章節 8: Codenames
The arena had fallen eerily silent after the announcement. The shifting walls and platforms stilled, leaving the four remaining players scattered in pockets of temporary safety. Kaito, Mika, Haruto, and Reika regrouped in a small, sheltered alcove formed by two towering metal beams.
Kaito leaned against the cold steel, wincing as Mika inspected his shoulder. Haruto sat cross-legged nearby, staring intently at his BIO while Reika kept watch, her rifle steady in her hands.
The silence between them was heavy, each of them lost in their own thoughts about what they'd just endured. Finally, Mika broke it.
"We need to get organized," she said, her voice firm but low. "If we keep going like this, we're going to get killed."
"Organized?" Haruto asked, glancing up. "What do you mean? We're already a team, right?"
"Barely," Mika replied, wrapping the bandage tighter around Kaito's shoulder. He hissed in pain but didn't complain. "We're surviving, but we're not working together. That needs to change."
"She's right," Reika added, her gaze scanning the arena's shifting horizon. "Every second we waste arguing or hesitating is a second the enemy gets ahead."
Kaito nodded, pushing himself upright. "Alright, fine. What do you suggest?"
"First, introductions," Mika said, standing and brushing the dust off her pants. "We don't even know each other's names."
"I'm Haruto," the young programmer piped up, raising a hand. "Haruto Akamine. Uh, I guess I'm good with tech stuff, so I can help with mapping and strategy."
Reika smirked faintly. "We've noticed. You're 'Techie' from now on. Clear and simple."
"Techie?" Haruto frowned, then shrugged. "I guess it works."
Mika looked at Kaito. "You next."
He hesitated. "Kaito. Kaito Ishiguro."
"And you're clearly the hothead," Mika said with a slight smirk.
"Hothead?" Kaito scowled.
"It fits," Reika said with a shrug. "You don't think; you just act. That's not a bad thing—it saved us earlier. But we're calling you 'Ace.' You seem to have a knack for pulling off the impossible."
Kaito blinked, then muttered, "I can live with that."
"What about you?" Haruto asked, looking at Mika.
"Mika Tanabe," she said, her voice steady. "I used to be an investigative journalist, so I'm used to digging for answers and staying calm under pressure."
Kaito tilted his head. "Calm? You were yelling at me the whole time."
Mika rolled her eyes. "Because you're reckless."
Reika smirked again. "How about we call you 'Shadow'? You're good at keeping everyone grounded, but you're not afraid to step into the fight."
"Shadow," Mika repeated, testing it out. "I like it."
Finally, all eyes turned to Reika. She adjusted her grip on her rifle, her expression unreadable. "Reika Nakamura. Former soldier."
The weight of her words hung in the air. Kaito had suspected as much from her precise movements and calm demeanor in battle, but hearing it confirmed was still surprising.
"You're definitely 'Captain,'" Kaito said after a moment.
Reika raised an eyebrow. "Captain?"
"Yeah. You know what you're doing, and you're good at taking control," he explained.
Reika considered it, then nodded. "Captain it is."
With their names and nicknames settled, a strange sense of unity began to take shape. It wasn't perfect—there were still unspoken tensions and lingering doubts—but for the first time, they felt like a team.
"Alright, Ace, Techie, Shadow, Captain," Mika said, standing tall. "Next time we go into the fight, we go in together. No more solo heroics. Agreed?"
"Agreed," Kaito said, glancing at the others.
"Agreed," Haruto echoed.
Reika nodded, her sharp eyes gleaming. "Let's show them what we're made of."
As the arena rumbled to life again, their BIOs flashed with the next phase's message:
"Final Four. Team Round. Eliminate the Opposition."
The ground beneath them shifted, and new pathways opened. Kaito tightened his grip on his weapon, glancing at the people who now felt more like comrades than strangers.
"Let's do this," he said.
"Together," Mika replied.
The game was on again, but this time, they were ready.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票