused looks from her colleagues.

— You held a grudge, did you? — Raven joked as she approached Kay.

— I told you you'd be the first. Stay on this side! — Kay replied, pointing to where he wanted her to stand.

He then turned his back to the group, while Raven stood facing him, both of them a good distance away from the others.

— What do I need to do? — Raven asked, expectantly.

Kay pressed the radio's communication button, transmitting the explanation to all the recruits on track five.

— I'm going to make the ghoul in each of you awaken. When that happens, they will try to emerge and their form of expression will be through tentacles, which will attack me. Throughout the process, you need to try to reach a consensus with your ghouls to control these tentacles. When you master this control, you will be free. We will stay here until you succeed, no matter how long it takes. Got it?

Kay released the button and heard Lena answer with determination:

— Got it!

— And how are you going to make the ghoul react? — Raven asked, visibly intrigued.

Kay pressed the radio button again.

— I'm going to start. Are you able to record everything? — he asked Fernanda.

After a brief confirmation that the equipment was ready, Kay took a few steps back, picked up her baton, a weapon created by the institute, and pointed it at Raven, preparing to start the awakening.

— The ghoul won't kill or hurt you. They already understand that they need you to keep living. They won't try anything... at least until they get more power! — Kay said, with a firm look.

— Okay, but how are you going to wake him up? — Raven asked, curious and slightly suspicious.

Kay stared at her, letting a threatening glint appear in her eyes.