Two days passed quietly since the founding of Hyperion.
Morning light spilled over the sleek white facade of the new guild building—its surface gleaming faintly with reinforced mana lines that pulsed like the heartbeat of something alive. The structure stood proud, angular yet graceful, as if it had been carved from light itself.
Kuhaku whistled under his breath. "So this is ours, huh?"
Kiana grinned, hands on her hips. "You mean my future base of operations."
Bronya gave her a blank look. "Incorrect. Probability of you running this place without supervision: 0.03%."
"Hey!"
Mei just smiled softly, watching their banter as they approached the wide glass doors that opened automatically. The faint hum of mana greeted them inside, the walls glowing faintly in rhythmic pulses.
Daichi was waiting in the center hall, wearing his uniform and a rare hint of a smile.
"Welcome to Hyperion Headquarters," he said. "Your new home—and your new responsibility."
⸻
Inside the upper floor office, the air was still and formal. The sunlight fell across the dark wooden desk where Daichi sat, papers neatly stacked beside a crystalline mana communicator.
He motioned for Kuhaku to sit.
"You've been assigned as the Captain of Hyperion Team 1," Daichi began, voice steady. "Effective immediately."
Kuhaku blinked. "Captain? Me?"
Daichi gave a faint smile. "You've already proven your leadership. The others trust you. That's all that matters."
Before Kuhaku could respond, a knock came from the door.
"She's here," said one of the staff outside.
The door opened—and a woman stepped through.
She was tall, perhaps in her mid-twenties, with blonde hair that shimmered like molten gold and violet eyes that carried the weight of command. Her uniform—a sharp blend of red and green, trimmed in gold—fit her frame with effortless precision. Her stride was confident, but her aura calm and composed.
"Cocolia Rand," she introduced, her voice rich and steady. "A-rank awakener. I've been assigned as co-captain of Hyperion Team 1."
Kuhaku rose slightly, offering a polite nod. "Hoshizora Kuhaku. Captain… I guess."
Her lips curved faintly, a flicker of amusement passing through her stoic expression. "I look forward to working together, Captain."
Daichi's gaze hardened slightly. "The military insisted on sending an observer. But I trust you'll find her presence… useful."
Cocolia turned to him. "You have my word, General. I'm not here to interfere—only to assist."
Daichi nodded once. "Good. Then let's begin."
⸻
Downstairs, the others were inspecting their new facility—rows of training pods, crystal generators, and racks of newly developed weapons.
When Kuhaku entered with Cocolia, Kiana immediately whispered, "Whoa… who's the model?"
"Behave," Mei muttered under her breath.
Cocolia offered a polite bow. "I'm Cocolia Rand. I've been assigned as co-captain of Hyperion Team 1. It's an honor to meet you all"
Kiana grinned. "Nice to meet ya, Co-Captain. Hope you don't regret this."
Bronya, ever direct, asked, "Rank?"
"A-rank," Cocolia replied simply.
That made Bronya blink. "Understood."
From the side, Daichi entered with a small group of technicians pushing armored crates. "These," he said, "are mana-reactive prototypes—new weapons and armor. Your job today is to test and synchronize them."
"Now that sounds fun," Kiana said, cracking her knuckles.
⸻
They gathered around the racks. Each weapon gleamed faintly under the mana lighting.
Kuhaku's eyes landed on a long silver sword, perfectly balanced, the metal pulsing faintly with blue lines of reinforced mana. He picked it up, giving it a quick swing—the air whistled cleanly.
"Light," he murmured. "I like it."
Kiana's eyes darted between a massive greatsword and a pair of handguns. She smirked. "Why choose? I'll take both."
Mei picked up a katana—simple, refined, the hilt wrapped in white and black. When she drew it slightly, a faint static charge hummed across the edge.
"…This one," she said softly.
Bronya approached a heavy mana cannon, her eyes narrowing as she analyzed the structure. She lifted it slightly with a thought, her telekinesis adjusting the weight perfectly. "Acceptable."
Cocolia, observing from the side, froze mid-step when Kuhaku made his sword vanish into thin air.
"…Where did it go?"
Kuhaku blinked. "Oh—uh, inventory?"
She stared. "Inventory?"
Kiana laughed. "It's like… a pocket dimension or something. Don't think about it too hard."
Cocolia rubbed her temple. "I'll… try not to."
⸻
As they tested the armor next, the System's blue light flickered briefly before their eyes.
[New Feature Unlocked]
[Equipment Interface Activated]
Each of them felt the faint hum of mana settle into their bodies. The armor faded from sight, yet the protection lingered—weightless, invisible.
Kuhaku flexed a hand. "Still there. Just… not visible."
Bronya nodded. "Integrated perfectly."
Cocolia took a slow breath, watching with wide eyes. "This… defies every known mana structure. How are you—?"
Before she could finish, Daichi stepped in. "Kuhaku."
Kuhaku explained everything calmly—the System's reaction, its adaptability, and its invisible interface.
Cocolia's hands tightened slightly behind her back. She'd been sent to observe, but this—this was beyond anything the military expected.
Daichi's gaze lingered on her. "You'll keep this confidential."
Cocolia hesitated, then bowed slightly. "You have my word. I won't report anything until you decide it's time."
Kuhaku smiled faintly. "Thanks. I appreciate it."
She didn't reply—but the look in her eyes softened, ever so slightly.
⸻
The underground chamber was a marvel in itself—spanning hundreds of meters, reinforced by thick mana-imbued walls. Circles of glowing light etched the floor, each one pulsing in sync with the reactors overhead.
"This place is built to handle B-rank clashes," Daichi said proudly. "So don't hold back."
The air grew heavy as the team stepped into the ring.
Cocolia crossed her arms. "We'll begin with basic sparring brackets. Observation first, then correction."
⸻
Round 1 – Kiana vs. Bronya
The moment the match started, Kiana dashed forward, twin handguns flashing.
Bronya's telekinesis shimmered faintly, deflecting the bullets midair before launching her cannon with pinpoint precision.
The explosion rocked the ground.
"Too slow!" Kiana shouted, sliding across the dirt. Her greatsword appeared from thin air—she swung it down in a flash of blue light.
Bronya raised a barrier, deflecting the strike but sliding backward from the impact.
The shockwave rippled across the arena.
"Still predictable," Bronya said flatly.
"Still smug," Kiana shot back, grinning.
Bronya smirked. "Victory probability: 83%."
A quick feint, a psychic pull, and Kiana's weapon was wrenched off balance. Before she could recover, the cannon fired a blinding burst—ending the match in a flash.
"Match over," Cocolia declared.
Kiana fell to her knees, pouting. "Rematch later!"
⸻
Round 2 – Kuhaku vs. Mei
The air grew tense. Kuhaku and Mei faced each other silently, blades drawn.
A faint spark danced between them—anticipation, respect.
Then they moved.
Kuhaku charged first, strength and speed merging as he swung down with raw force. Mei met it in one graceful motion—katana flashing upward, redirecting his strike in a single fluid curve.
The clash echoed like thunder.
Mei spun, blade tracing arcs of lightning. Kuhaku barely dodged, sparks slicing past his cheek.
He grinned. "You're faster than before."
Mei smiled faintly. "You're still predictable."
A step, a flash—her sword at his throat before he could even blink.
"Match over."
Kiana burst out laughing from the sidelines. "Captain, huh? More like practice dummy!"
Kuhaku groaned. "You're next, Kiana."
⸻
Round 3 – Mei vs. Bronya
Bronya adjusted her gloves. "Acknowledged."
Mana flared.
Mei struck first, moving like a storm.
Bronya countered, anchoring herself midair with psychic force, cannon spinning with mechanical precision.
Explosions and lightning clashed across the arena. The floor cracked beneath the pressure.
Mei deflected three consecutive blasts, closing the gap in an instant. Her blade glowed white, cutting through the smoke.
Bronya fired a final shot—Mei sliced it apart, rushing through the burst of flame.
The katana stopped an inch from Bronya's neck.
Silence.
Then Bronya exhaled slowly. "Acknowledged… loss."
⸻
As the tension faded, Cocolia stepped forward, her expression unreadable.
She looked at each of them in turn—Kiana's fiery grin, Bronya's calm focus, Mei's graceful poise, and Kuhaku's quiet strength.
"You all have potential," she said at last. "But potential means nothing without control."
Her gaze lingered on Kuhaku.
"Your strength is extraordinary, but your movements are predictable. You fight like someone swinging emotions, not technique."
He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "Yeah, Mei already said that."
Cocolia crossed her arms. "Then you'll start training with me. Tomorrow. No excuses."
Kuhaku gave a small smile. "Yes, ma'am."
She turned to the rest. "Tomorrow, 0600 hours. We're entering a D-rank dungeon near Kyoto. Standard procedure: mana crystal retrieval and clearance. Prepare accordingly."
Kiana cheered. "Finally, something real again!"
Bronya sighed. "Define 'real.'"
Mei chuckled softly. "It's been a while since we fought together properly."
⸻
As the others filed out, Kuhaku lingered in the training hall, staring at the faint shimmer of mana still drifting in the air.
The room was quiet now, but his heart beat faster than ever.
For the first time since the Impact…
He felt like they weren't just survivors anymore.
They were becoming something greater.
Team Hyperion had truly begun.
⸻
End of Chapter 2 – Part 6