Dome Surveillance Room – Kaizen's POV
Kaizen sat back in the control room chair, his feet propped up on the desk as he watched the chaos unfold on his monitor.
"You're doing great, kids," he muttered to himself, sipping on his energy drink.
A dozen different camera feeds displayed all five teams, each facing unique challenges. Some had already started doubting themselves, while others—surprisingly—were starting to show promise.
He noted the scoreboard. Team 1 was leading in points. The Gaslighter was wreaking havoc on Team 3, and Pressure Point was still messing with Team 2. He loved it. All according to plan.
But then, his eyes flickered to Team 5—they were still arguing. The last to get their act together.
"Patience," Kaizen said, eyes narrowing with a grin. "This is where the real fun starts."
Team 3 – The Illusion Trap
"Wait, hold on! That's not me!" Dae-Min shouted, scrambling to push the fake clone of himself away.
The fake Dae-Min smirked, repeating his words like a twisted echo: "You left me behind. Why should I help you now?"
Sori stepped forward, holding her breath. "Don't—don't attack! It's not real."
But confusion set in. The fake Dae-Min mirrored their every move, each word making it harder to tell what was true.
"Dammit, I know I didn't say that," Dae-Min growled. "It's a trick. We have to—"
Before he could finish, Sori's fist shot out, slamming into the fake Dae-Min. The clone shattered into thin mist, evaporating into the fog.
"This... this thing," Do Yoon muttered, wiping sweat from his brow, "It's messing with our heads."
Dae-Min cursed. "I'm not letting it win. Let's stick together and focus on the real mission, okay?"
Sori nodded, glancing at him. "You better not let this thing get to you again."
It took several minutes, but they broke free of the illusion, realizing that Gaslighter had been toying with their perceptions. Dae-Min's clones had only made things worse. But in the end, they regained their footing and began moving as a team, finding their confidence again.
Team 2 – Byul's Recovery & Counterattack
"Taemin, do something!" Mira shouted, blocking an incoming strike from Pressure Point with a glowing force field.
"I can't keep him distracted forever!" Taemin yelled, trying to dance around the bot's swipes.
Byul, still on the ground from the initial hit, was trying to crawl, his limbs frozen.
"Mira... I'm... I'm out," Byul whispered, barely able to speak.
"No, you're not," Mira snapped. "Get up, or we'll all die out here."
"Uh, I'm not that dramatic, am I?" Taemin muttered, dodging another series of strikes from Pressure Point. He barely managed to escape before the bot landed another blow.
Byul groaned. "Alright, I'm up... barely."
Then a wild idea struck him. He didn't have a physical way out, but he could manipulate the illusions that Gaslighter had scattered across the arena.
With a surge of energy, Byul sent out a distracting burst of light, distorting the Pressure Point's visual sensors just enough to throw off its next strike. Mira took her shot, using her skills to knock out the bot's system temporarily.
"You're a lifesaver," Taemin said, panting heavily.
Byul managed a grin, despite the pain. "I'm not that bad, right?"
They didn't defeat the bot, but they survived, each learning how to adapt their quirks and fight together.
Team 1 – Karen the Insult Bot Chaos
Rika, Leo, and Jae Eun sprinted through the ruins, hoping to make it to the flag before any other team.
But their progress came to an abrupt halt as a loud voice echoed from the distance.
"HELLOOOOOOOOO, STUDENTS!" A booming robotic voice screeched. "YOU CALL THAT HAIR? DID YOU WAKE UP THAT WAY?!"
Rika cursed. "Not this thing."
Out of the mist, a massive, glitter-covered bot appeared, its arms launching mini-rockets while its voice continued to berate them.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE STILL ALIVE—ARE YOU JUST THAT UNIMPORTANT?!"
Jae Eun cursed under her breath, pulling out a data pad. "I've had enough of this. Give me a minute."
Leo darted forward, dodging another rocket. "Just hurry up and shut it down!"
Jae Eun quickly hacked into the nearest terminal, reprogramming Karen's targeting system. A few moments later, the bot began to follow its new target—Team 5—heading straight for their location.
"There, that should work. We don't have to fight her."
Rika smirked. "Nice work."
Now, with the path cleared, they quickly sprinted toward the flag.
Team 4 – Silent but Strategic
Ryuu, Ha-Joon, and Yul didn't rush into any conflicts. They quietly moved through the fog, sticking to the shadows. Ryuu had always been one for strategy, and Ha-Joon was an expert in reading environments.
"I'll set the trap here," Ryuu said, pointing at a collapsed building. "The flag will be taken soon. Let's make sure we're the ones who grab it."
Yul nodded, but Ha-Joon looked skeptical. "What if they know about the trap?"
"They won't. We'll stay hidden until it's too late," Ryuu said with a confident grin. "Trust me."
It was a dangerous game, and while the others bickered or fought, they kept their focus. Their silence became their weapon, and their precise strategy started to show they might be underestimated—something Kaizen hadn't anticipated.
Team 5 – Lost and Bickering
Yuna, Minari, and Juno stumbled through the fog, each of them arguing about their next move.
"I told you, we should've gone left!" Minari shouted, her temper flaring.
"I told you, we should be looking for the flag, not fighting everyone!" Yuna snapped back, her patience running thin.
Meanwhile, Juno was lying back on a pile of rubble, eyes closed. "Can't we just, I don't know... take a nap and figure it out later?"
"You're not even—never mind," Yuna muttered, trying to get the group back on track.
Just as their arguments were starting to escalate, they spotted Karen approaching in the distance, locked on to their position. They scrambled to find cover, knowing they had little chance to fight back.
"Do something!" Yuna yelled.
Minari growled, raising her hands. "Fine, I'll do it, but don't expect me to hold back."
Closing Scene – Flag Tower
The teams began to converge near the center of the city. The flag was within sight, and as expected, Team 1 arrived first, but they weren't alone. Team 4 was quietly watching from the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment.
Suddenly, chaos erupted as Team 5 collided with Karen, their voices a mix of confusion and insults. Team 2 wasn't far behind, struggling to regroup after their earlier encounter with Pressure Point.
Kaizen watched with a grin, sipping his energy drink.
"This is where the fun really begins," he muttered, eyes glinting. "Let's see who cracks first... and who pretends they never cared in the first place."