I stared at the words Elite Unit 02 on the card.
I didn't feel as happy as I thought I would.
Seeing 02 instead of 01 nagged at me. I knew the chances were low—extremely low—but a part of me had still hoped.
The Rank on the card likely referred to my standing within Unit 02, though I wasn't sure how they calculated it.
But damn, I made it into 02. That was way better than my parents, they had both been part of 07, so yeah, I had one-upped them.
"02?"
I recognized Steve's voice from behind me.
I turned and grinned.
"02."
He raised his hand, and we high-fived.
Throwing an arm over his shoulder, I pulled him along.
"Let's go see what this 02 is about."
***
Soon, we stood in front of a door with a huge glowing sign above it that read 02.
Steve and I exchanged glances. He shrugged, so I clicked the door open, and we stepped inside.
The room was a large hall with a center stage in one corner—again, no chairs.
Around 30 to 40 people were already inside, all dressed in military uniforms: black pants, black shoes, and tight-fitting black shirts. A thunderbolt emblem was imprinted on their left chest, and a bold 02 marked their right.
The moment we entered, every head turned toward us.
I could feel their eyes sizing us up, judging us in one way or another. The tension in the air was almost electric. And why wouldn't it be? When you throw a bunch of top-ranking students into the same room, egos clash, and a new competition begins.
I forced the sweetest smile I could manage.
Steve scoffed beside me.
Someone suddenly called out, "To your left."
I turned and saw a door labeled 'Changing Room.'
"Let's go," I said to Steve, and we headed inside.
The room was stocked with uniforms in various sizes. We picked out what fit us, changed, and returned to the hall.
We stood in the corner for a few minutes, and I was already getting bored.
Turning to Steve, I said.
"Hey, let's go introduce ourselves. See what kind of comrades we're going to have."
Steve blinked at me, then shoved his hands into his pockets and stared off into the distance.
"Not interested."
"Come on, it'll be interesting." I urged.
"It won't be," he said flatly. "We'll get to know them later anyway."
He shrugged, still looking at nothing in particular.
"So what am I supposed to do until everyone gathers?" I asked.
"Look around. See what others are doing. Then follow the same."
I sighed and glanced around the room.
Most people were just standing in small groups of one or two. Some stood alone, aimlessly looking around. Every time someone new walked in, there was a brief moment of tension, a small buzz, as if everyone had been jolted by a mild shock, before they went back to staring into space.
"Hmm, is that so?" I said, rolling my shoulder and cracking my neck.
"You know, Steve, I think you've forgotten something about me."
He finally turned to look at me, brows furrowing. Then, as if something clicked, his eyes widened slightly.
"Dude, no. Please don't. Just let there be peace for once."
I grinned.
"No, Steve. I don't follow others—I make others follow me."
Without another word, I started walking toward the stage.
I could already feel eyes on me, the room stirring as I passed. By the time I stood at the center of the stage, the whole hall was buzzing.
I looked down at Steve from the stage and saw him mouthing, "I will kill you."
Ignoring him, I scanned the crowd. Most of them were glaring at me, their stares practically burning holes through me. But who cared? I certainly didn't.
I smirked, letting the tension in the room settle before I spoke.
My voice echoed in the hall.
"My name is Billion Ironhart. And since we're all going to be part of this unit together, let me make one thing clear—" I raised my hand and pointed at the crowd, slowly sweeping my finger across them.
"I don't care which academy you came from, what rank you held, or what fancy class you think you're getting. And I sure as hell don't care how strong you think you are."
I let my words hang for a moment, then smirked.
"What I do care about is that by the time this probation is over, you all will know one thing for certain.
That no one here outworks me. No one here outlasts me. And by the time this is over, whether you like it or not… you will be chasing me."
The moment I finished, the room erupted. Some scoffed, others exchanged glances, and a few stepped forward as if they wanted to say something. A low murmur filled the hall.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Steve sigh, rubbing his temples.
I stood on the stage, arms crossed, my grin unwavering as the crowd murmured in response to my words. The air in the room was tense, but I could feel the spark of excitement, like a storm about to break. Then, a voice rang out from the crowd.
"Looks like you practiced that speech in the mirror."
A few chuckles followed. I didn't miss a beat.
"Oh no, dude, I'm just naturally this good. You, on the other hand, should definitely try the mirror, it might help."
More laughter rippled through the room. But I knew, they won't allow me to take the spotlight and I was right.
Soon another voice spoke up.
"Big words for someone I've never even heard of."
I turned my head slightly, locking eyes with the speaker.
"Maybe you were sleeping the entire time… or just too slow to keep up. Should I speak slower for you?"
A chorus of "Ooooh" followed, the kind that usually came before a fight or a challenge.
Someone else, feeling bold, took their turn.
"You act like you're the leader here. Did they forget to tell you this isn't your academy anymore?"
I let out a mock gasp.
"Oh damn, really? And here I was thinking they gave me this stage to make sure you all paid attention."
That one landed. The laughter grew louder, a mix of genuine amusement and disbelief.
Then, another voice, louder this time as if to overpower the crowd.
"Talk all you want, but we'll see if your fists are as fast as your mouth when the real fight starts."
I tilted my head, pretending to consider his words before flashing a smirk.
"Oh, don't worry, I'll even give you a head start. You'll still end up on the floor."
I noticed the mood had shifted. Some looked amused, others irritated, but one thing was clear, I had their attention.
Then, cutting through the back-and-forth, a calm yet sharp voice spoke up.
"Childish."
For the first time, I turned my head fully, spotting the girl who had spoken. She stood with her arms folded, eyes unimpressed, as if she had better things to do than waste time on this.
I gasped dramatically.
"Oh, sorry, Grandma. We kids were just having fun. Didn't mean to disturb your afternoon nap."
For a moment, silence. Then, the room exploded. Laughter, loud and unrestrained, filled the hall. Even those who had been glaring at me before couldn't help but smirk. A few shook their heads, some whispering among themselves.
I winked at the girl with a smirk and she glared at me. I stood there, taking in the reaction, my grin never fading.
And I thought.
'This is going to be fun. Show me what you got 02.'
I jumped down from the stage and walked toward Steve. A few guys stepped forward to introduce themselves, and before long, everyone was moving around, talking and laughing and turning to stare at the door whenever someone entered. I even dragged a couple of them over to meet lazy Steve, couldn't let him rest too much.
The door opened once again, and everyone turned toward it.
Suddenly, the room fell silent.
And then, I saw the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. My green eyes narrowed instinctively, as if trying to imprint her image in my mind.
She stood by the door, scanning the crowd with a sharp gaze.
Tall—almost six feet. Large expressive brown eyes, a cute oval face, and long black hair tied back in a ponytail.
She wore a fitted black blazer over a sleek brown V-neck top, paired with matching black pants that gave her a sharp yet effortless elegance. A delicate necklace rested against her collarbone, catching the light just enough to add to her presence. Few bracelets jingled on her left wrist and high heels completed the look.
For a moment, everything else faded for me.
But suddenly thinking something I leaned toward Steve and whispered, "Mine."
He let out a lazy yawn and muttered back.
"Sure, man. I'm too lazy for this shit anyway. Just don't start simping too hard."
I smiled and answered.
"Simping? Nah, man. That is not in my blood."