Chapter 97: Sea Side Fun
Elias watched as several sharply dressed Shard Users stepped forward, each one from different blocks he didn’t recognize. They introduced themselves one by one, speaking briefly with the members at the table, some exchanging polite words while others shared a history, prior connections evident in the way they addressed one another.
The process was starting to make sense. Each of them had been selected for this so-called Officer Program, but how? Some had military backgrounds, others seemed to have political ties, and a few carried themselves with a level of experience that suggested they had already been in leadership roles before.
Elias, on the other hand, had no idea why he had been picked.
He hadn’t saved anyone at the resort. If anything, he had slowed everyone down, barely keeping up in the fight. Even his final act—dropping Vincent from the sky—hadn’t finished the job. That thought gnawed at him. Is Vincent even dead?
His mind drifted, replaying the last moments of that battle, trying to recall if he had actually seen Vincent take his final breath. Before he could think too deeply, his focus snapped back at the sound of a familiar phrase.
"D Block."
Something clicked in his memory. Oliver mentioned someone was moved from D Block when I first arrived... why does that name sound familiar?
Elias turned his attention to the speaker.
A tall, lean man stepped forward, his movements smooth and practiced. His black hair was glossed to perfection, his uniform crisp, as if he had stepped right out of a high-society event rather than a military program.
"Good day, gentlemen," he greeted, giving a small bow with a polite tip of his head. "My name is Asurik Gusmen."
Elias wasn’t the only one watching him closely. To his side, Kikaru’s face twitched—just slightly, but enough for Elias to notice. She looked annoyed.