The smile that lit up her face was like watching the sun rise – genuine, warm, and completely unguarded.

I looked over at Jacob, who was still on his knees trying to collect himself, his breathing gradually slowing from panic to merely anxious. "Jacob, wake up. The test is over. You survived."

He flinched at the sound of his name, then nodded frantically, adjusting his glasses with shaking hands. "Y-yes! Of course! I'm awake! I'm good! Totally good! That was... that was..." His words tumbled over each other in his haste to respond.

"You're welcome," I said quietly, letting the implication hang in the air. His eyes widened further as understanding dawned on him – I'd saved his life. Or at least, what would have been his life in a real situation.

"T-thank you," he stammered, looking at me with a new expression – not just fear or anxiety, but something closer to awe.

Raphael crossed his arms over his chest, scowling so deeply I thought his face might crack. "That was the dumbest fucking plan I've ever seen. We nearly died. Splitting up? Sending Pinky into the main force alone? Pure stupidity."

"But we didn't die," I countered calmly, still holding Soomin. Her warmth against my chest was oddly comforting. "And we won. With time to spare."

"Pure luck," he spat, kicking at a non-existent pebble on the pristine white floor.

I shrugged, careful not to jostle Soomin too much. "Results speak for themselves. VEGA seems to agree. But hey, if you want to try being in charge next time, be my guest."

Juan finally managed to sit up, rubbing his neck where the dart had struck. "Can we maybe not have a 'next time' anytime soon? My body feels like it's been through a meat grinder, and that was just a simulation." He yawned widely, as if nearly dying was just a mild inconvenience cutting into his nap schedule.

Skylar stepped forward, suddenly putting a hand to her forehead dramatically. "Oh... I'm so... exhausted..." She stumbled theatrically, beginning to fall forward. "I don't think I can walk... I need a big, strong man to carry me too..."

Raphael, seeing his chance, immediately puffed out his chest like a peacock in mating season. "I'll carry you, Skylar!" he volunteered, stepping forward eagerly, hands already outstretched to catch her.

Skylar straightened up instantly, perfectly fine. "You know what? I'm feeling much better. Must have been a momentary weakness. Never mind." She flashed him a saccharine smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Raphael's face fell like a soufflé in a slammed oven, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud. Juan didn't bother hiding his amusement, snorting loudly as he finally got to his feet.

A new, much larger door on the final wall of the hexagon hissed open with a pneumatic whoosh, flooding the stark room with bright, clinical light. The contrast was almost painful after the dim cave environment.

"Your evaluation is complete," VEGA announced, her voice coming from everywhere and nowhere. "Proceed to the debriefing chamber. Your futures... are waiting." She paused dramatically. "And might I add, that was a most entertaining performance. I've made special note of several... anomalies in your combat style, Satori Nakano. Most intriguing."

I looked down at Soomin, still cradled in my arms, her head resting against my chest. She blinked up at me, her eyes wide and trusting, her lips slightly parted. So vulnerable. So malleable.

"Can you walk?" I asked, keeping my voice gentle, concerned.

"I... I don't think so," she whispered, blushing again. "My legs feel like jelly. When I transform like that... it takes everything out of me."

"Then I'll carry you," I said, adjusting my grip slightly to make it more comfortable for her. And to get a better feel of that ass. For science, of course. And potential future investment.

As we moved toward the light, I caught sight of our reflection in the glossy white wall. Me, standing tall and seemingly unruffled despite the battle we'd just survived, holding Soomin like some knight in a fairy tale. She looked small and fragile in my arms, her pink hair a stark contrast against my dark hoodie. Behind us, the others followed – Skylar with her casual grace, each step silent and measured; Juan limping slightly, his hands stuffed in his pockets; Jacob clutching his datapad like a shield against the world, eyes darting nervously; and Raphael bringing up the rear, his face a storm cloud of resentment and wounded pride.

Six strangers thrown together by circumstance. Six pieces on a board not of our making. Six potential assets or liabilities, depending on how I chose to use them.

And I was the only king among pawns. The only one with the System. The only one playing a game they didn't even know existed.

"Hey," Soomin said quietly, her voice barely audible over the sound of our footsteps on the hard floor. "Thank you."

I looked down at her, at those innocent doe eyes and that soft face that had transformed into something feral and deadly just minutes ago. The duality was fascinating – the shy, stammering girl and the savage predator, both living in the same skin. Both potentially useful in very different ways.

"My pleasure," I replied, meaning it more than she could possibly understand. My fingers gave her ass another gentle, exploratory squeeze, and her breath hitched, her face flushing crimson again.

As we stepped through the doorway into our futures, one thought dominated my mind: I needed to learn more about Pan Soomin and her fascinating Aspect. Much, much more. How much power could she actually channel? How long could she sustain that transformation with proper training? What would it take to control that feral side of her – or better yet, to aim it precisely at my enemies?

The rules of this game were becoming clearer by the minute, and I intended to win. After all, a king protects his pieces – not because he's noble, but because each one is a weapon in his arsenal.

And I'd just found a particularly interesting new weapon. One with pink hair, blue eyes, and an ass that could start a religion.

All I had to do now was make her mine.

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